Entries from Mt. McKinley

Mt. McKinley: Van Deventer & Team Rest Day

June 24, 2013

Posted by: Geoff Schellens, Pete Van Deventer, Robby Young

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 11,200'

Monday, June 24th, 2013 Today the team enjoyed a well deserved day of relaxation and gluttony. After three days of early starts we had a leisurely morning of coffee and breakfast burritos followed by some high intensity competitive napping. Unfortunately it was too close a match to declare a winner at this point, stay tuned for the sudden death nap-off during our next rest day. Before dinner we reviewed crampon techniques and discussed our carry to 13,200' tomorrow. Mac and Cheese with bacon for dinner should provide sufficient calories to fuel us for mañana. We have been lucky thus far with excellent weather and the forecast is looking just as good. Knock on wood, I sure hope that didn't jinx us. Thanks to friends and family for tuning in. RMI Guides Geoff, Robby, Pete, and our stellar team

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Mac and cheese with bacon?? Set another place, I’ll stop by.

I hope the good weather holds up for you guys.

-Larry Seaton

Posted by: Larry Seaton on 6/25/2013 at 8:45 am

Tommy, it’s awesome to hear you had a great day of rest! I hope you were able to find some special quiet time to journal and reflect in the amazing beauty that surrounds you. I was so happy to be able to see Brandon last night for prom. He was so handsome, just like his dad. It brought back special memories! I will be praying for the tough day ahead. I know how strong you are, though, and that gives me strength. I love you!
Rhonda

Posted by: Rhonda Kitchen on 6/25/2013 at 7:21 am

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Mt. McKinley: Van Deventer & Team Settle into 11K Camp

June 23, 2013

Posted by: Pete Van Deventer, Geoff Schellens, Robby Young

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 11,200'

Sunday, June 23rd, 2013 Hello all, We're checking in from 11k! We woke at a more reasonable hour this morning to a centimeter or so of new snow, and crystal blue skies. There was nothing to do but eat a big breakfast, crash our camp, and bounce to 11,000 feet. Just over two hours later we rolled into camp, psyched to finally be setting up shop for a few days. We dug a big kitchen, got the tents all bomb proof, and enjoyed an afternoon lounging in (or hiding from) the sun. With a full rest day tomorrow, it was a relaxed evening, and we spectated as the rangers skied a few laps above camp. The group's competitive personalities are coming out, and tomorrow we have scheduled a competitive napping event. We'll let you know who the winners are! Until then, Happily resting at 11k. RMI Guides Pete, Geoff, Robby, et al.

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Hi Wyatt! It’s been raining since you left! The pictures of the mountain look beautiful. We really enjoy reading what your group is doing from this blog. Take Care and stay safe and strong. Love ya, Mom and Dad

Posted by: Marian Evenson on 6/24/2013 at 5:10 pm

Hugo ,we wish you a nice and safe journey! Enjoy your ride !
From your brother , Luis Heitor .

Posted by: Luis Heitor Picchioni on 6/24/2013 at 10:26 am

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Mt. McKinley: Haugen & Team Rest Day at 14K Camp

June 23, 2013

Posted by: Mike Haugen, Mike Uchal

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 14,200'

Sunday, June 23rd, 2013 We woke up with a couple of inches of snow on the tents this morning. No storms or winds, just the friendly June kind of Denali snow. We had a very pleasant rest day. We checked in with the camp gossip and watched a few teams head up the fixed line towards 17k. Our plan is to head up to 17,000 ft and make a camp. We have really been doing a great job of sport eating and no one has had any problems with this altitude. We are all very excited because we do not drag any sleds up past this camp. RMI Summit Team 6 P.S. Lance wants Penny to know that he is keeping up with his dental hygiene. (But the rest of him has not washed in ten days! Also, Uchal says Happy 2nd Birthday Lulu!

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Hello Gregory Grasshopper! We all had a fun time in Austin, swimming in the Pedernales, eating, and catching up. We are thinking of you and hope all continues to go well. Midge and Pete say hi.

Love you,
Mum and Bubs

Posted by: Anne Sullivan on 6/24/2013 at 8:05 pm

Great photos and updates! Thank you, it really helps us at home feel more involved, and informed. Great progress and no more sleds. Yea! Glad to hear all are doing well and managing to have a bit of fun too. Message to Steve, love you and missing you, hope you are having a wonderful time.remember, take lots of pictures!

Posted by: Tania K on 6/24/2013 at 1:33 am

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Mt. McKinley: Van Deventer & Team Carry Heavy Loads to 9,600’ Camp

June 23, 2013

Posted by: Pete Van Deventer, Geoff Schellens, Robby Young

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 9,600'

Saturday, June 22nd, 2013 Greetings from Pete, Geoff, Robby and Team, Under cool temperatures and partly sunny skies, we moved uphill again this morning from our camp at 7,600' to 9,600'. The slopes of Ski Hill offered up our first significant climb of the expedition given our full loads weighing down our packs and our sleds. After building camp at 9,600', we continued to lighten our loads and fill our bellies by feasting on soups and Tasty Bite delicacies, followed by some hot beverages and storytelling. Our team is feeling strong and weather looks accommodating for a move to 11,000' camp tomorrow morning, where we'll finally post up for some rest and acclimatization. RMI Guides Robby, Pete, and Geoff

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Aloha Gail,
IMUA, from Kihei Charter.
We are thinking of you and the entire team.
Safe climbing.
Aloha
Gene

Posted by: Gene on 6/26/2013 at 3:35 am

Guapo,
met someone this morning who has also climbed Rainer, and a few others;is climbing Denali in 2015 with his dad and brother. I got his name for you, he’d like to meet you!
I see you have a team member from Kihei!....I bet you wish you were feeling those temps instead, but the views where you are now? They really outshine Kihei!
We miss you and are following your progress. Lots of cheering coming from Facebook
Have a great climb tomorrow
Guapa

Posted by: marion on 6/23/2013 at 8:10 pm

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Mt. McKinley: Haugen & Team Cache Gear at 16,600’

June 23, 2013

Posted by: Mike Haugen, Mike Uchal

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 14,200'

Saturday, June 22nd, 2013 Movin' on up! We woke up early and set out to cache some gear up high. Even though the sun was not on us, we thought it was warm for 14k camp. We were wrong. As we set out towards the fixed ropes that allow us to climb the steep face up to 16,000 ft safely, a cold wind picked up and made us cold...like Denali cold! I think we needed it because we were getting a bit spoiled. Once we gained the ridge, we were out of the wind and in the sun and immediately life was better. We decided to make a cache a around 16,600' under a prominent rock feature called Washburn's Thumb. We cached some food and fuel for when we head up to our last camp at 17,000' in a couple of days. I was really impressed at how everyone did at the altitude and on the fixed lines. Go team! Rest day tomorrow. RMI Guide Mike Haugen and the RMI Summit Team 6

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Lance’s little ones are off camping with the dinosaurs the next 3 days . BUt we will be thinking about you all and wish you warmer wind and fantastic next few days

Posted by: elisabeth on 6/24/2013 at 6:30 pm

Enjoy your day off, but I am sure you will find something to pass the time. This team likes to stay busy it seems. Tell Q the Bruins are at home tonight for game 6. They trail 3 to 2. Should be a great game 7 this week. Go Bruins!!

Posted by: George on 6/24/2013 at 5:05 am

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Mt. McKinley: Haugen’s Team Has a Rest Day at 14K Camp

June 22, 2013

Posted by: Mike Haugen, Mike Uchal

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 14,200'

Friday, June 21st, 2013 Ahhhh a day of rest. We did not even move in our tents until the sun hit them at 9:30. We had a morning of slowly cooking pancakes for the group. We believe pancakes are the perfect acclimatization food. We volunteered to be guinea pigs for a medical experiment having to do with high altitude. The test involved having a series of heart rate and oxygen saturation measurements taken and then walk around a track for 6 minutes to see how those measurements change. It was not a competition, but let's just say our group crushed it! If the weather is nice tomorrow, our plan is to move some gear up to 17,000' Camp. On Denali, 60% of the time the weather is good all the time! RMI Guide Mike Haugen and RMI Summit Team 6

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Any smiley faces in the pancakes? Glad you got some rest. Big storms here (well, yes, it is all relative) but all is well. :)

Posted by: KConstantine on 6/22/2013 at 9:25 pm

Pancakes, huh? Well, OK. But you know, the other teams are reporting Pop Tarts. Since we live at 9500 feet, Bill and I are sure proof that Pop Tarts are the best high altitude food ever made. But if you guys want to eat pancakes, carry on.
Love to Steve & Grasshopper from Lisa, Bill, Taii, & Togo

Posted by: Lisa Mackey on 6/22/2013 at 6:56 pm

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Mt. McKinley: Van Deventer & Team Fly into the Alaska Range

June 21, 2013

Posted by: Pete Van Deventer, Geoff Schellens, Robby Young

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 7,300'

Thursday, June 20, 2013 We have begun! Talkeetna was warm and sunny this morning, with perfect weather for flying into the Alaska range. We had our last big breakfast at the Talkeetna Roadhouse, putting down heaping portions of eggs, toast, and reindeer sausage. Within an hour of finishing, we had the two Otters loaded up, and were climbing on board for takeoff. The scenery flying in is always stunning, and our excitement built as we watched the lush green swamp land give way to glacial toes, rocks, and finally, the steep and imposing walls of the Range. We had a great view of Denali, before banking sharply and descending to base camp. With record setting warm temps this week, we had to set camp at basecamp and wait to move until tonight to give the glacier time to freeze up. So we had a leisurely day of sorting gear, rigging sleds, and getting our kits dialed. It will be an early morning for us as we try to make it to the base of ski hill at 7,600 feet tomorrow before the sun turns on the heat! We'll be in touch! RMI Guides Pete, Geoff, Robby, and gang

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Buenas Guapo!
Looking forward to hearing how things went today.
The pictures are beautiful; so glad the sun is shining for your team.
We are thinking of you.
The Pets are all fine!
XO Guapa

Posted by: marion on 6/22/2013 at 7:09 pm

We’re eagerly awaiting more news about the climb. Michael, we’re thinking of you.
Mom & Dad

Posted by: Sara Doherty on 6/22/2013 at 4:36 pm

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Mt. McKinley: Haugen & Team Make Their Move to 14K Camp

June 20, 2013

Posted by: Mike Haugen, Mike Uchal

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 14,200'

Thursday, June 20th, 2013 We made the move. The wind was blowing most of the night last night. I set my alarm for 2:30 a.m. just to see if the weather was going to allow us to move up camps. Right when my alarm went off, it was as if someone hit a switch and turned the wind off. We got up, packed up camp, and headed up another 3,000 feet. The move only took us about six hours to hike, but we had to work hard building snow walls once we arrived at Denali's 14k camp. This camp, as much or more than the other camps we have been in this far, can receive huge winds that pick up at a moment's notice. We used snow saws to quarry blocks of snow to make walls that surround our tents. All of this hard work will pay off with a full rest day tomorrow. The sun does not hit this camp until around nine in the morning. I am pretty sure that none of us will be out of our tents until he sun warms us up! RMI Guide Mike Haugen and the RMI Summit Team 6

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What is the temperature range at 17,200? Is it balmy? (“No such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing”?) We’re hoping for both to be good, and for all the luck possible!

Posted by: Kathy Uchal on 6/22/2013 at 6:23 pm

Great to see your progress!! Hope the weather holds up. Mtn Mo

Posted by: Mo on 6/22/2013 at 4:33 am

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Mt. McKinley: Beren & Team Finish Their Expedition

June 20, 2013

Posted by: Jake Beren, Josh Maggard, Leon Davis

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 358'

Thursday, June 20, 2013 The lower glacier was fully covered in fog when we turned in last night and to our surprise it had cleared completely by the time we decided to walk. The early morning light on the surrounding mountains and the waxing moon in the purple sky made an absolutely surreal walk out of the range. The team finished very strong, hitting the runway in style in the morning just as a pair of Otters hit the upper strip. Now in Talkeetna, the team is enjoying the comforts of reentry and in a few hours we are going to enjoy a big meal cooked over something more refined than a camp stove. What a treat! It is hard to believe that we are back in town already. Enjoying nearly perfect weather and a very strong team, we were able to take advantage of the weather windows and climb the route entirely by ourselves in quite reasonable conditions. Additionally if there was ever a team to handle some downtime and extra rest days with quality conversation, this was it. Yet the weather smiled upon us and our training and strength as a team really came together for an efficient ascent with great folks. Thanks again to everyone on the team for really rising to the challenge of Denali and matching themselves perfectly to their environment for a safe, successful climb. It has been a pleasure. RMI Guide Jake Beren

Mt. McKinley: June 18th Expedition Led by Pete Van Deventer Readies in Talkeenta

June 20, 2013

Posted by: Pete Van Deventer, Robby Young, Geoff Schellens

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 358'

Wednesday, June 19, 2013 The team is assembled and ready to go! Yesterday, we all stepped off the plane into the fire; both literally and figuratively. Alaska has been experiencing a strong heatwave, and Anchorage was toasty. We also had a lot to get done, buying the rest of our food for the mountain and making the drive to Talkeetna. We settled in to relax for the night, leaving the gear sorting and packing for today. Now, all of our gear is packed and weighed for the plane, tents have been set up and checked to make sure that they are good to go, and everyone is excited for the flight through the Alaska range. Now we just need the weather to cooperate tomorrow AM long enough to get us onto the mountain! Hopefully we'll check in from the glacier tomorrow! Cheers RMI Guides Pete, Geoff, Robby, and the team

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Hola Guapo!
What a nice group picture! You look so happy…what a beautiful place for your third climb!
I’m so proud of you. We will be following you daily. it seems the weather is in your favor.
Love you! we are here cheering you on. I bet you wish there were sherpas and donkeys there!.....:)
XO Guapa

Posted by: marion on 6/22/2013 at 6:57 pm

hey pete have a great climb, stay safe.

Posted by: joshua hoar on 6/21/2013 at 7:14 pm

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Entries from Mt. McKinley

Mt. McKinley: Van Deventer & Team Rest Day

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Mt. McKinley: Van Deventer & Team Settle into 11K Camp

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Mt. McKinley: Haugen & Team Rest Day at 14K Camp

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Mt. McKinley: Van Deventer & Team Carry Heavy Loads to 9,600’ Camp

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Mt. McKinley: Haugen & Team Cache Gear at 16,600’

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Mt. McKinley: Haugen’s Team Has a Rest Day at 14K Camp

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Mt. McKinley: Van Deventer & Team Fly into the Alaska Range

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Mt. McKinley: Haugen & Team Make Their Move to 14K Camp

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Mt. McKinley: Beren & Team Finish Their Expedition

Mt. McKinley: June 18th Expedition Led by Pete Van Deventer Readies in Talkeenta

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