Entries from Expedition Dispatches
After all the hard work getting ready, the months of training and many miles of travel, our entire team landed in Anchorage with all our gear ready to get our Mt. McKinley Expedition underway. We are headed to Talkeetna to organize our packs and take care of the final rigging before flying into the Alaska Range later this week. Thanks to all our friends and families back home for all the encouragement and support as we leave you for a few weeks to return with an excellent adventure to share.
RMI Guide Jake Beren
Howdy, from the Kahiltna.
Today we made more progress moving nearly all our groceries, gas, and cold weather climbing equipment up to 10k just below Kahiltna Pass. The team climbed strong and moved very efficiently completing the big carry in just five hours round trip - not bad considering the 6ft+ deep hole we needed to dig to fit 15 days of food, gallons of gas and extra personal equipment for our 12-man crew. The weather was in our favor with nice travel temperatures and overcast skies that quickly turned to moderate snow just moments after our team's arrival back to camp just below Ski Hill. With a bit of remission of the snow tomorrow we'll pack camp and move to 11k, where the crampons and ice axes come out and the steeper climbing at altitude kicks in. We will update you again soon.
RMI Guide Tyler Jones
Hey RMI, this is Walter Hailes calling from 17,200’ on Mt. McKinley. We made our move today from 14,000' to our high camp at 17,000'. We are all safe and sound up here. It's a beautiful day, warm temperatures, sunshine and light wind. This nice weather is not expected to stay around so we'll see what it looks like in the morning but we may be making our summit attempt soon.
Stay tuned and hope for good weather!
RMI Guide Walter Hailes
This is Adam checking in from 17,200’ on Mt McKinley. The past 24 hours were simply an unforgettable mountaineering experience for everyone on the team. The Big Day began early yesterday morning from an 18,000’ High Camp on the Upper West Rib route. We found ideal cramponing conditions as we ascended the 50-degree + slopes of the Upper Rib, to where the route terminates on the western edge of the ‘football field’ below the summit ridge. This section of the route is the crux of the climb and required everyone to draw on their repertoire of previous ice climbing experience at altitude. It was an exhausting haul to reach the Football Field, where our original plan was to rest, brew up, and re-energize for a period of time before making a summit bid. However, our respite in the temporary ‘camp’ lasted longer than planned, owing to the effort it required to reach that point, and Plan B was put into motion. Temporarily abandoning the summit, we determined it was wiser to descend to 17,200’ High Camp on the standard West Buttress route and re-group (we never intended to descend the way we had come, as the slopes are prohibitively steep). Much as Everest climbers do in the interest of acclimatization, the new plan is to descend to the relatively warm climes and thicker air of 14,000’ and strategize the possibilities. We have successfully climbed our chosen route, Denali’s Upper West Rib, and now the fickle mountain weather will determine our chances of knocking off the summit (via the W Buttress route). It would be sweet, but on this mountain you have to roll with the punches. We’ll see what the Weather Gods have in store and make a determination. We’ll be back in touch!
On The Map
We woke this morning to splitter weather and light winds in base camp, and knew that it was time to move. After breakfast we packed up all our luggage, lashed down the sleds, shouldered our pack and headed down Heartbreak Hill. This section of the climb is called Heartbreak Hill because of the fact that teams have to climb back uphill on the way out, but the slight downhill pitch makes for a good initial stretch of the legs for teams on the way up.
Our first few hours got us out and onto the main Kahiltna Glacier, surrounded by the majestic peaks of the central Alaska Range. Foraker, Crosson, Francis, Kahiltna Dome and Denali all towered over our group, giving us a sense of smallness in this vast icy wilderness. The early morning sun made the high east faces of Foraker and Crosson shine as if lit from within, and the views made our climbing truly unforgettable.
We pulled into our camp at 7800' just as the sun came out from behind Denali, and set up camp in some welcome sunshine. Within an hour we had our tents up and folks moved in to escape the intense UV that bounces around the glacier during the day. We've been resting in anticipation of an early carry tomorrow. Everyone climbed strong to camp, and group morale couldn't be any higher. We'll check back in with an update as we continue climbing.
RMI Guide Tyler Jones
On The Map
The Four Day Summit Climbs lead by JJ Justman and Gabriel Barral reached the summit of Mt. Rainier this morning with 100% of their teams. It is a beautiful day on Mt. Rainier.
Congratulations to the team members!
We have two rest days in our legs and a good weather window predicted for the next few days so we are going for it! Our plan, with safety at the forefront of our minds, is to move to high camp (17,000') tomorrow and make our summit attempt the following day. This is why we have worked so hard to get to this point. We are physically and mentally ready!
Clouds everywhere was the order of the day. We had basically cast any hope for flying out today right out the door. The forecast was bad. Through a sat phone call to Joe Horiskey, our boss at the office, I learned that the Talkeetna web cam showed nothing but dark masses of rain clouds backed up to the mountains. And, it was crappy up on the airstrip.
Come about noon I did notice the sun barely visible above the dense clouds, and wagered we would be flying out that day. But it was a wager to boost flagging spirits as much as anything. We all took to some serious tent time to talk, read, listen or play cards.
Then...the familiar drone of a plane comes into earshot. Maile looks at me but we figure it's just a tourist overflight high above us. We look out the window and can't believe it's coming in! No warning from Lisa the Basecamp manager or anything this time.
And then...all hell breaks loose as everyone scrambles to get tents down and gear packed.
By the time K2 gets in we're ready. Flying out, the brief weather window closes and I'm afraid we'll be turning back. Maile's knuckles are turning white with the trepidation we all feel as the visibility drops. It's snowing again. We fly out the long way out to avoid the more direct, but higher passes. But Chuck, our pilot, apparently had no desire to spend the night on the glacier, and we all make it out. Just in time. No other flights get back in that day!
I'm finishing this final dispatch the next morning after devouring a huge steak dinner and drinking way too much of anything but water at the local watering hole, the Fairview Inn.
We're on our way to Anchorage now where the team will part ways to reunite with loved ones. Leon, Maile and I have other plans. We're going fishing!
See ya next year,
RMI Guides Brent, Leon and Maile
Everything is well, we all made it onto the glacier on the southeast fork of the Kahiltna. We’re finally all back together. Everyone is super excited to reunite after 30 hours of being separated with some of us still in Talkeetna and others on the Kahiltna glacier and trying to figure out what was going to happen next. But things are going well here, we had some dinner, we’re hanging out in our camp, and are getting ready to take off. Our plan, if the weather allows, will be to leave from camp late in the evening tonight/ early morning and walk up to our first camp at 7,800’ on the main Kahiltna. Hope all is well there, everything is great here.
Everyone is super excited to be here. It looks like we have a forecast in the future to be really nice for us. Talk to you guys soon.
Cheers!
RMI Guide Tyler Jones
On The Map
Today the Four Day Summit Climb June 2 -5 and the Five Day Summit Climb June 1 - 5 reached the summit of Mt. Rainier. The teams reported great climbing conditions and a beautiful day. Congratulations!
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To Clay and your team, I wish you all a safe and spectacular climb and will pray for glorious weather for the summit. Please take plenty of pictures to give us a taste of the view, for those of us who will forever lack the guts and skill to do what you all are doing. And if you get chilled, just think happy thoughts about the Arkansas summertime. It’s been nearly 100 degrees here all week. I look forward to following the blog. Stay strong, stay safe, and soak it up!
Posted by: Jennifer Gunderman on 6/10/2011 at 9:27 am
Jake, good luck to the crew. A special shout out to my climbing partner Clay, “Do Work Son”. It’s about 174 degrees here, wish I were there.
Drake, Little Rock, AR
Posted by: Drake on 6/10/2011 at 9:04 am
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