Denali Climb Summit Day Pictures

Packing up to go down to 14,200. That is right, today we summited. Yea, too bad were all dead or else we might go down further. Seeing it is 12:30 at night and Cortland and Bruce are still on their way down. We see them coming down from Denali Pass. I left a bit before River and returned at 9:30-10ish. River left an hour before me this morning. He was on the summit 1 hour waiting for anyone while just chatting with summiters. Bruce and Cortland left when I did, roped up. At the top, after all my summit pictures I said I am going. River came with and right about then one of the high clouds drooped and made getting down the summit ridge a pain. When we got to the bottom of the summit ridge we ran into Bruce and Cortland. Slow but steady. We gave them some pointers on the knife edge ridge but they had a rope and Phil of RMI had set some anchors. I started down to camp while River was going to make sure Bruce and Cortland made it up and back down the ridge. Going down was quicker but I still had to stop to rest. I had not eaten or drunk enough but I did not care. I figured the lower I got the better. On the summit I had only the slightest headache, not much at all. I was mainly exhausted, especially from the last headwall to gain the ridge. When I first got to the summit the 2 RMI groups led by Phil Ershler and George Dunn were getting ready to go down. Soon it was just River and I. I got some good shots. My print camera was frozen. River did a handstand and other odd stuff. For as miserable as I thought this day would be it was not bad until near the Football Field. I did not even bring a backpack. I put everything my parka. In fact, I was so warm I never zipped up my parka. My feet were toasty, and my hands were sweating from all the handwarmers in my mitts. I will forever be grateful to the Korean who saw me plop down before camp, who came over to give me some honey tea. It was hot and good. My throat hurts from breathing so hard and my lungs.

Summit Day (20,320 feet)