Mountaineering Summary, Denali National Park and Preserve. The 1981 climbing season on Mount McKinley came in like a lamb and went out like a lion. The fair weather predominating in May and most of June allowed many climbers to complete short, safe, and successful expeditions. But the latter part of the season was a different story. Beginning with a severe storm in the last week of June, the bad weather continued almost uninterrupted for over five weeks. Occasional and short breaks in the weather did allow some climbers to complete their climbs, but all who were on the mountain in July were humbled and impressed by the severity of Mount McKinley’s weather. A group camped at 17,000 feet on the West Buttress route reported that six feet of snow fell in one day. The following day winds of 100 miles per hour removed every bit of the new snow from the camp. Another group at 14,000 feet on the West Buttress had nine feet of snow fall on their camp in two days. Drifting snow built to incredible depths. In just a few hours, snow drifted to a depth of twelve feet and buried a camp on the South Buttress.

The storms may have contributed to the deaths of four climbers. Three Japanese climbers planned an ascent of the difficult American Direct route on the South Face after successfully climbing the West Buttress in June. They were last seen on June 30 approaching the base of the South Face. We assume that the three climbers were buried in an avalanche. A fourth Japanese climber died of cerebral and pulmonary edema—at the 11,800-foot level on the West Buttress route in early August. Bad weather forced the climber and his group to stay at that camp for several days, during which time he became seriously ill. The day after the climber became ill, his group made a difficult descent in poor weather in an unsuccessful attempt to save his life. Two other climbers died earlier in the year in separate accidents not necessarily related to weather. John Waterman, attempting a solo ascent of the East Buttress route in April, disappeared and was never found. In May, Chris Kerrebrock was killed in a tragic accident when he and his partner fell into a crevasse on the Peters Glacier. The first climber was apparently not injured in the fall but was wedged so tightly that his partner, suffering from a broken shoulder, was unable to pull him out of the crevasse. After many hours of effort, his partner was forced to leave him in the crevasse. This last incident serves as a tragic reminder of the need for all climbers on Mount McKinley to be as nearly self-sufficient as possible when problems arise. The two were carrying a radio with them, but because of their location on the mountain, they were not able to contact anyone until two weeks after the incident, when the survivor was able to contact an aircraft overhead. They had no one else to turn to for help. Travelling as a group of two on a large Alaskan glacier leaves limited possibilities for self-rescue in case of a crevasse fall. All too often in recent years, climbers have come to depend on the availability of helicopters for rescues on Mount McKinley. This should not be the case. Waiting at the higher altitudes with a climber suffering from altitude illness while a helicopter is requested, may well prove fatal.

Climbers should be able to recognize the symptoms of an altitude problem early enough to evacuate the sick climber by foot or by sled. Weather conditions can change rapidly and suitable helicopters simply are not always available. Whether confronted with an altitude problem, frostbite, or injury, an expedition should first consider how it can handle its own problem without any assistance. Climbing groups should plan for this kind of self-sufficiency when they organize their expeditions. Group size (enough to effect a rescue without outside assistance), rescue training, extra rescue equipment and extra food should all be considerd in the planning stages. This advice should not be taken lightly. Out of every 100 climbers who attempt Mount McKinley, one dies. Mount McKinley is a dangerous mountain, and those who venture on its slopes should be experienced, equipped and self-sufficient.

Mount McKinley was attempted by 612 climbers in 1981. Barely half, or 321, successfully climbed to the top. Only 6 climbers, out of 19 who tried, climbed Mount Foraker. Four of these were French climbers who also made a successful ski descent of the southeast ridge. The most notable ascents of 1981 were not made on Mount McKinley or Mount Foraker. Two climbers teamed up in the spring to do the first ascent of the East Face of the Moose’s Tooth. One of the two then climbed the North Buttress of Mount Hunter with a new partner. Both were very difficult and impressive climbs. Two British climbers completed a first ascent of the North Face of the Rooster Comb and then a new route on Mount Huntington. A large German group climbed eleven peaks in the Sheldon Amphitheater. Many of these climbs may have been first ascents.

The High Latitude Health Research Project of the University of Alaska-Anchorage began what is hoped will be a several-year medical research program on Mount McKinley this summer. Activity this summer was limited to a lengthy questionnaire which was given to climbers as they returned from their climbs. The questionnaire dealt with such issues as type of equipment used, speed of ascent, weather conditions and medical problems encountered. The medical section primarily covered altitude sickness and frostbite. Although the project was only approved late in the spring and the questionnaires put together under a tight deadline, over 300 questionnaires were completed and returned. The information from these questionnaires is being entered into a computer now and should contribute greatly to our understanding of medical problems on the mountain. Mount McKinley’s combination of high altitude and extreme cold weather is found virtually nowhere else in the world. Considering the large number of climbers on Mount McKinley every year, the mountain is an excellent site for the study of altitude- and cold-related problems. Although funding and logistical problems are not yet solved, the project hopes to place teams of physicians on the mountain next year and in succeeding years. These teams

DENALI NATIONAL PARK AND PRESERVE 1981 MOUNTAINEERING SUMMARY

Mount McKinley

Expeditions

Climbers

Successful

Climbers



West Buttress

93

321

164



West Buttress (guided)

14

104

75



West Rib

18

63

27



West Rib (guided)

1

6

6



Muldrow Glacier

5

23

2



Muldrow Glacier (guided)

1

17

7



Cassin Ridge

16

35

20



South Face

2

5

0



South Buttress

2

8

5



South Buttress (guided)

1

10

10



East Buttress

3

13

4



East Face (guided)

1

3

0



Wickersham Wall

1

2

0



Messner Couloir

2

2

1



(Total Mount McKinley)

170

612

321



Mount Foraker

7

19

6



Mount Foraker (guided)

1

5

0



Mount Hunter

5

11

2



Mount Huntington

5

15

9



Moose’s Tooth

3

14

14



Mount Silverthrone

1

3

3



Rooster Comb

2

6

6



Mount Dan Beard

1

2

0



Kahiltna Dome

1

2

0



Broken Tooth

3

6

0



Peak 12,380

2

4

4



Mount Russell

1

3

0



Kahiltna Glacier Peaks

3

15

?



Ruth Glacier Peaks

19

74

?



Mount Brooks

1

2

0





55

181

44



Total

215

793

365



will staff camps at the Kahiltna Base Camp and also at 14,200 feet on the West Buttress during at least the major portion of the climbing season. They will be doing actual field research and may also be available to help climbers with serious medical problems. We hope that more information regarding this project, as well as a preliminary summary of the 300 questionnaires completed this summer, will be available later this winter.

This year, for the first time, the number of guide services operating on Mount McKinley was limited by the National Park Service. Six guide services were selected as concessioners late in 1980 to provide mountaineering guide services on Mount McKinley and other mountains within the park. This limitation is for all peaks within the boundaries of the old Mount McKinley National Park as it existed before the expansion of the park on December 2, 1980. Other guide services may take clients on the lands added to Denali National Park in 1980, although they must contact the National Park Service to obtain a commercial business license.

National Park Service regulations for the last decade or so have required that all groups on Mount McKinley carry a two-way radio and that all climbers submit a physician’s statement certifying proper health and physical condition. In November 1980, these regulations were dropped—a move which received the support of most of the climbing community. We, of course, still recommend that all climbers be in good health and in excellent physical condition. Also, we very strongly recommend that all groups carry radios. Even though the radios commonly carried by climbers have many limitations (especially at lower altitudes), a radio may prove to be the only source of assistance in the event of an accident or severe illness. While it may not be necessary for every party on the crowded West Buttress route to carry a radio, any party may have the need to use one in an emergency. All parties climbing the less-popular routes, or climbing early or late in the season, should have a radio. The Talkeetna Ranger Station will again be staffed during the 1982 climbing season. For further information, stop in there or at the Denali Park headquarters, or write to Mountaineering Ranger, Denali National Park and Preserve, P.O. Box 9, McKinley Park, Alaska 99755.

Robert A. Gerhard, Denali National Park and Preserve

NOTE: All dates in this section refer to 1981 unless otherwise stated.