Entries By dave hahn
June 21, 2024
Posted by: Dave Hahn, Sam Hoffman, Sam Marjerison, Nick Sinapius
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Denali
Elevation: 14,000'
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An easy-ish day at 14K. The weather stayed decent, a little cloudier, some snowflakes, but not really a concern. We ate a slow breakfast and then geared up. As expected, it was just 20 minutes descent to reach our cache and then an hour long slog to get it back up to camp. We napped through the afternoon and tried to catch up on hydration. Before dinner we did a short review of the techniques we'll use on the "fixed rope" section that gets us onto the West Buttress. If all goes well, we will carry up to about 16,200 ft tomorrow.
It was good to see Hanna Smith's RMI team come into camp this afternoon. They hit the top yesterday evening. We patted them on their backs and pumped them for info and tips on the route.
Best Regards,
RMI Guides Dave Hahn, Sam Hoffman, Sam Marjerison, Nick Sinapius & Team
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June 20, 2024
Posted by: Dave Hahn, Sam Hoffman, Sam Marjerison, Nick Sinapius
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Denali
Elevation: 14,000'
Wednesday, June 19, 2024 - 10:19 pm PT
Such a difference to be camped at 14,000' on Denali. Radically different views, of course, but it is also the feeling of finally being on the mountain rather than on the approach. Being above Windy Corner rather than below it. Being higher and colder. It wasn't easy, but we got here in good time today - 5.5 hours. We left 11,000' Camp at 9 AM and pulled up the now familiar hills. It was another good weather day, thankfully, and we could see way down the Alaska Range to Mt Spurr, the active volcano in the Tordrillo mts. We worked for hours to build our new home at 14,000' but finally got to relax in a new dining complex. Tomorrow we'll go back to our cache at 13,600' to bring in the food and fuel and the approach will be finished!
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn & Team
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14k is where life starts getting wonky!! I’d love to see some photos of the home you built there and the dining complex you relaxed in!! Keep up the great progress and fingers crossed for continued great weather!!
Posted by: Seth Cochran on 6/21/2024 at 1:57 am
Hi Tony and team, all here in Ireland following your daily updates. Wishing you fine weather and strength for the coming days. Best wishes Brian and Colette.
Posted by: Brian Cassidy on 6/20/2024 at 5:05 pm
June 19, 2024
Posted by: Dave Hahn, Sam Hoffman, Sam Marjerison, Nick Sinapius
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Denali
Elevation: 11,000'
The cold shadows were still on us when we pulled out of camp at 8:30 this morning. But we were carrying loads up the steep "motorcycle hill" which warmed us. It was a thrill to top motorcycle and get onto "squirrel hill" and to be able to look out at the tundra to the NW. We were excited to get views of the Peters Glacier and up close views of the West Buttress of Denali. There was a cool breeze as we reached the "Polo Field" and so we briefly wondered whether we'd reach our goal. But the temps warmed and the wind dropped and we got around Windy Corner as hoped. It was stunning to come face to face with the South Peak of Denali. We dug a deep cache and buried the supplies and finally just sat enjoying the views for a few minutes. It was a pleasant and "easy" climb back down to camp. We'd managed the round trip in a respectable 6.5 hrs. That left enough of the afternoon for resting in warm tents. We'll hope to move up tomorrow.
Best Regards,
RMI Guides Dave, Sam, Sam & Nick
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Way to go Team! Loving these incredible updates. Rest easy and as Jon likes to say, Onward and Upward! The W girls
Posted by: Beth, Sydney & Addie on 6/19/2024 at 6:48 pm
June 18, 2024
Posted by: Dave Hahn, Sam Hoffman, Sam Marjerison, Nick Sinapius
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Denali
Elevation: 11,000'
Monday, June 17, 2024 - 10:25 pm PT
We are starting to feel quite lucky after another calm, beautiful day. We got up at a leisurely 6:30 AM and had a breakfast of bagels and bacon. By 9 AM we were walking downhill to 10,000 ft to pick up our cached supplies. Down took 20 min, up then took about 90 min, including a nice rest break. It was just starting to get good and hot when we got back and dove into our tents for shelter from the sun. We didn't come out again until 5:30 PM when we suited up for a short review of the climbing techniques we plan to employ tomorrow. The goal would be to carry a load up and around "Windy Corner" using crampons and ice axes (rather than the snowshoes and ski poles we've been using). The team is excited to see some new terrain.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
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So excited for you Tony that the weather seems to be really remarkable so far. Hope you are enjoying all your hard work to get there! Karl and Diane are thinking of you and wishing you (and the others) well!
Karl
Posted by: Karl Ring on 6/19/2024 at 9:18 am
All the best, team! Wallis, you got this!!
Posted by: Subbu Aiyer on 6/19/2024 at 9:12 am
June 17, 2024
Posted by: Dave Hahn, Sam Hoffman, Sam Marjerison, Nick Sinapius
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Denali
Elevation: 11,000'
We're at 11,000 ft and loving it. The team did strong work this morning getting out of camp by 5 AM and onto the now familiar route. Packs were heavy but our sleds were lighter than yesterday. We made great time and everyone seemed in high spirits to be leaving the Kahiltna and getting to where we could see out. The great weather continued. We were in bright sunshine for building our new camp at the foot of "Motorcycle Hill". Tomorrow we'll drop down to retrieve our cache at 10,000, which shouldn't take too long. Then we'll prep for going higher.
Best Regard,
RMI Guides Dave, Sam H, Sam M, Nick
Sign Up For Denali Expedition June 11, 2024 Emails
Epic work, Tony & crew! Your weather up there is making us jealous down here in Texas! keep going!- JJ
Posted by: JJ Muniz on 6/17/2024 at 8:40 pm
Love the updates! In case they read these to you at some point, Katie you might be tickled to know a YouTuber won the US open in a pretty epic fashion against Rory :)
Posted by: Minwoo Choi on 6/17/2024 at 5:06 pm
June 16, 2024
Posted by: Dave Hahn, Sam Hoffman, Sam Marjerison, Nick Sinapius
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Denali
Elevation: 7,600'
Saturday, June 15, 2024 - 10:02 pm PT
Another beautiful day on Denali, which started at 2:30 AM for our team. We were snowshoed up and moving uphill by 5 AM. Conditions were excellent for travel. The surface was frozen up just right and the day was cool enough to keep us from sweating as we got on "Ski Hill". We moved well for four hours to reach 10,000' There at the head of the 49 mile Kahiltna Glacier, we dug a cache and buried our supplies to prevent attack by ravens. It took just under two hours to get back down to camp, by which time we were ready to get in the tents and out of the hot sun. We napped away the afternoon and rehydrated. Tomorrow we'll climb to 11,000' Camp.
Best Regards,
RMI Guides Dave Hahn, Sam Hoffman, Sam Marjerison and Nick Sinapius
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Happy Father’s Day Tony and all! Your kids will be proud of ya. Keep on trecking and know we’re thinking you from 110 degrees in sunny Phoenix.
Posted by: Mark Miola on 6/17/2024 at 9:07 am
Sounds like an awesome fathers day!! Love how you move supplies up and then go back down to camp and then head back up the next day.
Posted by: Seth Cochran on 6/17/2024 at 1:22 am
June 15, 2024
Posted by: Dave Hahn, Sam Hoffman, Sam Marjerison, Nick Sinapius
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Denali
Elevation: 9,700'
The skies were clear early this morning, and so it was the perfect time to leave basecamp as the snow surface was nicely frozen and travel was "easy". We were roped up and on our way by 4 AM, watching the sunlight play on the upper slopes of Mts Foraker and Hunter. Glacier conditions were excellent. There were few open crevasses, and the route was fairly direct. We pulled into our destination -the base of "ski hill" - in just four and a half hours.
Camp then went up relatively quickly and we got in out of the intense midday sun for some quality naps. A breeze came up in the evening, but by then we'd built a dining tent and were able to enjoy dinner in peace.
We intend to make a carry tomorrow, to 10,000 ft if possible.
Best Regards,
RMI Guides Dave Hahn, Sam Hoffman, Sam Marjerison, Nick Sinapius
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Looks like y’all have great conditions so far! Happy Father’s Day to Tony and all the dads up there! Keep it up!
Posted by: Joe Cunningham on 6/16/2024 at 3:11 pm
Sending a shout out to one of my Denali mentors Mr. Hahn and to Sander and Dave Hill who promised me they would crush it.
Climb On!!
Adam Knoff
Posted by: Adam on 6/15/2024 at 5:37 pm
June 14, 2024
Posted by: Dave Hahn, Sam Hoffman, Sam Marjerison, Nick Sinapius
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Denali
Elevation: 7,800'
Thursday June 13, 2024, 10:55pm PDT
And just like that, we are in a new world... a planet of ice and snow and rock and gigantic mountains. We flew on just before midday. It had been a little manky before that, with low cloud in both Talkeetna and Kahiltna Base camp, so we got to eat a last big breakfast in town as we waited for improvements. It was a thrill to get some views of Denali, way up above the remaining clouds, as we flew in, and a thrill to step out of the planes at basecamp.
We built camp, trained and prepared for departure in the intense high-altitude sunshine. We talked over what to expect and how to deal with expected challenges. We made it to bed by 9 PM. Our intention is to get up in the middle of the night to travel in the early morning shadows.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn & Team
Sign Up For Denali Expedition June 11, 2024 Emails
Glad the adventure has begun. Sounds great so far. Good luck to all. Go Tony! I’ll warm up the bike trails for you.
Posted by: Rob McDowell on 6/15/2024 at 6:06 pm
So proud of you Caryn!!! I cannot wait to hear all about it! SEND IT!!
Posted by: Selena Price on 6/15/2024 at 10:08 am
June 13, 2024
Posted by: Dave Hahn, Sam Hoffman, Sam Marjerison, Nick Sinapius
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Denali
Elevation: 7,300'
Dave Hahn & Team are Flying onto the Kahiltna Glacier! Follow along with us as they begin their climb of Denali.
Sign Up For Denali Expedition June 11, 2024 Emails
So inspired by all of you! Looking good! So excited to follow along and take part in this adventure from a distance. Go Tony go!!
Posted by: Rosemary Bakker on 6/14/2024 at 7:06 pm
Yes!! It’s getting real now!! This is everything you’ve worked for Tony! So excited to follow this journey!
Posted by: Brenda on 6/14/2024 at 3:02 pm
June 13, 2024
Posted by: Dave Hahn, Sam Hoffman, Sam Marjerison, Nick Sinapius
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Denali
Wednesday June 12, 2024 11:29pm PDT
A big day in Talkeetna. It was cloudy and rainy, but that didn’t prevent us from starting out with a breakfast meeting at the Swiss Alaska Inn, introducing the team and discussing expectations and strategies for the climb. We carried on by regrouping over at the airplane hangar to sort equipment and get packed. We broke things up with an excellent briefing from the National Park Service. Denali climbing ranger, Alan Davis spoke to us about current conditions and the need to prioritize safety on the mountain. K2 Aviation - our flight service- then let us know what to expect in regards to getting on and off the mountain via ski plane in variable weather conditions. We then buckled down and put in a few serious hours getting organized for the climb. This was capped off with a formal weigh-in, a prelude to loading up the airplanes -which we hope will take place tomorrow morning. The team then relaxed at Mile High Pizza Pie in the heart of Talkeetna. Enjoying dinner and the drizzle from low clouds. We are set and excited to get on the mountain.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn & Team
Go Team! Sending lots of love and support to Tony and company as you work through this tough stuff at high elevation. You’ve got this!! See you soon to celebrate in Snowmass. xoxo, Jet
Posted by: Jet on 6/21/2024 at 4:17 pm
love the positive spin your guides place on your adventure - sure the reality is a bit more challenging!! however it does keep us less bold ones relieved! Keep up the great attitude and the top is in site!!!! lynn
Posted by: barbara theiss on 6/21/2024 at 2:25 pm
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