We awoke to a clear, cold morning, excited to get our climb up the fixed ropes and onto the West Butress started. With several other guided groups set to climb this morning, we coordinated our departures and ended up being the first big party up the hill, alllowing us to move unhindered by other traffic. This ended up working out great for us because our teamed proved to be up to the task of climbing the steep terrain of the route.
Under perfect conditions, we negotiated the fixed lines that seem so dauntingly steep from camp, and made our way up the Butress to a cache spot at 16,600'. This is a spot higher than most folks cache, yet everyone made it there in good form. At this point the climbers who were still feeling great went on to carry all the way up to 17,200' camp, a feat that I had yet to be able to do with a group in 20 years! This is certainly a testament to how well our team is doing.
So, after this great success (and incredibly hard work) we are really looking forward to our first rest day tomorrow. Given the amount of energy everyone has given to reach this point, it will be the rest we so deserve to charge back up the batteries in preparation for our last move towards the summit.
I, for one, am looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow.
Good night,
Brent
Go Frank, go!! I’m following with excitement and wishing you well. Elizabeth from Rainier session. PS. Brandi is heading to Nepal next week!
Posted by: elizabeth holt on 5/31/2011 at 2:01 am
Wow you guys are doing awsome. I am so happy the weather is in your favor. Enjoy your much need rest day. I will b thinking of you all please stay safe. I love you Maile. xoxo Mom
Hey everyone this is Billy checking in and letting you know that we are back down at high camp after a really successful summit day with near perfect weather. The crew is exhausted but in good spirits. Tomorrow we are going to pack up camp here at 17,000’ and beat feet for the airstrip. Hopefully we will get to the airstrip on Sunday and be able to fly. That is all weather dependent of course. So we will check in when we get to base camp.
Ciao,
RMI Guide Billy Nugent
We had a productive day today on the slopes of Denali. We moved camp to 9,500 ft and made one of the mental transition to life on the mountain. By that I mean that we started talking about food cravings. Today it was differrent types of potato chip.
We are all tired from our 6 hours on the trail but we are all healthy and happy.
RMI Guide Walter Hailes
Billy Nugent and team reached the summit of Mt. McKinley today - May 27th! Billy called in at 7:15 p.m. PT from the Football Field, they were en route back to High Camp at 17,000’. Everyone was doing well.
Congratulations to Billy, Solveig and the team!
RMI Guide Billy Nugent checks in after reaching the summit
Hey DREW!... its Grandpop here. What a greta adventure .he photos are awesome When you get back, i’ll want to see all of them and hear of the adventure.
Take care on your way down.
Love,
Grandpop
Posted by: Bob AKA "Grandpop" on 5/29/2011 at 7:24 am
Solveig you are the greatest. We are so proud of you! Have a safe trip down, Way to go! Aunt Virgnia, Laurel,Holly,and Heather
Posted by: Virginia Peterson on 5/29/2011 at 3:50 am
Hello, this is Adam Knoff here at 7,800’ on the Kahiltna Glacier with the West Rib Team. We have moved up successfully to this camp and we are enjoying perfect weather. We are going to take advantage of the weather and do a reconnaissance up the Northeast Fork of the Kahilta trying to establish a route up towards the West Rib. We will then be moving back to camp here and have plans to carry to 9,500' feet tomorrow and hopefully to 11,000' the following day.
Everyone is well and in good spirits. We saw Mike Walter and team coming down today and they are most thrilled to be heading out. We will update you tomorrow on the progress of a reconnaissance.
RMI Guide Adam Knoff
Our first day on the mountain is complete! Everyone is warm in their tents with tired legs. The first couple days climbing are always a shock to the system, but our team handled the first day of the snowshoe-sled shuffle better than any team I have climbed with before. Luckily we had two things to help us along, first was a beautiful sunny day and second was some very tasty banana bread. On behalf of the whole team I would like to thank Kellie for the great bread.
Hey everybody this is Billy checking in from 17,000’ on Mt. McKinley or Denali.
Another day of high winds has kept us pinned down at high camp. We were hoping the forecasted 20 mph summit winds were going to be a reality today but unfortunately they were not. So we were stuck in camp, hanging out and eating snack food.
Tomorrow’s forecast is again for more good weather so wish us luck that it actually comes to fruition. If it does we’ll be taking a crack at the summit tomorrow. I will check in with you guys later.
RMI Guide Billy Nugent
on pins and needles waiting to see if you guys summit today! i’m hanging out with connolly tonight in order to have my own little adventure. i miss you much! love you- janie
Mike Walter's team reached the summit of Mt. McKinley (20,320') on Wednesday, May 25th. Everyone was happy and healthy upon returning to 17,000' camp for some much needed rest.
The entire party reached the summit after moving to high camp at 17,000' on Tuesday. The team spent several days at 14,000' waiting for better weather to move to high camp and their patience paid off. They will begin their descent today and hope to be back at the Kahiltna Glacier on Friday.
Congratulations to Kenneth, Jeff, David, Tomasz, Mike & Geoff!
Bathrooms can be an under appreciated element in our daily routine. But in the mountains, the basic elements of living are sometimes thrust to the forefront of our attention. Consider the act of performing our morning constitutional in a foreign and sometimes rather hostile environment and you can see why folks might be willing to go the extra mile to fashion a structure that offers room to indulge their sense of privacy, not to mention afford some measure of protection from the elements. Well, after another great day of climbing where we reached camp at 14,200' in good form and nice conditions, this remarkable team went to work not only setting up tents, but getting all the very important other tasks accomplished, like digging in and setting up the Posh tent where we cook, eat and commune. And also constructing the 'loo'. Perhaps we went overboard, but this loo is not only shelter from the wind, but has a roof overhead to offer the user an even higher degree of comfort. All constructed of ice and snow, and of course, engineered to the highest of standards with the use of snow saws and shovels.
So there you have a little vignette of life in the mountains. Yes, your loved ones are doing quite well, perhaps just not always doing what you might think they're doing.
All for now from 14,200'.
RMI Guide Brent Okita
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Go Frank, go!! I’m following with excitement and wishing you well. Elizabeth from Rainier session. PS. Brandi is heading to Nepal next week!
Posted by: elizabeth holt on 5/31/2011 at 2:01 am
Wow you guys are doing awsome. I am so happy the weather is in your favor. Enjoy your much need rest day. I will b thinking of you all please stay safe. I love you Maile. xoxo Mom
Posted by: Ginny myers on 5/28/2011 at 11:49 pm
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