Mt. McKinley Expedition: Hahn and Team Return to Talkeetna
Posted by: Dave Hahn, Sam Hoffman, Calvin Jiricko, Bailey Servais
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Alaska Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 348'
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Friday, July 4, 2025 - 1:33 AM PT
After we got in the tents at 11k last night, there was a violent thunderstorm passing over with inches of hailstones. We awoke at 2:00 AM to fire the stoves, choke down some oatmeal and get ready for a big day. It was party cloudy but mostly clear, which led to easy walking conditions. We were walking by 4:00 AM and and fairly soon, we’d reached the upper regions of Ski Hill and then our old camp at 8k. It only took us a further three hours to reach base camp. For late season, conditions were amazing. We never had to cross an open crevasse. We stayed busy at base camp sorting our own gear and helping others to load planes. Our flights came in around 1:00 PM and then we were headed to Talkeetna. Our team had donated pizzas in their mouths within 5 minutes of landing in Talkeetna. K2 Aviation did an excellent job bringing us home. In checking out with the National Park Service, we learned that we had been the absolute last team on the mountain and that the success rate for the season had only been 36%.
We sorted gear for the afternoon and then celebrated with a dinner at the brew pub. We celebrated a safe and enjoyable climb that didn’t reach the summit. That seemed appropriate given how much we enjoyed the effort of simply trying to get up the mountain.
RMI Guide Dave Hahn and Team
PC: Dave Hahn
Comments (3)
Well done! Did the best you could with the conditions…looking forward to the stories and your safe return to the states. Karl and Diane
Posted by: Karl Ring on
God reise hjem etter det som må ha vært en fantastisk opplevelse selv om toppen ikke ble nådd.
Posted by: Erik Blaauw Evensen on
Sounds like it was a great time. Congratulations on a fine effort and for filling your life with special memories. Glad Jon didn’t slow you down too much.
Posted by: Richard Harmetz on