Almost every year since the late ’80s, an Army unit loads up helicopters with gear to drop off on Denali. Their efforts help the National Park Service and climbers alike.
A company of CH-47F Chinook helicopters, known as the Sugar Bears of Fort Wainwright, helps haul gear and set up basecamps for the National Park Service. The rangers oversee the climbing season on Denali.
Last week, the Army reported that two helicopters ferried approximately 7,000 pounds of gear to the Kahiltna Glacier. This gear will be used to create two base camps on Denali. The drop-off includes medical supplies, camping equipment, and other necessities for the climbing season.
Meet the Sugar Bears Soldiers
![original-3 Sugar Bears](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.gearjunkie.com/uploads/2022/05/original-3.jpg)
“It helps these guys to be able to come to the park and train at altitude,” Ranger Joe Reichert said. “They do some stuff in the eastern Alaska [mountain range] group on Deborah, Hess, and Hayes, but then they can come here and go to 14,000 and 17,000 feet on Denali. So it’s kind of an exchange — they get their training, and we get some help every year,” continued Reichert.
Glacier Travel
![Army Denali Army Denali](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.gearjunkie.com/uploads/2022/05/original.jpg)
![original-4 CH-47F Chinook on Ruth Glacier, AK](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.gearjunkie.com/uploads/2022/05/original-4.jpg)
Mountaineers on Denali
![original-8 Denali base camp](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.gearjunkie.com/uploads/2022/05/original-8.jpg)