North America, Alaska, Alaska Range, Denali National Park and Preserve, Summary

Publication Year: 2010.

Denali National Park and Preserve, summary. The 2009 climbing season once again featured great triumphs and moving tragedies. Four deaths occurred on Mt. McKinley, and 47 climbers were stricken with injuries or illnesses that required medical intervention by the National Park ranger staff and volunteers.

Two Colorado women, Sarah Fritz and Irena Overeem, received the Denali Pro Award for initiating and leading an independent technical rescue of an injured climber on the Moose’s Tooth. Starting in 2010, the award will be renamed the Mislow-Swanson/PMI Denali Pro Award to honor former recipients John Mislow and Andrew Swanson, who died on a 2009 climb of the West Rib.

Quick Statistics—Mt. McKinley and Mt. Foraker:

- Mt. McKinley: Average trip length: 16.4 days. Busiest summit day: June 7, with 77 summits. Average age: 38. Women constituted 12.4% of all climbers.

- The five most represented nations on Mt. McKinley were: U.S. (698 climbers), Poland (47) Canada (44), Japan (38), and U.K. (38).

- McKinley was attempted by 1,161 climbers, with 59% reaching the summit; 1,078 attempted the West Buttress, with 60% summiting. Fifteen climbers attempted Mt. Foraker, with eight summiting.

- The complete Mountaineering Summary can be found at www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/ summaryreports.htm

Summarized from the Denali National Park & Preserve Annual Mountaineering Summary