Mt. McKinley (2011) - Day 01

Day 1: Atlanta to Anchorage, nearly leaving the two-way radio forgotten on the floor, a free first class upgrade, then an exit-row seat next to a coughing seatmate right before an expedition. We're doing the West Buttress a third time. We're basically veterans.

FindMeSpot Locator Alert!

Spot ping from home in Alpharetta: last test run, all packed, ready to go.

Nearly Ready

Twenty-eight pounds of food ready, with fresh-food breakfasts and dinners worth the extra weight for happier climbers. The plan is the West Buttress of Denali, though I still hope to talk Wes into Sultana Ridge on Foraker.

Mt. McKinley (2011) - Day 00

An account of my May 2011 trip to Denali, self-guided this time with just Wes and a journal kept on my iPad. First lesson carried over from 2008: get a haircut, because if your hair is going to be gross for a month, have as little of it as possible. Now to pack everything.

FindMeSpot Locator Alert!

Spot ping near Blood Mountain, Georgia: I'm dry, which is nice. Wish I had Goldfish.

FindMeSpot Locator Alert!

Spot ping near Blood Mountain, Georgia: middle of nowhere, knee hurts, mimosa.

National Security, Protection of Life & Property ... and the IRS

News to me: the federal government may mostly shut down Friday night over the budget. National security and protection of life and property stay on, and so does the IRS, because they need to collect what's owed. Honestly, leave it like that.

FindMeSpot Locator Alert!

Spot ping from home in Alpharetta: apparently we're still alive. Satellite based texting for the win.

FindMeSpot Locator Alert!

Spot ping from home in Alpharetta: a test of the emergency system. Apparently we're still alive.

Spot Connect

The Spot Connect kept slipping from January to Coming Soon to vanished, with no one stocking the thing. Then West Marine came through, and satellite-based text messaging will finally be mine.