Get 'er Done - Day12 - Tuesday, June 30th - High Camp IV - 17,200 ft - Rest Day....
Not expecting to hear from Todd today unless there is an unexpected problem.
However, there might be a SPOT communication indicating they
are still at High Camp IV – 17,200 ft.
Day
12 – Tuesday, June 30th – Rest day at High Camp for Team Get 'er
Done; likely speak with their families and prepare for Summit Day tomorrow - Day
13, July 1st. While carrying lighter packs with only the bare essentials
and survival gear Summit Day will unquestionably be the longest and
possibly hardest day on the mountain. The 2.5 mi. 3,100 ft. climb can be
broken into '3' parts. The 1st part ascends Denali Pass up to 18,200 ft.
via a long traverse from the SW. The team was told earlier by the NPS and
other returning climbers that the climb is well protected with buried &
flagged pickets. This will allow the team to safely travel up Denali
Pass with a running belay. The 2nd part follows the ridgeline up and
along the SW face - past the Weather Meter [an ongoing Japanese project], above
the Harper Glacier, around the right side of Archdeacons Tower at 19,650 ft. and
on to the Football Field - a plateau about 1/4 mile across. The final
portion of the climb ascends the summit headwall called Pig Hill just
below the Kahiltna Horn at 20,100 ft. The final obstacle to negotiate
before the summit is a 1/4 mi. corniced Summit Ridge. Denali's
South Summit - the tallest mountain is North America is 20,320 feet.
***WISH THE TEAM - Dave, Todd & Fred GOOD LUCK, GOOD WEATHER AND GOD
SPEED........
WEATHER; TUESDAY...PARTLY CLOUDY. HIGH AT 17,000 FT...5
BELOW.WINDS FROM 17,000 FT TO THE SUMMIT...SOUTHWEST 20 MPH.
OUTLOOK WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY...
WARMER. PARTLY CLOUDY. SUMMIT WINDS 20 MPH OR LESS.
**More
information & updates as I receive them. VEB.........
