June 22, 2010 Mount McKinley Custom Expedition
Lead Guide: Dave Hahn

June 22, 2010

Team arrives in Anchorage and drives to Talkeetna.

June 22, 2010 Mount McKinley Custom Expedition
Lead Guide: Dave Hahn

June 23, 2010

2010 Hahn Mt. McKinley Team

After breakfast and meeting with the National Park Service, we went shopping and gathered up all our equipment for our upcoming adventure. Tonight we will enjoy downtown Talkeetna with dinner at the steakhouse in anticipation of flying onto the glacier tomorrow.

June 22, 2010 Mount McKinley Custom Expedition
Lead Guide: Dave Hahn

June 24, 2010

2010 Hahn Mt. McKinley Team

Dave's team arrived at K2 Aviation at 11:00 a.m. ready to fly onto Denali. They loaded the planes and headed out only to turn back as the weather window at the airstrip closed down. However, at 6 p.m. Talkeetna time the weather at basecamp cleared and they were expecting to fly onto the glacier.

June 22, 2010 Mount McKinley Custom Expedition
Lead Guide: Dave Hahn

June 27, 2010 - Voicemail 9:36 p.m. PDT

Hey RMI. This is Dave Hahn calling in a dispatch from 9,500' on the Kahiltna Glacier. We had a small snow storm last night at 7,800'. Started about 1:00 or 2:00 a.m. until about 5:30 a.m. with about 6" new snowfall. We delayed our plans for climbing a couple of hours. We were going to get a really early start. But then after breakfast at about 8:00 a.m., it was looking good so we moved up to 9,500'. It ended up being a beautiful day and wonderful conditions.

We've got the whole place all to ourselves. There really hasn't been any traffic passing by in either direction once we got started, so pretty pleasant. There's low clouds below but above it's all clear and we're really enjoying the weather and conditions. Everybody is in a good mood this evening. All for now.

June 22, 2010 Mount McKinley Custom Expedition
Lead Guide: Dave Hahn

June 29, 2010 - voicemail 9:46 p.m. PT

Hey this is Dave on Mt. McKinley giving an update for today, the 28th of June. We got up at 4 a.m. and made our move from 9,500' on the Kahiltna up to 11,000'. The weather cooperated, there were clouds down low but we were above it all. We reached camp by 10 a.m. since we got a nice early start while it was still cool. We built our camp at 11,000' and plan to establish a cache around Windy Corner tomorrow. Everything is going well and we will talk to you soon.

June 22, 2010 Mount McKinley Custom Expedition
Lead Guide: Dave Hahn

June 30, 2010

Yesterday the team made a successful carry up to 13,500ft. Today we enjoyed a great breakfast of bagels and bacon. We are resting enjoying some patches of blue sky with a few clouds. Tomorrow our plan is to move up the mountain. Hi to everyone back home, we hope all is well there.

June 22, 2010 Mount McKinley Custom Expedition
Lead Guide: Dave Hahn

July 2, 2010

We moved to the 14,000' camp yesterday. The weather was clear and sunny above us and clouds below. A light wind kept things comfortable. We plan to make a back carry today to Windy Corner to pickup our cache. Everyone is doing well and in high spirits.

June 22, 2010 Mount McKinley Custom Expedition
Lead Guide: Dave Hahn

July 3, 2010

As we look up to the higher elevations, there is a cloud cap and it appears to be windy. We have decided to rest comfortably at our 14,000' camp where it is calm. It ruined our plan for a carry but there is always tomorrow.

Dave

June 22, 2010 Mount McKinley Custom Expedition
Lead Guide: Dave Hahn

July 4, 2010

Dave and the team tried doing a carry today but turned around at approximately 15,000' due to low clouds, snow and poor visibility. They are now back at their 14,000' camp and taking a rest day.

They will try to make their carry again tomorrow. The team is doing well and they wish everyone a Happy 4th of July!

June 22, 2010 Mount McKinley Custom Expedition
Lead Guide: Dave Hahn

July 5, 2010

We had a little snow overnight and the winds on the upper mountain have picked up. We were hoping to make our carry today to cache some gear, we still might get it in if things change this afternoon, but for now we are going to sit tight at 14,000'. We might take a walk to the "Edge of the World" this afternoon. We will plan to carry tomorrow if the weather improves. Everyone is doing well. We will check in again soon.

June 22, 2010 Mount McKinley Custom Expedition
Lead Guide: Dave Hahn

July 6, 2010

This is Dave Hahn calling from 14,000' on Denali. Today was our first nice day in at least three or four days. We took full advantage of it and carried loads up the West Buttress. We reached 17,000', just a few hundred feet above Washburn's Thumb and maybe a 1/2 hour's easy walk from camp at 17,000'. We cached food and fuel up there and came back down to 14,000'.

Beautiful day and quite a relief from the snow storms we have been experiencing for the last few days. Everybody got the big view from up on the West Buttress looking out at Foraker and Hunter. It is still a sea of clouds down low covering the rest of Alaska but we were above it all today. Everything is going well and we'll check in again soon.

June 22, 2010 Mount McKinley Custom Expedition
Lead Guide: Dave Hahn

July 8, 2010 - 12:00 p.m. PST

This is Dave Hahn checking in from the familiar surroundings of Advance Base Camp at 14,000'. Life is good here, but we're not so sure that's the case at 17,000'. A cloud cap formed over the summit of Denali this morning, indicating high wind and changing weather conditions. Sometimes a cap will blow off, followed by settled weather. On the other hand, it may be a harbinger of worsening weather. At any rate, we're sitting tight for the moment, watching and waiting. We'll keep you posted.

June 22, 2010 Mount McKinley Custom Expedition
Lead Guide: Dave Hahn

July 9, 2010 - 10:56 a.m. PT

Dave Hahn called from 17,000' on Mount McKinley. They moved camp yesterday and made good time, reaching 17,000' camp in about 5 1/2 hours. It was a bit windy when they arrived but they got camp set up. They woke up this morning to a very pretty day - the best since they have been on the mountain. They can see all the way down the Alaska Range.

There is a little wind today but they are planning on heading out in about an hour for their summit push.

We wish them good luck!

June 22, 2010 Mount McKinley Custom Expedition
Lead Guide: Dave Hahn

July 10, 2010 - 11:45 a.m. PST

The team is at 17,000' right now. They were going to head down to 14,000' this morning but a snow storm moved in so they are just waiting. Dave was glad they headed to the summit when they had their small window of opportunity. Weather dependent, the team will descend further down the mountain. With the snow storm it is more likely that will be tomorrow.

July 10, 2010 - SUMMIT!

Dave Hahn and team reached the summit of Mount McKinley, North America's highest peak, yesterday evening. They had some wind up high but everyone was doing well.

Congratulations!

June 22, 2010 Mount McKinley Custom Expedition
Lead Guide: Dave Hahn

July 11, 2010 - 4:15 p.m. PST

The team is still stuck at 17,000' in blizzard conditions. Has been snowing continuously and winds blowing around 30 mph or so. The group is doing well; they have plenty of food and fuel and are just hanging out until the weather gets better. They will see how the weather looks in the morning. Dave will give us a call tomorrow with an update.

June 22, 2010 Mount McKinley Custom Expedition
Lead Guide: Dave Hahn

July 12, 2010 - 11:34 p.m. PT

Hey, this is Dave calling from Denali. We moved from 17,000' to 11,000' today. There was a lot of new snow down below and we were post holing through deep snow all the way down the West Buttress, down to 14,000' and all the way to 11,000' breaking trail. It all went really well. Today was a nice day, nice, calm and sunny.

Now we are camped at 11,000'. We hope to get up in a few hours and make our way to the airstrip and perhaps be there and ready to fly out tomorrow morning. So, I'll give a call if that happens. Today is Monday so that would be Tuesday morning that we would be at the airstrip if all goes well on the lower glacier. Talk to you soon.

June 22, 2010 Mount McKinley Custom Expedition
Lead Guide: Dave Hahn

July 13, 2010 - 9:17 p.m. PT

Hey, this is Dave calling from Denali. We made it from 11,000' to basecamp today. It took a long time: we started walking at 3:30 in the morning and got here about 2:30 p.m. Hard weather conditions on route, hard crevasse problems but everyone made it through okay. It's nice to be down. We haven't gotten picked up yet. The weather wasn't good enough to fly in but hopefully tomorrow morning.

Bye for now.

June 22, 2010 Mount McKinley Custom Expedition
Lead Guide: Dave Hahn

July 14, 2010 - 7:58 p.m. PT

Hey!! We got flown off Denali this afternoon. It was our 21st day on the mountain and it began with low cloud and unflyable conditions. We cooked up a casual breakfast on the glacier and waited patiently, checking in hourly with K2 Aviation via sat-phone. By mid-afternoon, the sun was trying to peak through and our visibility had improved a great deal. K2 was having some difficulty with thick cloud blocking the approaches on their side of the mountain, but they kept on trying to find holes. At three PM their perseverance paid off, in came the airplanes and out we went. The gang is getting together one last time in just a few minutes. Time for a triumphant feast at the West Rib and a few toasts to a good mountain, good luck and good friends.

Dave Hahn