Home | 2012 Early Reservation Special

2012 Early Reservation Special

 

Book Sheldon Air Service for 2012 McKinley climbs
for limited time at special Early Booking Discount!

 

If your goal is the summit of Mt. McKinley or any peak in the Alaskan Range, you face many decisions that can make or break your chances for success.

But one decision makes itself for you. When you look for air support, there really is only one answer — the most trusted name in the game: Sheldon Air Service.

You have enough to worry about between the weather and the mountain. You need the best mountain climb expedition air support available to get you to and from base camp. And the decision on that issue is simple:

You need the most experienced glacier flying experts in the business.

You need the most dedicated mountain climb air support team available.

You need the absolute best value you can find in expedition air support.

You need Sheldon Air Service.

Here's why:

Commitment

Sheldon Air Service is committed specifically to the needs of the mountaineers who attempt Mt. McKinley, Mt. Hunter, Mt. Foraker or any of the lesser known but equally challenging peaks in Denali National Park. Sheldon Air Service knows climbers and knows the terrain they climb.

When you book Sheldon Air Service to provide your air transportation to and from Kahiltna Glacier, you are getting a committed partner in your climb, not just a seat in an airplane. They understand, from deep personal experience, the mountain climber and what it takes to stand on the summit and return to tell the tale.

It takes good equipment, sufficient training, mental toughness, sensible judgement and a good selection of partners to make a McKinley climb successful. Sheldon is your best partner in the climb when it comes to getting in position to make it.

For the people who make Sheldon Air Service the premiere mountain climb support service that it is, it's not just a business to carry climbers and supplies. It's not just an air service. Expedition air support is a way of life for Sheldon Air Service. This outstanding commitment to McKinley climb expedition support comes from another attribute:

 

Legacy

Sheldon Air Service is a third-generation Alaska glacier flying charter service.

Co-owner Holly Sheldon's father, Don Sheldon, was the legendary glacier pilot who made expedition air support a business. Don Sheldon became famous for the lengths he would go to in order to get supplies to a climb or a climber back to safety.

Her grandfather, Bob Reeve, put the first set of skis on an airplane to land on the ice. He later founded Reeve Aleutian Airways, famed for providing reliable air transport in one of the most forbidding climates on the planet — the far flung Aleutian Islands, notorious for brutal and quickly changing weather.

In 1966, Don Sheldon laboriously flew in the lumber and constructed the Mountain House to support climbers and act as an emergency shelter — this was the level of his commitment to mountain climbers on McKinley. It still stands perched on an ice and rock outcrop overlooking the glacier basin that bears his name — The Don Sheldon Ampitheatre.

You cannot fly with any other air service and become a part of this much rich Alaskan aviation history. The ability to tell those who know that you flew with Sheldon Air Service is an intangible, but powerful reason to pick the best and trust them with your air logistics. By chartering Sheldon Air Service , you become part of a living legacy of Alaskan glacier flying and mountaineering.

Living up to that legacy is part of the daily process at Sheldon Air Service and is one of the reasons they are, simply, the best there is. But there is another, more pragmatic reason:

 

Experience

Co-owner Dave Lee and Chief Pilot Jok Bondurant are collectively the most experienced pair of mountain climb support pilots in the business.

Between them, they have over a half century of Alaska mountain flying experience. They have seen all kinds of weather and know the terrain of the Alaskan Range like the back of their hand.

Along with the consummate skill that comes with thousands of hours in the left seat of the aircraft in the Sheldon Air Service fleet — the kind of skill that makes a demanding landing into an uphill patch of snow a straightforward event — Lee and Bondurant have the wisdom accrued over time to know when and how a flight can be completed and exactly where the line is that marks the boundary between daring and good sense.

Regardless of the weather conditions, if your team can be delivered, re-supplied or retrieved, the pilots of Sheldon Air Service will see that it is done. If they cannot, the pilots of Sheldon Air Service will not put you or your team at undue risk. Nobody knows Mckinley mountain climb air support like Sheldon Air Service.

And speaking of experience, there is a special experience you get only when you fly with Sheldon Air Service :

 

 

 

Hospitality

Sheldon Air Service is a family-owned and operated air charter service. With that fact comes another intangible: the friendly hospitality that comes with every flight which is a hallmark of the Alaskan experience.

Each climber flight includes Base Camp Fee, free sleds, ample gear storage and sorting area, one night at a comfortable hostel before and after your climb, van shuttle service in and around Talkeetna, and wi-fi availability.

Sheldon Air Service knows and works with the best guides in the business and can connect you with expert expedition planning and guide support.

Every customer who has walked in the door a stranger has left after the flight a friend. Every expedition, no matter how small or how big, is a treasured part of the Sheldon Air Service experience. Every client benefits from the warmth and attention to detail that only those who truly love their environment, have a passion for the daring and respect for the climber and enjoy making new friends on a daily basis can provide.

You are truly welcome at Sheldon Air Service and you will feel that from the minute you arrive until long after you have departed. But there is something else that will make you feel warm inside when flying with Sheldon Air Service:

 

Safety

Sheldon Air Service's safety record is impeccable.

And while the highly experienced Sheldon Air Service pilots will do what it takes to get your mountain climb team to and from your base came if at all possible, they will not place that record or your expedition at undue risk.

Mountain climbing is inherently dangerous and mountain climbers know that. They take proper precaution to reduce risk.

Savvy mountain climbers fly with Sheldon Air Service and know that the flight to and from base camp will be the least risky thing they do on the entire climb.

All of the above explains why there is one over-riding reason you should book your McKinley climb expedition air support with Sheldon Air Service:

 

 

 

 

Value

You simply can not spend your mountain climbing funding dollar more wisely than by booking delivery and retrieval with Sheldon Air Service.

In addition to safe, efficient air transport you get a focused personal commitment to your expedition from a name which symbolizes a long and proud legacy of McKinley mountain climb air support, unrivaled experience at the controls, warm and cheerful hospitality and the guarantee of safety — all of this at the best price available.

 

 

 

Act now and book a flight with

Sheldon Air Service for 2012.

For a limited time, save $50 by

making a reservation.

 

 

 

 

For Advance Booking Discount use coupon code

SAS-Web2012 — before April 1, 2012.

 

Book by April 1 to take advantage of our 2012 season climbers specials.

The Kahiltna Glacier BASE CAMP SPECIAL of $525 per climber includes:

  •      $4.25 Concession Fee
  •      $15.00 Base Camp Fee
  •      PLUS: Two nights stay (one before and after your climb) at a clean, comfortable hostel with hot showers!
  •      Shuttle service between the hostel and Sheldon’s hangar
  •      Wireless internet at the hangar
  •      Plenty of room to pack and unpack gear
  •      Storage for the gear you leave behind

If you choose not to stay at the hostel before and after

your climb we will fly you round trip for $490.00 !

The Ruth Area BASE CAMP SPECIAL of $400.00 per person includes:

  •      Choice of drop sites:
    •      Ruth Gorge
    •      Root Canal
    •      Ham & Eggs
    •      Shaken/Not Stirred
    •      Mountain House
    •      West Fork of the Ruth Glacier
  •      Shuttle service around Talkeetna
  •      Wireless internet at the hangar
  •      Plenty of room to pack and unpack gear
  •      Storage for the gear you leave behind

 

Use our secure order page and place a reservation now for your flight on the dates you plan to climb. The season is already starting to fill up and the best deal can be had by booking now and assuring prime time for your flights. Don't wait until it is too late to book the day and time you want.

Email For Availability or better yet,

Reserve A Date Now, while flight times are still flexible.

And enjoy the climb of your life!

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Sheldon Air Service is the mountain climber's choice.

Listen to the comments on tripadvisor.com by our friends and clients.

 

"Great Service for a solo!"

I was a solo climber this May. I had to wait in Talkeetna a day or two, but when the weather cleared, Dave flew me out immediately by myself.

On my way back out, I had to wait a day or two as well, but when a brief weather window cleared, Jok came out and picked me up, by myself, while climbers from the other services waited, and we took the long way home in a grand private tour. Holly had warm cookies ready for me when we landed to celebrate my summit.

Couldn't have been more pleased with the service.

— James, New York

 

 

"Remarkable"

I have flown with four different Talkeetna air services and Sheldon Air Service was far and away the one that had the most focus on helping us meet our goals.

Pilot David Lee's experience made for very safe and enjoyable flights.

His persistence for our glacier pick-up was remarkable.

— Triple Alpha, NW Connecticut.

 

 

"More than an air service!"

We flew with them to Mount Mckinley base camp in our climb trip.

They gave us a perfect service, after our trip we spent some days in Talkeetna where they made [us feel] like in home, to meet this people was one of the best things of our [holidays].

I desire them the best, they deserve it.

— Javier, Madrid, Spain.

 

 

"The Sheldon legend lives"

Sheldon Air Service flew our group of 5 ‘Alaska Team Yeti’ mountain climbers and 4 friends and family members to the base camp at Kahalitna Glacier on Denali.

I have lived in Alaska for over 30 years and this was one of the most exciting adventures I have experienced in our Great State. I have always loved Denali but will never look at that majestic mountain the same after this trip.

David, Holly and their team at Sheldon Air Service took care of our every need and they are great people to spend the day with.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

— Takotna, Anchorage

 

 

"Absolutely Amazing"

I can't say enough good things about Sheldon Air Service. David and Holly and the rest of the crew were AMAZING and helped to make the logistics of flying in and out on our Denali expedition as smooth as possible.

A quick note about the Sheldon Air's history — Sheldon air has a storied history. The Sheldon family pioneered flying in the Alaska range. They know everything there is to know about flightseeing, glacier landings and climbing logistics.

David might well have more hours than any other pilot currently flying in the Alaska Range and his experience and expertise is invaluable.

Sheldon Air is a family run company that offers incredible personalized service. We left Talkeetna feeling like we had known Holly and David for a long time — they really took care of us, even though we were just a two man climbing team.

If you fly with Sheldon, you won't get a canned corporate experience catered by pilots who are churned through on a yearly basis. Sheldon has experience and soul and takes care of their customers.

While prepping for our expedition and packing up afterwards we saw many happy flightseeing customers, including several happy repeat customers.

Also, a couple guides we flew in with told us that in their many of flights into/out of the Alaska range that our flight in was the smoothest that they've had. There were fast moving winds aloft and a big lenticular over Mt. Foraker, so I have to attribute the smoothness of the flight to the skills and experience of our pilot, David. There is certainly something to be said for smooth flying, especially if you are on a flightseeing tour and are not used to flying in smaller aircraft.

In conclusion, I would highly recommend Sheldon Air to anyone wanting to fly into the Alaska Range for flghtseeing or climbing.

P.S. — Rumors of fresh homemade soup at the Sheldon hanger were definitely floating around on some particularly cold nights on Denali. We were so stoked that they were true! The homemade soup and cookies back in the hanger after our climb were delicious.

Thanks, Holly!

— K Traveler, Boulder, Colorado.

 

 

"Great professionals"

This year we went to climb Mount McKinley and we choose Sheldon Air Service to approach the glacier.

From the first time not only did their job perfectly, but it helped us to do all things necessary before starting the tour, shopping, sleeping, dining, etc.

On our return, at the base camp [Sheldon] was the first [Air Service] that landed and took us back, we were hoping to land with cookies, beer and good food and let us place to organize, to dry our clothes, etc.

I do not know the other companies, but [I an sure you will not have such] a personal and friendly service.

— Manuel, Valladolid, Spain

 

 

"Coolest Outfit in TK"

Went to [Talkeetna] in June of 2011 en route to climb Denali. Had the privilege of using SAS for the drop-off on the Kahiltna Glacier, and the pickup after our climb.

The name Sheldon is famous in [Talkeetna], and for good reason. These folks are not only the nicest and most welcoming on the strip, they have decades of first class flying experience. Colby Coombs told us that David Lee is probably the best pilot in Talkeetna, and I had the opportunity to fly with David on the return trip back to the hangar.

If there is even the slightest weather window in which to fly, these guys will make it happen, and safely.

When we returned from our Denali climb, I was pretty dehydrated and down 20 lbs. Holly, knowing we would all be in sort of bad shape, had bottles of water waiting on us, and make me an awesome PB sandwich!!

For all the little reasons like that, I would never even consider going with another air service in Talkeenta.

It's SAS or nothin'. =)

— Jonathan, Durango, Colorado.

 

 

"Excellence"

After considering the numerous flying services available in Talkeetna to support our efforts to climb Denali, we chose Sheldon Air Service.

David, Holly and the Sheldon Air team provide an amazing personalised service which we'd have to say is better than almost any service we have received. They made us feel completely at home from the moment we arrived and were outstanding in allowing us to sort out gear in their hanger before and after the climb. David was also top notch in getting us off the glacier at the earliest opportunity after the climb.

Bundled with our flights was 1 night's accomodation upon arrival and after the climb at a comfortable hostel which was in a most convenient location on the main street of Talkeenta just minutes from all shops, restaurants, bars and the NPS office. Just perfect!

On behalf of our climbing team, we definitely recommend Sheldon Air - David, Holly and the team - for a truely memorable, and personalised experience flying into the great Alaskan ranges whether it be for scenic flight or supporting your upcoming climbing adventure.

— Flatsprings, Melbourne, Australia.