LOCALadk Magazine

LOCALadk 21 Author's note: A few years ago, I had many conversa- tions over the course of a summer with my friend, men- tor, and fellow Adirondack climber, Robbi Mecus about my dreams of the Alaska Range. I was entranced by the stories and photos she shared. I told her that a ski moun- taineering trip to the glaciers of Denali was a dream. I remember one particular interaction vividly. "F*ck that," she said. "Why would you let it be a dream? You could just go do it." At the time, I didn't realize the confidence that this comment inspired in me. For Robbi to see that capability in me meant so much. This past year, I started on the exciting and compli- cated logistics of planning my own expedition. Less than one month later, Robbi and her climbing partner would take a fall on Mount Johnson. For Robbi, it would be fatal. Though I did most of my grieving in the year following, this trip to the Alaska Range provided solace and I thought about her often. I didn't move with fear, but with confidence that she had helped instill. For the sake of this trip report, I will not linger on that mental process, but felt obliged to include it here. Thank you, Robbi. Moss Monkeys Go Alaska The wind shook our tent, our fortress: the two layers of nylon fabric ensuring our survival amidst America's highest peaks. The Pika Glacier sits off the eastern flank of the lon- ger, more massive, Kahiltna Glacier. That river of snow and ice leads nearly 26 miles to the southeast slopes of Denali — the highest peak in North America. We had been deposited on the Pika by Talkeetna Air Taxi's Twin Otter. For those unfamiliar with bush planes, the Otter is a remarkable aircraft, but still shakes like a 90's Volvo at highway speed. This is par- ticularly true in the turbulent and complex weather systems of the high mountains. We would become inti- mately familiar with that weather in the days to come. Jake and I are accustomed to suffering. Our past year included several "sufferfests." The most notable of these was a human-powered link up of 5 different classic rock climbs from Lake Placid to Chapel Pond and back (chronicled by Jake in the Spring 2025 issue of LOCALadk). I grew up wandering the woods, but consider my first independent backpacking trip to Avalanche Pass my proper foray into the mountains. Whether I knew it or not, those early experiences, over a decade prior, would go on to shape my inten- Epic Journey: The Pika Glacier By Noah Ball

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