Second Update

There have been no shortage of epics in Denali National Park this past week. It seems Jacon and Max were making their way to high camp when they came across a group of climbers, one of whom was suffering from an allergic reaction. It was determined that the distressed climber needed to descend and seek medical attention, and being the stand-up gents they are, Jacon and Max volunteered to help take the sick climber down. Their party managed to make it back down to camp safely and the sick climber was successfully evacuated to Anchorage.

High winds last week on the glacier were making plane landings both difficult and stressful. The Chicken, in a brilliant show of heroics, left the safety of his tent for the wind-torn glacier to help provide a visual landmark for pilots with his brilliant plumage. Way to go Chicken, way to go...

After an exciting and no doubt tiring week, Jacon and Max are back on track. By now they have made it up to high camp at 14,000 feet. From here they will most likely spend a week or so acclimating and testing out their strength at higher elevations (day trips up to 17,000 or 18,000 feet). More to come as things develop.

First Update

Jacon and Max arrived in Alaska without incident (well, almost...). Apparently the Chicken, who decided to saddle up for the adventure last minute, was temporarily held at a TSA security checkpoint for being unable to produce a valid ID. Eventually, he was released from custody and permitted to depart the contiguous US - and it's a good thing too, because if I know the chicken, he will be relied on for all the sketchiest leads.

Upon arrival the three were put straight to work. Thanks to the generosity of Julie wolf and her friend Lisa Roderick, the Denali base camp manager, the boys were able to work off the cost of their flight to the glacier. Check out the Talkeetna Air Taxi Blog for more info and a glimpse of the Chicken pre-flight.

The most recent SPOT transmission re-affirms that after leaving base camp two days ago, the boys are indeed, still "ok." It sounds as if there have been a few small training climbs, and the trio is acclimating well at around 8,000 feet. I have it on good authority that psych level is sufficiently high, and everyone is feeling well-fed and rested after a week of lounging around base camp playing chess and planning their next move (pun).

More to come as things develop.

****A Special Note To Mom****

Apparently, as a token of their undying love and adoration for their mothers this Mother's Day, Jacon and Max climbed to the peak of a small nearby objective and spent the afternoon reciting Robert Frost poems into the bracing Alaskan winds. After the dedicated ceremony was finished the pair hiked back down to camp in silence. They went to bed dreaming of home-cooked meals somewhere back in Vermont...

Where are we?

Click here. 


P.S.  Our SPOT's name is "William."  Just so that doesn't confuse anyone.  He's adorable, the newest member of our team.  The Chicken actually named him. 

There's a New Webmaster in Town.

BYE

Thanks for all the good wishes.  Keep your fingers crossed for the weather.

This is the last post for me until the trip report afterwards.  Dilts is going to have to take it from here.

We'll do our best to get some word out so keep checking in.

Satelite Phone Issues

So, as it turns out, renting a satellite phone for six weeks actually costs a significant amount of money.  We may end up simply buying a SPOT beacon for a lot less.

If that turns out to be the case there may be no more blog updates, but check in, you never know what Jacon and I are capable of pulling out of our asses at the last minute!

Until next time!

Our thanks to Tavian, Ilerdon and Livian

As our departure nears, we would like to extend a special thank-you to my father Tavian and two of my uncles, Ilerdon and Livian, for the extreme generosity they have shown us.

Without Tavian's contribution of workshop space for our pain cave, Max and I would never have been able to properly train for this trip.

And all three have gracefully loaned us enormous amounts of gear: stoves, mukluks, down booties, sleeping bags, packs. snow stakes, etc. etc.  They did so with minimal complaint.

And of course, there's the dubious thank-you I must extend for getting me into all this crazy shit in the first place. And by "thank-you" I mean "forgiveness," and by "must extend" I mean "probably will never offer."