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Posts for Mount McKinley from 07/2012

Mt. Rainier: July 10th Summit!

Posted by: Ben Liken, Josh Gautreau, Seth Waterfall | July 10, 2012
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Mount McKinley
Elevation: 14,410'

The Four Day Summit Climb led by RMI Guide Seth Waterfall reached the summit of Mt. Rainier just after 7 am PT with 100% of their team!  They reported light winds from the south and blue skies.

The Five Day Kautz Glacier Climb led by Jason Thompson also reached the summit this morning.  They started their descent from the crater rim just after 7 a.m.  The team will return to their High Camp for their final night on the mountain.

Congratulations to today’s teams!

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Mt. McKinley: Hahn & Team - Shoveling Clients, Sleeping Guides

Posted by: Dave Hahn, Solveig Waterfall, Cody Doolan, Tim Hardin | July 08, 2012
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Mount McKinley
Elevation: 14,200'

Plenty of snow came down overnight and throughout the day.  The team did a great job getting out in the night to dig out tents, despite the mean winds that made the morning a bit rough.  By about 10 AM though, winds were lessening and we were able to have a group breakfast in the rebuilt POSH tent.  Walking even a few steps out of camp, one was generally up to mid-thigh in the new snow… meaning we didn’t walk out of camp much.  We let it snow.  We rested. We read.  We chatted.  We passed time and then we ate dinner.  The eight o’clock weather forecast was eagerly anticipated and it actually gave some reason for optimism this time. We were told that the snows would fade this evening and that tomorrow (Monday) wouldn’t be half bad.  And that is good.  We need a day that includes a bit of sun to settle the avalanche hazard surrounding us.

As we came out from dinner and prepared camp for another night of storm, we were pleased to get a break.  The sun appeared (briefly) and we were able to see the entire West Buttress and South Peak and even a splash of blue sky overhead.  Perhaps it was the new snow covering everything or maybe it was because we hadn’t had much scenery at all to look at lately, but we found the view to be breathtaking and brilliant. 

Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn

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Mt. McKinley: Knoff & Team Waiting at Basecamp

Posted by: Adam Knoff, Mike Uchal, Zeb Blais | July 08, 2012
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Mount McKinley
Elevation: 7,300'

At 3:30 this morning I was startled awake by what I thought was the rumbling of a distant avalanche.  Perhaps my mountain senses have an automatic alertness to these deep thunderous roars that will pull me from the deepest sleep.  As I poked my head out of the tent door, I remembered where we are.

Two days ago I broke the news to the team that a serious storm was brewing and the risk of staying at high camp, in my opinion, outweighed the reward of a potential summit.  Going for the top on Monday or Tuesday would put our total time there at eight or nine days, well beyond anyone’s preference.  So we packed camp with heavy hearts and set off on our descent.

We moved efficiently down to eleven thousand feet where we rested for six hours.  The alarm went off at 5:00 am to no one’s delight and we headed toward basecamp at 7:30.  By 3:00 pm we were drinking MGD and relaxing in the sun.  K2 aviation was optimistic about flying us off so morale, all things considered, was high.  That was until one hour later the clouds moved in and it began to to snow.  That was more than 24 hours ago. 

Now as I write this at 4 pm on Sunday, we have received two feet of snow.  Welcome to Mt. McKinley!  We have all just come in for lunch after two solid hours stomping down the runway so if the storm does abate, planes might fly.  This is all we hope for now, the high pitch sound of propellers and don’t think twice about those avalanches in the distance. 

This is Adam Knoff signing out.

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Mt. McKinley: Hahn & Team 14K and a Snow Day

Posted by: Dave Hahn, Solveig Waterfall, Tim Hardin, Cody Doolan | July 07, 2012
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Mount McKinley
Elevation: 14,200'

The weather forecast was right on this time… A day of snow.  It was a little bit like the inside of a milk bottle for most of the time.  There were a few hours when the clouds were thinner and the sun’s heat could be felt through the storm, but the snowflakes never quit falling. It was not going to be a climbing day for our team and so we turned it into a fine rest day.  Solveig Waterfall taught an excellent course in avalanche beacon use.  Tim Hardin and Cody Doolan built the mother of all snow kitchens.  The team listened patiently to old guide stories and chatted over the current events we could pick up from the Anchorage FM stations.  We had a few sessions of cutting snow blocks and building walls around the tents.  Mostly this was done for exercise and to get warm, since as yet this particular storm hasn’t come with the wind which would necessitate walls.  We are happy for that and are somewhat resigned to another day or two of this same system. 

Best,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn

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Mt. McKinley: Knoff & Team Beat Feet to Basecamp

Posted by: Adam Knoff, Mike Uchal, Zeb Blais | July 07, 2012
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Mount McKinley
Elevation: 7,300'

Adam Knoff called into the office just before 6PM.  With a storm expected, the team was hoping to make it to basecamp in order to fly off in front of the storm. The weather didn’t quite hold and it began to snow in the last hour upon reaching basecamp.  The team’s plan to unwind in Talkeetna has been thwarted until further notice.

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Mt. McKinley: Hahn & Team Back Carry Supplies to 14K Camp

Posted by: Dave Hahn, Solveig Waterfall, Tim Hardin, Cody Doolan | July 06, 2012
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Mount McKinley
Elevation: 14,200'

Our first night at 14 camp went well.  Not that folks didn’t notice the altitude and the cold here in Genet Basin, but everybody showed up for bacon and bagels breakfast in a reasonably cheerful state.  We didn’t get up early, since it takes the sun until about 9:30 AM to get far enough around Denali’s South Peak to shine on us.  And we took our sweet time getting geared up for our “back carry” -the mission to retrieve our cache below Windy Corner from three days ago.

We left 14K at 10 minutes past noon and made fine time getting down around the corner.  It was another windless day where we were, but we could see that the gang at 17 camp was catching it in the teeth.  The cache was right where we’d left it and it didn’t look like the ravens had even bothered trying to dig into it.  We loaded up and began the slow walk back uphill over the now familiar terrain.  We were back a little before 5 PM.  Job done and the approach finished.  Now we can focus on the climb. Via the radio, we knew that Adam Knoff and his crew were quitting high camp and descending ahead of a multi-day storm.  They had our sympathy, obviously, but we looked forward to seeing them at 14.  They didn’t stay too long as they wanted to get down around the end of the West Buttress before the snow started falling.  The evening was the calm before whatever storm we’ll get though.  We still had good views of Mount Foraker, across the way, but it and every other peak, was stacked high with lenticular clouds… something is coming.  But we’ve got everything we need to deal with such things, and we are dug into our fortress at fourteen.

Best,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn

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Mt. McKinley: Knoff & Team Descend to 14K Camp

Posted by: Adam Knoff, Mike Uchal, Zeb Blais | July 06, 2012
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Mount McKinley

This is Adam calling in from 17,000’ on Denali.  We woke this morning to continued snow and wind, with a major low pressure system forecast to dominate the region over the next several days.  We have endured this weather at high camp since Monday and have decided to descend back to 14K camp.  Even the approach route, between 14,000’ and basecamp, can be a bear to navigate in foul weather, and we need to stay strong and focused.  We’ll begin our descent of the West Buttress and the infamous fixed lines to reach Advanced Base at 14,200’ where Dave Hahn’s RMI party is encamped.  We’ll check in tomorrow and advise everyone of our plans and progress.

RMI Guide Adam Knoff

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Mt. McKinley: Hahn and Team Move to 14 Camp

Posted by: Dave Hahn, Cody Doolan, Solveig Waterfall, Tim Hardin | July 06, 2012
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Mount McKinley
Elevation: 14,200'

It wasn’t a flawless day.  There were plenty of clouds about, and it looked mean and nasty up high on the mountain, but it was certainly nice enough where we were.  We left 11 camp at ten minutes past ten, ground on up motorcycle and squirrel hills in low gear and came out into the polo fields below the end of the West Buttress.  Another good uphill walk took us past our cache point from the other day and into definitely-not-windy-corner.  We went around the corner in perfect conditions, but all agreed it was pretty tough traversing the snowy side hill with a sled threatening to pull one off the track.  It began to snow on us a bit, but by this point it was welcome as it kept us from overheating as we wound around, between and over the top of giant crevasses on the final hour into our destination.  We pulled into camp at 14,200 ft at a few minutes past five, completing our biggest day yet.  Temps were noticeably cooler up so high and there was a light breeze blowing through 14 camp, so we couldn’t pause long enough to pat ourselves on the back or to gaze up in wonder at the West Buttress and the South Peak of Denali... we needed to get tents up and anchored down.  We simultaneously got that done, a kitchen up and running to melt large quantities of snow (we were all parched), a dining area dug in and covered and a latrine in place.  We are getting well practiced at high altitude, cold-camp construction. 
Just as we sat down for dinner at 8 PM, it was time to turn on a radio to catch the nightly forecast for mountain weather.  It isn’t a terribly stable outlook, but we do hope Adam Knoff’s RMI team at 17,200 ft can hang in there and get lucky.

Best Regards
RMI Guide Dave Hahn

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Mt. McKinley: Knoff & Team As the Wind Blows

Posted by: Mike Uchal, Adam Knoff, Zeb Blais | July 05, 2012
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Mount McKinley
Elevation: 17,200'

This is the June 19th Denali Expedition welcoming you to the first episode, of the new hit saga, “As the Wind Blows.” Time flies when you’re having fun at 17,000 feet. We’re now going on our third full day at high camp. We’ve determined that the forecast provided by the National Park Service, is reliable as a politician in an election year. Despite the gale force winds and frigid temperatures, the team remains positive. We pass the time eating junk food and sharing iPods as our batteries last. Zeb and Adam ventured to 19,000 feet yesterday to check snow stability and rock conditions after high winds and snowfall. The avalanche danger a concern. They’ve deemed the route safe, which now leaves the ball in the court of Mother Nature. 17,000 feet is a harsh waiting room, which increases the longing for family, friends, and the creature comforts of our homes. We invite you to wait with us lower 48 as we pass the time here at 17K. Stay tune for the next episode of, “As the Wind Blows.”

RMI Guide Mike Uchal

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Mt. McKinley:  Walter & Team Return to Talkeetna

Posted by: Mike Walter | July 04, 2012
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Mount McKinley
Elevation: 358'

Happy 4th of July!

Our Denali climbing team is celebrating the 4th in Talkeetna, AK! We were able to fly off of the glacier today amidst cloudy skies and low layers of fog. K2 Aviation did a great job of watching the weather and getting planes in to Basecamp when possible in order to facilitate our return to society.
After hot showers and a little down time, we’re looking forward to a festive celebration dinner at the Twister Creek Restaurant.

Thanks for following our journey to the highest point in North America! It’s been a great trip, and we’re already looking forward to our next adventure together…what’s yours?

RMI Guide Mike Walter

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