Entries from Mt. McKinley

Mt. McKinley: Knoff & Team at High Camp

July 3, 2012

Posted by: Adam Knoff

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 17,200'

Adam Knoff called in at 3:50 p.m. PT from the base of Washburn's Thumb. The team is on their move to 17K Camp to get into position for their summit bid. All is well and the weather is good.

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Hi Mike, your almost to the submit. You will make it to your goal and your dream. I am so proud. Can’t wait to see pictures and hear the stories. You have worked hard for this. Enjoy the moment when you reach the top and yell out as loud as you can. I am so proud of you. The endurance of this trip is overwhelming. Be safe and enjoy. Love you lots - Mom

Posted by: mom on 7/4/2012 at 5:56 am

DG,
Here’s hoping that you guys have good weather for the summit push. I can’t wait to hear the stories and see your pictures!
Lots of love,
Steph

Posted by: Stephanie on 7/3/2012 at 8:05 pm

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Mt. McKinley: Walter & Team Descending to Basecamp

July 2, 2012

Posted by: Mike Walter

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 14,200'

Hi, this is Mike Walter checking in from 14,000’. We have descended the West Buttress and are back at the 14,000’ camp. Everyone is doing swell. Our plan is to continue the descent to 11,000’ and hunker down for a few hours. There we’ll ‘brew up’ hot drinks, grab something to eat and nap for a few hours. We’ll traverse the lower Kahiltna Glacier in the wee hours (when it’s coldest) headed for Base Camp. We hope to arrive at BC tomorrow morning, unless the Weather Gods have other plans in store. That’s all for now from our tired and happy crew.

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Congratulations!!!

Posted by: Tony on 7/3/2012 at 8:21 am

Congratulations Longbonez and the team! We are all proud of you and can’t wait to hear about your trip. Be safe on the way down and we will see you soon!

Posted by: Xbonez on 7/3/2012 at 7:57 am

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Mt. McKinley Expedition: Walter & Team Reach Summit!

July 1, 2012

Posted by: Mike Walter

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 20,320'

At 4:45P (PDT) Mike Walter called from the summit of McKinley: This is Mike and I’m calling from the summit of Mt McKinley! The weather is beautiful; no wind, and just a few clouds. The summit of Mt Foraker (17,400’) is 3,000’ lower than us, and Kahiltna Base Camp is 13,000’ below us! Our ascent from high camp took seven and one-half hours, which is very good time. We’re taking hero shots, hugging and congratulating each other, but soon it will be time to descend to our tents. After a well deserved rest, tomorrow we will down-climb the West Buttress and reach the thick air at 14,000’ camp. More reports will follow. Congratulations to the Mt. McKinley June 12th Team!

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Yeah team and yeah Matt!! Can’t wait to hear all about it! So proud
-Vanessa E

Posted by: Vanessa on 7/2/2012 at 2:08 pm

17400+ 3000 = 20400, so I ask again, what is it like @ 20,000 Ft ?

Posted by: Uncs on 7/2/2012 at 11:27 am

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Mt. McKinley: Hahn and Team Move to 9,500’

July 1, 2012

Posted by: Dave Hahn, Solveig Waterfall

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 9,500'

Another early start and another straightforward move up in perfect conditions. We got up at 3 AM and ate breakfast in the cool shadows blanketing our 7800 ft camp. On our second day of climbing, it was already becoming routine to knock down the tents and get packs and sleds squared away for travel. We were roped up and moving up Ski Hill by 5:45. The hills were big and the loads were as well, but we slowed the pace and worked our way up. Again, we found the surface frozen hard and easy for sledding and walking without sinking in. Distances weren't terribly significant and it only took us three and a half hours to reach the top of the hills at around 9500 ft. We built a camp and dove into the tents just as the sun started heating the giant reflector oven of the upper Kahiltna Glacier. Afternoon was spent in slumber, or in reading, or in watching iPod movies, or in snacking and drinking water. Some did it all. We sat in our "POSH" dining tent chatting for a few hours at dinner. At 8 PM we tuned in our radio to catch the mountain specific weather forecast (which calls for a little bit of snow at our elevation tonight). Far more entertaining was our conversation with the other RMI teams on the mountain. We were excited for Mike Walter's summit and safe return to high camp and to hear that Adam Knoff and his gang are good to go for moving to 17,000 ft tomorrow. If our good luck holds, we'll cruise on up to 11,000 ft tomorrow with our strong and steady team. Best Regards RMI Guide Dave Hahn

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Brian, Sounds like a great day! The beach is not the same without you. We miss you, Robin & Connor

Posted by: Robin Bulatao on 7/2/2012 at 6:42 pm

Nice work! Steady on!

Posted by: Jim R. on 7/2/2012 at 2:10 pm

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Mt. McKinley: Knoff and Team Resting at 14,000’

July 1, 2012

Posted by: Adam Knoff

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 14,200'

Mt. McKinley has the gnarly reputation for being one of the hardest mountains in the world to reach the summit of. In circles of armchair mountaineers, horror stories bounce around like cheap cigars. What most people don't realize is how much down time comes with living the dream of climbing north America's highest peak. Yesterday we put in our first "average work day" with an eight hour round trip climb to Washburn's thumb at 16,500 feet. We cached food, fuel and clothing needed for our time on the upper mountain. This was our teams most difficult challenge to date which everyone handled like cagey veterans. Back to the down time. Of course the terrain on this mountain demands one's full concentration, but so does our time of rest. It is unnatural for all of us to try and sleep twelve hours a day with no darkness. The rigors of rest should not be underestimated. Today we woke from thirteen hours of hibernation and had a two hour breakfast demanding great effort to pull away from. Now we are preparing for a stroll to the edge of the world and then home for more sleep. Today is beautiful here at 14,000 feet, much more pleasant than our ten below nights. All is well and we look forward to climbing higher.. RMI Guide Adam Knoff

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everybody eat a lot
DG Chris and Michael U eat a lot
John, Tim and Mike R you eat a lot.
Nelson, Adam and Blais eat a lot
Be ready.

Posted by: shamu on 7/2/2012 at 7:59 pm

Nelson - So wonderful to hear your voice from nearly the top of North America! I will be thinking about you tomorrow as your group contemplates a summit bid. I know that it is a trade off between rest and good weather. Pulling for you from home.
Love, Mom

Posted by: Jennifer on 7/2/2012 at 6:56 pm

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Mt. McKinley: Hahn & Team at 7,800’ Camp

July 1, 2012

Posted by: Dave Hahn

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 7,800'

It was a little tough waking up at 1 AM, since we hadn't been able to get to bed terribly early, but coffee and bagels got us going. Just as we'd hoped, it had been a clear night and the glacial surface had frozen up good and hard. Conditions were ideal for tackling the lower glacier. This section can be problematic since it is normally heavily crevassed in late season, but we found that the recent snowfall and overnight freeze had combined to bridge things nicely. We set out around 4:30 AM and made steady progress, first dropping a few hundred feet to reach the main glacier and then turning North while working up small hills and inclines. The packs were heavy and despite the fact that the fully loaded sleds were sliding easily along, we were all pretty thankful for the short rest breaks each hour. It was good hard work, but we didn't have much in the way of glitches or problems. The last two hours of our push were conducted in bright sunshine with a great view of Denali's south face. The West Buttress stood out clearly in relief. We pulled into our intended camp at 7,800 ft at about 9:15 AM and got to work. In no time, we had tents, a kitchen, a dining area, a latrine and the start of several significant naps. It was a day for power lounging and for catching up on hydration. We rallied for a group dinner since Solveig Waterfall was serving up excellent burritos, but then the naps resumed. Best Regards, RMI Guide Dave Hahn

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Richard, Great progress - Non-stop to the top, Best Wishes.

Posted by: Ritesh on 7/3/2012 at 5:27 pm

Richard - we are keeping tabs on you and your team. What beauty of nature you must be viewing! Blackie and I are keeping good thoughts of you and look forward to sharing your climb stories. XOXOXOXO Genny

Posted by: Genny on 7/2/2012 at 9:21 pm

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Mt. McKinley: Mike Walter & Team Waiting on Weather

June 30, 2012

Posted by: Mike Walter

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 17,000'

This is Mike checking in from high camp on Denali. The weather is playing games with us today, but the forecast remains excellent. We had contemplated a summit bid upon awakening, but a lenticular cloud cap kept alternately forming then dissipating throughout the morning, and we decided to hold off. It has been quite windy in camp, but high pressure is forecast to dominate the next several days. Our well rested team hopes to go for it tomorrow. All is well and we will be back in touch with an update tomorrow. Wish us luck!

Leave a Comment For the Team (2)

Hi David,

We’re awaiting the good news that you and the team have reached the summit. Hoping for sunny skies and a safe and successful climb to the top and back down.

Lynda and Rick

Posted by: Lynda and Rick on 7/1/2012 at 8:15 pm

David, we are pulling for down here in rainy portland. be safe and have fun. Sue D

Posted by: sue dimin on 6/30/2012 at 8:04 pm

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Mt. Rainier: June 30th Summit!

June 30, 2012

Posted by: Mike Haugen

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

Elevation: Summit

Our Four Day Summit Climb Teams Led by RMI Guides Mike Haugen and Gabriel Barral reached the top of Mt. Rainier today. The teams reported light winds, and favorable weather. The teams were able to spend some time on the summit and are now en route to Camp Muir. Congratulations to today's teams!

Leave a Comment For the Team (2)

Congrats Kelly, Brian, (and possibly Jen)! :)

(Btw, the category of this blog should be changed to Mt. Rainier)

Posted by: -shae- on 6/30/2012 at 3:33 pm

Boo-Yah! Happy Birthday, LB! Hope everyone on the team made it and the trip back is gravy! Congrats to everybody!

Posted by: tyre on 6/30/2012 at 2:55 pm

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Mt. Mckinley: Mike Walter and Team Prepare for Summit Bid

June 30, 2012

Posted by: Mike Walter

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 17,000'

Mike Walter called and checked in on Friday night at about 9:50 p.m. There were some clouds and winds on the upper mountain so the team decided to take a rest day at 17,000' camp. They have had nice weather at camp and a good rest. Mike reported an awesome forecast for today with sunny skies and light winds, so they plan to make their summit attempt. The team is excited and ready to go. Good Luck Team!

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DZ and Team hope weather holds and you have an excellent summit, be safe. Remember Raindeer Sausage the Road House and Summit Burgers/Beers at the West Rib when back down in Talkeetna.
John V.

Posted by: John on 6/30/2012 at 12:49 pm

Glad to read the weather is co-operating for a summit
attempt. I’ve been keeping everyone updated here at MMC. Dr.P sends his best wishes to #1. Be safe.

Posted by: Nancy on 6/30/2012 at 10:35 am

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Mt. McKinley: Knoff & Team Part 2 Saying Hello

June 30, 2012

Posted by: Adam Knoff, Mike Uchal, Zeb Blais

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley

Elevation: 14,200'

We apologize to Mike and Nelson's family's for missing their hellos. Here they are saying hi to their followers. Nelson: Mom, Dad, I'm having an absolute blast. I love it up here. Thank you so much for making this happen. I'm feeling great and getting excited for the imminent summit push. Tomorrow (weather permitting) we'll get to the top of the fixed lines and up onto the famed West Buttress. Long story short, I'm having a great time. Thank you so much. To everyone else who I told to follow the blog (probably a good 3 people or so) this place is way sweet. Wicked fun. Big Rik--you need to get up here sometime, it's fantastic. Lynn--of course I'm winning and writing lots. I'll have plenty of stories for you all. It's cold, fun, and badass. Love, Nels Hi Susan, Mel, Hannah, family and friends! Thanks to everyone for your posts. Your thoughts mean so much. I'm having a great time, staying warm, and the guides make sure we eat very well. After being snowed in today, we'll hopefully move to high camp in the next few days where we stage our attempt for the summit. Miss you all! Love Mike

Leave a Comment For the Team (2)

Tim,

Been following the team’s progress—sounds like yet another awesome adventure! As promised—important news down here: Colorado continues to burn, Obama-“care” passed, and basically Repub’s and Dem’s still hate each other’s F’ing guts. Oh, almost forgot the most important news dominating the papers/internet: Tom Cruise and his wife are getting a divorce. Just goes to show you—we are still a bunch of collective idiots to care about that crap down here. So, PLEASE, march on! Live the dream for the rest of us shmucks! Be safe and know you’ve got your fans rooting for you—and, your entire team’s good fortunes. And, remember, Warrior II photo on top! And, take it easy on your team-mates up there—you CAN control that gas of yours—stop using the altitude as an excuse! Little Bro.

Posted by: Dan McLaughlin--aka, Little Bro on 7/1/2012 at 4:43 pm

Hey,
Oz is on his way to Georgia with the Barteks! I’m trying to stay out of the Raleigh heat—high today of 104! Boone sounds way better with a predicted high of 92.. Doing some work around the house and checking your weather and for updates..
Hope to hear from you soon!
Stephanie

Posted by: Stephanie on 7/1/2012 at 10:12 am

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Entries from Mt. McKinley

Mt. McKinley: Knoff & Team at High Camp

On The Map

Mt. McKinley: Walter & Team Descending to Basecamp

On The Map

Mt. McKinley Expedition: Walter & Team Reach Summit!

On The Map

Mt. McKinley: Hahn and Team Move to 9,500’

On The Map

Mt. McKinley: Knoff and Team Resting at 14,000’

On The Map

Mt. McKinley: Hahn & Team at 7,800’ Camp

On The Map

Mt. McKinley: Mike Walter & Team Waiting on Weather

Mt. Rainier: June 30th Summit!

Mt. Mckinley: Mike Walter and Team Prepare for Summit Bid

On The Map

Mt. McKinley: Knoff & Team Part 2 Saying Hello

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