Denali 2005: Alpine Ascents Denali 2005: Denali Sango-Oichan 7  and more

Denali (20,320ft/6,195m) Alaska

Denali Sango-Oichan 7 well established at 14,000 foot Camp: May 16, 2005: Hello this is Andy Rich, giving you an update on Denali Sango Oichan-7. It’s been a while since we’ve been in touch, we’ve either been out of cell range or had our hands full for the past few days, but here’s a re-cap for you, I think the last we were in touch was Tuesday the 10th where we were camped at 1,000 foot camp and went to retrieve gear from our cache at 10,000 feet. Since then, on Wednesday May 11, Yukiko, Shirota and myself hiked Yasu out to the airstrip and got him on an airplane to fly out. So we spent the day there, not exactly a rest day for the three of us, but the rest of team got a rest day. Thursday the 12th we all carried a load of gear and food up to 12,500 feet just below Windy Corner, a very blustery day and we were not able to get around Windy Corner so we cached our gear below, and we made it back to camp that evening. We were quite tired that day so we took a rest day on Friday the 13th, despite the fact that it seemed like a good idea to play it safe and take a rest day on Friday the 13th. So we rested at our camp at 11,000 feet. We found a crevasse near camp that day that we lowered a couple of people into and they jugged out of and checked out the cool ice formations in there, that was a great way to spend a rest day.

Saturday the 14th, we moved our camp from 11,000 to 14,200 foot camp. We made our way around Windy Corner and it wasn’t windy at all, it was very calm with a light breeze tickling our faces, but by the time we reached 14,200 foot camp, the wind had kicked in in earnest and it was really blowing up here, so we spent the better part of the evening and well into the night building wind walls and got our selves a really nice camp built after quite a bit of work. Again we slept in the next morning, Sunday the 15th and got a late start for a back carry. We went down to the 12,500 foot cache and picked up our food and gear and fuel there, and made it back up in the evening and then finished building our camp, specifically digging in our kitchen and shelter. Now we are really well established.

And that brings us to today, Monday the 16th at the 14,200 foot camp. We slept in and woke up to clear blue skies, sunny day, it appears that there are some winds up high on the summit ridge, but we’re taking a rest day today, we’re not going anywhere near there today, we’re playing it safe having a good time, we everyone is moving along well. We’re looking for a window to carry a load up to 16,000 feet and after a couple of more days here of acclimatization, we’ll move up to the 17,000 foot camp and go from there. But we’ve got cell phone reception here at this camp so I should be giving more frequent updates from now on. Sayonara.

Mystic Elvises reach 14,000 foot camp: May 16, 2005: Hello cyberworld, this is Trevor with the Mystic Elvises, reporting that all is well at 14,000 feet. To catch you up on the past couple of days: Dave decided to leave at 11,000 feet, he is healthy and well and should have already flown out or should be flying today. The rest of us had an extremely long day, 17 hours, making the move from 11,000 to 14,000 feet. We did the move with calm but very snowy conditions. Clearly everyone was exhausted after 17 hours of carrying heavy packs and making blocks and walls for camp. This morning, though we awoke to beautiful skies, the summit of Denali and Foraker and Hunter. Everyone is in good spirits, acclimatizing well and we’ll call you in a couple of days, Mystic Elvises out.

Team 3 Chooses a name: May 14, 2005: Hello cyberworld, this is Eric Murphy reporting in for Team #3 on Denali. Folks we have come up with a team name. We are now Team Cheeseburgers in Paradise. Hamburgesos de Quesos en Paradiso. From here on out look for our cybercasts to be referred to as Team Cheeseburgers in Paradise, thanks for following along. Since we spoke to you last in the airport in Talkeetna, we had a successful flight into the Alaska Range on a very sunny beach-like day at Base Camp on the SE Fork of the Kahiltna Glacier, and we have since moved to 7,800, Camp I. Today we have carried up to Camp II. So we're just burying our cache and we’re looking forward to heading back down to Camp I, at the base of Ski Hill and having a nice big, Mexican dinner. Lots of hugs and love out to friends and family following the cybercasts and we will get another report out to you as soon as we have cell service again. With any luck tomorrow we will be moving up to 11,000 and the following day, taking a rest day partially, with a back carry to where we are caching now. Thanks again, ciao

Updates

Overview: There are certain mountains that need no explanation as to why climb. Denali is such a mountain. Its tremendous size and beauty generate a magnetism that continually draws climbers from around the world. An ascent of Denali, touches the psyche of all alpinists and for those who have undertaken its challenges, it rewards them with an unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Denali is often considered America's most classic climb. From top to bottom, it rises nearly 18,000', an elevation gain unsurpassed anywhere in the world. At a northern latitude of 63°, it is the most northerly of any big mountain over 20,000'. No other region offers such breathtaking and diverse views each day of the ascent. The panorama from Denali's summit includes Mt. Foraker, Mt. Hunter and Mt. Huntington in all their majestic glory.

When Dr. Bradford Washburn pioneered the West Buttress route, he heralded in a new era of Denali ascents and offered climbers a unique approach to the summit. The flight onto the glacier is a trip in itself, presenting overwhelming vistas of the Alaska Range. The West Buttress route remains, by far, the most successfully climbed route on the mountain.

Climb Overview: A Denali climb begins deep in the heart of the Alaska Mountain Range on the Kahiltna Glacier. From the S.E. Fork of the Kahiltna Glacier we begin the climb of Denali's West Buttress. Base Camp plus five higher camps are established on the mountain. When necessary, the team makes double carries between all camps, except high camp, to ensure proper acclimatization and reduce loads. In each camp we build snow walls for protection from possible high winds. The climb takes approximately 17-18 days round trip from Base camp.

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