We woke up to howling winds, blowing snow, and cold temperatures. Not a good climbing day. We stayed in the tents most of the day and did some sport eating to make sure that we are energized for our summit bid when the weather clears. The sun finally came out and the winds died down in the afternoon. It turned out to be a gorgeous afternoon and evening. Keep your fingers crossed for us that the weather holds through tomorrow!
RMI Guide Mike Haugen
We have been following your progress and think that you have been fortunate so far in the weather gods! Keep it up! Stay safe and we wish you great luck on your summit climb.
Posted by: Ruthann Rossiter on 7/2/2011 at 8:12 pm
After a long day moving from 11 Camp yesterday we took advantage of some excellent snow walls left for us by Mike Haugen and the RMI team ahead of us as we set up camp at 14 Camp. After a quick dinner we were soon sawing logs in the tents, a rest well deserved after the day. We had a relaxed agenda this morning, hanging out in the kitchen tent over breakfast as we waited for the sun to climb higher in the sky and warm up the basin where 14 Camp sits a bit. Around mid morning we grabbed our mostly empty packs and clipped into the ropes, heading back down the route to the cache of gear we left near Windy Corner at 13,600' back on Tuesday.
We made great time down there, retrieved everything from beneath the snow surface where we buried it, loaded our packs, and headed back up to camp. It was another perfect day for climbing, occasional clouds swirling up from below and obscuring the sun helped keep the temperatures moderate and I never got too hot on the climb back to camp.
We returned to the tents just after lunch and then spent a few hours training, rigging up our mechanical ascender systems and practicing how to safely use them on fixed ropes. This is in preparation for our next carry of gear to 16,200' which will bring us up the fixed lines that sit above 14 Camp. We hope to accomplish this in the next day or two, after which we will be able to turn our attention to moving to high camp at 17,200' and making a subsequent summit bid.
We will check in tomorrow and let you know if we are able to pull it off. Happy July 1st to everyone back home, we're pretty sure those backyard barbecues aren't nearly as exciting as our snow kitchen and camping stoves...!
RMI Guide Linden Mallory
Hope all went well today and wishing you a happy 3rd of July. We’ll set off some fireworks for you guys. Did anyone remember a flag to fly on the 4th? Keep up the good work.
Posted by: John and Lorraine on 7/2/2011 at 6:13 pm
...snow kitchen and camping stoves? It beats playing “Bocce on the beach” , but we’ll be thinking of you!
Hey RMI, this is Linden Mallory calling from 14,200' up on Denali. The team made it from 11 Camp to 14 Camp today. We woke up pretty early at 11 Camp and had a cloud deck right about at camp. Everything above us was clear and everything below us was socked in. So we packed up camp and it was pretty cool in the morning as we are on the shaded side of the mountain. Got everything thrown in the bags and started climbing and just had a spectacular day of climbing. Got above those clouds and stayed above them all day. It was a long day getting to 14,000'. We made it in by late afternoon, got settled and had a big dinner and crashed in the tents. The team is doing well. Everybody is healthy and we're all happy to be here.
The plan for tomorrow is to head back down to Windy Corner if we can and retrieve that cache we put in a couple days ago and then come back to 14 Camp. So it shouldn't be too big of a day. We'll try to check in tomorrow and let you know how it goes. Thanks.
RMI Guide Linden Mallory
Good work! It’s great to hear that everyone is healthy and enjoying the trek. We are so glad to have your entries to follow
. Keep up the good work.
Posted by: Lorraine on 7/1/2011 at 6:40 pm
So glad to hear you are all healthy! Lots of relatives are following you along your route…(via this blog). We are all learning a lot and joining in the excitement!
Posted by: Laurie Colaneri on 7/1/2011 at 12:18 pm
We are at high camp...17,000'! No more caches, carries, or moves. We are in position to go for the summit when the time is right. People finally started summitting yesterday after the weather no bueno that we had a few days ago. We are going to watch the weather and see what are gut tells us to do. We could go for it tomorrow if the weather is perfect AND we feel like it. We won't know until Elias and I wake up in the morning and rock, paper, scissors to see who has to stick our head out of the tent first. It tends to be a bit cold in the morning at 17,000' in Alaska.
RMI Guide Mike Haugen
Hello, this is Dave Hahn checking in from 7,200' on Mt. McKinley.
Sure enough, we lucked out yesterday morning and flew onto the mountain first thing. By 10 AM, our K2 Aviation pilots, Randy and Tony, had the team unloading the big red ski-equipped Otters at 7200 ft on the Kahiltna Glacier. There was plenty to do for the duration of the day in establishing a camp and reviewing glacier travel techniques. We did take breaks from our labors in order to gaze up at the gargantuan flanks of the surrounding mountains. Denali itself even made a few appearances, shaking off low clouds from time to time and attempting to give us the big stare-down from long distance.
Our intention was to get to sleep early and to wake at 1 AM in the hopes of traveling through the heavily crevassed sections of the Kahiltna while the snow surface was frozen up solid. But due to low clouds rolling in, the surface never came close to freezing. In fact, throughout the night there were persistent rain and wet snow showers that convinced us to postpone our travel plans for a day. So today we are resting and casually sorting gear at basecamp. There is only one other team in base today, camped a few hundred feet away and presumably sharing our hopes for better weather tonight. We've got a mountain to climb.
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
Stay safe and warm. That mountain has no problem making you a permanent resident. Seem to be making good time though, I been in that area my self. Stunning!
Hello from Mt. McKinley.
We woke up early this morning to clear skies and no wind at 14k Camp. Elias and I got all dressed, left the tent, and took a look at the ridge at 17,000'. There were huge cloud plumes flowing over the ridge and spiraling into the sky; an obvious indicator of weather no bueno. Given the recent snows up high and the high winds, we decided to sit it out a day and give it a go tomorrow if weather cooperates. The forecast calls for improving weather trends, so we should be in position when it gets "nice". The weather did actually turn out to be pretty nice today, so no need to send Joe Horiskey any harassing emails!
We will check in again soon.
RMI Guide Mike Haugen
Thanks for all the blogs. Keep up the good work!! What a way to celebrate the 4th. Stay safe.
Posted by: Hickey family on 7/2/2011 at 2:38 pm
Elias, I was so sad to miss your call yesterday. Had the phone off for the Bravo concert. Hope you can try again before the plane leaves for Spain on Friday morning. Suerte con todo. Te echo de menos.
Hello, this is Linden Mallory checking in from 11,000' on Mt. McKinley.
After five consecutive days of moving camps and loads up the mountain a break was very much in order and we decided to use today as a rest day here at 11 Camp. We savored sleeping in this morning, not emerging until the first rays of sun hit the tents. Much to our surprise after hearing more about a possible low pressure system in last night's forecast, today has been beautiful. The low hanging clouds of yesterday are nowhere to be found and just a few faint whisps can be seen hanging near mountain tops. We sat around the kitchen this morning exchanging war stories and washing down our breakfast burritos with steaming cups of coffee and tea.
We then took advantage of the nice weather to cover some more training and climbing techniques now that we are moving off of the lower glacier and onto the upper mountain - spending a few hours working with ropes and ice axes. It was a scorcher of a day (at least by Alaskan standards) with the sun beating mercilessly off of the fresh snow. Temperatures were well over 80F in the tents - nothing compared to Tuscon's 114F but very hot compared to the wind and snow we had previously. The rest of the afternoon was passed relaxing, napping in the tents, reading, and sorting gear in anticipation of our move to 14,200' camp ("14 Camp") tomorrow.
Kel and I used today to pull together a little surprise cheesecake for dessert tonight, celebrating not only the rest day but also Paul's birthday from a few days ago as well as Madhu's which is today. We had the chance to read all of the blog comments last night, thanks to everyone for their encouragement and support - the team enjoyed hearing from all of you back home. Everyone is doing well, spirits are high and we've all benefited from some down time today. We're hoping that this weather holds and are eager to move up to 14 Camp tomorrow.
RMI Guide Linden Mallory
Hey Willie, I was just going through some things and I realized I forgot to lend you the dutch oven. How did you make the cheesecake without it? Oh, well, I hope you find something else to carry your rocks. :)
Your climb sounds incredible. Best of luck to your whole team and keep the fantastic updates coming!
Posted by: Matt on 7/1/2011 at 7:35 am
Congratulations on 11,000 feet how awesome! I am learning so much reading your reports and they also give me much peace knowing you are all safe. As you celebrate your birthdays on the mountain we celebrate Erin’s 30th here at home and think about you Will.
The Mt. McKinley Custom Expedition led by RMI Guides Dave Hahn, Geoff Schellens, Lindsay Mann and Zeb Blais were loading the planes at K2 Aviation en route to the Kahiltna Glacier at 9 a.m. Alaska time.
We wish the team a safe and successful expedition on Mt. McKinley!
Spencer, I take it by your grin your having a blast!! Stay safe Warrior. Respect the mountain. Enjoying the blogs.
Posted by: Wesley Smithee on 6/30/2011 at 4:06 pm
What a wonderfully happy group. I am so excited for all of you. Praying for your safety, great weather and kindness from the mountain. Always in my heart Wayne, love Dinah
Our climb has had a flawless beginning thus far. True, we haven't actually hoisted a pack, walked uphill or even set foot on a glacier yet, but that will all come soon enough.
First things first... yesterday the climbing team came together down in Anchorage and shuttled on up to Talkeetna. Today was actually jam-packed with orienting provisioning and preparing for our climb. If all goes well, we hope that K2 Aviation will be able to fly us on to the Kahiltna Glacier tomorrow morning. It seems the weather has been a little sloppy of late, although it did break long enough today for planes to get in and out of Kahiltna Basecamp a few times, retrieving the RMI team led by Jake Beren. It was great to chat with his guides and climbers as to current conditions on the hill. Combined with the briefing we received from the National Park Service this morning and what we've gathered from other acquaintances in the streets and eateries of Talkeetna throughout the day, we are feeling quite knowledgeable as to what we may find. Next step is to go and see for ourselves. We had a fine dinner at the busy West Rib Pub before retiring -with fingers crossed for easy flying conditions- to our comfy beds in the Talkeetna Motel.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
Hello, this is Mike Haugen checking in from 14,000' on Mt. McKinley.
After a great push to cache our gear up high yesterday, we took today as a rest day. Although we were in the clouds most of the day, the sun was peaking through just enough to heat up the inside of our tents via the greenhouse effect. Thus, our nap-puchinos were glorious. After our naps and some lunch, Elias and I taught the crew some rope tricks that will help us be efficient as our rope teams make our way back up through the fixed lines and the running belays (our protection on steep slopes) that lie on the upper mountain. Our plan is to hurry up and wait for the perfect weather that will allow us to move from 14,000' Camp to 17,000' Camp. RMI's Joe Horiskey promised us perfect weather tomorrow, so send him angry emails if it is snowing or windy.
We will check in again soon.
RMI Guide Mike Haugen
Hi gang. My in-box is full (thanks to you). You know the old saying: good weather follows bad. It will definitely clear at some point. Once it stabilizes, the route should be in terrific condition. I don’t want to see you guys break my record of 33 days on the mountain and no summit (May, 1972). Keep thinking positive. Be safe and enjoy your time on Denali (some of you will be back to the rain in WA soon enough). Joe
Posted by: Joe on 6/29/2011 at 2:41 pm
Hey K, whole team in the heart room concentrating on your blog rather than the redo mitral valve we’re supposed to be doing. The pictures from the team summiting June 29 are awesome. Seems you guys are at 17,000 feet. Incredible. How you doin? Love and kisses from the girls in the heart room, and Chris. Miss you, Buddy. Hope all is well. You’re not missing anything here. Have fun. Be safe. The Heart Team and Kyle
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We have been following your progress and think that you have been fortunate so far in the weather gods! Keep it up! Stay safe and we wish you great luck on your summit climb.
Posted by: Ruthann Rossiter on 7/2/2011 at 8:12 pm
Good Luck. Hope you can summit soon!
Posted by: Mom Haugen on 7/2/2011 at 3:59 pm
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