Talkeetna Air Taxi

Come one, come all! Just come dressed up as a TV character. Think Jersey Shore, Gilligan's Island, Fat Albert, The Office, The Lone Ranger, MASH, Charlies Angels, Fantasy Island, Starsky and Hutch... the list can go on and on.

We work hard to keep things running smooth around here...

Team Salamander spent 10 fun days on the Pika, flying out July 1, 2011. Weather was in-and-out sun, allowing a total of 5 climbing days. The trend was toward evening clearing, with two days of full sun. The moats are in but with rain and warming things are quickly melting. There is still a decent snow bridge to the Gargoyle Buttress. The start of the first pitch had some ice which we attacked with ice axes (though one could climb with rock shoes and creative route finding). An Anchorage team replaced the webbing on the first 9 anchors last week. The Middle Troll has widening moats as well, but there are still a couple of intact bridges. The first 200' are loose gravel and boulders, and are not safe for more than one party to be on at a time. Lost Marsupials approach was straightforward. Summit ridge with corniced, soft snow. AMS arete approach without major crevasses, though the glaciers on either side are bare to the dust layer and snow cover melting fast. 

The 2011 Iditarod started this weekend. 
TAT flew out to watch the Mushers and dog teams make their way to and through Rainy Pass.  Three planes full of spectators enjoyed the sunshine all day long while they cheered on their favorite musher.



What a scenic and gorgeous run for the teams coming into Rainy Pass.  We just hope the skies are clear and the winds are calm for this race!  The front runners are already into Nikolai, 400 miles from the start at Anchorage on their 1131 mile journey to Nome.

Be sure to check for updates as we Chase the Race!