Entries from Mt. McKinley

Denali Expedition: Van Deventer & Team Waiting Out The Weather

May 23, 2016

Posted by: Pete Van Deventer, Jess Matthews, Robby Young

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 14,200'

May 22, 2016 - 11:34 p.m. PDT We climbed out of the tents this morning hopeful that we would head uphill to cache. Though there was a cap on the summit, the ridge of the West Buttress looked doable. As we fired the stoves though that situation began to change as the cap lowered and the winds over the Buttress picked up. By the end of breakfast we had changed our minds and decided to stay put. That was further reinforced when a climbing ranger stopped by to let us know that NOAA had called with a special weather advisory with high winds and snow. The rangers have taken to naming the storms; this one is Denali storm Daryl. We spent the day resting and hibernating in tents, though so far Daryl has been pretty gentle with us. Tomorrow sounds like it will be another rest day, but if we wake up to something unexpected, we'll rally and get our cache in. Fra Tomas: Gratulerer med dagen Sinnekka! Jeg elsker deg, din Tomas. Signing off, RMI Guides Pete Van Deventer, Jess Matthews, and Robby Young, and team

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Nobody messes with Daryl on TWD; so, I’m glad to hear that you are paying storm Daryl some respect.

Stay low and ride this out. Mother Nature is always in charge.

Posted by: leanne on 5/23/2016 at 3:48 pm

Stay safe .. No guts and glory stuff!!!

Posted by: Peter on 5/23/2016 at 9:45 am

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Denali Expedition: Okita & Team Move to Camp One

May 23, 2016

Posted by: Brent Okita, Christina Dale, Chris Ebeling

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 7,800'

May 22, 2016 - 9:43 p.m. PDT Our first day of climbing as a complete team went really well. Although clouds obscured our views of the incredible scenery around us, we had much better visibly than we had yesterday. Plus, our efforts yesterday lightened our loads just enough that today's climbing was quite manageable. Our camp here at 7,800' is nice, but the snow that's been falling since we got here has made our kitchen/dining tent a most popular place. Our Posh House is always the center of community here; it's the place we can eat and share a hot drink or two and be out of the elements. The conversations that come out of that place... With luck, we'll move camp to 9,600' tomorrow, but we sure would like some improvement in the weather! Everyone is doing great and looking forward to moving up the mountain. Hopefully we'll be talking from 9,600' tomorrow. RMI Guides Brent Okita, Christina Dale, and Chris Ebeling and the crew

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Mike - Mark Winter says he is not concerned about you as long as you stay away from bicycles.
Your scuba family is watching each day and sharing your adventure - although vicariously.

Jim

Posted by: Jim Pearson on 5/25/2016 at 10:08 am

Hey Paul, SO incredibly proud AND jealous of you! Just know that I am living every step vicariously through you and you make your journey to the top! You make training for Whitney seem like a walk in the park - at sea level! Be safe and ENJOY!!

Posted by: Virginia on 5/24/2016 at 7:19 pm

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Denali Expedition: Walter & Team Check in from 14,000 ft Camp

May 22, 2016

Posted by: Mike Walter, Billy Haas, Blake Votilla

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 14,000'

May 22, 2016 - 1:54 pm PT Once again we're checking in from 14k on Denali. There is not much new to report here. The winds up high remain strong, and the National Weather Service has issued a special high wind warning for this storm. We are all comfortable and safe at camp and we'll just have to see how this one plays out. Today is day 18 on the the mountain for our team, and high winds are forecast through at least Thursday. We'll keep you up to date with the latest news. RMI Guide Mike Walter

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Thinking alot about you Blake !!
Love you !!

Mom

Posted by: Maria Votilla on 5/24/2016 at 12:58 pm

Team Walter, you guys are already my heroes coming so close to the summit. Respect storm Daryl! No gut or glory stuff! Come home in one piece, Lei. Love you. Hao

Posted by: Hao on 5/23/2016 at 7:31 pm

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Denali Expedition: Okita & Team Reunited at Kahiltna Base Camp

May 22, 2016

Posted by: Brent Okita, Christina Dale, Chris Ebeling

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 7,300'

May 22, 2016 - 1:12 am PT Late tonight the sound of planes filled the air with the sweet roar of Turpin prop engines. Our flight service, K2, had taken advantage of a very short and rare window of marginally clear weather to ft three of their Otters onto the glacier to pick up some climbers anxiously awaiting a trip back to civilization, but more importantly to us, they were bringing the rest of our team to finally join us. Day three and we're finally together! This all happened just fifteen minutes after we had returned from a nine hour climb to carry food and fuel to 7800', Camp 1. Everyone did a fantastic job on the climb, and our efforts will make our move tomorrow a bit less tortuous, as normally we carry all our gear up from Base Camp in one move. Let's hope the weather cooperates and we can finally start climbing this mountain. Until tomorrow, RMI Guide Brent Okita and crew

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Denali Expedition: Van Deventer & Team Pick up Cache and Review Techniques

May 22, 2016

Posted by: Pete Van Deventer, Robby Young, Jess Matthews

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 14,000'

May 21, 2016 - 11:43 pm PT Though there was a cap on the upper mountain when we woke, that wasn't the direction of our concern. The snow and winds had abated, and down towards Windy Corner, the sun was shining through thin clouds, setting everything to sparkling. After another great brunch, we grabbed our packs and feeling light as feathers, cruised downhill to our cache. We made quick work of retrieving it, and an hour later were back in camp with a small mountain of food. We spent a bit of time before dinner rigging our ascenders and reviewing fixed line techniques for what we hope to be our carry up onto the West Buttress tomorrow. If the weather cooperates we'll make our first trip up the lines, and all the boxes will be checked for our summit bid. All for now, RMI Guides Pete, Robby, Jess, and team

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Following your trail Lisa and it must be incredible. Must be so beautiful. You are awesome!

Posted by: Trix on 5/23/2016 at 6:14 pm

So close.. enjoy every step and the fabulous view, Lisa..! Go higher !! Look forward to seeing the flag !

Posted by: greg hurley on 5/23/2016 at 12:27 pm

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Denali Expedition: Walter & Team Watching High Winds Blow Above the West Buttress

May 21, 2016

Posted by: Mike Walter, Billy Haas, Blake Votilla

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 14,000'

May 21, 2016 - 7:25 pm PT We spent another day here at 14k. Today the weather at camp was quite pleasant, with periods of sun and just some light wind. Up above on the West Buttress, where we are hoping to climb, the strong winds persisted today. We'll see what tomorrow brings, as the weather forecast is still calling for high winds the next few days. We'll keep you posted. RMI Guide Mike Walter

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Denali Expedition: Van Deventer & Team Take Rest Day at 14,000’

May 21, 2016

Posted by: Pete Van Deventer, Robby Young, Jess Matthews

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 14,000'

May 21, 2016 - 1:18 am PT For most of today it huffed and puffed and the snow fell heavily. We haven't been able to see much, and the wind has been gusting pretty strongly. We made the easy choice to take today as a rest day and fortify our camp, which proved to be the right decision as the gusts grew stronger as the day went on. Instead, we ate a great brunch of smoked salmon and bagels, then set to work reinforcing our compounds with big walls (some wondered how much of a rest day it was carrying a couple hundred 20 pound blocks of snow). With our camp solid, we retired to the tents for naps and rest, before a delicious dinner of Mac and cheese with bacon. It's still snowing hard, though the winds are starting to calm. We're expecting to still wake up to some snow, but hopefully the winds abate, the visibility improves, and we take a quick walk back to retrieve our cache. If not, we still have plenty of delicious food up here and we'll continue to acclimate and get strong in the thinner air of 14. Best RMI Guides Pete, Robby, Jess, and our stellar team of high altitude athletes

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Geez, you all seem to be eating well! Scott I hope you’re getting some good many ideas for our next climb—no more of those just-add-water instant dinner thingies! ;-)

Be safe y’all, and enjoy the journey.

Posted by: Chris Beaudette on 5/22/2016 at 1:02 pm

Mac and cheese Justin??? I feel bad for your tent mates!!!!!!! Hopefully the storm will relent soon enough. This past week, we finally had a nice stretch of sunny weather here in Colorado and I am missing you on my hikes. I almost stepped on a rattlesnake and realized I really need to review my WFR notes ...

Posted by: Patrice La Vigne on 5/21/2016 at 3:35 pm

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Denali Expedition: Walter & Team Waiting Out the Weather

May 20, 2016

Posted by: Mike Walter, Billy Haas, Blake Votilla

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 14,000'

May 20, 2016 - 5:36 pm PT We're hunkered down in our tents today as a significant storm rages outside. Fortunately the snow walls we constructed are taking the brunt if the winds. It's been snowing all day, and visibility is near zero. We're all safe and relatively comfortable in our camp between our tents and our cook tent. High above our camp you can hear the winds crashing over the West Buttress like waves on a rocky coastline. The winds up at that altitude are forecast to reach 85 mph. This storm will hopefully start to taper off tomorrow and give us a chance to move up to high camp for a summit bid. We'll keep you posted, but for now we're in a holding pattern. RMI Guide Mike Walter

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Hi Della, dis rof besig hier met die winter konserte en Kaela was siek met Tonsilites. Ons mis jou baie. Die koppie klimery moet nou klaarkom. Anyway, for those who did not understand. Get to the top in double quick time and get your buds of the mountain. Your family’ s need you..
Cherio…

Posted by: jaco on 5/21/2016 at 1:54 pm

Hey Rob!, So excited to hear from you! Stay strong and stay well. We are praying for good weather so you and the team can go for the summit. Love to you. Mom, Dad and Katie

Posted by: Robert & Toni Caldwell on 5/21/2016 at 5:27 am

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Denali Expedition: Okita & Team at Kahiltna Base Camp and in Talkeetna

May 20, 2016

Posted by: Brent Okita, Christina Dale, Chris Ebeling

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 7,300'/ 348'

May 19, 2016 - Thursday Evening Post After much deliberation on the part of the pilots, management Basecamp personnel of our flight service the teams launched for Basecamp. Weather was uncertain but K2, our air service, wanted to at least try to get us in the mountain. The first plane landed, but with a ground fog rolling in the second of our planes had to turn back. So, here we are, enjoying life on the mountain finally. Although our partners in Talkeetna are sleeping in beds and enjoying burgers and beer, this is what we've all come here for. The drama of the spectacular mountains around us has been sometimes muted by clouds moving in, but the team is excited to be here and eager to learn. Before setting up camp we practiced numerous skills, hoping our partners would get lucky and be able to fly on. But such was not the case tonight. Unfortunate though that might be, I'm delighted to be with folks so psyched to be here and learn and help out. What a great trip this will be. RMI Guide Brent Okita May 20, 2016 - 4:30 pm PT A snowy morning greeted us as we finally crawled out of our sleeping bags after our first night on the mountain. Unfortunately, the visibility was poor too, so our intentions of bringing a cache of supplies further up the mountain were thwarted. Instead, breakfast flowed into lunch as we enjoyed the comfort provided by our cook/dining tent. Stories were shared over a breakfast of biscuits and gravy, followed by more hot drinks and culminating in a hot pot of Ramen for lunch as we make the most of this weather day holding slim chance of having our other half of the team fly in to join us. A quick satellite phone call to Christina and the team in Talkeetna let us know they have been making the most of their time by training and practicing skills that we'll need later in the trip. The Kahiltna crew has not been slacking either, regardless of how the previous narrative sounds. Knots, tent set up, anchors, rescue systems and stove operations have been reviewed and practiced. The team is firing on all cylinders. Wish us better luck with the weather tomorrow. RMI Guide Brent Okita and the Kahiltna crew

Denali Expedition: Van Deventer & Team Make Move to 14,000’ Camp

May 20, 2016

Posted by: Pete Van Deventer, Robby Young, Jess Matthews

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 14,000'

May 20, 2016 - 12:24 am PT Stupendous day here on Denali! We fought saucy winds through the aptly named Windy Corner, but the sky stayed pristinely azure, and the team ducked their heads into the chilly breeze and powered around the corner, where the winds promptly died. We rolled into 14 looking like a fresh pair of socks, and started building our own fortress next to that of Mike Walter's crew. As the temps dropped, we ate a hearty dinner and retired to the tents. We have a light day on tap tomorrow, returning to our cache to retrieve food and fuel and fully move into 14. Best from our new abode, RMI Guides Pete, Jess, Robby, and team

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Well Lisa looks like u and team r making good progress to the top and avoiding the bad conditions that can pop up in a moment , incredible journey for u and team Van Demvender keep posting ur moves , be safe and strong Climb On,

Posted by: Joe& Patty on 5/21/2016 at 3:08 am

Magnus,
Seems like you’re all doing fine in the incredibly beautiful landscape. I understand you are maintaining a physically tough trip, but as long as your packing is under control, no need to worry! Wish you a nice go with the final passage up to the top. Inger says hello too. Love, Maria.

Posted by: Maria Hedlund on 5/20/2016 at 10:58 pm

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Entries from Mt. McKinley

Denali Expedition: Van Deventer & Team Waiting Out The Weather

On The Map

Denali Expedition: Okita & Team Move to Camp One

On The Map

Denali Expedition: Walter & Team Check in from 14,000 ft Camp

On The Map

Denali Expedition: Okita & Team Reunited at Kahiltna Base Camp

On The Map

Denali Expedition: Van Deventer & Team Pick up Cache and Review Techniques

On The Map

Denali Expedition: Walter & Team Watching High Winds Blow Above the West Buttress

On The Map

Denali Expedition: Van Deventer & Team Take Rest Day at 14,000’

On The Map

Denali Expedition: Walter & Team Waiting Out the Weather

On The Map

Denali Expedition: Okita & Team at Kahiltna Base Camp and in Talkeetna

Denali Expedition: Van Deventer & Team Make Move to 14,000’ Camp

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