Denali Team 2: May 16 – June 5, 2010
Guides: Paul Ivaska, Chantel Astorga, Kevin Hogan
Climbers: John McQueston, Nick Pearce, Sarah Nelson, Roger Woolett, Simon James, Max Bouev, Jeff Marks, Alex Roetter, Mark Michelin
AAI Guide Kevin Hogan just called (Friday, 2:00pm Pacific Standard Time) from High Camp on Denali. He sounded out-of-breath on the phone, which isn’t unusual for someone calling from 17,200 feet.
“We worked our way up here yesterday and it was a very looooong day,” Kevin said. “The team trooped through it all. But it was a heavy and cold day.”
As Kevin was speaking, the phone continually cut in and out and I didn’t get every comment from him. But I was able to decipher that they will be trying to make the summit tomorrow and that it looks like that is the best day for it.
“Supposedly a low-pressure system is going to be coming in on Sunday, but who knows. The reports and the reality are all cattiwampus,” he complained. “It’s about ten degrees out right now and it probably got down to 15 below last night…”
Before the phone cut out entirely, I was able to share as many comments from the blog as possible with him…
–Jason