Denali Climb to Camp IV Pictures

Today was a real day. Got up at 8:30 a.m. and ate breakfast. Still going without any oatmeal. I gave some of it to Bruce. The sky was clear except a bad cloud over the summit. We started with several other groups. Going up Motorcycle Hill, I talked to a guy behind me from New Hampshire. He attempted the mountain 2 years ago making it to the Football Field before turning back because his climbing partner had cramps in his legs. At the top of the hill we shot some pictures. We were way above the clouds. Then everyone was bottlenecked climbing a certain spot.

It got worse when Bruce (in the lead) would not pass the slow group in front of us. Then all the others started passing us. It was a real mess. Finally we yelled to Bruce to pass and he did. We started passing everyone. Soon we passed our cash and got up to Windy Corner. It was windy, but not too bad. Beyond there, was a bunch of winding around crevasses. Then we ran into the Koreans camping about 700 feet below the 14,200 camp. Cortland called it yesterday when they left the 11,000 camp. He said they would only make 13,500. I believe they have set up camp twice as many times as us. Just before the 14,200 camp it started getting windy, very windy. At the 14,200 Advanced Base Camp or High Camp, it was rippin wind and snow blow. You could look and see blue sky for hundreds of miles but from 14,000 feet up was a Denali only storm. We dug a hole, placed our cache, and got out of there. Yesterday 30 people left to go up to 17,200 camp. They may have a shot on Sunday in 2 days. The winds and weather should be good. The people at 14 said it was a bad day and most were not this bad. We dropped down 700 feet to the good weather and ate lunch. After lunch we continued down through Windy Corner. We hiked some of it with our friend from Czech who was solo climbing and just going up there to see what it was like. Back at the 11,000 camp it was very hot. Also the view from Windy Corner was amazing. You can see down the Kahiltna, to the trail in the snow from climbers. The best was looking across mountains in the Alaska Range as far as the eye can see. The weather report called for good weather (10 degrees) tomorrow except 40 mph winds at 14,200. The day after clear, warmer (15 degrees) and only 20 mph. winds. Now its 9:39 p.m. in the tent, sun barely warming and jokes going between the tents.

Now we pay the price for 2 days ago. We would be acclimating at 14,200 but since these guys did not move 2 days ago we are stuck here because of high winds. Its pure blue out but a huge lenticular cloud has been at 14 and up. The winds are worse we heard at 14 than yesterday. I got up around 10 a.m. to build a snow wall next to the tent. It was quite windy. Now it is very calm with the occasional big 20 second gusts. After the snow wall I started digging a second entrance to the snow cave. I made it huge and now we sealed the original entrance and no wind gets in. It could seat over a dozen people. After that I chatted a bit with different people. Now I am in a very hot tent drying everything, melting water, making a cool aid slushy. We do not have much food here, it is all at 12,500 and 14,200. At least I did not cash my walkman and book, journal, map and chess set.

Well now its night, not much happened in the past several hours. Everyone got up for dinner. Phil, our friend from Czech joined us. He only has some Gore-Tex boots that are more like shoes. He only is eating Top Ramen and beans. Speaking of that, we got about a half can of fuel and some food from the German who has been on the mountain since April 6. When he gave it to us (because he is sick) we gave him some halls cough drops. The weather report was for clear skies the next 2 days with 25 mph winds tomorrow and 15 mph the next day. Tomorrow at 14,000 it will be high 10 degree, lows 0 degees, about normal for there. Hopefully when I write again it will be from 14,200.

To the 14,200 Foot Camp IV