By Curtis Jones in denali — 22 May 2008

Mt. McKinley (2008) - Day 18

Stuck at Camp 4

I slept better last night than I have in a week. That's not to say that I slept well - just better than normal. I woke up at 10am with a powerful need to pee, and since the sun was up, I put on my outer-boots and made my way to the pee hole (as opposed to employing the pee bottle). It was a little chilly outside, but really nice - light wind and snow.

Breakfast was some sort of cornflake and berry cereal and a nutri-grain bar. During breakfat we played this game where each person jots down on a small piece of paper an interesting and unknown-to-the-group fact about himself. I wrote down that I had been the treasurer of my church for a couple of years. It took them a while to identify me. Brian noted that he had had a mohawk at one time - controversial stuff for a Mormon.

Also during breakfast one of the new rangers (Brandon) delivered to us a sack of food he had collected from around camp. Rangers don't usually do that sort of thing. Apparently we're special.

Right after breakfast we started work on an igloo. Dan and I primarily quaried while most of the others did construction. The rings of blocks forming the igloo spiral up, and the entrance is through an arched hallway (designed and constructed by Brian). Wes dug out the inside, such that any of us can stand up inside (and I can't touch the top-center even with my arm out-stretched), with a nice bench to sit on around the inside. Its freaking cold in the igloo, but five of us comfortably ate lunch in there. Several other climbers dropped by to take pictures and one lady even asked if she could tour the inside. Some high-ish winds are expected tonight, so if the igloo survives, it should be good for the remainder of the season. We got some passerby to take a group photo of us in front of the igloo. Brian is working on an "RMI" fixture to put at the entrance. Time for a nap.

I woke up from another wonderful nap when the RMI 3 group pulled into 14k camp. I knew that Joel, one of the guides from my Rainier trip was in RMI 3, so I quickly found him and helped him dig out the kitchen and set up the tent over it. Then I moved on to helping build the walls around their tents. Olivia wanted the largest three tent area I've ever seen. It was a little ridiculous in size. I don't understand how she (Olivia) could have expected to build that wall with just her exhausted, non-acclimated clients. I'm sure we were all happy to help - I know I was - but it sure doesn't seem like it was planned well. Blah. Whatever.

Winds are supposed to pick up late tonight, so we reinforced our south-facing walls. The upper-mountain high winds are supposed to continue on until Sunday. We might not move until Sunday or Monday. But we probably won't need a rest day after moving to 17k camp, so hopefully we can summit the very next day.

Dinner was this clam chowder stuff (which was pretty decent) and fig newtons. But, right before dinner Mike handed out mini-bagels to everyone. It was the best thing I've tasted in a very long time. Seriously delicious.

After dinner I went over to talk to Paul and Jamie. I might have mixed up the names, but Jamie (I think) is working on his Ph.D. in particle physics, and has also heard of the xkcd comic that I like so much. Paul is studying at some school in Montana and has a five month Summer break which allows him to be here. They are both competent rock/ice climbers, and this is the longest trip they've ever done.

Lying in my sleeping bag now. Just like six more hours until it gets dark and much colder.

I over-heard Baron talking to Mike about wanting to return prematurely. Something about work. I guess we have enough time right now to run him down and get back up here before the upper-mountain weather clears up. Maybe if I volunteer my services in that regard, I can get my pringles out of 11k camp. Mmm.

First thing in the morning, everything is covered in snow.

Breakfast in the cook tent. Everyone looks so happy to be out of their sleeping bags. :-/

As soon as boredom became unbearable, construction of the igloo began. The first ring got laid in place quickly.

After getting the first ring angled correctly, we start spiraling up.

A nice breeze and a little bit of snow kept us from over-heating. Yeah, that's a joke.

I was quarrying, and carrying blocks around (on the left).

As the walls start angling inward, the igloo becomes a bit cramped inside. I think that's Mike in the front-left, watching us fumble our way through this construction process.

In lieu of igloo building technique, we just have a lot of people hold the walls up until we can get the top-center piece in place.

At the cost of probably 20,000 calories, boredom this day was thwarted. At least for a few hours.

Now we start refining our creation - with the arched doorway and filling in the gaps in the wall.

Wes is inside, digging out the floor. And I'm walking around with the ice saw (on the right), probably because it makes me look busy.

Wes and his so called "action shot". Meanwhile, Brian took up residence next to the igloo.

Group shot of the eight of us who built the igloo. With this igloo being such a rare creation here, I'm surprised that I still haven't found any mention of it on the Intertubes. One would think that "(mckinley | denali) igloo may 2008" would turn up *something*. But, no.

Another igloo-team group shot.

Wes, looking for love in all the wrong places.

Standing up inside the igloo, from the top (cw): Brian, John, me, Eric and Jerry.

Wes, taking a break on his couch.

Me, in front of the igloo. My feet were toasty warm in my camp booties with the 40-Belows over them.

John, getting his picture taken in front of the igloo.

Brian crafted the "RMI" sign. Meanwhile, some new arrival at Camp 4 decide to set up camp right beside the igloo ... as though we weren't in the *enormous* camp area with an abundance of room.

Mike and Billy (two of our three guides) join us for an igloo-team group shot.

The front entrance to the igloo, with the "RMI" sign proudly displayed.

Another front-entrance igloo shot.

End of the day, and there's Mt. Foraker and a lot of clouds below us.

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