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Hootervillian
climber
the Hooterville World-Guardian
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it has a decent view....
and some good sportcraggin'....
but it ain't Winchester.
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Brian in SLC
Social climber
Salt Lake City, UT
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I think the first time I went to Talkeetna was in '87 or so. Was with my girlfriend at the time...and...that caused a stir. Bit more wild and wooly back then. Place has changed a bunch in the last number of years. I think I've flown out of there around 6 times over the years (last time was 2005).
I think the Fairview was closed for some structural reason. Dimly recall closing it down once and sleeping on Geeting's hanger floor, and the damn air compressor fired up in the morning. Thought my head was gonna burst.
Geeting used to have an a-frame cabin on the river out of town a short ways. Let climber types stay in it, which, was kind of a mistake 'cause most were piggish. There were squashed mosquitos over every square inch of that thing...
Breakfast at the Roadhouse! Good bread and jam. Not a bad place to stay, either.
Cemetary is a sobering place to spend some time before flying in to the AK range.
West Rib has been a nice addition to town. Never have made it to Michelle's. She was our taxi driver in '96 or so and picked us up at the Anchorage airport in hot pink short shorts. Yikes.
and the last time with the late Keli Mahoney
Yeah, RIP Keli. She flew us into the Surprise Glacier (first time for anyone, methinks and a very close call coming in to get us) and into Foraker in 2002. Great pilot. Article below.
-Brian in SLC
Keli Mahoney
Carolyn Disselbrett
Bruce Andrews
Mark Wagoner
Four die in air taxi crash
Talkeetna pilot was ferrying 2 climbers, passenger to McKinley area
By TATABOLINE BRANT, ZAZ HOLLANDER and CRAIG MEDRED, Daily News reporters, May 29, 2003
An air taxi ferrying two mountain climbers and a sightseer crashed in the Alaska Range near Mount McKinley on Wednesday, killing all three passengers and the pilot, the National Park Service said.
The plane, a Cessna 185, was operated by McKinley Air Service of Talkeetna, authorities said.
The pilot was Keli Mahoney, co-owner of the company and an Iditarod musher.
Mahoney was flying two climbers into the Kahiltna base camp, along with scenic passenger Carolyn Disselbrett of Salem, Ore. The two climbers were identified by the park service as Alaska Mountaineering School guide Bruce Andrews, 39, of Lafayette, Colo., and AMS client Mark Wagoner, 31 of Snow Camp, N.C. The two mountaineers were intending to climb the Sultana Ridge of Mount Foraker, the park service reported.
Authorities said the plane left Talkeetna about 12:50 p.m. and crashed between 2 and 3 p.m. Another Talkeetna-based air taxi spotted the wreckage shortly thereafter, said Park Service spokeswoman Jane Tranel.
The wreckage was located in a glaciated area south of 14,573-foot Mount Hunter, known as South Hunter Pass, inside Denali National Park and Preserve. Pilots routinely fly over the pass to get to Kahiltna Glacier base camp, the starting point for the hundreds of climbers each summer who try to summit McKinley, North America's tallest peak. The area sees lots of summer flightseeing traffic as well.
Skies were relatively clear, and there was no radio communication between the plane and the base camp indicating a problem, Park Service spokesman John Quinley said.
The crash site was at approximately 8,200 feet. The Park Service sent rangers to the site Wednesday afternoon in a specially designed high-altitude helicopter and confirmed that all four people on board the Cessna were dead, Tranel said.
The cause of the crash wasn't immediately known. An investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board arrived at the site around 7 p.m, said Quinley. The plan was to use the helicopter to move the bodies by nightfall to the Kahiltna base camp and then transport them from there on a plane to Talkeetna, he said.
Three summers ago, an air taxi broke apart in midair south of Mount McKinley, killing well-known Talkeetna pilot and musher Don Bowers and three park service rangers.
The mood in Talkeetna Wednesday was "pretty emotional," Quinley said. "We knew Keli, knew the mountaineering guide."
Bruce Andrews has been a climbing guide and teacher for 14 years, according to his biography on the Alaska Mountaineering School Web site. He has worked for Outward Bound and Colorado Mountain School, among other places, and has led high-altitude expeditions all over the world.
The crash comes in the heart of the McKinley climbing season. A quiet, snow-blanketed, Bush-like community for nine months of the year, Talkeetna throbs with activity for the other three months as the tourism business sprouts to life for the short summer. Particularly in May and June, the air strip on the edge of town is a buzz of light airplane traffic on any given day as a handful of air taxis keep busy hauling climbers, sightseers, National Park Service officials and supplies to and from the Kahiltna base camp at 7,200 feet on a glacier sprawling off the southwest side of 20,320-foot Mount McKinley.
McKinley Air Service is one of seven services authorized to land on glaciers on the south side of McKinley.
Mahoney, 35, started flying while still a high school student in Quincy, Mass., according to her Iditarod biography. She had her pilot's license by the age of 17, and by the time she turned 21 she'd found a job as a commercial pilot on a TWA commuter shuttle. But she fled the East Coast for adventure in Alaska in 1991.
She flew Bush planes out of Bethel for two years before settling in Talkeetna. She and LeeAnn Wetzel started McKinley Air Service in 1995. The slogan on their brochure: "Two Babes and a Bird." Like the other Talkeetna air taxis, the business focused on ferrying climbers to and from the Kahiltna base camp and taking tourists on scenic flights around North America's tallest peak.
"McKinley Air Service is the only women-started air service and one of only a handful operated by women in the world," their Web site says.
Mahoney was a conservative pilot who knew the Alaska Range, said her longtime friend Annie Duquette, who used to work for McKinley Air Service and also was a manager at Kahiltna base camp for 10 years.
Mahoney had not had an accident in the Alaska Range before Wednesday, according to her company's Web site.
When Mahoney wasn't busy flying, she was busy working with dogs, a second passion. She ran the Iditarod in 1997 and finished 30th. A second attempt in 1998 did not end as well when she was forced to scratch.
She had in recent years turned her attention to the wilder, less-publicized Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race between Fairbanks and Whitehorse, Yukon.
Duquette said her husband was on the helicopter that went to the crash site Wednesday. She said there was no indication that the plane skidded down, but that it apparently came in "pretty hard." There were some reports of wind, she said.
"Our gut feeling is something must have happened," Duquette said. "Keli's too good of a pilot. Unless it was a huge wind shear, she can maneuver herself in anything. Something drastic must of happened for her to go in like that."
Mahoney was the only pilot for McKinley Air Service. Duquette said she was with Wetzel at her home when the call came in that there had been a crash. "LeeAnn walked in and had this look on her face," she said. At first no one knew for sure if there were fatalities.
Wetzel and Duquette didn't want to wait around to find out. They drove over to McKinley Air Service at the airport right away, Duquette said.
"You could just tell by people's faces; nobody wanted to tell you anything," she said.
Wetzel sat Wednesday evening on the steps of her business, surrounded by friends. She said she was not yet ready to talk about the accident.
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the Fet
Knackered climber
A bivy sack in the secret campground
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Just before you get into town there is a good scenic overview looking out at McKinley/Denali. If it's not clouded in.
It's farther from McKinley/Denali than I expected. I expected a climber's town near the mountains. But the town was there long before the climbers, and caters to fishing/hunting etc.
Some cool historic buildings.
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survival
Big Wall climber
arlington, va
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If you're anywhere near Talkeetna on the first weekend of August, you must see the Talkeetna "bluegrass" festival. There's not really much true bluegrass, it's more like a melting pot, but it is the Woodstock of Alaska every year.
Buggs and I have played at it many times, and there's nothing like it. Bikers, kids, punks, naked people, cool vendors and lots of WILDNESS!! The cops are thicker than fleas up there for a couple days though.
I heard a guy talking about getting pulled over on the way in and somebody asked him, "What'd you get pulled over for?" and his response..."Uh...about fifteen minutes."
A friend visiting from Oregon was on stage with us playing a Pink Floyd tune, tearing it up, and a gal with great..uh...equipment flashed him and he about fell off the stage. Afterwards, he came up to me and said "I like Alaska,..
A LOT!!!" Ha..
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marky
climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 7, 2008 - 02:49am PT
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bump, and a question: how does the budget-minded climber get from Anchorage airport to Talkeetna?
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O.D.
Trad climber
LA LA Land
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If you enjoy stream fishing for big fish, you'll think you've died and gone to heaven; three major salmon streams converge at Talkeetna. Imagine catching a 12-lb king salmon and feeling jaded because it's so small (that happened to me).
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Double D
climber
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marky: "how does the budget-minded climber get from Anchorage airport to Talkeetna?" Train.
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Scared Silly
Trad climber
UT
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marky: "how does the budget-minded climber get from Anchorage airport to Talkeetna?"
Hitch hike ...
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SteveW
Trad climber
Denver, CO
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Marky
They have shuttles. The prices vary, but the more climbers
you can round up, the cheaper the rate per climber. Look through the literature from the NPS and I think they list some of the operators. Or just do a google search for shuttle transport to Talkeetna
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Brian in SLC
Social climber
Salt Lake City, UT
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"how does the budget-minded climber get from Anchorage airport to Talkeetna?" Train.
The train isn't cheap, but, it is pretty neat. Cuts off from the highway so you get to see some scenery that's not available from the road. The trip from Talkeetna to Denali park is really good. Whistle stop, too.
Train ticket round trip from Anchorage to Talkeetna is 82 bucks and they only allow you to check 2 bags at 50 lb each. And, you have to get to the train depot, which is around a 20 minute or so car ride from the airport. Not sure any local buses do that route, but, could be done in a cab for around 20 bucks I'd think.
So, you do that math, and, then realize also that you can't get decent groceries or cheap liquor enroute and the shuttles from Talkeetna just make too much sense. Standard grocery/liquor stop in Wasilla (I'm very familiar with the selection at the Oaken Keg). The grocery store in Wasilla has an impressive selection, way better than most groceries in the lower 48 (really). Just pulled up Talkeetna Shuttle, and they're 125 round trip. I think I've used them and another service in town. Nice thing about these shuttles too is that they can take your luggage no problemo, and they'll pick you up anywhere in Anchorage, and drop you anywhere in Talkeetna (like your flight service or whatever lodging you've booked).
Schlepping bags from the depot in Talkeetna to the air taxi isn't so far, but, with heavy bags...
For shorter trips, where I'm going into the Ruth for a week or so, then driving around afterwards, I've just rented a car. Weekly rate works pretty well and its super convenient to have transport in case the weather is poopy and you want to get out of town for a spell.
Hitch hiking "might" work, but, with a ton of climbing gear, might be tough sleddin' especially if its raining cats and dogs...
-Brian in SLC
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Bldrjac
Ice climber
Boulder
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So........how does a budget-minded climber get from Anchorage to Talkeetna? Here are a few ways.
You can rent a car for $60 in Anchorage and arrange for climbers in Talkeetna to drive it back to the rental place after you have driven to Talkeetna from Anchorage. Both parties split the cost fo the car rental and gas. I've done this twice without any hassles, crashes or problems. Just call your taxi service ahead of time and ask if there is anyone wanting to come into Anchorage. There almost always is.
You can go into Alaska Mountaineering and Hiking (AMH) and if enough notice is given, one of the employees will often drive you and your gear to Talkeetna. Give them $100 total and it's still alot cheaper than either the bus, train, or shuttle.
Back in da day I used to be able to go into one of the "juke joints" on fourth avenue and for a large bottle of whiskey one of the local drunks would let me put all my and my partner's gear into their pickup trucks and drive it to Talkeetna.
You don't have to hire one of the shuttle companies in Talkeetna. There are also cheaper shuttle companies in Anchorage and their numbers are in the phone book.
Hitching IS an option but maybe not with 100lbs in two large duffles.
jack
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tolman_paul
Trad climber
Anchorage, AK
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FYI, the extended the Alaska Railroad right to the Anchorage Airport, so no shuttle needed to the depot.
I'm sure a shuttle would be much cheaper than the train, and I'm sure you could find a few.
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Mighty Hiker
Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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There sure seem to be a lot of creative ways to spell "Talkeetna". Phonics, perhaps. The Chamber of Commerce website has the following on the name:
'Three rivers, the Talkeetna, Chulitna, and Susitna, converge here to become the Big Susitna drainage. The word "Susitna" in Den'aina Indian language means "Sand Island River". The name "Talkeetna" loosely translated, means "River of Plenty", or more literally, "Place where food is stored near the river," meaning a place where a food cache was located. Chulitna means "River of Big Leaf Trees". The Den'aina Indians were an Athabascan subgroup who inhabited the Upper Cook Inlet drainage. – For some local residents Talkeetna simply means: "Where three rivers meet".
It's a pretty good site, with a fair bit of information about the history of the place:
http://www.talkeetnachamber.org/history.html
I haven't been there, but have spent a fair amount of time in northern B.C. and the Yukon, and a bit in the panhandle.
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marky
climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 8, 2008 - 08:21pm PT
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the train sounds pretty cool. If things go well on the hill, I'd like to fly out and spend a few nights carousing in T-town
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Buggs
Trad climber
Eagle River, Alaska
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Mar 27, 2008 - 03:22am PT
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"how does the budget minded climber get from anchorage to talkeetna"
Why she calls me in Eagle River and we suss out the details about the road trip. Always love to drive up to the high country.
cozmicbandito@msn.com
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Buggs
Trad climber
Eagle River, Alaska
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Mar 27, 2008 - 03:24am PT
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scuze me, Marky - she and/or he. : )
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survival
Big Wall climber
A Token of My Extreme
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Mar 27, 2008 - 08:29am PT
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Hey Buggs, I need a ride to Talkeetna. I have a guitar, but no fatties...do I need to know any special knots???
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Buggs
Trad climber
Eagle River, Alaska
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Mar 27, 2008 - 05:42pm PT
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Survival,
Guitars are cool, but you know me...no fattie, no ridie.
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marky
climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 11, 2008 - 08:01pm PT
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I liked it well enough. Tourists are as thick as the skeeters, but both disperse by midnight.
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Michael D
Big Wall climber
Napoli, Italy
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Jul 11, 2008 - 09:40pm PT
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Don't forget a Push-up or Rocket from Karen and Joes ice cream van! Cheers
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