Denali Expedition: Jones & Team Learn About Storm Days
Posted by: Tyler Jones, Caleb Ladue, Blake Votilla
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Denali
Elevation: 14,200'
June 5, 2016 - 9:46 p.m. PDT
A clear night allowed the radiant heat from yesterday to escape, meaning quite the cool and crisp morning was upon us. When temperatures drop well below zero as they did this morning, it is another level of cold. There is a threshold where the mouths of our insulated Nalgene bottles freeze over, and our 12-liter aluminum water pots in the kitchen become lined with a thick layer of ice all around.
The clear morning lured some climbers and neighbors to break camp and begin a push up to high camp. Within a few hours though, the forecast proved accurate as Denali began to cap over and a storm develop. Light to moderate winds here at 14 camp, but still cold and no real warming yet with increasing snowfall intensity. The "nowcast" and short lived morning sun surely tricked those climbers as they were turned around just a thousand feet up by extreme cold and back in camp by noon.
Only becoming stronger with continued acclimatization, and tall snow-brick walls fortifying the windward sides of our homestead, we are content with staying put. Our camp now sits in a wind eddy as gusts strong enough to bend trees push into our walls and curl over as we lay in the tents and nap. Nice to have spent a few days dialing in our camp! The team is ready and excited to make a move once the mountain allows, but only with a high safety margin and good style. For now though we'll keep kickin' it at camp: remodeling, relaxing, pancake eating, and cold hard chilling until the weather changes.
Also worth noting was last nights impromptu trip to "The Edge of the World". A short walk across Genet Basin brought us to an amazing vista overlooking the Kahiltna Glacier, Mount Hunter and Foraker, and a large portion of the route we traveled in the past week. Evening light and periodic clearing made for a special view. Snow crystals flickered and glittered through the gaps of misty clouds floating 5,000' above the ominous cracks and towering walls of the NE fork of the Kahiltna Glacier. Learning how to stay busy during our first real "storm day" isn't so bad!
RMI Guide Tyler Jones
On The Map
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Comments (3)
Stinger,
Waffles please! I know you just came for the waffles.
Good thing you’ve had Chicago training for extreme negative temperatures, powerful gusts of wind, and staying home and napping when you’re scheduled to work. I hope your beard is full enough now to keep you warm while giving you a nice sunglasses tan. The goggles do nothing!
Don’t stick your tongue to anything metal.
Jacket
Posted by: Jacket on
to Bob: Amelia and Chet think your trip is awesome and that you are crazy. it sounds “so cool” and Uncle Bob is “the best” can’t wait to talk to you when you get back. dad is in boulder/denver and vail next week (you know why). we are puling for you uncle bob.
Posted by: mark mullen on
Stay warm Ongun!! Sending you my warmest hugs and kisses!! I want to see ten fingers and ten toes please :)
Stay safe everyone and take care of each other up there! I’m hoping this cold front blows over and you encounter better weather tomorrow!
Karina
“The two hardest tests on the spiritual road are the patience to wait for the right moment and the courage not to be disappointed with what we encounter.” -Paulo Coelho
Posted by: karina on