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On The Map
Guys…. my two favorite things resting and eating… but I do know you both can not wait for some your mom’s/wife’s home cooked meals ... Stay strong and we are all thinking and praying for you! love. Stacey
Posted by: Stacey on 5/13/2011 at 5:38 pm
Sara and Bill,
WOW, I absolutely love seeing these pictures. Funny how it does make me think “Anything” I am doing here is so trivial compared to what you all are doing. Stay Strong like you are… fatten up, (ha)and we will pray for low winds and good weather. lots of love and prayers. Kathy
Posted by: Kathy Bremer on 5/13/2011 at 3:01 pm
Posted by: Andy Bond, Jack Delaney, Joey Manship
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
June 25, 2023 10:00am PT
It seems surreal that just 24 hours ago we were sitting on the East Fork of the Kahiltna Glacier with our fingers crossed for flyable weather. Kahiltna International Airport (KIA) could have just as easily been our home for the next week but instead we slept easily and comfortably on real mattresses for the first time in nearly 3 weeks. Today and only today the weather cooperated for us to make our escape. How did we get here? Let me tell you...
24 hours prior to the 24 hours that we just experienced...
We woke up to a mix of clouds and sunshine at 14k Camp and casually dismantled camp and packed up all our things. The weather and clouds mostly stayed below us with an occasional surge of precip and wind at camp. The walk down to 11k Camp was uneventful other than a quick reunion with Dominic Cifelli and Dave Hahn's respective RMI climbing teams. High fives were had but we kept moving, we had a timeline to meet.
Once at a 11k Camp again we located our cache, set up tents, made water and ate dinner. The clouds rolled in and out of 11 Camp like the tide on the shore. Like the tide, what was in the clouds was wet and gross. After "napping" for around 3 hours, we "woke up" at 9:30pm to get moving again to catch the lower glacier in its most stable and frozen condition.
Sadly, the cloud we walked into below 11 Camp was hovering around 33 degrees and raining. The team was quickly covered in a layer of ice and rime. Everything - backpacks, trekking poles, goggles, jackets, pants, were incased in a 1/4 cm of ice. We trudged for several hours through this freezing rain. Eventually we got below the cloud, and everyone shed their icy armor that had accumulated. After a break at the bottom of Ski Hill to recover our cache (and thaw out), we resumed trudging on the lower Kahiltna.
A simple 3 more hours of trudging in what ended up being a fairly direct path across the Kahiltna glacier, we arrived at Heart Break Hill. It was time for the final hour of uphill that must be ascended to return to the airstrip. The team's morale stayed high, and hearts stayed unbroken. We made quick work of Heart Break Hill. Shortly after 5am, we were back at the airstrip; 19 days had elapsed since we were last here. It seemed surreal to be back. Even more surreal the weather continued to cooperate, the cloud ceiling stayed high, the sun showed itself briefly! Around 8:45am the drone of a K2 Turbo Otter was heard. 24 hours after leaving 14k Camp, we were picked up in the most wonderful red plane you've ever seen and whisked back to civilization, Talkeetna.
Everyone has been awake for 24-36 hours at the time of writing this. There is still much clean up and packing to do before we can sleep.
The trip is over, but our memories and experiences will last a lifetime. This is the final blog from The Bond Girls. If you want to know more, contact your loved ones, they have service now! Even if they're pretending they don't...
Cheers,
Reading the first sentence, the unplugged acoustic version of the Ramones’ “I Wanna Be Sedated” started playing in my head as soundtrack and accompaniment. Reading what the Bond Girls had to do to get to the plane from 14k, I would say they are the real rockstars.
Posted by: Mike Forsyth on 6/25/2023 at 11:55 am
Posted by: Hannah Smith, Dustin Wittmier, Devin Guffey
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Alaska Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 14,200'
Saturday, June 26, 2021 - 9:51 pm PT
Hello all,
Our waiting game is coming to an end. If we wake tomorrow and the winds look good we will head to 17K Camp to get in position for the summit. Camp has been very busy with teams carrying to 17K, moving into 14K Camp, and others getting ready for their move to 17K Camp. Lots of excitment and chatter roaming through the camp. We will see what happens. I know we are all ready to tackle the remaining six thousand feet of this mountain. We have been staring at it for over a week. Since tomorrow may be an early day, its early to bed for the team. We may have a big day ahead of us.
Goodnight,
RMI Guide Hannah Smith and team
It’s all about the timing and you earned your window! May the stars align & let you enjoy the experience!
Anxious to hear and see what the view is like.
Beanie will not be letting you out the door!
Posted by: Judy collins on 6/27/2021 at 2:57 pm
Praying for great weather and your successful summit!!! Onwards and upwards you all go…
“Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go.”
— T.S. Eliot
So crazy proud of my daughter Julia and the entire team!
DJ aka DeeDee
Posted by: Daysi Johansson on 6/27/2021 at 2:17 pm
Posted by: Casey Grom, Eric Frank
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 14,410'
Cannot wait to hear all about it and see you pictures! Congratulations Dave & John! Must be so amazing up there. :)
Posted by: Miina on 6/14/2013 at 1:30 pm
What a wonderful view from the top! Great climbing!! congrats to David and John and the rest of the group1
Posted by: Barbara on 6/14/2013 at 12:16 pm
Posted by: Adam Knoff, Mike Uchal, Zeb Blais
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 7,300'
On The Map
Adam and team, was glad to read the posting that you were down to base camp. Sorry your summit hopes didn’t work out this time. Thanks for blogging and helping your mom not worry so much :). Hope to see or hear from you soon Adam. I hope you got out today? Love Kris
Posted by: Kris Bowditch on 7/9/2012 at 8:17 pm
Nels,
I know you are probably pissed about your current situation, but I can’t wait for you to be back on the grid! I miss you and I have so much to tell you! Stay safe and keep writing.
xoxo EB
Posted by: Erica on 7/8/2012 at 6:40 pm
Posted by: Ben Liken, Pepper Dee
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Aconcagua
On The Map
You all are looking good and healthy. Stay healthy and strong for your summit. Looking forward to reading about it. Blessings for a safe summit.
AQ Uptown#985 NM/AZ/CO
Posted by: Rachael C. Lujan on 5/15/2013 at 10:17 am
Love the beard buddy. Looks like your having the time of your life. Good luck everyone at work and myself are rooting for you. Be Safe! Look forward to your return and your stories.
Larry
Posted by: Larry Price on 5/15/2013 at 7:49 am
On The Map
Kim, my buddy Ice Cube says, YA YA..there was a TB alert in the Big Easy..:) Keep powering to the top…it must be incredible…
Posted by: WW Coco Chanel on 6/19/2011 at 11:39 am
Good luck anne Gilbert…....have a great time! We are so proud of you!
Posted by: Chris Chase on 6/12/2011 at 4:33 am
Hi Dave,
Great post. Glad you guys are playing it safe. Been reading a lot of reports about all the rockfall and lack of snow this year.
Zachary Zaitzeff
Posted by: zachary zaitzeff on 5/5/2012 at 5:34 pm
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