Denali Climb at Camp II Pictures

Sunday I think? Today was the best day thus far. To make up for yesterday, we did a double carry. It was pure blue sky all day. Awoke to a temperature of 8 degrees. Who knows how cold it was during the night. We took the first load up ski hill passing everyone. Only 3 or so hours we went from the 7,600 camp to the 9,700 camp. We put our cash on a fortress some group built. Then we dropped down to do the second load. We ate dinner at mid day before taking down camp. After another good meal we headed up. I left my sled bag at 9,700 so I had to load my pack heavy. We trudged back up ski hill in less than 3 hours. We did not stop the last half hour in order to hear the 8 oclock weather broadcast from Basecamp. The forecast was bad, calling for a storm the next 2 days. We could see the storm coming in so we all doubt we will be doing much tomorrow. We are once again camped next to the Koreans. We know they are going to get hurt some how, it is just a matter of when. Some Brazilians came down today who had summited. They must have been the 2 summiters along with the 1 Russian making a total of only 3 summits so far this season. Today we also met an Italian, British and group from England. One group was going down from only 11,000 feet because of the cold. After hearing the 8 oclock radio broadcast, some guy near Anchorage was on channel 19 asking who he was picking up on the airwave. So the climber talking replies, You are talking to some climbers at 17,000 feet on Denali!

Well its 2:10 in the afternoon, been here all day because of a snow storm. There has not been much wind but visibility dropped. I wanted to do a carry this morning but nobody else did. I only think it will take about 2 hours to the next camp at 11,000 feet. One thing is for sure, I know what kind of team I will form if I come back next year. But, our team will most likely make it because we have so much fuel, food, and patience. Right now Cortland is outside digging out tents and starting the stoves.

Well now it is almost 10 p.m. River cooked a meal called Alaskan Glop tonight. It was great stuff. Now I am in my tent again eating nuts. I am eating everything heavy. The weather improved some this evening. Mt. Hunter came out and I watched this during a nice bathroom visit into our waste basket. The 8 p.m. base camp weather announcement called for more of the same but better up high. Only partly cloudy at 14,000 while mostly cloudy at Kahiltna Base at 7,200. Were going to make a carry tomorrow. If it is really nice, we will also move camp up.

9,700 Foot Camp II