Mt. McKinley (2011) - Day 03

Ranger orientation; Talkeetna to base camp to camp 1

06:45 - The day started with entirely unnecessary showers followed by a delicious breakfast at the Roadhouse.

08:00 - We trekked on over to the ranger station and got the orientation lecture about not pooping everywhere. There were other aspects to the instruction, I'm told. I don't recall the details.

09:45 - Dave, the pilot, picked us up (in a pickup truck - I rode in the back), and whisked us on over to the airport. We changed clothes, finished some packing, paid our tab and flew off to base camp along with a German duo in the Beaver.

11:00 - The winds at base camp picked up while we were en route and we nearly turned around, but they suddenly died down and Dave made a perfect landing.

11:45 - It took us an hour or two to rig up the sleds, gear up and rope up. The conditions were okay (but not great). The wind really picked up as soon as we started up the Kahiltna and it never stopped. It was mostly a head wind, and a bitterly cold one at that. Wes actually dawned his balaclava.

18:00 - At Camp 1, we found an abandoned kitchen area and pillaged it's walls for our tent wall. Wes courageously determined to cook, even though the temperatures kept dropping and the wind kept increasing. Mashed potatoes, cheese, broccoli, bacon bits. Half a gallon of it. We didn't finish it. We're pathetic.

Along the way to Camp 1 we passed an American Alpine Institute guided group. They stopped to take a break ... without even stepping six inches off the trail. Hopefully this isn't a sign of things to come.

21:00 - My hand is going numb, so I think I'll stop now. I'm trying not to think about my need to pee. I don't want to go outside. That one liter pee bottle is looking very small right now. Wes brought a 96 ounce nalgene pee bottle. It seemed excessive once, but I see the wisdom of it now.