Entries By nikki champion
June 30, 2021
Posted by: Mike Walter, Nikki Champion, Ben Luedtke
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Alaska Denali
Elevation: 14,200'
Tuesday, June 29, 2021 - 4:25 pm PT
The sky was blue and winds were calm at 14k this morning. Up higher it was a different story, with a lenticular cloud cap on the summit and long plumes of spindrift streaming out to the east. We enjoyed a morning jaunt to the Edge of the World, where we could look down almost seven thousand feet below us to the Kahiltna Glacier and our camp at the Base of Ski Hill at 7800'.
We also spent a few ours reviewing and practicing some climbing techniques that we will employ up higher.
Our next task is to establish a cache up high, above the Headwall on the West Buttress proper. Weather willing we'll do that tomorrow. Now it's time for some reading and resting before dinner.
We'll be in touch tomorrow.
June 28, 2021
Posted by: Mike Walter, Nikki Champion, Ben Luedtke
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Alaska Denali
Elevation: 14,200'
Monday, June 28, 2021 - 9:02 am PT
With clear skies and light winds we retraced our steps from a few days ago up to Genet Basin. This time, though, we had our whole kit with us and now we've a established a comfortable camp at 14,200'. Today will be a rest day for us, and we will review the skills necessary to travel on the fixed rope above us on the head wall.
June 26, 2021
Posted by: Mike Walter, Nikki Champion, Ben Luedtke
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Alaska Denali
Elevation: 11,200'
Saturday, June 26, 2021 - 3:45 pm PT
When we got in our tents last night it was clear and calm, but the clouds, wind, and snow returned overnight, although with much less vengeance than before. We fired up the stoves early with hopeful anticipation that the cloud deck would drop below us and winds would abate, but that was not the case. We decided to stick around 11k another day, with an improving weather forecast ahead of us.
The hope is that tomorrow is our day to bump camp up to 14k. We're rested, acclimatizing, and our team has already tackled the climb to 14k on our carry day; while it will still be strenuous, the team is well prepared for the move to 14k. And we're looking forward to it.
I'll check in again tomorrow, hopefully from a higher vantage point.
We miss you. You are always in our thoughts and prayers. Stay safe and healthy.
Your fan club,
The Arnolds
Posted by: Jeannette Arnold on 6/29/2021 at 4:19 pm
GO AARON!!!!
Posted by: Emilee on 6/27/2021 at 6:11 pm
June 25, 2021
Posted by: Mike Walter, Nikki Champion, Ben Luedtke
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Denali
Elevation: 11,200'
Friday, June 25, 2021 - 12:41 pm PT
The snow and wind from yesterday persisted through the night and into the morning, and now, at midday it continues. The weather is forecast to improve as we move into the weekend, and we are poised to move to 14,000' when that moment arises. In the meantime we're lounging, reading, snoozing, and also digging out our tents. Spirits are high as we continue to weather our first Denali storm. We're all all looking forward to seeing the sun again and getting back to our upward progression. Hard days of climbing and long days waiting out storms are hallmarks of a Denali expedition.
"...snow falls and it passes..."
We'll touch base again tomorrow to let you know the latest.
Hi Daryl and all,
Looks like you’ve been playing the waiting game. I hope you are safe and having a great time. You ROCK!
Posted by: Will on 6/29/2021 at 8:52 pm
Told everyone today Daryl on the Mtn and everyone so impressed! Wishing everyone a good days rest! No such thing as bad weather.. just gotta be prepared for it! Which you all are!
Posted by: Katie on 6/25/2021 at 4:14 pm
June 24, 2021
Posted by: Mike Walter, Nikki Champion, Ben Luedtke
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Alaska Denali
Elevation: 11,200'
Thursday, June 24, 2021 - 12:48 pm PT
It's been windy and snowy today at the 11,200' Denali Camp, although we caught glimpses of blue sky above us occasionally this morning. We're all cozied up in our tents after a big breakfast. We're content to rest and relax, enjoying some reading and some napping. We're at a great altitude for acclimatization, so we're (hopefully) getting stronger for our next mission, which will be to move up to Genet Basin at 14,200'. That will happen on the next good weather day, perhaps tomorrow but more likely Saturday or Sunday. We'll keep you apprised of our status. But for now we're happy, hydrated, and comfortable in our current camp.
Beautiful team, magestic scenery…keep up the great work Daryl.
Posted by: Pat on 6/24/2021 at 10:39 pm
June 24, 2021
Posted by: Mike Walter, Nikki Champion, Ben Luedtke
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Denali
Elevation: 14,000'
Wednesday, June 23, 2021 - 5:55 pm PT
The alpenglow was serene early this morning as we fired up the stoves to make hot water for breakfast. We got off to an early start and loaded up our packs with food and fuel to cache up high. Armed with crampons and ice axes we ventured onto the upper mountain. We climbed Motorcycle Hill and then Squirrel Hill in the shade, encountering a chilly breeze on the latter. Next came the Polo Field and then we finally hit the sun at Windy Corner. Our team made good progress and the weather was perfect, so we continued higher to Genet Basin to make our cache. We were afforded beautiful views of the upper mountain, as well as Mounts Hunter & Foraker and the rest of the Alaska Range to our south, and the expansive tundra to our north.
We buried our supplies in the snow and then descended back to camp, arriving before 3pm with enough time for a siesta before dinner.
We're sitting pretty now, with a cache up high. We'll take a rest day tomorrow, which coincides well with an approaching storm. Once that storm passes we plan to move camp up to 14k on the next good weather day. In the meantime we're tasked with resting, eating, reading, and some well earned sloth time. We acclimate very well at this altitude (11,200'), and we're very satisfied with our progress. We'll check in again tomorrow in between the chapters of our books.
Praying for safety and warm in the storm. One day at time. We all so proud of Daryl. You are outside living life! Love you
Posted by: Katie on 6/24/2021 at 8:49 pm
Praying for safety with the storm and that you are able to move up 14,000 safely and timely!
Posted by: Marg Millman on 6/24/2021 at 4:35 pm
June 23, 2021
Posted by: Mike Walter, Nikki Champion, Ben Luedtke
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Denali
Elevation: 11,200'
Tuesday, June 22, 2021 - 4:45 pm PT
We "slept in" to a normal hour today; being up at 11,200' we no longer have to be on an alpine start schedule, traveling at night when the glaciers are frozen. The sky was clear above us as I fired the stoves at 6am, and clouds filled the glacial valleys below. After coffee and a Pop Tart, we headed back downhill to retrieve the cache of supplies we buried a couple of days ago. A quick jaunt downhill and forty minutes of climbing back up hill, and we were back at camp with all of ours supplies. We enjoyed a big leisurely brunch of eggs, hash browns, bacon, and, of course, more coffee. Meanwhile the clouds that had been below us earlier had risen up to our level and it began to lightly snow. That was fine by us, as the rest of the day we lounged in our tents, resting, napping, and reading.
If the weather cooperates, we plan to put in a cache up above Windy Corner tomorrow, somewhere above ~13,600'.
We'll be in touch tomorrow and let you you know how it goes.
I am following to see progress, my good friend Rob Millman is part of this adventure.
Posted by: Anthony Walker on 6/24/2021 at 7:13 am
Whoop whoop!
Posted by: Emilee on 6/23/2021 at 8:55 pm
June 22, 2021
Posted by: Mike Walter, Nikki Champion, Ben Luedtke
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Denali
Monday, June 21, 2021 - 6:11 pm PT
We made the move to 11 camp!
After waking up to some light snow and rain in the middle of the night, we thought we might get stuck at the base of Ski Hill for another day. Hoping for the best, we went back to sleep for an extra hour and woke to the clouds dropping and clear skies above us. We blasted the stoves, had a quick breakfast of cold cereal and coffee, tore down camp, and began our first stretch of the day. By the time we moved, weather was close to perfect and the snow made for easy walking without snow shoes. Making our way up Ski Hill, past our cache from yesterday, we pulled into 11,000' Camp a bit before noon. With warm temps, and sunny skies, we set up our camp for the next few days and crawled into our tents and out of the sun.
Thanks to our hard work yesterday - belated happy Father's Day to all the dads out there - tomorrow should be an easy day, with a quick back carry in the morning before some well deserved rest in the afternoon. We will let you know how it goes!
Awesome! Nice work guys!
Posted by: Emilee on 6/22/2021 at 6:59 pm
June 19, 2021
Posted by: Mike Walter, Nikki Champion, Ben Luedtke
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Alaska Denali
Elevation: 7,800'
Saturday, June 19, 2021 - 2:30 pm PT
We woke at 1am this morning and fired up stoves for a quick breakfast and a cup of coffee and then we set off down Heartbreak Hill to the Kahiltna Glacier and up the the base of Ski Hill. By traveling in the wee hours of the morning we were able to take advantage of firm snow conditions and comfortable temperatures for climbing, before the glacier turned into a solar oven.
The traveling was pretty straight forward, climbing over some crevasses and skirting around others. We made quick work of the mission, and four hours after setting out we found ourselves making camp.
After "brunch" we retreated to our tents for some rest and to get out of the searing sun.
We'll stay on the alpine start schedule for now and hope to carry a load of food and fuel up to somewhere close to 10,000' tomorrow before returning back down to our current camp. We'll let you know how it goes.
June 18, 2021
Posted by: Mike Walter, Nikki Champion, Ben Luedtke
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Alaska Denali
Elevation: 7,300'
Friday, June 18, 2021 - 8:43 am PT
Good morning from Kahiltna Base Camp. We were packed and ready to fly all day yesterday, but the weather wouldn't cooperate with our plans. After playing the waiting game for most of the day, we finally loaded up the two turbine Otters and launched towards the Alaska Range. We arrived at Basecamp at around 6pm and set up shop here. We'll spend the day here today and move to the Base of Ski Hill tonight when the snow freezes back up.
Praying for safety. Thanks for the update!! Rob, Dad got your postcard today and was thrilled to hear from you. Praying you all make it to the Summit!
Posted by: Marg Millman on 6/22/2021 at 6:25 pm
Miss you Daryl! Looking forward to the updates! Everyone asking about you everyday
Posted by: Katie on 6/21/2021 at 11:02 am
Happy Birthday, Jim!
Posted by: Laura ODonnell on 6/30/2021 at 1:50 am
Keep up the good work guys! #teamAaron
Posted by: Emilee on 6/29/2021 at 10:22 am
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