Entries from Denali
Today was an unexpected rest day at
Kahiltna Basecamp. We were up just after 12:30 AM and had breakfast under clear skies, just as we’d hoped for. The glacier surface was freezing up nicely. It turned out that one of our team had a rough night and seemed to be in the midst of some acute illness. Fairly quickly it became clear that we needed to push back our travel plans in order to let the illness play through. Despite all being freshly caffeinated... we unpacked our sleeping bags and went back to bed. It became a day of brilliant sunshine and blue skies... just what the doctor ordered in terms of restful, easy conditions. Our patient improved and we seem to now be on course for tomorrow’s early departure. It was a test of our team’s patience and flexibility... which we passed with flying colors. But it also must be admitted that it was nice to simply rest after a bunch of busy days getting to and then onto Denali.
Best Regards
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
On The Map
Friday, June 21, 2019 - 7:55 PM PT
We got up and started packing when the sun hit the tents this morning. It’s nice to have the
Buttress to yourself and not have to contend with uphill traffic. The Team probably could have used a few more hours of sleep after the big summit day but the weather was splitter and we launched with the hopes of getting to 11 Camp.
The descent was fairly warm and provided for lots of photo opportunities as we traveled on the ridge that was obscured in clouds during our ascent just a few days prior. After getting down the fixed lines we spent 3 hours at 14 Camp to collect our cache of food, trash, human waste and equipment. Our friends of RMI 6 had some water for us and we said our goodbyes. Pulling sleds around Windy Corner is always an ordeal but the new snow made for good trails and traction. A little under 3 hours had us down Squirrel and Motorcycle Hills. We are settled in at 11,200’ waiting for some dinner and water. Our plan is to launch in the early AM and head for the airstrip. Cooler temperatures will make traveling on the Kahiltna glacier easier and first flights are around 9 am. Unless we get pinned down by weather the next dispatch will come from Talkeetna. Thanks for following along.
RMI Guide Mike King
Friday, June 21, 2019 3:09 PM PT
After a relatively warm first night at our new
14K Camp, we leisurely got our gear together and descended back to retrieve our cache at Windy Corner. We had beautiful weather and returned back to camp with all of our supplies by 12:30. We took advantage of the good weather and headed out to The Edge of the World, a point outside of the 14K Camp with dramatic views thousands of feet down to the Kahiltna Glacier.
The rest of the afternoon we are resting and buffing out our camp for a comfortable stay here.
RMI Guide Mike Walter
On The Map
Thursday, June 20, 2019 9:27 PM PT
We made it onto the mountain first thing after breakfast today. Things went about as easily as they possibly could. The weather in Talkeetna was fine and first reports from the mountain were similar. It wasn’t like we were racing our two planes in to the mountains trying to take advantage of some tiny break in the weather. We took the standard team photograph under the nose of a big red K2 ski-equipped Otter and then got busy loading up. Just as the planes were lifting off the runway we could see a young moose some fifty feet off the port side wingtip. The rest of the flight was just the normal beautiful as we crossed from green and flat tundra to white snow and steep black rock. After 45 minutes, at around 9:30 AM our pilots had us on final approach to Kahiltna International. We had a little work to do then, dragging loads from the airplanes to a suitable campsite in the snow, and building tents. But we did all of that in the middle of a spectacular -and for many of us- unfamiliar setting of giant peaks and surreal cloud forms. We set into a few training sessions reviewing glacier travel techniques and crevasse protocols. The afternoon was endless and easy and then we sat together in a snow dining room to have dinner and take a break. Finally, the team had a few last chores getting packed and sorted before an early bedtime. Just as we finished up, a speed climber came trotting up the SE Fork on snowshoes. The man casually and cheerfully claimed a new round trip speed record for Denali of 11 hours and 40 minutes. Our lower jaws hit the snow in disbelief and astonishment. We congratulated the man and went back to launching our three week version of the same thing. The gang was in bed by 7 PM. The alarm will go off at 12:30 AM and we’ll get motivating.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn & Team
Thursday, June 20, 2019 - 11:09 PM PT
Well, we did it and several entities tried to tell us it wouldn’t happen! Last night the weather forecast failed to mention the building high pressure and instead called for mostly cloudy skies, snow and light wind. We got up at 5 am and there were clouds over the summit and blowing snow. At 7 am the upper mountain was blue bird with a few clouds out to the North. We got the Team going and then the 17 Camp traffic jam merging onto the Autobahn formed right in front of our eyes. It’s like driving down the highway and you're thinking, “damn I am making great time” then 30-car pile up in the blink of an eye. We pumped the brakes and saw an opening, waited about 15 minutes in the sun and 15 in the shadow of
Denali. A guided group had an issue and there were three ropes pulled over so we swooped into the HOV lane only to experience an average commute to Denali Pass.
From the pass we ascended towards Zebra Rocks, a steep rocky ridge that is comprised of white granite and a black rock, it’s name escapes me due to altitude, sun, exertion and a little CO from the stoves. After topping out in the mellower terrain above Zebra we meandered towards the Football Field with views of the Farthing Horn and Arch Deacon’s Tower formations. The group had put in a big effort and there were a few who thought they had reached their high point, only problem was that it was more mental then physical. We rolled through the small hills into the Football Field for a warm break just below Pig Hill. Once up Pig Hill we were in the cold wind on the Southside of the summit ridge as we rounded the Denali Horn. A short stint brought to the Northside of the corniced ridge and we were in calm air and warm. We topped out at 4:15pm and enjoyed amazing views of the lower glaciers and really all of North America cause there was nothing on terra firma higher than us.
It’s been a great expedition and the summit on a great day is just icing on a 20,320’ cake. Tomorrow we descend to 14 Camp and from there the weather and fatigued legs will dictate when we hit the airstrip. There’s still a lot of terrain to cover and we have to collect all our cached gear, food, trash and human waste. The full packs and sleds to the airstrip will be a rite of passage for the Team, they don’t know yet but their hearts are going to break on the last hill into the airstrip but beers and burgers heal all of Denali’s aches and pains. Thanks for following along, this isn’t the last post but we might not get to another one until we hit Kahiltna Glacier Regional airport...no fake prestige airline clubs just some buried treats in the snow for an amazing group of climbers who have been an absolute pleasure to spend the last 16 days with.
RMI Guide Mike King & Team
Thursday, June 20, 2019 - 8:06 PM PT
We had another early wake-up to avoid climbing in the heat of the day. We left camp around 3:45 and headed uphill to cache some gear around 10,200'. We carry so much food, fuel, and warm clothing that it is nice to break up the heavy loads as we ascend. In addition, it helps to work hard uphill and then come back down and sleep.
The team was awesome today, making the round trip in exactly six hours. Since we were back in camp early, we had a glorious mid-morning /late afternoon nap and continued to sport eat. We need all of the energy we can get to climb this beast!
Our plan for tomorrow is to head back uphill, this time moving our
camp to 11,000'. We are hoping this good weather stays with us for awhile.
I asked our climbers to come up with a haiku about the day. All of the haikus seem to be involving the bathroom and our clean mountain cans. We will post the best of tomorrow.
RMI Guide Mike Haugen & Team Siete
On The Map
June 20, 2019
Posted by: Mike Walter
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Denali
Elevation: 14,200'
Thursday, June 20, 2019 - 6:54 PM PT
We rose early again today with another beautiful morning to greet us. In the cold we packed up camp and headed up Motorcycle and Squirrel Hills, traversed the Polo Fields and climbed around Windy Corner. After 4 1/2 hours we arrived at our current
camp at 14,200' in Genet Basin. It's been a warm and sunny afternoon here as we look down over the clouds and out to Mount Hunter and Foraker to the south. The afternoon was spent excavating and erecting camp. Tomorrow we will go back downhill to Windy Corner (13,600') to retrieve our cache. That will be a short mission, so we'll get the rest of the day to rest and home our skills for the upper mountain.
RMI Guide Mike Walter
On The Map
Wednesday, June 19, 2019 - 11:42 PM PT
Things started out quiet and cloudy in Talkeetna today, continuing what had been a string of manky weather. We met at the venerable Roadhouse for breakfast and the opening strategy session for our
Denali Expedition. Fortified with strong coffee, the team moved on to the nearby Talkeetna Ranger Station of the National Park Service for our mandatory pre-climb orientation and briefing. We were honored to have Roger Robinson himself give our slideshow and discussion on safety and environmental policies. Roger is in the fortieth and final year of a phenomenal and heroic career with the NPS on Denali. By the time we headed out to the airstrip to pack and organize gear at the K2 Aviation hangar, the clouds were on the run and blue sky and strong sunshine were breaking out everywhere. We conducted a thorough gear check and packing session through the afternoon, culminating in a weigh-in to get everything tagged and set for loading on the beautiful DeHaviland Ski Otters parked on Talkeetna’s tarmac. Our 11 person team -7 climbers and 4 guides- got together at The West Rib pub for dinner on the patio as cottonwood buds floated like thick snowflakes in the sunshine. Most of the team wandered on down to the banks of the Susitna River to check out Denali, shining 50 miles to the west and crowding the sky. Then it was back to the hotel to tidy loose ends and get a final night in a bed. Tomorrow looks mighty good for getting started.
Best Regards
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
Wednesday, June 19, 2019 - 8:24 PM PT
We had a smooth early morning departure from basecamp this morning. It looks like we brought the A-team! Everyone did great as we moved our heavy loads over five miles up the Kahiltna Glacier.
The weather has been great all day with sunshine, no wind, and warm temps. We were able to see
Denali for much of the day, which was a pleasant change from the overcast days we have had.
Our plan is to cache some food and gear around 10k and then come back to this camp and get ready to move up the next day. It looks like the weather may cooperate with us. The adventure continues!
RMI Guide Mike Haugen
On The Map
Wednesday, June 19, 2019 - 4:56 PM PT
We got an early start today, leaving camp at 8:15 am headed up loaded with food and fuel to cache around
Windy Corner. The weather was beautifully clear and calm and the temps were perfect for climbing. By 11:15 we were at our cache sight at ~13,600'. After digging a deep cache hole to protect our food from hungry ravens, we started off back downhill at 12:25. By 1:15 we were back at camp with plenty of time to rest and relax. The plan is to hit the sack pretty early tonight with the intention of moving our camp up to 14,200', colloquially known as Camp 4. We'll check back to let you know how it goes.
RMI Guide Mike Walter
On The Map
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So proud of all of you! Keep up the great effort. Paul
Posted by: Paul Fields on 6/23/2019 at 12:04 am
Casey and team….very impressive. Keep safe!
Posted by: Paula on 6/22/2019 at 11:13 am
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