Entries from Mt. McKinley

Friday, June 23, 2023, 8:40 am PDT

Our Team is back at 14,000’ Camp after a long day of waist to chest trail breaking and ultimately avalanche conditions on the West Buttress. We made it to Washburn’s Thumb at 16,800’, all pickets were buried and not found except for the ones near slopes that naturally avalanche. The Autobahn is incredibly loaded with snow, and I am sure you will not find a single one of the 35 pickets across it!

Our plan is to head to the airstrip tonight and hope to fly.  No one has flown since last Sunday and snow is in the forecast all week, so we will see!

RMI Guide Andy Bond and Team

Thursday, June 22. 2023 10:57 PM PDT

There were signs of improvement - or simply a change in the weather. It was still snowing a little and blowing a little, but it wasn't all that cold. We watched clouds and wind for a while, then pulled the trigger.

We set out from 11,000’ Camp at 11 AM and made fine progress up Motorcycle and Squirrel Hills. The Polo Field put up a little resistance, we had to break trail through new snow to reach Windy Corner at 13,200 ft. The clouds denied us the big views. But we were excited to see Denali's South Peak and the West Buttress as we came around the corner and reached our 13,500’ goal for the day. We cached gear and got moving downhill with lighter packs, pulling back into 11,000’ Camp by 6 PM.

RMI Guide Dave Hahn and Team

Thursday, June 22, 2023 - 8:27pm

Yes! After experiencing days of snow and wind delay, the team was blessed with a sufficient weather window to depart the 11,000’ Camp and resume climbing. The objective for today was to cache food stores for future retrieval once the 14,000’ Camp is established. Morale was high as the team stepped off smartly after consuming an amazing breakfast of toasted bagels topped with cream cheese and bacon.

A smooth pace was set up on the significant incline of Motorcycle Hill.  The snow was not too deep for crampons. At the top, the team turned right and proceeded up Squirrel Hill, admiring the beauty of Father and Son Walland, the impressively sharp drop off of Peters Glacier.  Intermittent gusty winds had already exposed some patches down to the blue ice beneath, but our crampons, ice axes, and ropes kept everyone safe and secure. Next came the crossing of the Polo Fields where the snow was quite deep and powdery. Our guides elected to cache a bit short of Windy Corner today. Everyone unloaded the group and personal food for burial in the snow.

The reverse route going downhill was surprisingly quick and in no time the team was back in camp.  Hopes are high that we will have an opportunity to move up to 14,000’ Camp tomorrow and continue our acclimatization for the higher altitudes yet to come. It was a great day!

RMI Climber Rick Sturckow & Team

Wednesday June 21, 2023

Today the team woke up to Groundhog Day!

It has continued to snow but was relatively mild as far as temps and wind go. We masterfully killed a chunk of time in the morning by making a long brunch. After retiring to our tents for the afternoon, we regrouped and planned our potential launch to 17k camp for the next day over some golden, brown, and delicious burritos.

RMI Guide Joey Manship and Team

Wednesday, June 21, 2023 - 10:38 pm PT

Another storm day at 11,000'. Though not the worst storm, mostly cloud and snow without a lot of wind where we are... but of course that is why we are camped here. We did a long and slow breakfast, sipping coffee and telling stories. We hung out in our tents, napping, reading and watching tv and then it was burrito night. We celebrated Mitch's birthday and celebrated solstice in our snowstorm.  We hope to get climbing again soon but we need the storm to move along first.

RMI Guide Dave Hahn

Wednesday, June 21, 2023 - 7:19 pm PT

Our night of snow storms was briefly broken by clear skies and stunning views, at least for the 2am night owls. By 7, back to snow and low visibility, thus another rest day.

The team finally woke at a leisurely 8am, and gathered in the cook tent for an extraordinary breakfast. Hard at work, our tireless guides had put together pan-fried breakfast burritos that would give any cafe a run for its money. No cap. Seth may consider an alternate career as Chipotle’s chief burrito roller. Sated and happy, the group later headed out during a brief weather interlude to practice crampon skills. The next days of the climb will necessitate these on the steeper and icier terrain. With no one stabbed or stepped on, the outing was considered a success. Relaxation ensured the remainder of the afternoon as movies were watched, books were read, and an unlikely duet belted out classics by The Who. 

We are well rested and ready to hopefully cache just past Windy Corner tomorrow, and continue our journey upwards.

RMI climber Alex Smith

Tuesday, June 20, 2023 - 11:52 pm PT

The word of the day is casual. We woke up casually. We ate brunch super casually. It started around 9:45 and ended around 12:30pm. We casually devoured breakfast burritos fortified by wild Alaskan game sausage provided by the legendary Bleys. Food comas quickly afflicted much of the crew. Everyone casually waddled to their tents for the afternoon to indulge in naps and further snacking. Some folks managed to stay conscious enough to read books and watch TV or movies. Eventually the dinner bell was rung and the tents casually began to rustle with life. Dinner tonight is a repeat of a classic - ramen but this time with the addition of some newly acquired Korean spice paste. It added some much needed flavor as our ability to taste is deadened at this altitude. Another weather day has passed uneventfully, but each day we wait we get more clarity about the weather for our potential summit window. Anticipation is slowly growing amongst the team as the day to begin our summit push gets closer.

RMI Guide Jack Delaney and the Bond Girls

Tuesday, June 20, 2023 - 9:45 pm PT

Snow day at 11,000'.  Thankfully the wind calmed down as we went to bed last night.  Through the night and much of today it was just light snow and a lot of cloud. As we ate dinner and told each other stories in the dining tent, the storm ramped up and now, as we climb in tents for the night, it is officially DUMPING snow.

RMI Guide Dave Hahn

Tuesday, June 20, 2023 - 8:20 pm PT

After a night of heavy snow we had an awesome breakfast of blueberry pancakes. We then reinforced our camp in anticipation of the continuing storm. The rest of the day was spent relaxing and so I was inspired to write a poem about our adventure. Here goes:

Denali is the mountain, they call it the “great one”.

Here in North America it’s second to none.

To get to the summit, that is our goal. 

Standing so majestic, it captures the soul.

On our way to the top, we have to dig deep.

With courage and strength, a reward we will reap.

On this journey, new friends have been made.

The memories we share will surely never fade.

Each step gets us closer to reaching our dream.

I know we can do it, we have a great team.

Look up to the clouds, the beauty that we see.

Rising so high, its name is Denali.

RMI climber Mark Kulow

Monday 19, 2023

The sun quickly parted from 14,000’ camp this morning and we were then met with slushy snow.  We had a brunch fit for kings as Guide Andy procured brie and other items from descending parties. It added a certain sophistication to our bacon cream cheese bagels.  The day kicked off with a chess open in the main tent, joined by a local chess legend from International Mountain Guides, the team *cough Lenhardt* were humbled by their opponents’ prodigious skill and unassuming demeanor. Nevertheless, Guide Jack, Katharine and our very special Big Strong Andy assembled an impromptu chess board made of duct tape and packaged substances whose legal status is in question back on the lower 48.  The games were played with much merriment and sportsmanship.  For his final act, Guide Joey prepared for us another purloined comestible. The meatballs tasted even meatier as we were not the ones who brought them up.

As the snow falls, the team, hydrated and breathing light, await further developments in weather to allow for progress later in the week. Our pieces continue to act in concert for the real checkmate.

RMI Guides Andy, Jack, Joey and Team