11K

Okonek Photo of a little wind storm.

One of Postle's team members called out on his Sat phone today. They are still at 11K camp. They have retrieved their cache from the 10,000 foot basin. Sometimes the weather can get really bad down in that basin. a lot of the weather gets funneled in over Kahiltna Pass. It sounds like they are anticipating getting stormed on. Maybe they'll be getting the "Denali experience" that everyone hears about. 11K is more sheltered that many of the other camps, so it generally doesn't get as windy there, but it is notorious for getting puked on. 14K might get 2 feet from a storm and 11K could get 5 feet from the same storm. That video I posted a few posts ago is actually from one of Postle's trips last season. And that mad man that screams at the end of it is none other than "Post Hole" himself. He's one funny dude. I'm sure everyone is staying plenty entertained.

If you don't weather out at least one storm you don't truly get to experience Denali. By now all of the climbers on this trip are super dialed in and can easily deal with a full on Alaskan storm. It could be really windy for a few days. They are going to need some decent weather in order to make it around windy corner. They may be able to make a cache in this type of weather, but a move is much more difficult. When they are just carrying, they are returning to tents already set up, water already melted in the pots and a nice bomb proof camp. When they move they have to do all this when they get into camp and the move from 11K to 14K is a long hard day.

I'm pretty sure they have not made that carry around the corner yet. So they are still eating FAT meals. And contrary to what one would think, Mark can actually cook quite well. I'll keep you all up to date.

I heard from Denali base camp that it was starting to gust up to 25 mph at 7,200'.

rfg