Denali 2005: Alpine Ascents Denali 2005: Final Dispatch

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

Denali 2005 Final Dispatch July 11, 2005: Hey everybody it’s Eric Larson and the Dancing Snow Pumpkins expedition, we’re giving you a call from Talkeetna. We arrived yesterday afternoon by airplane, delivering us from the cold glacier to the warm, warm climate of Talkeetna. We wrapped up our expedition last night with an incredible dinner at the lodge and finished up some last minute paperwork and some expedition clean up. The crew did really well, we marched down from high camp all the way down the glacier through the night and got to the airstrip in the morning. They did really well, they are definitely tuckered out and excited to be finished with an incredible peak. Just wanted to say thanks to everybody out there for their support and maybe we’ll get to climb again some time. This is the Dancing Snow Pumpkins, and maybe we’ll see you next time, Eric 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.

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