Well, this is a first for us… The May 22 team is camped at 11,200′, where they have been hammered with tough weather of late. They received two feet of snow overnight, along with high, cold winds. They were again unable to move from their camp, but they have plenty of food, and have been…
They team is still hanging tight in camp at 14,000ft waiting out this long stretch of wind and snowy weather. They spent the day practicing some mountaineering skills on a steeper hill just out of camp. They practiced using the rope in running belays, and passing anchors, which are skills that they’ll put to…
It’s been a pretty long stretch of wind and snow in the Alaska Range for the last days, and it is expected to continue through most of the weekend. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, as the snow is expected to taper off and winds die down by late Sunday and…
Amy started off tonight’s call with a report from the basin camp at 11,200′. The team had some “fierce winds” to contend with last night and the weather did not permit them to move food and supplies up the mountain today, so they sat tight and seemed to just eat all day, judging from the…
Tashi Malik called in a nice update from the basin camp at 14,200′. The team took a short hike to a spot known as The Edge of The World this morning. This is an overlook with a stunning view down into the NE Fork of the Kahiltna Glacier. There is a rock outcrop that we…
Denali. “The Great One.” Mount McKinley. By any name, the behemoth that dominates south central Alaska is something to behold in awe and to treat with the utmost respect. For climbers, the mountain presents what many might consider the challenge of a lifetime, as they pit themselves against brutal winds, arctic temperatures and the thin…
A family of climbers from California traveled to Anchorage a couple days ago to begin an epic journey. The climbers have spent many months training, collecting the appropriate gear, and dreaming about their upcoming adventure. Yesterday was a busy day in Anchorage, starting with a team meeting and equipment check at the Millennium Alaskan Hotel.…
The May 8 team is sitting in what probably seems like the inside of a ping pong ball right now, waiting on the skies to clear so a succession of planes can fly them and the many score of other climbers with them, off the glacier. If you have not already done so, it is…
The May 12 team called it and they are making their way down the mountain. Every team has what is known as an “up or down day,” meaning the day by which they need to move up to either high camp or attempt the summit, so that they will have sufficient food supplies to make…
Weather is the name of the problem right now: it has not been terrible but not good enough to move up the route. Visibility has been lacking due to snowfall; of all things that help make navigating an icefall on a glacier easier, vilibility is #1. Having cached a good amount of their food up…