The news is that there is no news. They are still at High Camp waiting out the wind. It's been pretty ferocious up there, and today was deemed the day to either go up, or come down. I'll update this blog again when I know what transpired. That could be later tonight.
Check back in a few hours, or tomorrow for the report.
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Waiting at High Camp
The team is bidding their time at high camp. Fairly strong winds thwarted a summit attempt today but everyone is ready to go for tomorrow. Near future weather models show for a little bit of unsettled weather the next few days but I personally think that forecasters are often times more wrong than right in their Denali weather prognostications.
Friday, May 25, 2007
Moving to High Camp!
I received word from the team yesterday. Actually, I received two messages, but I was traveling to Alaska and missed a day of communication.
The team called on the 23rd to say that everyone is doing well. They made a carry to 16,400 feet on the ridge. Everyone did well and took a rest day on May 24th.
On the 23rd, Jim and Ross wanted to say that they are "having good times" and Miles wanted to give a "shout out to the kids."
Yesterday, Miles wanted to get thr following message out to Kerry and Max: "I'm having a great expedition. My pulse and oxygen saturation levels are high. I have no symptoms of AMS and am going for high camp at 17,200 feet tomorrow. Missing you!"
From Chris to Julie and Jasmine: "We're heading up to high camp tomorrow and will hopefully summit in three days. I'm missing you both and will be home as soon as I can. Give my little girl a big kiss from her daddy."
The plan is to move to high camp today, probably take a rest day tomorrow and them head to the top when the weather allows.
Keep you fingers crossed and think good weather thoughts!
The team called on the 23rd to say that everyone is doing well. They made a carry to 16,400 feet on the ridge. Everyone did well and took a rest day on May 24th.
On the 23rd, Jim and Ross wanted to say that they are "having good times" and Miles wanted to give a "shout out to the kids."
Yesterday, Miles wanted to get thr following message out to Kerry and Max: "I'm having a great expedition. My pulse and oxygen saturation levels are high. I have no symptoms of AMS and am going for high camp at 17,200 feet tomorrow. Missing you!"
From Chris to Julie and Jasmine: "We're heading up to high camp tomorrow and will hopefully summit in three days. I'm missing you both and will be home as soon as I can. Give my little girl a big kiss from her daddy."
The plan is to move to high camp today, probably take a rest day tomorrow and them head to the top when the weather allows.
Keep you fingers crossed and think good weather thoughts!
Sunday, May 20, 2007
The team is at 11,200 feet
I heard this morning that the team was at Camp 2 at 11,200' I think they are going to round Windy Corner today to establish Camp 3 at 14,200 feet.
I should hear from them later today and will post as soon as I know anything else.
I should hear from them later today and will post as soon as I know anything else.
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Official News of Fatal Climbing Fall
We just received an NPS Press Release. Apparently the rumor mill mixed up a couple of things, so I have pasted the release in its entirety:
Two climbers died as a result of a 1,900-foot fall during a descent of Mt.
McKinley on Thursday evening May 17. Mizuki Takahashi, a 36-year-old
woman from Lake Forest Park, Washington was pronounced dead shortly after the fall. Her partner, 27-year-old Brian Massey from North Bend, Washington remained unconscious throughout the night, but succumbed to his injuries Friday morning.
Takahashi and Massey had left the 14,200-foot camp on Tuesday morning for an ascent of the Upper West Rib route of Mt. McKinley. A third team member stayed behind at the 14,200-foot camp. At 6:30 p.m. Thursday evening, a mountaineering ranger patrol staged at the mountain’s 17,200-foot High Camp witnessed the fall, which began from an elevation just below 19,000-feet near the Messner Couloir. The roped pair fell to a point just below High Camp.
A hasty team comprised of the ranger patrol and two climbing guides traversed to the team, and confirmed that Takahashi was deceased. The rescue team performed an initial assessment of Massey, who was immediately carried back to the ranger tent for emergency medical treatment for severe injuries. Massey never regained consciousness, and he died Friday morning at 8:30 a.m.
Cloud cover and darkness prevented a medical evacuation overnight. The remains of the two climbers will be flown down to Talkeetna when flying conditions permit.
Two climbers died as a result of a 1,900-foot fall during a descent of Mt.
McKinley on Thursday evening May 17. Mizuki Takahashi, a 36-year-old
woman from Lake Forest Park, Washington was pronounced dead shortly after the fall. Her partner, 27-year-old Brian Massey from North Bend, Washington remained unconscious throughout the night, but succumbed to his injuries Friday morning.
Takahashi and Massey had left the 14,200-foot camp on Tuesday morning for an ascent of the Upper West Rib route of Mt. McKinley. A third team member stayed behind at the 14,200-foot camp. At 6:30 p.m. Thursday evening, a mountaineering ranger patrol staged at the mountain’s 17,200-foot High Camp witnessed the fall, which began from an elevation just below 19,000-feet near the Messner Couloir. The roped pair fell to a point just below High Camp.
A hasty team comprised of the ranger patrol and two climbing guides traversed to the team, and confirmed that Takahashi was deceased. The rescue team performed an initial assessment of Massey, who was immediately carried back to the ranger tent for emergency medical treatment for severe injuries. Massey never regained consciousness, and he died Friday morning at 8:30 a.m.
Cloud cover and darkness prevented a medical evacuation overnight. The remains of the two climbers will be flown down to Talkeetna when flying conditions permit.
Friday, May 18, 2007
Mountain Trip Team Helps With Rescue
I just received some tragic news from another team at Camp 3. Apparently a Czech team was attempting to cross the top of the Messner Coulouir at above 18,000 feet when a small slab avalanche killed one of their members.
Heidi and Rob Durnell, our two most experienced guides an expedition hunkered down at High Camp, assisted with the rescue of the remaining climbers.
Rest assured that no one from this team was in any way involved with the accident.
I have not heard from The May 13th team yet, but have heard second hand news, that they will be climbing into cell phone range tomorrow.
As soon as I hear anything definitive, I will post another update.
Heidi and Rob Durnell, our two most experienced guides an expedition hunkered down at High Camp, assisted with the rescue of the remaining climbers.
Rest assured that no one from this team was in any way involved with the accident.
I have not heard from The May 13th team yet, but have heard second hand news, that they will be climbing into cell phone range tomorrow.
As soon as I hear anything definitive, I will post another update.
Thursday, May 17, 2007
The Team is on the move!
The team flew to the Kahiltna Glacier on Monday and have been making their way up the broad glacier.
They spent one night at Base Camp (7,200') before packing up camp and moving up glacier to Camp 1. The ironic thing is that moving up initially means moving DOWN, as the Southeast Fork drops about 600' before it joins the Kahiltna Glacier. This hill is called "Heartbreak Hill"for its seemingly never-ending incline on the return trip back up it.
Conditions on the Kahiltna Glacier are improving, but it is still not giving up easy passage these days, as sparse new snow has made for some fairly thin snow bridges that cover some deep crevasses. We've heard reports of a few folks poking thorough, into crevasses, however I think our folks made it through unscathed.
Camp 1 is located at about 7,800 feet, at the junction with the Northeast Fork of the Kahiltna. It is a broad, spacious camping area at the base of a large hill, affectionately called "Ski Hill". On clear days (like they are having today) you can look up at the summit, looming 12,500 feet above the Valley of Death (the Northeast Fork of the Kahiltna). Don't worry- the team isn't heading up that way!
They spent one night at Base Camp (7,200') before packing up camp and moving up glacier to Camp 1. The ironic thing is that moving up initially means moving DOWN, as the Southeast Fork drops about 600' before it joins the Kahiltna Glacier. This hill is called "Heartbreak Hill"for its seemingly never-ending incline on the return trip back up it.
Conditions on the Kahiltna Glacier are improving, but it is still not giving up easy passage these days, as sparse new snow has made for some fairly thin snow bridges that cover some deep crevasses. We've heard reports of a few folks poking thorough, into crevasses, however I think our folks made it through unscathed.
Camp 1 is located at about 7,800 feet, at the junction with the Northeast Fork of the Kahiltna. It is a broad, spacious camping area at the base of a large hill, affectionately called "Ski Hill". On clear days (like they are having today) you can look up at the summit, looming 12,500 feet above the Valley of Death (the Northeast Fork of the Kahiltna). Don't worry- the team isn't heading up that way!
Saturday, May 12, 2007
Welcome to our May 13th Denali Expedition
When the trees begin to bud in the lower 48, a certain breed of climber begins to feel the tug to head north. The siren song of Alaska rings down and makes some of us long for a surreal landscape in which we feel very, very small.
The Alaska Range is a magical place and the crown jewel of the north is Denali. At 20,320 feet high, Denali is the highest mountain on the North American continent and is a beacon for climbers who wish to test their strength and perseverance by attempting to ascend "The Great One".
Mountain Trip began helping climbers achieve their Denali ambitions in 1976. We love what we do. We take great pride in believing that we do the best job of guiding Denali and we work very hard to continually earn the trust that our climbers place in us.
Welcome to the dispatch page for our May 13th West Buttress Expedition.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
