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Mt. McKinley: Jones & Team Carry Toward 14 Camp

Posted by: Tyler Jones | June 05, 2012
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Mount McKinley
Elevation: 11,000'

Today we experienced superb climbing conditions as we bumped equipment and food to our cache at 14,000’ camp.

We began with a steep climb out of 11,000’ camp, up “Motorcycle Hill” and “Squirrel Hill” then enjoyed a mellow walk across a part of the route called the “Polo Field.” We stopped just shy of the infamous “Windy Corner” at 13,200’. Guides and clients prepared to battle the harsh winds by dawning wind layers and face protection. We even made sure to have goggles readily accessible. When we rounded the corner however, we were greeted with only a light breeze. As a team we are constantly preparing for the worst and hoping for the best; the wind today turned out to be the best.

With our cache stocked, we headed downhill back to our camp. Despite some clouds, we were still greeted with a view of the Peters Glacier, the Direct West Buttress and Father and Son Wall. We were reminded how truly huge this place is, and satisfied to see that we are making steady progress. The entire crew had their strongest day yet.

We are currently back in camp hold up in our tents. It seems that in this place we are either working our tails off, or comatose and resting. Now we are the latter.

We look forward to seeing what kind of weather greets us tomorrow. We hope to move up to 14,000’ at some point in the next few days if the group feels strong and weather permits. Well keep you posted. For now, it’s back to food and rest.

RMI Guide Tyler Jones

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