Wednesday, June 23, 2021

At 2:30 this morning, things looked pretty optimal for moving on up the hill.  There were still clouds coming and going, but the glacier surface had frozen up nicely and there wasn’t much for wind.  We dressed up, ate, packed up and got moving by just after 5 AM.  Ski Hill needed climbing.  Definitely tougher terrain to move on than yesterday’s level stretches, but far fewer crevasses to deal with.  One hour took us halfway up, a second hour brought us to the flat at 9,000 ft and a final pull got the team onto the rolling plateau at 9,500 ft.  We were plotting out a new camp in the snow by 8:35, just before the sun hit the upper reaches of the Kahiltna Glacier.  It was pleasantly colder in our new home… just the way it should be.  We hope that any storms will now be snow rather than rain, but we shall see.  One is forecasted for tomorrow.  We may have to wait it out here, but our hope is to sneak up to 11,000 tomorrow morning before it hits.  We rested away the afternoon as the clouds built up.  Even with them we enjoyed some views far down the glacier.  Not quite to its terminus 44 miles away, but in the neighborhood for sure.  Dinner was devoured in our comfy dining tent on benches cut in the snow.  All are feeling good and pulling strong. 

Best Regards,

RMI Guide Dave Hahn