Entries By leon davis
May 22, 2015
Posted by: Leon Davis, Bridget Belliveau
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Denali
Elevation: 9,800'
May 21, 2015 - 10:03 pm PT
Here we are at 9,800' for a second night. This morning the winds continued to whip at the surrounding ridges and moving camp up the
Kahiltna Dome was not prudent. However we were able to go for a venture towards Kahiltna Pass to see what there was to see. Good times trying to get over the bergschrund which was a trap door of deep faceted snow. Towards the top of the ridge we met firm icy conditions that forced us back down. Good times nevertheless! If the weather improves tomorrow we will make an attempt on the Dome.
Good night!
RMI Guide Leon Davis
May 21, 2015
Posted by: Leon Davis, Bridget Belliveau
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Denali
Elevation: 9,800'
Wednesday, May 20th 2:38 pm PDT
Writing to you all from vibrating tents at 9800 ft. tonight. The team had a fine
walk up from 7800 ft. this morning in decent weather, but the looming sense of something surrounding us was ever present. We started to make our camp as the winds picked up, snow falling and visibility waning. It was hard work for 3 or 4 hours before we had good walls and I've never seen the team work so well together - all are hard workers. We are hunkered down now and eagerly await what tomorrow brings.
Hope you all are warm!
RMI Guide Leon Davis and team
May 20, 2015
Posted by: Leon Davis, Bridget Belliveau
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Denali
Elevation: 7,800'
May 29, 2015 - 9:34 pm PT
Good day-
We are dispatching from a crowded
Camp 1 this evening. We had a pleasant four hour walk today under cloudy skies on the main flow of the Kahiltna. We had a strong performance from the team and we plan to bump our camp up to 9,800' tomorrow morning. It looks like some weather is coming in so we might get some snow tonight. Here's to hoping we don't and we will talk to you all from Camp 2!
RMI Guide Leon Davis
May 19, 2015
Posted by: Leon Davis, Bridget Belliveau
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Denali
Elevation: 7,300'
May 18, 2015 - 11:43 pm PT
Hello-
Our day in
Base Camp was as busy as it can get. After a leisurely breakfast of pancakes bacon and coffee, we divided up to learn and practice beacon searches, surface hauling systems and rig our sleds for moving up river. A great day under a blazing sun that had us wondering how we can be surrounded by so much snow yet be so dang hot. Tomorrow we leave our camp loaded with five days of provisions and make our way towards Kahiltna Dome. We will talk again from Camp 1!
RMI Guides Leon Davis, Lindsay Fixmer, Bridget Belliveau & Team
On The Map
May 17, 2015 - 10:24pm PST
Good evening all,
Today was a great day to be in the mountains! The sun shone bright this morning as we left camp for the north side of
Radio Tower. We found great conditions moving up and the ridge offered us amazing panoramas of Mt Hunter, Foraker, and Denali. The team performed very well all day and we spent the late afternoon sitting in shade to review knots. Tomorrow will be tech training intensive here at camp.
Pancakes & bacon for breakfast!
RMI Guide
Leon Davis & Team
May 17, 2015
Posted by: Leon Davis, Bridget Belliveau
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Denali
Elevation: 7,300'
Greetings all
We departed
Talkeetna into cloudy weather and for a while there we did not think we would make it. But thanks to the skill of our K2 pilots we were able to sneak in as the skies briefly parted. As a result of our teams hard work and cooperation we now have a fortified camp. We will sleep well behind block walls and we are excited for a chance to climb the radio tower tomorrow morning. Tonight we sleep under clear blue (still) skies and just a whisper of a cool breeze.
Until tomorrow then!
RMI Guide
Leon Davis & Team
On The Map
Good morning friends and family!
The
Alaska Seminar team here in Talkeetna is getting things done in great style. Weather is looking better with each passing hour and everyone did a fantastic job with rigging their gear. Here it is noon and we are just about ready to fly! So the team is gonna grab a last meal in town and our next communique will be from base camp!
Have a lovely day everyone,
RMI Guide Leon Davis
May 9, 2015
Posted by: Leon Davis, Bridget Belliveau
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Denali
Elevation: 7,300'
Good evening warm comfortable people!
The team here at base camp continues to thrive midst the constant storm. We needed to stick our heads in it so we packed our sleds and made our way to the main flow of the Kahiltna and started walking upstream. Although the visibility was only a few hundred meters and the snow fell wet, we managed to make a seven-mile round trip journey up the expansive long frozen river. Everyone performed well and lessons in self care were earned. With the weather outlook looking bleak, we may have to take the first flight out tomorrow morning. Hopefully in time to call our mothers on Mother's Day!
RMI Guide Leon Davis
May 9, 2015
Posted by: Leon Davis, Bridget Belliveau
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Denali
Elevation: 7,300'
Greetings from inside the tent! Well we hoped to get a break today and move our bodies across some glaciers, but, the sky gods had different plans. Lots of snow falling and we can't see much past the tents, but the team is taking it in stride and they are
master knot technicians! Tomorrow is a new day so stay tuned.
Good night and good luck,
RMI Guide Leon Davis
May 8, 2015
Posted by: Leon Davis, Bridget Belliveau
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Denali
Elevation: 7,300'
We woke early today, hopeful that last night's forecast would be wrong. Alas, the snow that had been predicted had shown up overnight, so we hit the snooze button and rolled over to wait it out. Well, after an hour and a half it became apparent that the snow was here to stay, so we got up and got the day underway.
Our breakfast of bacon and eggs fueled up the bodies for another day of training. We had hoped to head up the main Kahiltna Glacier towards some climbing objectives, but the lack of visibility combined with the unsettled weather kept us in camp. We made the most of the day by focusing on more involved crevasse rescue systems, more technical training, and swapping stories about the adventures we've experienced.
Dinner was a welcome break from the cold and snow, and the laughter and conversation from our posh tent drifted over the glacier as we wound down the day. The snow continues to fall, so we're nestling in for the night, excited to be here in the heart of the
Alaska Range. Hopefully we'll see a break in the weather, but we'll see what it looks like when the alarms go off tomorrow! Stay tuned, thanks for reading.
RMI Guides Leon Davis, Garrett Stevens, Bridget Belliveau and the team
On The Map
Down here in North Carolina, we had our first day at the pool yesterday! Stay warm. Love, Mom
Posted by: Judy Kenyon on 5/23/2015 at 5:28 am
Love the positive vibes from Guide Leon!
Posted by: Laura Bryson on 5/22/2015 at 5:51 pm
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