Denali base camp manager prepares to return to the glacier

It’s springtime in Talkeetna, and while most of the town is preparing for summer, one local resident will be wearing her mittens and down clothing for a few more months. 

April 2020 brought an unprecedented lockdown to most of the world.  Even the Kahiltna Glacier was silent, a remote wilderness spot where Denali Base Camp is located.  It’s a place where climbers begin their ascent of Denali.

Lisa Roderick is Denali Base Camp manager.  In a normal year, she spends mid-April through mid-July on the glacier, welcoming climbers and transmitting weather to pilots who shuttle climbers in and out of the camp with ski planes.

But last year, all climbing permits in Denali National Park were suspended, which meant Lisa stayed home.

“Last year, I was really shocked that climbing season was cancelled, ‘cause I‘ve been going up there for 19…20 years in a row, but I ended up really enjoying the summer.  I actually got a garden in.  My husband built me some raised beds and I grew lettuce and kale and I even tried to grow artichokes.  But a moose ended up eating my one choke that I got.”

This year, climbing season is on and Lisa will be flying into the Kahiltna Glacier on April 28th.  She will set up her tent and it will be her home until early July, when snow conditions deteriorate, bringing an end to climbing season on Denali.

But it’s not business as usual.  Lisa describes some of the changes that climbers can expect when they land at Base Camp.

“Couple things that might be different this year is, you know, we have to wear masks when we’re at Base Camp.  If you’re gathering around, you have to be masked up.  Of course, when you’re climbing and you’re roped up, you’re spaced out, so you won’t have to wear your mask as you’re climbing, but if you stop for a break and everybody gathers up together, then you’ll have to put your mask on.”

Although mitigations will be practiced on Denali, plans are also in place to identify and deal with possible COVID infections.

“So, there’s always Park Service rangers stationed with me at Base Camp and they handle all the medical things.  They’re all medically trained, they’re all E.M.T.s.  If some climber starts showing symptoms of COVID, they’ll have some test kits up at 14,000 and then we’ll have some test kits at Base Camp.  They’ll be giving tests as they see necessary.  Hopefully we’re not going to have to deal with that kind of stuff but you never know.”

Lisa and all the Denali National Park climbing rangers are fully vaccinated against Covid-19, so whatever the season brings, Lisa says she feels prepared and ready. 

“I’m definitely ready to get back up there for sure.  I’m starting to miss it a little bit.  Hopefully, most of the people showing up will be vaccinated.”