June 27, 2014 - 5:17 pm
Hey this is Billy. I'm calling in from 17,000 feet again. We're still here. And we're still pin down by the weather. But things are starting to look like they maybe improving so keep your fingers crossed for us. We will check in again tomorrow. Nothing new to report.
RMI Guide Billy Nugent
Bruce Michael and Team - we’re all crossing fingers and toes that your perseverance and weather join forces to push you to that summit soon! Tapi wants you back safe & sound too - she’s going through steak withdrawal!
Posted by: Jen on 6/29/2014 at 6:30 am
What an adventure! Hang in there and be safe - Mother Nature owes you a break soon!
June 27, 2014 - 12:00 am PT
We were up and hustling to get ready this morning, anxious for the chance to get on Mount McKinley. But it turned out, after breakfast and a walk in the rain to the airstrip, that there wasn't too great a chance for flying today. The word was that several feet of new snow had fallen overnight at Basecamp. The snow, cloud and wind were predicted to continue up there for the day, but we were put on standby just in case things broke. We made good use of the day in the K2 Aviation hangar, reviewing rope techniques for glacier travel. The rain and low cloud persisted, but we stayed dry enough. We had one more "last" dinner in town and turned in to be ready for another day and another try.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
June 26, 2014 - 9:40 pm PT
We set out Tuesday morning to move up to 17k when circumstances both unfortunate and out of our control forced us back down to 14k camp. We made the wise mountaineering decision to forgo the summit for another time and begin the arduous trek back to Denali's Basecamp. We made it back to Basecamp around ten yesterday morning and were disheartened to hear that although clear here, the planes were not flying because of weather between here and Talkeetna. We set up camp and made the best of being stuck in the Alaska range.
Although we thought our adventure was winding down, we woke up last night to over a foot and a half of snow threatening our tent. We shoveled around camp for over two hours helping other teams that had tents collapse. When the snow finally slowed down this morning, we had collected well over three feet! Although it was fun to see that much snow, it also meant we needed to put on our snowshoes to stomp down an entire runway filled with nearly waste deep, wet snow. The weather never really cleared today, but we are hoping that we will not receive as much snow tonight and the weather will be clear for flight activity to resume tomorrow.
RMI Guide Mike Haugen and Team "The Ocho"
Mike and Josh,
Thank both for leading Bruce on such a great trip!
Posted by: Mom and Dad on 6/29/2014 at 6:35 pm
I’m so sorry, you guys—but I know you made the correct decision based on what you were facing—I was watching the local weather for Denali via the NOAA feeds and I’m very glad to hear that you’re down & safe! That’s all that matters in the end!
Posted by: Susan Matthews on 6/27/2014 at 10:26 pm
June 26, 2014 - 9:33 pm PT
Hey this is Billy checking in from 17K on Denali, again, where we are still pinned down by the weather. Today is our second storm day. We actually had some sort of blue skies and clearing and some hope on the horizon but things closed back in here. They are calling for high pressure to build over the mountain this weekend. If we get up tomorrow and it looks promising, we might take a crack at it or we might be sitting tight until Saturday. Last night was definitely one of the most ferocious storms I have had to battle up here in Alaska. We were definitely up all night digging out tents with feet and feet of snow and very, very strong winds- 70 miles an hour. For our chance for it, we have tons of food and fuel, and we just need the weather to cooperate. And that's all for now.
RMI Guide Billy Nugent
June 26, 2014 - 6:37 pm PT
The entire team woke up at 2 am to a winter wonderland. With wind blowing and snow stacking the team had to wake up, strap on their boots and grab our shovels. What was a nice camp with all tents visible to each other some 30 feet distance, is now a maze of deep trenches leading blindly to six-foot deep pits, each holding a team member's house. Approximately 40 inches of snow fell by morning in camp, completely covering our posh tent.
Currently the snow continues to fall. A call on the satellite phone to the rangers at advanced base camp at 14,000 ft told us that five feet of snow had fallen there. Some loose snow avalanches were observed on south facing slopes around camp-- a reminder that winter is still upon us on Denali. We have had mixed results with the accuracy of the weather forecast, however in the extended outlook a high pressure system may be headed our way later this weekend and early next week. It is times like these that test the will and patience of any Denali climber. Thank God for Lindsay's Cosmopolitan magazine.
RMI Guides Adam Knoff, Lindsay Mann and Andy Hildebrand
June 25, 2014 - 11:35pm PT
A rainy and grey morning in Talkeetna didn't stop our team from a seven o'clock breakfast meeting at Talkeetna's great Roadhouse. We were primed and ready for our important orientation at the Talkeetna Ranger Station at 8:30. Our climbers were honored to have Roger Robinson himself give the presentation. Roger has been climbing Denali and rescuing Denali climbers for close to four decades now. Then it was out to the K2 Aviation hangar where we spread out our gear and got down to the nuts and bolts of figuring out exactly what to bring on the climb and what to leave behind. It took much of the afternoon to sort gear and to get it all weighed, inventoried and ready for flying. So it became an "indoors" day, which was just fine. Rain kept falling and there was precious little flying going on out at the normally bustling Talkeetna Airport. The team got together finally for what we hope will be our last dinner in town for some time. It was a fine feast, but we'd just as soon be on climbing rations when supper time rolls around tomorrow.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
June 25, 2014 - 10:42pm PT
Here I sit in my tent
Wondering where the day went
A rest day at eleven camp for the team
With people in and out of their dreams
Mike Haugen and troupe passed through
Delivering a pee bottle to Adam -- woohoo!
For breakfast we had chocolate and pb pancakes (booya!) While we watched the snow flakes. For now the wind is pretty strong, and hopefully we won't have to shovel all night long.
RMI Guides Adam Knoff, Lindsay Mann and Andy Hildebrand
June 28, 2014 - 10:27pm
Hey, it's Billy calling in from 17 Camp on Denali. Today was not summit day for us. We woke up to some inclement weather that's been steadily working all day with winds gusting near 70 miles an hour or so. We build up pretty solid, fortified camp and everyone's sitting tight and holding on. Winds from the storm are supposed to give way to nicer weather in the next couple of days so we're just sitting tight with our fingers crossed. We'll call and check in tomorrow, to let you know if we got up there. That's all for now.
Billy Nugent checking in from 17,200' Camp on Denali
Eric: 70mph winds…OUCH…flapping tent syndrome….use the ear bud skull cap combo to keep from going insane! Trust tomorrow things calm down. U.P.
Posted by: Paul on 6/26/2014 at 4:03 pm
Been checking the blog nonstop to see if you guys had made any progress! Not to worry, keeping our fingers crossed that the weather clears up and you will be able to make a successful summit bid! Keep up the great work! Miss you Dad and Michael! xoxo
For any of you soccer fans up there: the Men’s US soccer team advanced to the knockout round about an hour ago (despite a loss to Germany). #MURICA
Posted by: Katie Freedman on 6/26/2014 at 11:32 am
June 25, 2014 - 12:26 am PT
And so it begins... The last RMI Denali team of 2014 took shape today in the Anchorage airport. We assembled, seven climbers and four guides from around the world lugging about 23 or 24 giant duffel bags of cold weather gear. The team took a ride with Denali Overland, our shuttle service to Talkeetna. The three hour trip was broken by a stop for provisions in Wasilla, but then we powered on up the Parks highway to our Talkeetna turnoff. We had pretty good views of the Chugach Range as we left Anchorage but the Alaska Range stayed mostly hidden under cloud. There were some scattered rain showers to see, and a Bald Eagle or two, but no moose this time. We were in Talkeetna by 8:30 PM and getting settled into the comfortable Talkeetna Motel not much later. The big work of preparing to fly onto Denali begins in the morning.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
June 24, 2014 – 7:51 pm PT
Hey it’s Billy and team calling in from High Camp here at over 17,000’ on Denali. Our crew moved up today from the 14,000' Camp. We enjoyed a nice walk and good temps up on the West Buttress, made our way up the ridge line in and out of the clouds all day.
And as we were building camp at 17,000’ the clouds parted. We are enjoying blue skies and relatively calm winds. If it looks anything like this tomorrow morning we are going to try and take a crack at the summit.
So, wish us luck and we will check in tomorrow, go or no go.
Alright, that is all for now.
RMI Guide Billy Nugent
Hey Bruce and Michael. Good luck on your final ascent to the summit. I hope you have great weather for the vista at the top. Wave those Duke flags once again, and take plenty of pics! JBF/Mom
Posted by: Joyce Freedman on 6/25/2014 at 8:58 pm
Hey Bruce, Michael and team,
Sending you well wishes for a successful climb to the top! You are ready so go own it.
Kathy
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Bruce Michael and Team - we’re all crossing fingers and toes that your perseverance and weather join forces to push you to that summit soon! Tapi wants you back safe & sound too - she’s going through steak withdrawal!
Posted by: Jen on 6/29/2014 at 6:30 am
What an adventure! Hang in there and be safe - Mother Nature owes you a break soon!
Posted by: Chambos on 6/28/2014 at 6:32 pm
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