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OK guys and gals or whatever you want to call yourself, here is a new breakroom. Whatever you call yourself, here at DTR there are only two washrooms, male and female with nothing in between. If you are unsure what you are, it is very simple, look inside your pants! Broke down and decided to start a new break room, even tho there are very few visitors. C'mon you lurkers, come in a and participate! Coffee and ph00 are hot, fresh and ready to be enjoyed. Come in, put your feet up and have a cuppa - or two. Talk to the dragon. Mods, now you can lock the old breakrooms.
A good friend of mine that lives just as few miles from me is the grandmother of Lucy Westlake and every day we have been following her latest exploit which is to be the youngest person to climb Mount Denali. Do a search under her name and you will find lots of interesting stuff. I know Lucy and her family and she is quite a gal! A wonderful Christian too. She is also the youngest person (13 years old) to climb all 50 peaks plus Kilimanjaro. Here is the blog from last night:
FOLLOW UP TO THE RESCUE ATTEMPT...
Now that we are safely down to basecamp, it is time to tell you that our team was directly involved with the attempted rescue that took place from 1:00-6:00am on Friday. All 3 of our guides joined an 8 person rescue effort which included NPS rangers and AMS guides. Our team was up most of the night knowing that the conditions out there were horrendously dangerous. Attempting the rescue exposed all rescuers to sudden cold injury, the reason we as a team could not attempt the summit.
This is a tragic story... one that I share in hopes of you understanding the world of mountaineering on the deepest level.
Our lead guide, Wes, one of the most experienced mountaineering guides in the world played a lead role in coordinating the rescue effort and attempting to haul the victim to safety.
We met the Nepalese party of three along the ridge at Washburn's Thumb at around 16,500'. They were moving steadily, but one member had an awful hacking cough, the early signs of High Altitude Pulmonary Edema.
When the rescue team arrived on the scene, the dying man was abandoned. His two climbing partners were no where to be found throughout the attempted rescue. Perhaps they fled in order to avoided loss of limb or their own lives... no one knows still to this hour. There location has not been determined yet.
When the team of 8 reached the victim, he had no gloves or mittens, and both of his hands were frozen solid and white, bound for amputation. He swung in and out of consciousness while the team scrambled to set up rope protection and a haul system to get him down a steep section of the mountain. They described how he began wild writhing and convulsions as they struggled to roll, slide and maneuver his body along the narrow boot pack trail. With a deadly steep sloping snowfield below them, they described that while en route they couldn't even see the boot prints from the person in front of them because the blown snow was so intense. They were slowed throughout by needing to take shifts and rewarm their own hands to prevent frostbite. From the -20 degree temperatures and winds gusting at 45mph, the victim worsened with convulsions and high altitude pulmonary and cerebral edema (fluid accumulation in the lungs and brain) symptoms. He took his last breath less than a quarter mile from our camp at 17k.
When we left high camp, the NPS was trying to coordinate a helicopter for retrieval of his body as soon as weather would allow.
Thanks for setting up the break room and a good story to read Stan. That sounds pretty scary, I don't think I will get into mountain climbing
It is the start of my daughter's summer vacation today. We will be doing a little more work to our Ramcharger 12V project tonight to get it ready for our big trip to the Carlisle car show.
Summer feels like it has arrived along with the skeeters and other bugs.
I left some fresh apple fritters on the counter and made myself a black tea.
I hope Scotty and Lary are felling better this week.
Thanks for setting up the breakroom and the ph00, Stan. Interesting and sad story - - I have a shot of that high camp I will attempt to insert here.
Mt. Denali (McKinley) high camp at 17,000 feet. the little black spots on the flat area are the porta-potties. Have no idea how they change them out. LOL Careful observation of the steep slope right behind this flat area will show the trail taken for the last 3000' climb to the summit.
Our plane took us over the top of the peak. Winds against the sides of this mountain often peak well over 100mph and below -100 degrees. The number of deaths of climbers failing in their attempt to climb this formidable peak is very long. The peak is at 20,320' and growing yearly.
Busy with recovering from the weekend. Daughter is doing some better and more of the test results are now in. New meds prescribed that hopefully will not give such severe reactions.
Ironically, we are getting ready to go over to the friends house that were with us in that plane when I took the above shot in Alaska - - going over for supper and play some Hand and Foot with them.
Came back looking for an apple fritter. How stupid of me! Should have know that they would not last for more than about 9 minutes.
Can't imagine sitting in a Porta Potty with the temps at minus anything. Talk about a quick job!!!! Bet that the seats are not heated.
Every day since this young lady and her father started on this trek I have been receiving updates on their progress. It has been very interesting reading about their struggles. As part of the agreement for the guides taking a 13 year old girl on this summit attempt she had to be fit enough and agree to carry the same load as everybody else. She did very well and has impressed the entire group. She is fit because she completes and sometimes wins triathlons in different parts of the country. For some reason cannot get into my email all afternoon or else I would post one or two more days.
Finally got my email to cooperate - sort of. It's working, but limping.
Just in case anybody is interested, here are a few more copies of emails received. Not going to add the photos as they take too much space and time. All the photos show lots of snow. This climb is rough on a fit guy. Can you imagine what it is like for a 13 year old girl?
DAY 13 MOUNTAIN UPDATE
After five days of waiting out a storm at 14,200’, the team left camp today at 6:00am to carry and cache up the fixed lines on the headwall to 16,300’. At 3:00pm yesterday the skies opened to reveal that the new low pressure system the NPS predicted was not coming their way.
The lead guide, Wes, rallied the team for a meeting to let them know, “Pack your bags. We’ll wake up at 5:00am tomorrow and leave camp at 6 for a carry to 16,300’. We can’t leave any earlier… it’s just too cold.”
Hannah immediately sent a message to the ground team to let us know the great news. “Despite our best efforts to stay optimistic, it was really hard to hear on Saturday night that we may not get a window of weather to summit. We are all thrilled right now to think that we may get the chance for the top after all.” Lucy’s mom, Amy, cried when she read this text, but quickly stated, “I can’t get my hopes up. I know how quickly weather changes on a mountain and they still need 3 days of good weather to summit… but this definitely lifts my spirits.”
DAY 14 MOUNTAIN UPDATE
The team successfully carried and cached to 16,300’ yesterday, but, unfortunately, the conditions were reported as “awful.” When the team woke up at 5:00am the skies were relatively clear, so they proceeded as planned and got a good start up the headwall on the fixed lines… a 2,300’ extremely steep climb. Clouds rolled in and the wind picked up steadily throughout the day. The teams at 14k that were hoping to make it to Camp 4 at 17k had to turn around due to the severe weather. What hoped to be a 7 hour day turned into a 10 hour day due to the poor weather and snow conditions. It was a VERY TOUGH day!
As of last night at dinner, the team was not sure what today would bring and no reports have come off the mountain this morning. The goal is to make it to the 17k camp as soon as the weather allows. The only way to know the weather is open your tent in the morning and look out. The tough part is that it takes two hours to break down camp, pack up, and begin the climb. So before you break down camp, you want to be confident you are moving. I received an email this morning from a friend who has climbed and summited Denali… “There are incredible ups and downs, highs and lows, darkness and light… no real control. This is what it is to be a mountaineer.”
The photos are of the headwall they climbed up and down today. One photo was taken from the headwall looking back down on camp before the clouds rolled in. 250 climbers are waiting for favorable weather at the 14k camp for the opportunity to move up.
DAY 16 MOUNTAIN UPDATE
At 10:45pm CST last night, we received this text from Zak… “Hi from high camp! It took 10 hours of total bust *** to get here and Lucy was amazing. Other than sore and tired, we are doing great with altitude. So much to say! Epic day. We woke at 4:00am with a temperature of zero. We arrived at high camp at 6:00pm.
We almost turned around in the first hour. High winds, cold feet, and sloppy on some details. Lots going on here at camp. The other AMS team that started their climb on the same day as us has several guys trying for their 2nd, 3rd or 4th time to reach the summit... One of them has 8 frostbitten fingers. Our guide team is now involved. Lucy had trouble warming her feet this morning. We danced, I gave her my puffy and she was ready to go. She rocked carrying a heavier load today. We all did. We are wiped.
No plan for tomorrow yet. Gathering info. Cold injury is a concern. Hannah overheard weather to be -20 with 35mph winds here tonight. Also heard about a man falling into the bergschrund, more frostbite, and snowblindness. But we are all warm and healthy, and ready for what lies ahead.
TODAY at 11:35am CST… “We woke to frosty tents this morning. Winds blowing in gusts. No word on summit bid yet. Diamox, a high altitude medication, has helped all of us. Lucy showed so much strength an endurance yesterday. She got her pack onto her back without help and carried it up Washburn’s Thumb and Fantasy Ridge without complaint and on pace.
We were advised to stay warm in our tents until further notice. The other team is dealing with a frostbit evacuation right now. Winds are the issue. We have hope.
Stayed tuned as we will have more updates throughout the day…
Mountain Update 6/16/17 at 3:05am AST (6:05am CST)
Text from the mountain... "Emergent update. Since midnight winds have strengthened and sustained. At 2:05am we heard a voice shouting "WE GOT A PROBLEM" to our guide's tent. I heard our lead guide Wes' voice say, "come on in." We couldn't hear much over wind. 15 minutes later Wes was outside our tents telling us they're joining a rescue on the autobahn, a difficult upper section of the mountain. 8 guides and NPS rangers went out on the rescue. I filmed them walking roped up into a whiteout. Visibility is about 200 ft. We are safe, but concerned.
Can't overstate the cold. My fingers are burning within 90 seconds when holding the camera with gloves on. Big drifts of snow are burying our tents. Wes' last words as they headed out, "just pray for us."
6:00am
The guides returned safely.
8:30am
Wes just came over to ask us to bear with them as they get water boiling and that all the guides are exhausted. The wind has died down, but poor visibility. Between what our guides just went through overnight, the low visibility, and the extreme cold, summit attempt is low.
9:00am
Early signs are we can't go up or down today. The NPS reports that the fixed lines below us are too loaded with snow and pose a serious avalanche hazard. Gathering together for breakfast to discuss the plans for the day... more to come soon.
All this talk about freezing to death, which ultimately is supposed to be painless once the nerves die that feed to the brain, when the SW is sweltering in 120*F + heat..
Ironc, eh ?
Well, I've had the urge for Apple fritters today, but I just couldn't find any either..
Oh well..
On a bright note, that 50 year old Ford that you may own just may be killing the residents of Northern NJ....
Wow, can't believe it is Tuesday all ready - - this week is flying by. Slow down merry-go-round, I want to get off and rest here a while - - very purdy here.
Fresh coffee and ph00 are made and awaiting your arrival. I brought an assortment of "horrible for you" pastries that taste fantastic. Enjoy.
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Off and running. Heading out on the bike and check out the alligators in the lake about 2 miles from here. Someone said the place is loaded and they seem frisky - - might be interesting. LOL
Fresh Coffee and Phoo and Steaks marinating in the fridge for supper. The grill is clean feel free to use it when you are ready Fresh corn on the cob in the cooler.
For those who prefer a barley pop with supper, the fridge in my office has cold beer in it.
06-19-2017, 05:19 AM
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Fresh corn on the cob in the cooler.