Grant Ritchie called in a very nice post, which contained some good news – the team moved up to 14,200′, but also some sad news – they Tylers have descended to base camp and flew off the mountain.
Ariel was exhibiting signs and symptoms of altitude sickness, and given the complex terrain ahead of them, they decided that the prudent course of action was to not push their luck and say farewell to their team mates. Both Isaac and Ariel are fine and Ariel feels like a different, healthy, happy person down in the thick, luxuriant air of Talkeetna. Our guide and Alaska Range Manager Joe Butler, who climbed with the Tylers in Antarctica, drove up to pick them up and take them back to Anchorage.
Grant, Mary and Karen are continuing their ascent. Brian and another Mountain Trip guide from our May 5th trip, Josh, are making their way back up the Kahiltna to catch up with the team. The weather looks great and the forecast looks favorable, so let’s keep our fingers crossed that they can keep in motion upwards!
Here’s Grant:
