Easy Finding Stoked Climbers in Talkeetna?

Thus far I've had terrific luck traveling solo and finding excellent climbing partners in far flung places (mostly Patagonia and Europe), but curious how the partner-finding culture is in Talkeetna? With the added logistics of flying in I could foresee most people showing up with their partner already sorted. Does anyone else show up in town and loiter for a while also looking for partners? How about in April? I'm mainly going to climb in the Ruth, smash-n-grab style, in April. Loose plan is to show up near the begining of the month and see who's around and stoked to get out. Thanks for the advice!

P.S. I can hear already the "you should show up with a partner, duh". I understand it's probably easier(?), but I enjoy solo traveling a lot and have met some of my best climbing partners doing so. If I absolutely have to, I'll start looking for a partner now, but I'd really like to show up and find someone already there and stoked if that's a thing in Talkeetna. Thanks! 

It would be much easier finding a partner on the kahiltna at Denali base camp. Some good climbing from the base camp there. You could most likely find a partner in Talkeetna, however, everyone will be there with a partner and jazzed to go. Later in the season you may find guides with a few days off between client trips, who will be looking for partners for quick smash and grabs, or even teams who had to fly out with out climbing anything because of weather, who may be into flying back in, especially if weather is looking good and they missed out on the first round. 

Most climbers show up later in the season since it is so Denali focused. You will see some climbers milling about in April, but not like in June where the streets are packed with euro's in their gore-tex and triple boots, while eating a Pasty from the roadhouse.

my experience over 4 trips to Alaska range over the last 7 years.

What are your climbs you are looking at?

christoph benellswrote:

What are your climbs you are looking at?

I'm not dead set on anything really. I've had laundry lists of climbs I'd like to do visiting places, and then showed up to find out there's way better routes for the current conditions. In general, long ice routes would be the game. Longer the better, I'd like to go big. Anything really, classics to obscure stuff, I'll know it when I see it I guess if that makes sense. I've flipped through the guidebook a few times now and have some familiarity with the classic routes, but I'll be more keen on what's "in". Hopefully being there in April will facilitate that. Definitely trying to skip the Denali squad. Thanks for the advice!

I've found that even though Alaska is a big place, it's also really small. 

The best way to find partners for your climbs in April might be to go skiing and ice climbing in Valdez or Anchorage for the month of March...

I think you might have a hard time finding a partner in April.  I flew into Denali Basecamp the last week of April in 2017 and it was pretty empty.  But by the first couple weeks in May things were really picking up as far as teams go.  Not just for Denali but also for all the other climbing based out of KIA. In 2016 I was in the Ruth for a couple weeks.  When we first flew in to Root Canal there was only 1 other team, a few weeks later there were like 6.  At Mountain House Camp there were a lot more teams but mid-May as well.  Also if you are wondering about conditions and "whats in", you will have a much easier time finding that information by the 1st or 2nd week of May.  Basically what I am trying to say is that while there are a few teams that go earlier in April, the bulk of people climbing in the Ruth are last week of April through end of May (depending on objective).  I think you would have a much better chance of finding a partner if you planned to align your time when the bulk of people are going to be there.

And the above advice and skiing and climbing locally for a month first is definitely spot on.  I would think that would pretty much guarantee you will find somebody psyched to make a quick trip into the range on a good weather window.

Marlin Thormanwrote:

And the above advice and skiing and climbing locally for a month first is definitely spot on.  I would think that would pretty much guarantee you will find somebody psyched to make a quick trip into the range on a good weather window.

That's good advice! I was originally planning on coming up maybe in March and bringing up the sled for some skiing around Thompson Pass. Will look into the ice fest as well. Thanks!

Ah man, 1 other party in the Ruth sounds perfect to me! Not as concerned with getting first hand accounts from other climbing parties. It's nice, but not needed necessarily.

Hey Ben - if it doesn't totally offend your sense of adventure/spontaneity/independence I would be interested in discussing partnering up. Partner finding for bigger trips tends to be the crux for me. I'm in the Northeast so it would be a long distance screening process. Just tell me you're not voting for Trump and we can work from there :-)

I've been there once in April. My job is not super flexible but I could get a week off. Mid to late April probably best for conditions but it's hit or miss obviously. I'm interested in ice eg Ham&Eggs, Mini Moonflower. 

And of course the world might be shut down by then depending on what happens this winter. If you're interested why don't we catch up around February and see where we're at? 

I'm interested in ice eg Ham&Eggs, Mini Moonflower. 

Moonflower Butt. would be all time! Yes let's chat as winter rolls along to a hopefully healthy spring. Cheers man!

You might have luck asking around at the TAT bunk house, but I wouldn't count on it.  Most everyone dropping $700 on a flight has a partner and an agenda. 

Early April is early for the Range.  If you strike out in Talkeetna you could always come to Anchorage to look for partners.  Early April can be primo season for ski mountaineering and depending on the year there might still be quite a bit of waterfall ice hanging around.  

My brother and I are planning 3rd week in April most likely for Ham&Eggs Andy possibly shaken as well. Let’s stay in touch. Prob won’t be able to climb together, but can share beta etc when the time comes.

Mike

Somerville, MA

860-550-0983

Brother lives in CO

I’m just repeating what everyone else is saying, but figured I’d say it anyway. April is pretty early for the Range. Talkeetna will still be dead until late April. You might be able to talk a team into letting you join them, but thank you’d be hard-pressed to find a single partner. 

FYI mini moonflower is not regular moonflower

Sam Beeduhlwrote:

FYI mini moonflower is not regular moonflower

and don't forget the mini-mini-moonflower! (bacon and eggs...)

jdejacewrote:

Hey Ben - if it doesn't totally offend your sense of adventure/spontaneity/independence I would be interested in discussing partnering up. Partner finding for bigger trips tends to be the crux for me. I'm in the Northeast so it would be a long distance screening process. Just tell me you're not voting for Trump and we can work from there :-)

I've been there once in April. My job is not super flexible but I could get a week off. Mid to late April probably best for conditions but it's hit or miss obviously. I'm interested in ice eg Ham&Eggs, Mini Moonflower. 

And of course the world might be shut down by then depending on what happens this winter. If you're interested why don't we catch up around February and see where we're at? 

Are you still looking for a partner?

Hi Nick. My state and employer are still restricting travel with no end in sight so I think best not to make plans around me this year. First world problems for sure. I'll post if anything changes and see if anyone is still looking. Hope you get out there :-)