mass exodus

Photo of a little back log at the fixed lines.

I think 14K is about to become a ghost town! Mike Janes just called in and his crew is planning on heading up to 17K as well tomorrow, wx permitting. Sounds like Mike, Greg, Leighan, Greg, and Lhawang will all be moving up along with all their new best friends that they have been hanging with at 14K for the last several days.

I doubt that there are too many people in high camp right now. There are going to be a bunch of groups hoping to be able to move into already built walls up there. The move from 14 to 17 takes up to 10 hours. It is a very hard day and the first part of the move can be very cold. The sun hits 17K camp way before it hits 14. So everyone ends up eating and packing up and climbing the first hill out of camp in the shade. From here on up most everyone will be wearing their overboots and crampons.

A crew heading up and around Washburn's thumb on the 16 ridge.

I'll tell you right now, that judging by the amount of walls that I saw in the photos of high camp, I'd say quite a few folks are going to have to start from scratch. That's another 3-4 hours of work to tag on at the end of a long hard day. Denali is a blue collar mountain. It is hard work and there is a lot of tough jobs that need to be taken care of by all of the team members.

Brian, Todd, Alex, Ken and Carlos rolled in to 14K a few hours ago. They said it is cold! I asked how cold and Brian said "you know, the usual". They are hanging out in the shade for sure right now. It can be quite pleasant one minute and as soon as the sun goes behind the 16 ridge it gets COLD fast.

11K with the top of the Kahiltna Dome in the background.

Tork will be singling (Denali speak for single carrying) to 11K tomorrow.

That's all folks. Other than we have 3 more Denali Expeditions packing here in town and another 2 starting tomorrow along with another Mt. Huntington climb. There is about 15 guides kicking around here tonight.

Here's a picture of one of Pat and Elliot's sweet camps from their send of the Cassin.

rfg