Alaska Beta

THE place to be!

It is Spring and really THE season for climbing in the Alaska Range. So lets talk. You have routes in mind, psych that is overflowing, visions of luxurious bivies, and dreams of perfect weather. Here are some suggestions and things in no specific order to think about that might streamline your visit to that wonderful place. Some are specific to Alaska while others can be applied to whatever mountains you desire.

A comfortable place to eat, read, and use WiFi while waiting.
Photo Nathan Nelson

-For those who eat gluten free, Mountain High Pizza Pie has a selection of gluten free options such as a gluten free pizza, calzones, hummus, and salads. The Roadhouse has a specific menu for those that need it and includes just about everything they offer normally, but in a gluten free version (they also offer vegan and other choices). Their Black Bean Chowder is excellent, they offer a Roadhouse Standard (Go big and get the Full Standard!) with cornbread instead of toast. Once you have eaten, wait for flyable weather to come by combing throught their stacks of Readers Digest and eating cinnamon rolls or brownies (That are gluten free and actually good!).

- Once you get to Talkeetna if you don't have transportation because you took a shuttle, don't worry. It is small enough everything is within walking distance and some services like Sheldon Air Service (SAS) have some bikes you can borrow.

- The Alaska Mountaineering School (AMS) currently sells some gear (as of May 2015), but it is best to plan on coming with everything you need. If you forgot something though, check with them, they had most of the basic stuff you need.

Even with all that gear, you know you forgot something...

-Bring a sponge along to mop up condensation and spills (If you are mopping up are from the seams that means you did not do your pre expedition seam sealing party.) that is inside your tent.

-Bring a tent that is big. Now it is different when you're hauling it up Denali and when you set up in the Ruth and rally out of it. Since you are really not going anywhere with the one in the Ruth, you can go bigger and more comfortable than on the trudge up to 14 camp, but the idea is the same. Go big, preferably at least 1 man size bigger. Not only do you have more room to sort gear and cook if needed which is really nice, but you're not always pressed against the cold and wet walls of your tent. Another suggestion is to use a tent that has steep walls. When your sitting in there and playing board or card games, you want to be able to sit up straight and have room to move around.

Is the weather going to get better, get worse, or stay the same?
Regardless, I want to get out of this tent!
Photo by Nathan Nelson

-Skis over snowshoes. I can't say it enough.

-Lots of stuff freezes and keeping stuff close to your body is the best way to prevent that. I am always looking for base layers with pockets for that very reason. I also have my chapstick and a lighter taped to cord that can go right into my pocket. Not only does it help prevent them from spilling into the void, it makes them easier to handle with gloves on, and I keep them on my body which keeps them defrosted and useable.

-Make sure to bring extra accessory cord. This is for strapping your stuff to the sled, attaching your sled to your harness or pack, rapping off v-threads, creating hanging clothes lines in your tent for clothing to dry, fixing broken pull tabs, making them more glove friendly, or really anything.

-Stop at Costco. You are going to be working hard and needing really good food. If happen to be not working hard and are stuck in your tent on weather days, you still want good food.

A man's breakfast!

-I've used Sheldon Air Service (SAS) for flying into the range. Dave, the owner of SAS, is the longest flying pilot in the area. Growing up flying in the area, he knows the range like the back of his hand and can land you anywhere your heart desires and the laws of newtonian physics allow. Holly, his wife, drives the show back at the station and kindly helps with whatever you need. Whether that is coordinating your flight, finding lodging in Talkeetna, or anything else, she's phenomenal.

When we were stuck in the range in terrible white out weather and sure we were going to miss our flights home the next day, we heard above the clouds late in the evening, a plane. Calling Holly to ask if Dave could come grab us since it seemed someone thought the weather was hopefully turning flyable she said "thats actually him! He's been trying to find a way to get you guys." A small 20 minute window opened up just enough and he flew in, swooped us up, and we left as it was closing behind us. 

Dave opening the throttle!

Flying in style!

-I am a big fan of having a water bottle outside of your pack attached to your harness or shoulder strap. I find I hydrate and eat food much more regularly and effectively when I do so. Make sure it is insulated when you are in Alaska, you don't want to be drinking cold water unless you have been moving for a while. For inside the water bottle, it is a rarity for me to have plain water. Chia seeds never upset my digestive system and have a great balance of fats, proteins, and carbs. I also use protein powder and GU drink tabs. I try to typically eat a balance of fats, carbs, and proteins for alpine climbing and so depending on what I am eating, I will drink something else. For example I find it easy to eat a lot of carbs; granola bars, candy, GU, soups, and noodles all exemplify stuff that has mostly carbs. If that is the case, I will try to consume more fats and proteins in my water and chia seeds and protein powder are good sources of that. If I am eating something with a good balance already like trail mix or sweating from moving really fast, then I might use the GU tabs to replace electrolytes that need replacing. Of course when moving it is hard to coordinate all of this, so I keep it in a ziplock bag near the top of my pack and replace and refill my outside bottle when an opportunity appears. Such times include when belaying and changing shoes or socks.

Not Alaska, but keeping a bottle accessible to drink is really helpful.
Approaching in your base layers in warm weather, though not fashionable, helps you
prevent water loss through sweat too.
Photo by Matt Berry

-Pre cook the bacon and whatever other meats you can. I just find it easier to use, store, and consume.

-Earlier in the season, despite being "the land of the midnight sun", it still gets dark at night. Sleep with your headlamp wrapped around your wrist so you have good access to it instead of rummaging around with it lost among the clutter of water bottles, boot liners, and whatever else you want to keep warm in your bag. Another good idea is a mesh bag (the Black Diamond harness bags are ideal) to keep stuff organized inside your bag.

-For climbing rock routes during the summer, bring an "alpine straw" to suck up water that is back in cracks and running behind flakes. Another water aiding device is a small piece of tin foil that you can use to funnel that small trickle of water running on the surface into a drinkable stream.

-Make sure your glove situation is really dialed. By saying this it sounds like I have mine completely under control...I don't. I do know however that I typically get the best results from using 2-3 sets. A big puffy waterproof pair, a general purpose waterproof pair, and/or sometimes a dexterous pair. I do favor gauntlet style gloves for their ease of use. When I am cold and wet and changing gloves, I find it requires annoying amounts of energy to deal with various cuff types, snow packed velco tabs, layers, ect. If you don't deal with it, then you end up with a mess of various fabrics jammed around your wrist that limit your movement in that joint to just about nothing. With a gauntlet glove I just pop on my glove over all of it and am good to go. Another good aspect of it is that if you're using an altimeter, it can go easily under the glove and is insulated as well as protected from damage.

I think an underlying factor in what I have listed above is simplicity and ease of use. Climbing in the mountains is hard enough and so I am always trying to make the process more efficient. 

Have fun out there!