Denali red tape

The 7Summits7Flights team of Pierre Carter, Marianne Schwankhart and Peter Friedman were prevented from climbing and then flying off Denali, Alaska, earlier this week. Five days before they left for the mountain, Carter called the Ranger Station at Denali Park regarding a small matter with their trip and was told that their permit was withdrawn and that they were not welcome. The reason? “No reason was given just that it is ‘Federal Law’ and you may not fly off any mountain in the park,” says Carter.

“We will try Denali another time and are pursuing it diplomatically,” he adds.

They’re off to Mt Elbrus in Russia on 11 July 2010.