Mt. McKinley: Nugent & Team Update
May 22:
Resting here at 11,300' on Mt. McKinley... Not much to report other than worsening weather through the day today and that while hanging in the posh (cook tent) the team was able to solve most of the world's problems. We broached the taboo subjects of politics, religion, economics, ancient societies/civilizations, space exploration, extraterrestrial copulation, ancient ruins, plate tectonics, coral atoll nations and the rising sea level, doomsday cults, classic car restoration, moral bankruptcy, and escalating health care costs just to name a few. Currently it's snowing moderately but fortunately without wind. A good day to rest after all. Hopefully we get a small break in the weather tomorrow so we can push a load of food and fuel up around Windy Corner which will put us in position to move up to 14k camp.
Ciao,
RMI Guides Billy Nugent, Geoff Schellens and Gilbert Chase
May 21:
After an uneventful night we awoke to more mostly sunny weather with some high cirrus clouds. The plan was to sleep in a little and enjoy the first morning of the expedition where we didn't have the chore of breaking camp. We enjoyed a delicious breakfast of smoked salmon on toasted bagels with cream cheese and then geared up for our walk down to the cache at 9,600'. After less than four hours we had retrieved all of our groceries and returned to camp at 11k. After eating dinner and hanging out, the glacier in camp suddenly settled sending a large shock-wave through the ground, needless to say scaring the crap out of everyone. I've never really felt a glacier do that before, pretty wild. Tomorrow calls for a rest day which might be good timing with the weather as things seem to be slightly deteriorating. There are some lenticular clouds forming on the peaks across the Kahiltna which may be indicative of some moisture on he way.
Will check in tomorrow from our rest day...
RMI Guide Billy Nugent and the gang.
May 20:
Hi everyone.
Today was another great day of unbelievable weather for our push up to the 11,000' camp. We left behind a cache at our previous camp at 9,600' of mostly food and fuel (alongside some miscellaneous personal items) and thus enjoyed a significantly lighter move than the loads from the previous two days. After a little bit of digging and improving of an abandoned camp we moved in and enjoyed a great tortellini dinner.
Hoping for a smooth first night at a new elevation,
RMI Guide Billy Nugent
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May 23, 2012
Comments (7)
Paul, missing my mountain man!! I’m very Proud of you baby.
The temperature at the happiest place on earth will hit 100 degrees for the holiday weekend.
143
Sherri
Posted by: Sherri on
Hi John C and gang ,everything seems to be going to plan for you.Mart and gang arrived ok.Be good and be safe,talk soon.
Posted by: Gene Costello on
Elizabeth,
Internet doctor update. Strangely enough it wasn’t appendicitis only a torn muscle. But don’t worry I will have come up with something new by the time you get to 17,200. I almost called the security center to ask how the elevator testing was going so I could speak to someone.
see ya
Posted by: Noddy on
Wow, that sounds like a pretty heavy conversation for a place where no one can storm out of the room and there is no booze being passed around!
Good luck on the push to 14,000’ tomorrow, hope the weather cooperates. Here in India the weather is anything but cooperating as the monsoons have started.
Miss you Poo, kuessi.
-Chris
Posted by: chris brill-edwards on
Hey Stuart,
I know you are way better off today on the mountain then stuck here in the theatre doing load-in!
I hope you are happy healthy and having a great climb.
All the best to you and your team.
Love,
Patti
Posted by: Patti Emmert on
Glad to hear tent-time is good. The Euro is down, Facebook IPO’d and the world has not changed & your team is having more fun that most of us plebeians back home. We miss you all and continue to send good vibes your way.
P.s. Bailey is a stinking mess…
Posted by: Peter, Sherman and Bailey on
Hey Elizabeth, Hope yr doing well and your “CRAMP-TONS” are sharp.
-S
Posted by: stevie b on