I have a question for those on this site who have attempted or summited Mt. Foraker.
In your opinion, how dicey was the navagation around the serac fall to attain the higher slope below Mt. Crosson?
Running belay through this section? How many pickets or screws were placed?
Thanks for any input!

I, for one, want to know where this is going to go. Beta for another stab at AK? Keep me posted!

No doubt, Haliku.
I have no idea what that route is like, but if it is an area of ice fall hazard, you might just want to nut up and get across as rapidly as possible. Even if it is a bit steep, placing pro will slow you down and it might be better to pick the time of day and cross rapidly. Even the chance of a slip and fall (which would hopefully be stopped by your mates) is better than getting munched by a serac!

I dont remember it being an issue at all. It was not technical in any way. We did not use any pickets until above 15,000 ft.

FortMental wrote:Oh.... So NOW everybody wants to go to Foraker! Where were you guys this past summer?

Cheese, Kiefer and I were learning about AK on Denali. Now the eyes have opened... I know I will return to sample more. Cheers!

Alasdair wrote:I dont remember it being an issue at all. It was not technical in any way. We did not use any pickets until above 15,000 ft.

This is way cool! Thanks for this reply. I've had it in my mind that the vulgarities near the bottom were dicey and constantly changeable pending on how the weather and temps were but once past this section, the remainder of the route would basically a long commiting semi-technical ridge run to the easy summit plateau.

Cheese, Chris,
I contacted AMG already up in Talkeetna about possible guided trips up Foraker via Sultana.
They are not running trips up there this season due to the low interest they had last season plus the low success rate.

Colby Coombs e-mailed me concerning the SE Ridge route the other day b/c I'd basically ruled that route out due to the higher inheirent dangers of that route due to increased serac fall, crevasse, up to 70° ice and the time consuming effort of having to fix your own lines. He informed me that's not really the case. Apparently, there's another 'direct variation' that kinda gets bled together with the SE Ridge Route and basically, one becomes the other, so to speak.
The guides are vying to not run trips up Sultana anymore b/c of the ridge length & exposure (prolly due to increased risk to the client) and in lieu, start making the SE Ridge the 'regular route' on Foraker (sans the direct start) since it's quicker and shorter.

Personally, I had a blast up there back in May as I think the both of you did to.
I'm interested in Sultana b/c of how it's described in the Supertopo book. It sounds like one hell of a ridge run and one of the best aesthethic lines in the whole of the Alaska Range. I have to admit, I'm intrigued.
Foraker especially, and Logan have been piqueing my interest.
Plus the base of Foraker, as we already know, is only a few hours at most from KIA!

I'll call you guys up soon & talk this over further.

Get in touch with this guy. He climbed it and skied back down last summer. I am sure he will have some good beta for you. http://straightchuter.com/about/

American Alpine Institute may run a trip on Foraker next year. You should contact them about what your goals are. Talk to Jason in the office when you call. 800-424-2249

Ok I just scanned all my photos from a trip several years ago. YOu can find them here.

http://alasdairturner.blogspot.com/2009 ... hotos.html

damn, those are beautiful photos!
AK mountains are on another scale.

Wow, Alasdair! You've got some incredible pictures on your site!
Thanks for putting up that link. I'll be book-marking it.
We've decided on Peru in June instead.

Are you guys doing a trip in the Icefields Range in Logan area?

Something I've wanted to do forever.

How many people do you go with?

Sultana is a pretty straight forward route. Still some things to be aware of. Biggest risk are the crevasses along the route, some easily identified, others seemingly out of place. Cornices not much of a issue. Avalanche slopes problematic after storms on Crosson and Pk 12,472. It's possible to traverse southeast slopes of Pk 12,472, rather than ascending over it, avalanche conditions permitting. Not many places to camp above 12,000' on Foraker which makes for a long summit day. But by that point, you've been above 11,000 for likely a week or so, so it's reasonable. Lots of wind on the route, exposed to storms. Great scenery the whole time. It's a 2 day descent from high camp to KIA. No fast way down, unless you're on skiis which we were not. Good route, but very long and comitting. Not technical. Don't know what icefall the initial poster was asking about. There's a few crevasses to navigate to get to the base of Crosson, but nothing extraordinary. PM me for more details. Dave in Anchorage