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Mt. McKinley: Hahn & Team at 7,800’ Camp

Posted by: Dave Hahn | June 30, 2012
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Mount McKinley
Elevation: 7,800'

It was a little tough waking up at 1 AM, since we hadn’t been able to get to bed terribly early, but coffee and bagels got us going.  Just as we’d hoped, it had been a clear night and the glacial surface had frozen up good and hard.  Conditions were ideal for tackling the lower glacier.  This section can be problematic since it is normally heavily crevassed in late season, but we found that the recent snowfall and overnight freeze had combined to bridge things nicely.  We set out around 4:30 AM and made steady progress, first dropping a few hundred feet to reach the main glacier and then turning North while working up small hills and inclines.  The packs were heavy and despite the fact that the fully loaded sleds were sliding easily along, we were all pretty thankful for the short rest breaks each hour.  It was good hard work, but we didn’t have much in the way of glitches or problems.  The last two hours of our push were conducted in bright sunshine with a great view of Denali’s south face.  The West Buttress stood out clearly in relief.  We pulled into our intended camp at 7,800 ft at about 9:15 AM and got to work.  In no time, we had tents, a kitchen, a dining area, a latrine and the start of several significant naps.  It was a day for power lounging and for catching up on hydration.

We rallied for a group dinner since Solveig Waterfall was serving up excellent burritos, but then the naps resumed.

Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn

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