Mt. McKinley (2008) - Day 27

Camp 5 to Camp 3 True to the weather report, at 9am when I awoke it was hot in the tent. All of the moisture had evolporated already. And then I went back to sleep. -- Mike was kind enough to let us sleep in a couple of hours. I

Mt. McKinley (2008) - Day 26

Summit Day It was beatuiful this morning when Mike woke us up. The sun was already warming the tent - hours before it did so yesterday. There was already at least 50 people heading up Denali Pass. It is a very nice morning at 17k. Breakfast was oatmeal, again, and

Mt. McKinley (2008) - Day 25

Stuck at Camp 5 I didn't really sleep much last night. I started thinking about a Ham HT means of communication while on a trip like this. Then my attention turned to the Balloon Project, and then I realized that that Balloon Project interested me because it pertains

Mt. McKinley (2008) - Day 24

Stuck at Camp 5 It probably took me four hours to fall asleep last night. But then I did finally sleep fairly soundly. Mike, of course, ended that sleep with an announcement of breakfast and that there were 50 mph winds above, so, "don't bother putting on

Mt. McKinley (2008) - Day 23

Stuck at Camp 5 I slept fairly well, all things considered. Four people in a tent definitely helps things warm up quickly if you don't mind a few smells. The amount of frost on the inside of the tent was a little ridiculous though. If the winds aren&

Mt. McKinley (2008) - Day 22

This morning was beautiful and not cold at all like yesterday. We got up a little early and "enjoyed" some kellogs cereal for breakfast. Immediately thereafter we set about tearing down camp and turning our kitchen into a giant cache. We're about to start on up

Mt. McKinley (2008) - Day 21

Stuck at Camp 4 We were awakened, again, before sunrise for no obvious reason. Leaving my sleeping bag each moring is the hardest challenge of the day. I mean, typically I've spent 10 - 12 hours heating up the sleeping bag, getting comfortable and finally falling asleep. Somehow

Mt. McKinley (2008) - Day 20

Stuck at Camp 4 My best night of sleep yet. That makes three days in a row of marked sleep improvement. Time for breakfast. -- Breakfast was that cran-bran cereal stuff and one of the sweet-and-salty nut bars. They're pretty good. I'm tired of the cereal.

Mt. McKinley (2008) - Day 19

Stuck at Camp 4 My best night of sleep yet. I don't know what was different - maybe we finally have the vents adjusted correctly and that might also be why I'm not getting those huge amounts of ice crystals building up on my sleeping bag

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