Denali 2008 Photos
Photos from my Denali 2008 Expediation are posted under the photo section. Click here to go to the photo section or click the link at the top of the page.
Back From Denali
After waiting for several days at high camp, we ended up without another summit window. We had to decent due to lack of food, fuel, and wanting to get down to thicker air. We made it back down the mountain in three days fighting wind and fierce blowing snow conditions. Once back at base camp we were able to get a flight off the glacier the same day. It was a challenging trip as always and it was a little disappointing not to reach the summit however I know the decision I made were wise ones. I ended the trip safe and with all my fingers and toes and can climb another day. A full trip report will be posted shortly.
A Tough Choice
We only had two possible summit days left, today and tomorrow (Monday). We really wanted to attempt the summit, especially after being at 17,200 foot camp for a week. After that much time, you think you are going out of your mind from boredom. Try to imagine what life would be like being stuck at high camp. You lay in your bed, eat only dehydrated food, without a shower and have little to do except stare at the ceiling for 16 hours per day for a week. It is a test of your sanity. It is the sacrifice mountain climbers have to make at times for that ever elusive summit. Of course, when you have been in a situation like this for a week, it adds significantly to your desire to reach the summit and go home.
In order to have enough food to summit and get to the bottom of the mountain, today and tomorrow were our only options for a summit. This obviously made us very determined to head to the summit today.
However, we woke up to poor weather conditions. It was nothing but a cold, windy and a white out because of the snow. Regardless, we proceeded to get ready to summit while hoping for the weather to change. It did not change. We even got to the point of roping up. Meanwhile, I had a bad feeling in my gut. It kept getting stronger with each passing moment because of the the weather conditions. Finally, I told my teammates that I was not going to join them for the summit attempt. If they wanted to try for the summit that was ok with me. I was not comfortable with making the attempt in the white out conditions we were faced with. It was very tough to take a stand against the majority but I knew I was being true to my climbing phyolosophy. In addition, I was being true to the promises I made to my family and my wife. Hopfully, the weather is ideal tomorrow so I can reach the summit. For now, I know I made the right choice regardless of whether my partners make it to the top or not.
A Second Chance
With the disappointment of my summit attempt yesterday being abandoned to avoid frostbite and the poor weather forecast, we were almost sure we would be heading down the mountain to go home today. However, to our surprise, the weather forecast did a 180! The days that looked terrible for summiting before now have low winds and reasonable temperatures. With two other team members making it up here yesterday, we are now planning a Sunday summit attempt.
Denali Summit Ridge
Also, congratulations to my climbing partner, Peter! He solo climbed to the summit of Mount McKinley after I had to turn around yesterday.
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.