Denali Journal Notes
May 20 to June 6
2018
Pre- Trip Totals
Food – 30 lb.
Ruck- 60 lb.
Sled- 90lb.
My weight- 212lb.
SpO2 Sat- 100%
Pulse- 60 bpm (resting)
Sunday May 20th (Pre-trip briefs)
We got all geared up to leave the unit, I always feel like I am forgetting something. I was tasked out by my supervisor to try and figure out my DTS right before we stepped out… Supper stressful. Our in-brief with the ranger station went well. Guys wanted to hang in Talkeetna so we did that instead of going on the mountain. We slept at the TAT bunk house that night.
*Make sure permit has all the team on it.
*If you are flying out commercially pack gear in bags for plane ride.
Monday May 21st (Day 1)
Flew to base camp and bought fuel (7 Gallons) for the team. It took us a while to situate gear and get ready to move. We opted to leave an extra sled cashed with the gear at base camp. It turned out to be a bad idea.
Left Base camp 1200
Arrived 7900 ft 1820
Camp set up 2030
In tent 2245
SpO2 92%
Pulse 65 bpm (Resting)
I feel slightly sore and tired, have a slight headache. Ty was struggling today with some type of allergy from something in Talkeetna.
*Get sled completely set up on the rope before stepping out for the day.
*Letting the team drink heavily before leaving time… Not a good idea.
*Music and books on tape a must for long travel days.
*Don’t come on the mountain sick.
Tuesday May 22nd (Day 2)
We decided to do a carry and cache day instead of moving camp. We will be skipping 9K and going right to 10K to cache and then on to 11K. Breakfast burritos for breakfast today, it’s good food and good to have something cooked, but it takes a lot of time and clean-up is an issue as well.
Woke up 0830
Left Camp 1245
Arrived and cache (10K) 1755
Back to Camp 1820
SpO2 93%
Pulse 70 bpm (resting)
Feeling good and the team is feeling a lot better today, The Ski down from 10K was beautiful. Good snow and we got some good turns in.
*Cooking Breakfast is not good for travel days.
*If guys are feeling 100% in the morning they don’t drag the sled (or lighten it if you can)
*Bring more Oreos, figure out how to work some good milk. (try powdered?)
Wednesday May 23 (Day 3)
Got up a bit earlier, cooked eggs and bacon again cooked food is delicious. Broke down camp and Sonny started to feel sick, we are thinking some kind of food poisoning or just general genetic weakness. Decided to hold tight in our empty camp to see if he could hold down any food or water. Made a drop-dead time of 1400ish to stay put. We re-set up camp and around 1600 he started to get some water and some bites of food to stay down. Chalked it up as a rest day and made camp a bit nicer. Team should be good to move camp tomorrow if sonny is feeling good.
Awake 0800
Camp Broke down 0945
Team in bed by 2000
SpO2 95%
Pulse 48 bpm (resting)
Feel Great with the early rest day, team feeling good, Sunny was feeling much better at the end of the day.
*Flat tent area a must for good sleep.
*Keep the camp clean.
*Dry all your gear out on your down days. Make sure to put all hard items in the sled to dry. The gear will heat up, melt into the snow, and freeze in hard.
*Stretch a bunch on those down days.
Thursday May 24th (Day 4)
Pretty good start today. It was a long slow day though. We had whiteout flat light conditions and we moved from wand to wand. Some of the wands were down and we used general directions to move through the glacier. We couldn’t see much of anything all day long. Sonny is hurting again, I ended up taking most everything out of his sled to get us into camp.
Awake 0700 (rest of team 0800)
Moving 1000
Arrived @ 11K 1800
Camp up 2100
In tent 2300
SpO2 88%
Pulse 75 bpm (resting)
Sonny couldn’t get warm, as soon as the tent was up we got him in his bag and got him a boiler (boiling water in a Nalgene lid on tight, the thing will put off a lot of heat for a few hours. It heats up a sleeping bag nicely) and some hot food. Cam isn’t sleeping well but Ty feels a lot better (allergies wearing off).
*Always have wands with the team.
*Thin Mint Oreos are amazing at Altitude.
*Sleeping with all your gear in the bag is miserable.
Friday May 25th (Day 5)
This was supposed to be a rest day/ go get our cash at 10K day. Sonny woke up and decided that I needed to get off the mountain. The day prior he had some diarrhea and got some bad chaffing all day. He was apparently bleeding pretty bad. It is a good call but could have been made the day prior. Ty and I were feeling strong and took him back to base camp. Chris, Cory, and Cam got the cache and crashed out for the day. From base camp we moved 9.81 miles in 5h 6min moving time and from 6802’ to 1106’. It was a baller day. Sonny was able to fly off and we sent some trash a CMC can and one gallon of fuel.
UP 0900
Left 11K 1145
Base Camp 1430ish
11K 2330
In bed 0100 Saturday
SpO2 85%
Pulse 82 bpm (resting)
Chris, Cory, and Cam feeling good. Ty is a rock star. This is the most tired I have been on the mountain.
*Good comfortable ski boots are a must.
* Bring 2 changes of light weight socks.
*Top Ramen at the end of a long day is clutch.
Saturday May 26th (Day 6)
Happy Birthday Marlee! It’s my beautiful wife’s birthday today. I just have to give her a shout out. She is so amazing and always so supportive of all if my endeavors, even when I miss important events.
It is a much-needed rest day today. I woke up late and ate a ton of food. My body is feeling yesterday, calves and thighs, but my shoulders and neck the most. I took some good time today to stretch and nap some. The weather was doing some crazy stuff all day, it was hot and clear then cold, then hot again.
UP 0930
Ready for bed 2100
SpO2 90%
Pulse 65 (resting)
Feel a lot better at the end of the day today than I did this morning. The rest of the team seems to be doing good.
*Reese’s cups and Swedish fish are an amazing combo.
*Bring a greater variety of drink mixes. (Tang is a good hot or cold beverage.)
Sunday May 27th (Day 7)
Sadly, we got a late start today. Ended up stuck with a bunch of people. I have been trying to keep my face covered (my lips got very sun burned yesterday). Its killing me it is the most painful and worse thing about this trip so far. I always forget how steep and majestic everything is once you get out of 11K camp. Everything becomes so big and abrupt. It was very hot all day, ridiculously hot. Then once we got back to 11 camp after caching it became so so cold. I had a headache at 14K but it subsided when we came back down after I ate and got some water in me.
UP 0900
Depart 1015
Arrive 14K cache 1700
Back to 11K 1906
In Bed 2300
SpO2 90
Pulse 52
We will have to see about traveling tomorrow. Some of the guys are beat and They haven’t been sleeping well. I gave Ty and Cam some Melatonin. I am feeling good once I got the food and water I needed.
*Eat and drink a lot of food and water with electrolytes on the big altitude jump days. It makes a big difference on how you feel.
Monday May 28th (Day 8)
The guys slept finally! Cam and Ty finally got a good night’s sleep. We tried to let them sleep in and we had a late start. Got to our cache and to 14K no problem, but late in the day. Got camp up and ate dinner. It’s amazing how much colder it is up here.
Up 0900
Moving 1215
Cache 1900
14K 2000
Bed 0007
SpO2 80%
Pulse 72 Bpm (resting)
Team is beat. I have a headache but feeling pretty good.
*Lot colder at 14K, boilers are a must.
*Don’t let your hands get cold, it takes forever to get them warm again.
Tuesday May 29th (Day 9)
We are taking a rest day today. Real good thing too, it has been a beautiful day. I need to work on my patience. We are getting close, I can almost taste it. There are lots of people that made the summit the few days before headed down the mountain. I went and talked to the rangers and the volunteers, they are good folks, seem to be having a good time. We all ate and hydrated a bunch. I hope that the team sleeps good I would really like to move tomorrow. I’m starting to get anxious and ready to get home. I miss my wife.
Up 0930
In Bed 2100
SpO2 86%
Pulse 88 bpm Resting
I have had a slight headache all day, a good night’s sleep should help.
Wednesday May 30th (Day 10)
What a ball kicker. We woke up late trying to get Cam time to rest. I guess he did not sleep at all. We didn’t get out till late and it was hot the whole way up. We got to 16500 feet and cached (short of Washburn’s thumb) guys were hurting. I was hurting, a pounding headache. We worked with Chris one of the park rangers (really good dude I know him from a few years back) He got us some drugs for Cam we hope it works He needs to sleep. I am so ready for bed, I took some drugs to ease the pain of my back and my lip.
Up 1000
Moving 1205
16500’ 1700 (my highest on the mountain!)
Back to 14K 1945
SpO2 85 %
Pulse 75 bpm (resting)
Everyone is hurting, long day up the fixed lines carrying heavy gear.
*Benadryl as a sleep aid is awesome, MUST have it on the mountain.
Thursday May 31st (Day 11)
We got some good sleep last night, Cam got some as well that is huge for him. We should be good tomorrow we are planning an early start. The extra rest day I think is very necessary, although I want to be moving get this stuff finished. I am ready to go home. Played Solitaire and stretched a bunch today. Ready for this last push.
Up 1100
In Bed 2200
SpO2 87 %
Pulse 70 bpm
Friday June 1st (Day 12)
Tried to wake up early to make the push to high camp. We were awake at a decent time, but didn’t start moving till later, it is very frustrating. We moved out quick and made good time. Then we picked up our cache, my ruck is now the heaviest it has been all trip. The ridge from the top of the fix lines to 17K camp is amazing and nuts with heavy weight. I love getting higher on the mountain I was pretty stoked all day. I was hurting when we got in. Head pounding and didn’t really feel like eating. Then it got cold, really cold. It’s amazing the difference 3000’ make. It was a long hard day, probably looking at a rest day tomorrow.
Up 0700
Depart 1050
17 Camp 1920?
In bed 2300
SpO2 65% (wow)
Pulse 85 bpm
High altitude jumps results in pounding headache. Team is hurting. It was a long day.
*Stay warm.
Saturday June 2nd (Day 13)
Woke up feeling good, waited for some of the guys, they had slight headaches so we decided to do a rest day (I was not happy about it but the team needs that day). Probably the safer, smarter thing. We help the rangers re-spool the 1000M rope (it goes down rescue gully 3000’ it’s a ridiculous rope. It took 5 or 6 of us at a time to spool it). It is used to lower a patient from 17 to 14 camp when the weather is bad. Rest day is always good, big day tomorrow.
Up 930
In Bed 2200
SpO2 70%
Pulse 81 bpm (resting)
Feeling good, still not wanting to eat much forcing food and water down. Cam is done, he has already decided not to push for the summit. Everyone else feeling better.
Sunday June 3rd (Day 14)
Woke up to a sight wind, it was warm in camp but there was a cloud layer over the mountain (they were calling it a lenticular cloud formation) it is just over the peak of Denali. The rangers are advising people not to go (as a professional curtesy we stayed, to help encourage others to stay as well. Ranger Chris appreciated that. We worked on camp and tried to stay busy. Tomorrow is supposed to be better, I hope it is, it should be our last day up here.
Up 0800
In Bed 2200
SpO2 70%
Pulse 100 bpm (Resting)
I felt ok today, but I feel like I am getting worse every day, feeling kind of out of body. Team is ready to move. Haven’t been able to finish any of my food nothing sounds good.
*Take advantage of the good weather days.
*Figure out breakfast foods I like.
Monday June 4th (Day 15)
Got a good early start today, and the weather looked good. There were really long lines up the auto ban. That hill took a lot longer than it was supposed to. There were high winds in the pass, and it was cold, very cold. Cory started walking a little goofy, Chris assets him and decided that they were done, the altitude was affecting him pretty good. They headed back and Ty and I pressed forward. We got further up the mountain and another lenticular formation formed up on the peak. For a lot of the guided groups that signals an automatic turn around. Not very many of us kept going. Ty and I had a good chat about what we wanted to do. We decided to push up into the weather and see how the winds were. If the winds were bad then we would head back. It was cloudy and slightly windy but all good. We made the Summit! The last 1000’ up pig hill and the ridge almost killed us. We were only moving 50-60’ at a time before we were smoked. I felt Drunk almost. I couldn’t focus on anything and everything felt like it was a dream. The summit weather was good, but cloudy. We got some pictures and bounced. The whole trip back was white out conditions, Ty did an amazing job moving out off the mountain. We encountered some lost climbers and were able to lead them off. Around 18000’ I could feel my symptoms clear. That trip up and back was on of the most mentally taxing things I have ever done. I just wanted to lay down and sleep (really good thing to know about yourself). Around 17500’ I took a fall lucky we were roped up and clipped into the running protection. Ty caught me fell maybe 30’ the area had a decent run-out but I don’t know if I would have been able to arrest. The wind and snow was pretty bad at the pass and we got stuck behind two teams with wrecked dudes (2 of them got flown off the mountain the next day) The sun was setting as we got back to the auto ban. We got into camp. It was beautiful and I we got some boilers and went to bed.
Up 0800
Traveling 0930
Summit 1940
Return 0100
In Bed 0300
SpO2 71%
Pulse 101 bpm (resting)
Feel better than I should, stayed pretty hydrated but didn’t eat a lot. Ty is a machine a blast that man. He crushed the day today.
Tuesday June 5th (Day 16)
We slowly broke down camp and started down the mountain. We were trying to get to base ca7mp it’s a long day and we would miss the plains but we would be there to get off the mountain early tomorrow. The ridge from high camp was beautiful, with the heavy packs its crazy sketchy. We got to 14K and the team was feeling it. We dug out our cache but the motivation was low. One of officers from our unit was volunteering with the rangers came through in a big way. He cooked us up some breakfast sandwiches and some other cooked goods. It really brought the team alive. We got to 11K pretty quick and picked up our last cache. Right at 11 camp, the weather came in. We got our skis, and started moving down, it whit out conditions, heavy packs, sleds, and low energy. We got to 7K and we Chris decided to set up camp and try to get a bit of sleep. Looking to wake up early to move out. I feel so much better at this altitude in less than 24 hours we went from 17k to the summit and back to 7K camp that’s a lot of movement.
Up 0830
Moving 1130
Camp 2300
Bed 0130
SpO2 95%
Pulse 80 bpm (resting)
Sore, crazy sore today, team is feeling better being down lower on the mountain. It has been some long days in a row.
*its 0130 and its still super light outside, crazy Alaskan summers.
Wednesday June 6th (Day 17)
We were going to wake up at 0500 but no… it was not happening. Beautiful day some high clouds keeping the sun at bay. Smooth riding out till heart break hill. Cam was done it took us a good amount of time to get up that hill. We were done for sure. Base camp was good, we were there for 3 or 4 hours. We dug out our cache and had some good snacks for the team. Donuts and Oreos were clutch. Lisa (the base camp supervisor) got a peak named after her she has been up there for 19 years. We flew out checked in and was able to grab some food before headed home. Dang good trip.
Up 0800
Moving 0900
Base Camp 1245
SpO2 96%
Pulse 60 bpm (resting)
Feeling great being back low. I will sleep really good tonight. Team is doing better as well. Happy to be down and done.
*Good food and Base camp cache is a must.
*Tang. Warm or cold, bring tang.
Post Trip Totals
Food – 6 lb. *
Ruck- 50 lb. *
Sled- 50 lb. *
My weight- 204lb.
SpO2 Sat- 100%
Pulse- 56 bpm (resting)
* Numbers are approximations we never weighed in our final gear load out.
Post Trip Reflections.
Never forget to stop and look at the mountains. You get to caught up with moving to the next camp or getting food and getting to bed that you miss the sun sets, the beauty in the stillness and vastness of the mountain. It’s a good life lesion, there will always be the next hill to climb, the next class to pass, the next promotion. The trip is too short to miss what is right in front of you NOW.