June 8, 2010 Mount McKinley Expedition
Lead Guide: Tyler Jones

June 8, 2010

Team arrives in Anchorage and transfers to Talkeetna for overnight.

June 8, 2010 Mount McKinley Expedition
Lead Guide: Tyler Jones

June 10, 2010

The Team gearing up in Talkeetna.

Hi all,

Checking in from Talkeetna this afternoon. Today we spent in a hurry up and wait mode. The weather at Kahiltna Basecamp has been a little squirrely today, so we have spent the afternoon reviewing and learning. Covering knots which will be used daily while on our expedition of North America's highest mountain, Denali. We also spent time learning how to efficiently rig our sleds which will aid us while carrying/dragging about 100 pounds of personal gear, as well as group gear, while on our expedition.

Our backpacks and duffel bags have been weighed, group gear organized and now we are waiting, hoping the skies will part. We have a total of 12 in our expedition, each team member an integral part in our success here on Denali. Including ourselves, we will start with a combined, total group weight of 3,490 pounds, fully sufficient to live on the glacier during our expedition. We will check in later, hopefully from the Kahiltna glacier.

June 8, 2010 Mount McKinley Expedition
Lead Guide: Tyler Jones

June 12, 2010

Hello, all is well here at Camp 1. We had a nice walk from Basecamp yesterday evening as we waited to move until temperatures lowered. It is amazing how warm you can be hanging out in the snow in the middle of the day on the lower mountain. Today is a bit of a different story weather-wise. We have some wind and snow, but the temps are fairly kind. The plan for now is to hang out for a bit, get strong, and make a carry or a move tomorrow .

Perhaps a round of cards or travel scrabble in the cozy tents is in store for the afternoon. Goodbye for now from those of us at 7,800ft!

June 8, 2010 Mount McKinley Expedition
Lead Guide: Tyler Jones

June 13, 2010

Hello to the folks back home! We are currently resting comfortably in our tents to keep out of this daytime heat; this is of course after a swift and successful cache to 10,000ft. We were able to stash a few of our upper mountain goodies so that we don't have to bring those items up with the remainder of our glacial house and home during our next move. We are aspiring to advance to our cache or above as soon as we can based on weather-related circumstances.

We'll check in later.

June 8, 2010 Mount McKinley Expedition
Lead Guide: Tyler Jones

June 14, 2010

The team is strong that is for sure. We made quick work of moving camp to 11,000ft from 7,800ft early this morning! Our expedition built camp in short order with a big snow storm brewing over the surrounding peaks! We are set for waiting it out while resting and acclimating. Our team hopes to have a window to retrieve our luggage from 10,000' tomorrow or the next day!

Will check in later after some well deserved rest.

June 8, 2010 Mount McKinley Expedition
Lead Guide: Tyler Jones

June 15, 2010

Big snow at 11,000' with more on the way. We spent our time today building walls and completing our fortress as well as resting up. The team plans to retrieve our cache at 10,000' tomorrow and wait out the snow storm.

June 8, 2010 Mount McKinley Expedition
Lead Guide: Tyler Jones

June 16, 2010

We had a good day today, and are poised for the next push up the mountain. We did our back-carry from the cache at 10k to camp at 11k, and are planning to carry loads up tomorrow if the weather cooperates. Hopefully we'll have the weather window we need, but we're feeling good and prepared to wait until we have the right opportunity. Forecast is still a little squirelly but morale is high and the team is climbing strong!

June 8, 2010 Mount McKinley Expedition
Lead Guide: Tyler Jones

June 17, 2010

More rest and strength gained at 11,000' today. Crossing our fingers for a carry to 14,000' camp in the morning. Many card games down and more to come for a clear, cold, and windy afternoon. Our food has been very good we had bratwurst for dinner and bagles with salmon, bacon, and cream cheese for breakfast today. The team dug out camp from a foot of new snow overnite and made our fortress camp walls even larger.

June 8, 2010 Mount McKinley Expedition
Lead Guide: Tyler Jones

June 18, 2010

We woke this morning to decreased winds, clear skies up high, and intentions of carrying to 14 camp. We prepped our equipment last evening for weather such as we received. Therefore we hopped out of our tents around 7 am for hot drinks and oatmeal. We cruised up Motorcycle Hill out of our camp at 11,000' around 8:30 am. There was a bit of wind today but it kept the temperatures manageable. The weather is supposed to continue to improve over the course of the next few days. After Windy Corner, the wind died down and it was a toasty last hour into 14,000'. We made a quick cache of equipment and food that we won't be needing until we get onto the upper mountain. We made good time back to our 11,000' camp for water, a sizeable lunch, and repose from the sun. The plan is to make the full move up to 14,000' camp tomorrow. After a strong climb today the team is crouched in the attack position to begin acclimatizing at higher altitudes. Good day to family and friends!

June 8, 2010 Mount McKinley Expedition
Lead Guide: Tyler Jones

June 19, 2010

Our five days and nights at 11,000' camp proved to be very beneficial for our team. We woke this morning to almost identical weather conditions as we had yesterday for our carry of groceries up to 14k camp. High clouds filled the upper atmosphere with moderate winds and slightly warmer temps. We began up motorcycle hill, with the morning solar radiating our bodies, a dusting of new snow overnight glistened in the filtered light. Our team is very strong, proved by our quick ascension this morning, in fact, our move time was faster then our carry time. Our team is styled and dialed.

We have etched our new home into the snow here at 14 camp. Light snow is falling on our tent roofs, everyone is taking a siesta and we are chillin.

We were also able to hear some world cup updates today, delighted to hear how our boys are doing.

We have our whole kit here at 14 camp, so tomorrow will be a true rest day avoiding a back carry. Maybe a walk to the "Edge of the World" if conditions are reasonable. Later.

June 8, 2010 Mount McKinley Expedition
Lead Guide: Tyler Jones

June 20, 2010

Happy Father's Day from each of our team members! Thanks to all our dads for all that you've done. Today we rested on the most spectacular day so far on Denali. 14 camp delivered the goods this evening, with breathtaking views of Foraker and the north and south peaks of Hunter in glorious golden light. We are preparing for our carry up the fixed lines tomorrow, and if the weather cooperates we will be making our move to 17K camp in the next couple of days. Everyone is very excited to move higher and ready to go!

June 8, 2010 Mount McKinley Expedition
Lead Guide: Tyler Jones

June 21, 2010

An early morning today meant colder temperarures, but it also meant that we were one of the first teams on the fixed lines. Alaskan grandeur spread out below us as we climbed the headwall to the base of the lines, and in short order we had dispatched the steeper sections and were on the ridge digging our cache. We climbed back down in glorious warm sun and were back in camp for a restful afternoon. We're poised for the move to 17 camp and a summit push as long as this beautiful weather holds. Keep your fingers crossed!

June 8, 2010 Mount McKinley Expedition
Lead Guide: Tyler Jones

June 22, 2010

We like to see trends in the mountains, this morning was a carbon copy of the past few days. The one exception was the lack of winds this morning. We welcomed that change. Our team broke camp effieciently this morning, we left 14 camp first out of the gates. Chilly start but worth it, as temperatures were balmy this afternoon.

The climbing on the West Buttress is so spectacular, today was no exception. Perfect cramponing up the fixed lines, up to Washburn's Thumb, and along the buttress ridge into 17 camp. Conditions were as good as they get here. Today was good day.

We have spent this afternoon resting in our tents, out of the sun. Hoping the weather gods shine kindness down on us tomorrow for our first summit attempt. We'll let ya know.

We also want to pass a very important message along from our bro Chris. He wishes his lovely wife a happy anniversary today.

June 8, 2010 Mount McKinley Expedition
Lead Guide: Tyler Jones

June 23, 2010 - SUMMIT!

We woke this morning to relatively warm temps, bluebird skies and calm winds - and we knew that the summit push was on. We got the team moving quickly and were basking in the sun on Denali Pass before we knew it. Steady climbing took us through Zebra Rocks and up to the Football Field. The final push up Pig Hill was challenging in the thin air, but the summit ridge soon focused our attention with its exposed, gorgeous climbing.

We stood on the top of North America at 3:50pm, high fiving and hugging to commemorate an amazing climb. We took our summit photos and then headed out for the push back to camp. We're hoping that the weather holds so we can head back to 14 camp and points lower in the next couple of days.

Congratulations to the entire team for a strong climb and an incredible achievement!

June 8, 2010 Mount McKinley Expedition
Lead Guide: Tyler Jones

June 25, 2010

We woke to the warmth of the sun this morning at our camp at 17k, winds were again calm. Truly stellar conditions. Our team descended the west buttress with no one else on the route, a beautiful sun lite, knife edge ridge walk. Picking up our cache, selling some groceries at 14 camp we continued down into 11k camp. We were able to spend the better part of the afternoon resting at 11k camp. We plan to wake up at around 3am, to begin our final walk down the Kahiltna Glacier, always a truly inspiring time of the trip, moments to reflect, ponder, wonder, dream, this is beauty at its finest, all under the bright skies of an Alaskan summer. If all goes well, we will be flying off the white sandy shores of Denali tomorrow morning. Peace.