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Denali National Park and Preserve Annual Mountaineering Summary

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Denali National Park and Preserve Annual Mountaineering Summary Denali National Park and Preserve Annual Mountaineering Summary - MY FINAL SEASON If I had a dollar for each time a climber described their expedi- has improved dramatically since my first expedition here in tion as ‘cold’, I would be retiring a rich man — but this season 1981. The park is certainly an environmentally cleaner place. the temperatures were quite cold; the NPS rangers treated 17 Nowadays, climbers all over the world can access an incredible cases of frostbite, and those likely represent only half of the ac- amount of web-based mountaineering information, and once tual number of cases. Frostbite can result in a lifetime of pain, here in town, the teams receive a far more comprehensive safety even though it is one of the most preventable injuries in the briefing than ever before. Together we have helped develop a mountains with proper hydration, gear, and good judgment. more refined and professional search and rescue operation com- plete with annual ‘Rigging for Rescue’ courses, advanced medi- Our staff responded to 18 major incidents this year, including cal training, and specialized aviation and shorthaul work. Our frostbite, altitude illness, trauma, and cardiac illness. In an un- mountaineering staff and volunteers are equipped and trained to usual and tragic turn of events, two clients from separate guided respond to incidents more safely and efficiently than ever be- groups experienced sudden fatal collapses within three days of fore, highlighted this year by the dramatic raising and lowering one another in early July. James Nasti, age 51 of Naperville, of an injured Canadian climber on the Peters Glacier. Denali’s Illinois, died on the very summit of Mt. McKinley. His remains mountain rescue team is recognized as one of the best in the were buried off the summit ridge; medical experts consider it world thanks to the retention of competent staff and the support probable that his death was cardiac-related. And just before of park management and the climbing community at large. returning high camp after a long summit day, Pungkas Tri Ba- runo, age 20, of Jakarta, Indonesia died of what later proved to I will miss being a part of this unique and specialized operation, be a pre-existing cardiac irregularity. but I look forward to starting a new chapter in my life with my wife and best friend, Judy. I owe a lot to my fellow park staff, Another tragic event this season involved the perplexing disap- guides, climbers, and pilots that I was so fortunate to work with pearance of two highly skilled Japanese climbers. Tracks in the over the years. I wish all the staff here the best and believe they snow indicate that Tatsuro Yamada and Yuto Inoue had com- have tremendous opportunity to further improve mountain op- pleted an entire traverse of the Kahiltna Peaks, west to east, and erations in the future. Thanks for all the great years! continued climbing directly up the prow of the Cassin Ridge. (South District Ranger Daryl Miller) Their tracks vanished at 19,200 feet in an area beyond the route’s hard technical climbing. After an exhaustive aerial Inside This search, no decisive evidence materialized, and in my opinion, no persuasive theories have come to light to explain what hap- Introduction 1 pened. Ironically, after the disappearance of the two men, the Statistics 2- 3 Cassin Ridge was climbed by a record-breaking 9 additional expeditions, but no more clues were found. Denali Pro Award 4 Online Registration 4 This climbing season was a particularly bittersweet one for me, as it represents my last season with the National Park Service. I First Ascents and 5 retire on December 31, 2008 after 18 years of working in the Notable Climbs Denali mountaineering program, a career stretch that incorpo- rated some of the very best and the very worst moments of my Rescue Summary 6/7 life. We have lost numerous climbers over the years, including some close friends and fellow staff. On an emotional level, Medical Review 7 serving as a park liaison with the many grieving families has been one of the hardest jobs I have ever undertaken, though such Dr. Dow’s Triple Crown 8 work does have its rewards. I’ve met some truly exceptional Valor Award 9 people and developed lifelong friendships under these painful circumstances. In Memoriam 9 Although the mountain’s objective hazards will always remain (Retiring So. District Ranger Daryl Miller; South District Staff 8 the same, I believe that mountaineering in Denali National Park Photo: Karen Hilton) Page 2 2008 Mountaineering Summary ROUTES CLIMBED ATTEMPTS SUMMITS SUMMIT ROUTE Teams Climbers Teams Climbers PERCENTAGE MT. MCKINLEY Canadian 1 1 0 0 0% Cassin Ridge 10 22 9 20 91 Denali Diamond 1 6 1 5 83 Isis Face 2 5 1 3 60 Messner Couloir 1 2 0 0 0 Muldrow Glacier 4 25 3 15 60 Muldrow Traverse 1 4 1 2 50 Orient Express 3 5 3 5 100 West Buttress 248 1,123 180 652 58 West Rib 15 42 8 24 57 Upper West Rib 12 37 10 29 78 TOTALS 298 1,272 216 755 59% MT. FORAKER Sultana 6 16 1 1 6 TOTALS 6 16 1 1 6% GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION Climbers came from 51 different nations this season United States 692 Sweden 12 Mexico 3 Canada 72 Netherlands 11 Peru 3 United Kingdom 69 Ukraine 11 Belgium 2 Germany 47 Slovenia 10 Ecuador 2 Spain 42 Taiwan 8 Israel 2 Japan 27 China 5 Lithuania 2 Korea 22 Ireland 5 New Zealand 2 Norway 22 Serbia 5 Argentina 1 Switzerland 21 Brazil 4 Bahamas 1 Australia 19 Chile 4 Bosnia 1 Italy 19 Finland 4 Greece 1 Austria 18 Hong Kong 4 Mongolia 1 Poland 17 Slovakia 4 Nepal 1 Czech Republic 13 Croatia 3 Panama 1 Denmark 13 Indonesia 3 Philippines 1 Russia 13 Kazakhstan 3 Portugal 1 South Africa 12 Latvia 3 United Arab Emirates 1 2008 Mountaineering Summary Page 3 STATISTICAL REVIEW 2000 to 2008 Foreign vs. Domestic Climbers Average Age 100 60 90 55 40 41 38 39 41 80 43 44 43 47 50 70 45 60 38 38 35 37 37 37 50 40 36 36 Age 34 40 International 35 Percentage 30 60 57 59 62 57 61 59 56 53 US Climbers 30 20 25 10 0 20 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 002 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 2000 2001 2 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 Year Year Averag e Expedition Length Gender Breakdown 21.0 100 20.0 90 s 80 19.0 70 17.7 17.8 60 18.0 17.2 17.1 17.3 17.3 90 90 91 89 89 89 93 88 91 16.8 16.9 50 17.0 17.8 40 Men 16.0 Percentage 30 Number of Day Women 20 15.0 10 10 10 9 11 11 11 7 12 9 14.0 0 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 02 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 2000 2001 20 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 20 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 Year Year Summits by Month Busiest Summit Days 800 2000 June 3 71 700 2001 June 4 69 s 600 2002 June 13 56 500 2003 June 12 115 400 July 300 2004 June 4 71 June 200 2005 June 15 101 Number of summit Number May 100 2006 May 29 50 0 2007 June 12 77 01 2000 20 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2008 May 30 91 Year Page 4 2008 Mountaineering Summary DENALI PRO AWARD Denali National Park and Pre- serve and Pigeon Mountain Year Denali Pro Award Recipients Industries (PMI) have selected Bengt Bern and Jan Vinterek as 1998 Adrian Nature the 2008 Denali Pro Award winners. This year marks the 1999 Michal Krissak tenth occasion that the NPS and PMI have teamed up to honor John Mislow 2000 mountaineers who have demonstrated the highest standards in the Andrew Swanson sport for safety, self-sufficiency, assisting fellow mountaineers, and clean climbing. Adam Clark This year’s recipients epitomize why the Denali Pro award pro- Dave Hahn 2001 gram was created: to recognize mountaineers who spring into Dave Hanning action to help climbers in desperate need, without being asked or Matt Helliker directed. On June 16, Bern and Vinterek alerted the NPS via radio of a climber that they had encountered who was unable to 2002 Thomas Lammle descend to the 14,200-foot camp on his own. The climber’s fa- tigued teammates were also in no condition to help get their part- 2003 Paul Roderick ner back to camp. In light of the individual’s condition, Bern and Neil McNab Vinterek began lowering the climber towards the 14,200-foot 2004 camp. After lowering the climber for several hundred feet on a Andy Perkins makeshift litter, the pair informed the NPS rangers of his worsen- ing condition and requested assistance. NPS rangers and volun- 2005 Clark Fyans teers responded from the 14,200-foot camp and rendezvoused with the party midway between the base of the fixed lines and the 2006 Not Awarded 14,200-foot camp, after Bern and Vinterek had completed the Robert Durnell majority of the lowering. By this point, the climber was in a 2007 Heidi Kloos semi-conscious, hypothermic state and was thus taken to camp’s medical tent, treated and stabilized, and later evacuated from the Bengt Bern 2008 mountain.
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