May 30, 2008: Summit Attempt Aborted

Decent weather finally came to Denali. Overnight, the low was only -15; we had a predicted a daytime high of zero. It seemed like beach weather compared to the previous week’s frigid temperatures. We started out on the route at about 8:30 am Alaskan time and pushed our way up to the Denali pass. The pass is in the shade until about 11am. This makes it very cold to climb; I would estimate about -10 degrees. Peter and I pushed our way up hill and made very steady progress. However, about two hours into the climb, my hands started to hurt. It was the numbing pain usually felt before frostbite sets in. One of my rules in climbing has always been no summit is worth your fingers or your toes. Peter and I talked briefly about the situation, at 18,000 feet. We both decided it was best for me to go back down to high camp immediately. It is very disappointing for me to be so close to the summit, probably only three hours away, and needing to turn around. Mountaineering can be cruel sport. It demands all you have but sometimes still leaves you just short of your goal. Years of training, months of planning, and weeks in harsh mountain conditions can still not allow you to achieve your goal because of situations out of your control, ie: frostbite, weather, lack of resources, run out of time, etc.

Regardless of all this, we checked the forecast this evening. Saturday and Sunday are good summit window days. Right now, I am waiting for other teams to arrive to see who we can join to make a summit attempt. It could be tomorrow or Sunday, depending on the weather and the other team’s schedule. We only have enough food to last until Monday so the next three days are our last opportunities. I will keep everyone posted.