Permafrost Thaw Intensifies Landslide Activity Forcing Denali National Park Road to Close for Season An ongoing landslide in Denali National Park has prompted park officials to close the Denali Park Road for the rest of the season west of the 43-mile mark. Melting permafrost likely due to climate change has caused landslide movement rates that are “unprecedented in the history of the park road,” according to the National Park Service. The 92-mile Denali Park […] Martin Kuprianowicz | August 25, 2021 0 Comments
6 Dead in Sightseeing Plane Crash Near Alaska’s Misty Fjords National Monument A small sightseeing plane crashed on Thursday in Southeast Alaska, killing all six people on board, the U.S. Coast Guard said. The Coast Guard and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said that the plane’s emergency alert beacon was activated around 11:20 a.m. when the plane crashed in the area of Misty Fjords National Monument, near Ketchikan. A local helicopter company reported […] SnowBrains | August 6, 2021 0 Comments
1000s of Alaskans Fled to Higher Ground as Largest Earthquake Since 1965 Triggered Tsunami Warnings A shallow earthquake of magnitude 8.2 struck the Alaska Peninsula late last night, prompting tsunami warnings for the region. The earthquake was the largest in Alaska since 1965. Related: NOAA: The 10 Most Damaging Tsunamis Since 1900 The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the quake, which struck at 10:15 pm local time, was at a depth of 20 miles. Earthquakes at a […] SnowBrains | July 29, 2021 0 Comments
Trip Report: Pika Glacier, AK – July Ski Mountaineering on the Final Frontier I woke up on July 17 just as I had the previous 30 days; I crawled out of my sleeping bag, packed up my gear, tent, and food into my pack, and began walking. It was my final day of a 30-day expedition bagging peaks on the Nelchina Glacier in the Chugach Mountains, and I was headed straight into my […] Trip Report Clay Malott | July 26, 2021 0 Comments
A History Lesson on Denali, AK: North America’s Tallest Peak History Standing at 20,310 feet above sea level, Denali is the highest point in North America. Although the indigenous Koyuknons have referred to it as Denali for hundreds of years, the United States government acknowledged it as Mount McKinley from 1917-2015. The name Mount McKinley originally came from a gold miner that wanted to express his support for William McKinley, […] Climbing Jesse | July 7, 2021 1 Comment
Woman Missing in Alaska After Reporting Being Charged by Multiple Bears Update 6/17 0330 PT: At approximately 1730 hours on Wednesday, June 16th, 2021, the Alaska State Troopers were notified by a volunteer SAR member departing the search area that Fina Kiefer walked out of the woods as they were driving by on Knik River Road, about a mile from the trailhead. Kiefer has injuries and EMS is transporting her to a […] SnowBrains | June 16, 2021 1 Comment
Campers in Alaska Attacked by Bear While Asleep in Their Tent Two people camping on Kenai National Wildlife Refuge at the mouth of Hidden Creek along the shoreline of Skilak Lake, AK, were injured in a bear attack early Saturday morning, June 12, 2021. They were able to kayak to Upper Skilak Lake Campground, where they were assisted by other campers. Related: Wife of Banff Wolf Attack Victim Posts Emotional Facebook […] SnowBrains | June 14, 2021 1 Comment
National Park Service Comments on “Troubling Trends” by Climbers on Denali, AK This article originally appeared on NPS.org on May 27, 2021, courtesy of Denali Mountaineering Rangers After a busy start to the week here in Talkeetna, we have taken some time to reflect upon some troubling trends that we have seen both from 2021 incidents and after speaking with climbers in the range. It has been two years since we’ve had […] Climbing Guest Author | June 2, 2021 2 Comments
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