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Posts for Mount McKinley from 06/2012

Mt. McKinley: Mike Walter & Team Waiting on Weather

Posted by: Mike Walter, Paul Edgren, Mike Hinckley | June 30, 2012
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Mount McKinley
Elevation: 17,000'

This is Mike checking in from high camp on Denali.  The weather is playing games with us today, but the forecast remains excellent.  We had contemplated a summit bid upon awakening, but a lenticular cloud cap kept alternately forming then dissipating throughout the morning, and we decided to hold off.  It has been quite windy in camp, but high pressure is forecast to dominate the next several days.  Our well rested team hopes to go for it tomorrow.  All is well and we will be back in touch with an update tomorrow.

Wish us luck!

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Mt. Rainier: June 30th Summit!

Posted by: Mike Haugen, Gabriel Barral | June 30, 2012
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Mount McKinley
Elevation: Summit

Our Four Day Summit Climb Teams Led by RMI Guides Mike Haugen and Gabriel Barral reached the top of Mt. Rainier today.  The teams reported light winds, and favorable weather.  The teams were able to spend some time on the summit and are now en route to Camp Muir.

Congratulations to today’s teams!

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Mt. Mckinley: Mike Walter and Team Prepare for Summit Bid

Posted by: Mike Walter, Paul Edgren, Mike Hinckley | June 30, 2012
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Mount McKinley
Elevation: 17,000'

Mike Walter called and checked in on Friday night at about 9:50 p.m.  There were some clouds and winds on the upper mountain so the team decided to take a rest day at 17,000’ camp. They have had nice weather at camp and a good rest.  Mike reported an awesome forecast for today with sunny skies and light winds, so they plan to make their summit attempt.  The team is excited and ready to go.

Good Luck Team!

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Mt. McKinley: Knoff & Team Part 2 Saying Hello

Posted by: Adam Knoff, Mike Uchal, Zeb Blais | June 29, 2012
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Mount McKinley
Elevation: 14,200'

We apologize to Mike and Nelson’s family’s for missing their hellos.  Here they are saying hi to their followers. 

Nelson: Mom, Dad, I’m having an absolute blast. I love it up here. Thank you so much for making this happen. I’m feeling great and getting excited for the imminent summit push. Tomorrow (weather permitting) we’ll get to the top of the fixed lines and up onto the famed West Buttress. Long story short, I’m having a great time. Thank you so much. To everyone else who I told to follow the blog (probably a good 3 people or so) this place is way sweet. Wicked fun. Big Rik—you need to get up here sometime, it’s fantastic. Lynn—of course I’m winning and writing lots. I’ll have plenty of stories for you all. It’s cold, fun, and badass. Love, Nels

Hi Susan, Mel, Hannah, family and friends!  Thanks to everyone for your posts.  Your thoughts mean so much. I’m having a great time, staying warm, and the guides make sure we eat very well.  After being snowed in today, we’ll hopefully move to high camp in the next few days where we stage our attempt for the summit.  Miss you all!  Love Mike

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Mt. McKinley: Hahn & Team on the Ice

Posted by: Dave Hahn | June 29, 2012
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Mount McKinley
Elevation: 7,300'

What a difference a day makes.  Things didn’t seem a whole lot better, first thing this morning.  Talkeetna was still a little dim and grey with low cloud lurking as we headed out to the airstrip.  It took a few hours of waiting for things to come around.  Our pilots figured out a clear path in to the Kahiltna, despite a fair amount of lingering clouds hiding the mountains.  What we were able to see was stunning and spectacular, as if to make up for all that was hidden.  Unbelievably steep and immense mountains began to pop up all around us as we entered the heart of the range.  Glaciers, snow and random ice seemed to hang on every possible flank.  The K2 pilots did their normal perfect approach and landing with the big ski equipped DeHaviland Otters.  We’d taken off from town at 11:30 AM and we were unloading gear on the Southeast Fork of the Kahiltna 35 minutes later.  At basecamp it was intensely sunny and warm with no wind whatsoever.  The cloud cover evaporated and we were treated to grand views of Mount Hunter, Mount Foraker and even Denali on occasion.  We built camp and began reviewing glacier travel techniques.  There was plenty to get done and we worked throughout the afternoon and evening at divy-ing loads and getting rigged for an early morning move to camp at 7,800 ft. What we could see from the planes backed up what we’ve been hearing from other climbers… conditions on the lower glacier are excellent. 

Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn

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Mt. McKinley: Knoff & Team Say Hello from 14K Camp

Posted by: Adam Knoff, Mike Uchal, Zeb Blais | June 29, 2012
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Mount McKinley
Elevation: 14,200'

This is the June 19th Denali expedition sending love from 14,000 foot camp.  We received a foot of fresh snow last night distracting us from our scheduled plan of carrying loads to the top of the fixed lines at 16,200 feet.  Because of this unexpected delay we are resting today fending off climbers soliciting food to lighten their loads for the descent. 
We have decided to pass the phone to let each team member send a personal hey to friends and family. 
This one goes out to my wife Birgen and son Liam.  I have only tried to spoon Uchal twice thinking of you.  He elbowed me both times.  I miss you as much as ever and can’ t wait to get home to you both…..
DG here. Miss and love you all. Doing great up here and everything is rock steady.  Hugs Oz and see you soon. Can’t wait for you to join me.
It’s Chris. Special thanks to all of you who posted messages and words of encouragement on the blog. It means a lot and gives me some extra fuel for the push up the peak. Nickie - I love you so much and can’t wait to see you again after a successful trip. Cheers!
This is Michael U. I hope all is well back home and abroad! I miss and love you all so much. O Sorry for leaving you to care for the new K-9. Grace, HB, Samer, Charlotte, Lulu, and the rest of the family - I can’t wait to see you when I get home.
Greetings from JJ, amazing group of guys, amazing mounting and truly an experience of a lifetime to be here.  Priorities change when life is stripped to the essentials. Peace, joy and love of friends and family take in a new and heightened priority. Please know I am very safe and that my love for you is growing with each step.  I miss you all and have many big hugs in store for all upon my return, especially the new love of my life.  See you at the wedding if not sooner.  Love, John
Hello fam & friends—Tim here. It’s hard to explain what the top of our continent looks like—truly amazing! Thx for all of your posts, luv sharing them in the “posh”  (a funky community eating/gathering area). Great guides & climbing team, we’re all looking up at the top now.
Love & miss you all—literally dreaming of you nightly—altitude makes for some strange dreams BTW.
Thx for covering me during cherry harvest & all the other “stuff.”  See you in a couple of weeks!!!

 

 

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Mt. McKinley: Dave Hahn and Team Waiting in Talkeetna

Posted by: Dave Hahn, Solveig Waterfall, Cody Doolan, Tim Hardin | June 29, 2012
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Mount McKinley
Elevation: 358'

Update at 12:12 pm PST: The team is flying into basecamp!  The weather cooperated for flights and we expect to hear from the team once they are settled on the glacier.

12:00 am PST:
The plan was for us to get started with our Denali expedition today.  We needed good mountain flying weather.  We had high hopes, but as it turned out, we also had low clouds.  It was on the dark and rainy side if things as we finished breakfast and walked out toward the airstrip in Talkeetna.  During the course of the day, the cloud cover would lighten here and there and we monitored alternating reports that it was getting better or worse now and again at our intended basecamp on the Southeast Fork of the Kahiltna Glacier… But in the end, the upshot was that conditions never really got good enough for our pilots to risk flights into the range. 

The team took the delay without great concern, we passed the time hanging at the hangar, playing ping pong, listening to music and catching up on email and current events.  We enjoyed fine Talkeetna meals at various restaurants and we took advantage of the comforts of one more day of civilization.  Into the mountains tomorrow.  Possibly.

Best Regards,

RMI Guide Dave Hahn

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Mt. McKinley: Walter & Team Reach 17,000’ Camp

Posted by: Mike Walter, Paul Edgren, Mike Hinckley | June 29, 2012
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Mount McKinley
Elevation: 17,000'

Mike Walter called at 12:00 a.m. Friday morning and reported that he and the team had reached 17,000’ Camp on Mt. McKinley.  They had a nice day of climbing with light snow and no wind.  They rolled into camp at about 5:00 p.m., and are now resting.  The team may take a rest day at 17,000 but if everyone is feeling good they might just go for the top.

Good Luck Team!

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Mt. McKinley: Knoff & Team at 14K Camp

Posted by: Mike Uchal, Adam Knoff, Zeb Blais | June 28, 2012
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Mount McKinley
Elevation: 14,200'

After a few snowy days at our 11K camp, we hoped for some kinder weather for our move to 14,000’. We all agree we got too much of a good thing. Yesterday’s move validated the old mountaineering saying that “you either freeze or fry.” Wednesday morning was clear, but quite cold at 11K. We ate our warm breakfast, anxiously awaiting the sun to warm our tents before we packed up to move. The cool morning climb up Motorcycle Hill quickly turned into a sweltering overly sunny slog through the Polo Fields and around Windy Corner which lacked the then desired wind of which it got its name. After refueling and rehydrating the well-oiled machine we pulled into camp 4 (14,000’)  at 5 pm. We were welcomed by our other RMI team, light snow, and many other climbers at this small makeshift alpine village.

Today (Thursday), we returned to Windy Corner to retrieve our cache of food and equipment in much of the same weather conditions as the day before.  We are now resting back at 14,000’ awaiting our possible carry up the fixed lines to 16,000’ tomorrow.

To our many fans out there who are leaving messages on our blog, rest assured they have reached us!

Tuesday night over dinner we passed the iPhone around for all to read the kind words from friends and family. Keep them coming!

Until tomorrow,
RMI Guides Mike Uchal, Adam Knoff, Zeb Blais, and our team at 14,000’

Stay classy lower 48!

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Mt. McKinley: Dave Hahn and Team Ready in Talkeenta

Posted by: Dave Hahn, Solveig Waterfall, Cody Doolan, Tim Hardin | June 28, 2012
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Mount McKinley
Elevation: 358'

We’ve finished one of the more challenging days of any Denali climbing expedition... Packing, sorting gear and generally getting organized for leaving Talkeetna and getting on the mountain.  It wasn’t all hard work and suffering though, we certainly enjoyed a great breakfast at the Roadhouse.  National Park Service personnel at the Talkeetna Ranger Station gave us a warm welcome and Joe Reichert delivered a fine and informative orientation slideshow.  Our flight team out at K2 Aviation made us feel right at home in their hangar, which was where we got our food, tents, stoves, ropes, pots, shovels, fuel, snow saws, snow shoes, packs, ice axes, boots, crampons, sleeping bags, etc, etc, and etc. ready. 

Finally, we’d earned a break and a relaxing dinner at The West Rib Pub.  Folks then drifted home early for a last comfy night in the Talkeetna Motel.  The plan is for the team to meet bright and early for breakfast and then to hustle on out to the airstrip… If all goes well and the weather is stable, we could be loading airplanes shortly after 8AM and then winging our way toward the Alaska Range.

RMI Guide Dave Hahn

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