Denali 2005: Alpine Ascents Denali 2005: Return from the Summit

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

Team Boken Annainin Back at 17 Camp July 5, 2005    
This is team Todd Passey calling in from Team Bouken Annainin. We're at 17,000 foot camp this morning. We're finishing breakfast and packing up to head on down the mountain...inaudible

Team Dancing Snow Pumpkins Take a Rest Day July 5, 2005    
Hey Everybody, this is Alpine Ascents team 13 Dancing Snow Pumpkins. Giving you a call from 14,000 foot camp. Today was a pretty nice rest day, we didn't wake up until the sun hit our tent. We ate blueberry pancakes until we turned blue n the face. Team is doing well, we are well rested and ready to move up to high camp tomorrow. Hopefully the weather cooperates for the next couple of days and we can move into position for our summit bid. We'll give you a call tomorrow after about an 8 hour push to high camp. where we will give you a call and let you know how it went. Until then this is Dancing Snow pumpkins and Eric Larson signing off.

Team Walking Heads Return from Summit July 5, 2005    
Andy Rich calling form high camp on Denali, we made it down. We made it back down from the summit and everyone is happy and healthy and we crawled back in our tents and we're ready to get some sleep. We have some food and water going and we're all pretty darn tired. laugh, laugh, laugh. We are happy to get our down suits of armor off, which we wore a good portion of the day as it was pretty chilly up there. We had a spectacular descent off the summit ridge, beautiful views. Beautiful views of Hunter, Foreaker and Huntington, Just prefect. Quite, quite nice. Additionally Todd and Winslow's team made it down as well and seem to be doing well. So everything looking good here, we are hoping the weather holds up to make a speedy descent tomorrow. We'll drop a line in the next day or two as to our progress down the mountain. That's it now form team walking heads, we are now walking down the mountain. OK over and out.

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.

Millet One Sport Everest Boot  has made some minor changes by adding more Kevlar. USES Expeditions / High altitude / Mountaineering in extremely cold conditions / Isothermal to -75°F Gore-Tex® Top dry / Evazote Reinforcements with aramid threads. Avg. Weight: 5 lbs 13 oz Sizes: 5 - 14 DESCRIPTION Boot with semi-rigid shell and built-in Gore-Tex® gaiter reinforced by aramid threads, and removable inner slipper Automatic crampon attachment Non-compressive fastening Double zip, so easier to put on Microcellular midsole to increase insulation Removable inner slipper in aluminized alveolate Fiberglass and carbon footbed Cordura + Evazote upper Elasticated collar. Expedition footwear for mountaineering in conditions of extreme cold.  NOTE US SIZES LISTED. See more here.

A cold weather, high altitude double boot for extreme conditions The Olympus Mons is the perfect choice for 8000-meter peaks. This super lightweight double boot has a PE thermal insulating inner boot that is coupled with a thermo-reflective outer boot with an integrated gaiter. We used a super insulating lightweight PE outsole to keep the weight down and the TPU midsole is excellent for crampon compatibility and stability on steep terrain. WEIGHT: 39.86 oz • 1130 g LAST: Olympus Mons CONSTRUCTION: Inner: Slip lasted Outer: Board Lasted OUTER BOOT: Cordura® upper lined with dual-density PE micro-cellular thermal insulating closed cell foam and thermo-reflective aluminium facing/ Insulated removable footbed/ Vibram® rubber rand See more here.

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