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This beautiful print was created locally by Anchorage Alaska resident James Morris. It represents the "Sugar Bears" operating their Chinooks on the way to Mount McKinley during the climbing season. Native Alaskans refer to mountain as Denali. The climbing season starts each spring on the First of May and usually lasts until late July. The Chinooks are used early in the season to place the park rangers on the mountain, where they serve as medics and rescuers during the season. Personnel and equipment are dropped off at the Low Base Camp, altitude 7,200 feet above sea level, as well as at the High Base Camp, altitude 14,200 feet. The Chinook will also remove the materials from the base camps at the end of the season. The Chinook crews conduct extensive high altitude training (10 to 20,000 feet), staging in Talkeetna during the early parts of the season. When the training is completed, the helicopters return to Fort Wainwright and remain on standby in the event a rescue becomes necessary. The Boeing CH-47 Chinook holds the record for the highest rescue ever made. Each print measures 18 x 12 inches and is signed by the artist. |
