Still on the Road #26

Six Wheels: October 10 – 16

Sunday, October 10. I was the only customer at the large casino/sports bar where I intended to watch the Packer game. Weird. The only worker in the establishment spent three hours talking to me…actually at me. (Did I mention the Packer game?) I know everything that can be known about Darryl…every place he’s ever lived and worked, marital status, opinions about his ex and current wife, child, interests and hobbies, opinions about covid, government’s response to covid, the sun’s 12,000 year cycle as it pertains to climate change, ad infinitum, ad nauseum. He knows my name. I didn’t mind, since I really wasnt in a sharing mood (Packer game??) But, I am stunned at how often people, like Darryl, show a complete and utter lack of curiosity…about other people…or the broader world outside themselves. Curious.

The game ended well, and I took advantage of a good weather window to hike up to Lamoille Lake in the Ruby mountains. It was worth soggy feet. Stunning.

Monday, October 11. Very windy + very cold + very snowy + eight days without a shower = a hotel room. The math was simple. Crank the heat. Take a hot, steamy shower. Cook with a microwave. Take advantage of fast wifi. Luxury!

Tuesday, October 12. “Hope springs eternal in the face of experience which proves otherwise!” In spite of failing miserably using Google Maps to find remote campsites in Nevada, I rolled the dice again! The satellite showed a likely spot, and this time I hit it big just into Utah near the Bonneville Salt Flats. It ticked all the boxes. Deserted? Check. Interesting terrain? Check. Free? Check. Mountain hiking at my doorstep? Check. All this with the added bonus of a strong cell signal and a pile of dry firewood. Coincidence? I’d like to suggest a direct connection between this perfect site and my whining a few days ago. Just saying.

Wednesday, October 13. Another frosty morning in the 20’s, but calm and sunny. Perfect weather to explore the local peaks.

After a brief side trip to check out the Bonneville Salt Flats, I made the drive to Salt Lake City to spend the night at daughter-in-law Katie’s apartment. As always an enjoyable time with stimulating conversation and good food. Tomorrow will be a joyful reunion with Sharon at the SLC Airport.

Thursday, October 14. A few days ago, heavy snow snapped a support pole on our small awning. The supply chain issues affecting the entire world have trickled down to me. No replacements are to be found anywhere, at any price. I had some ideas about alternatives, but thought I’d stop in at Hinckley Overlanding in SLC…just to see. Huge shout out to these guys, especially to Darren Scott. We all chatted a bit. I explained my problem. We looked at some hopeful looking alternatives. Then Darren went to his rig, pulled out a spare pole which, while not a match, can be made to work – and just gave it to me. Refused anything in return!!! Random acts of kindness and generosity really are the best thing ever. Always good to remember in my interactions with people. Check them out here. www.hinckleyoverlanding.com

Late afternoon Sharon arrived safely,, and we did have a joyful reunion. Even though we had talked several times while she was away, we had lots catching up. That evening I had the best mole sauce since being first introduced to this amazing food of the gods in Mexico eighteen years ago. Thanks for the suggestion Katie, and thanks for the hospitality.

Friday, October 15. Drive to Durango. Lots of good forward looking conversation as we “plan” our next year of travel. Speaking of joyful reunions…awesome to see the Durango family again!

Saturday, October 16. Nothing warms the heart of a grandparent like actively being a grandparent. That was Saturday.

It’s been a good week. We’re looking forward to another week (together) with Aaron, Vanessa, Oliver and Kiri, and all the family and friends here in Durango. We have another grandchild birthday to celebrate, work to do on vehicles, and a large family/friend camping/mountain bike trip in Oliver’s honor.

Here’s hoping you also have an amazing week to look forward to. STC!

Still on the Road #25

Six Wheels: October 3 – 9

Sunday, October 3. When we met in the Walmart parking lot I counted four teeth when he smiled. His belt fought a losing battle against his sagging landslide of a belly. I made certain… assumptions. Turns out he has an impressive resume of Yosemite big wall climbs, and hard-core backcountry ski trips. Currently he fills his free time racing up to 100mph on “sand yachts” three wheel sail driven vehicles. Not what I assumed!

Sharon flew out this morning to be with her folks and nephew Eric. After stocking up at Walmart for several days of solitude, I traveled about 50 miles east and eventually found a place to spend the night. It was not pretty, but at least it was quiet and remote.

Good Morning Mr. Sun

Monday, October 4. If Fallon, Nevada was a paperback book, it was a faded, dog eared, worn and tatty looking one. Based on it’s cover, I also misjudged this particular book. I made what was meant to be a quick stop at the city park to organize gear and fill water jugs. It was meant to be quick, but locals kept stopping by to chat – and they were all so friendly! Hours later I was finally ready to head east. Well done Fallon! I should also add…every friendly Fallonian, completely unprompted, shared their extreme dislike of the Californians who have settled in their fair city! We’ve heard this sentiment often. I wonder if folks from the Golden state realize in what high regard they are held across the west.

Today I found my hoped for solitude. I put the quiet to good use, reading,  scaling a local peak and enjoying the total absence of humanity.

Tuesday, October 5. Today was a travel day across Nevada on the county’s “loneliest” highway.  Highway 50 crosses a series of north-south mountain ranges, then drops into long flat valleys and dry lake beds in between. While different in texture, it offered the same kind of vast, wide openness as the North Slope of Alaska. Wasn’t expecting that. The day ended in Great Basin National Park where there looks to be several days of climbing, hiking and spelunking.

Wednesday, October 6. The highlight of the day was sitting atop 13,058 foot Wheeler Peak. (See what I did there?) I lounged around the summit, catching occasional glimpses of the mountain and the valley far, far below. Eventually the clouds refused to leave, so I did instead. Im glad I left when I did.. By the time I arrived back at camp, those same clouds were lightening their load. It looks like that rain, and even snow will be my companion for several days.

Prior to the hike, I chatted with the German owners of this behemoth overland vehicle. They’d been traveling the world for several years in that beast. Seems a bit of an overkill just to travel the same places as Sharon and I in and on our humble vehicles. In their defense, we haven’t biked across Africa…yet!

Thursday, October 7. Indecision! Disappointment! Delight! The forecast is for rain pretty much everywhere for several days. What to do? Not content to sit around in the rain, I found several intriguing back roads that led in the general direction of the Ruby mountains. Why not head in that direction and see what happens? Turns out…not much. Lots of mediocrity. And the last 40 miles – disappointment. Even though this part of the state is chock full, filled to the brim with nothing, every square inch is fenced, gated, padlocked and posted. Really? Fine then! I guess I’ll have to find some overpriced, noisy campground (grumble, grumble).

Delight. Imagine my surprise at finding a quiet, mostly empty, cheap and beautiful campsite right in Lamoille Canyon. Once again I stand corrected.

Friday, October 8. After a stormy night that left snow on the surrounding peaks, the sun was a welcome sight. Alas, it didn’t last. A rainy day seemed like a good day to do chores and explore nearby Elko. I completed my chores, and noted that Elko didn’t warrant much exploration. The weather hadn’t improved, so instead I endeavored to improve my mind at the local library. In addition to the books, one can learn much about a town through a bit of unavoidable eavesdropping. Thanks to patrons and staff, my curiosity about Elko was amply rewarded.

I was excited to see that while it had been raining heavily in town, it was snowing up in Lamoille Canyon. Excited until I saw that the wet snow had broken a support pole and partially collapsed our small awning. One more thing added to the list!

Saturday, October 9. As expected, I awoke to find everything covered by several inches of wet snow. It was lovely, but… Sharon and I pride ourselves on being flexible with our plans when circumstances dictate, such as the current weather. Overnight snow has been followed by a cloudy, unpleasant windchill kind of day…with more wintry weather on the menu. I wouldn’t mind, once in a while, not being dictated to and being able to follow through on plans. Lamoille Canyon is filled with hiking opportunities, and I was keen to spend several days exploring the trails. The weather is making that difficult.. Oh well, enough first world whinging right? Suck it up buttercup! I’m warm, dry, well fed, have good books and movies, as well as a nice selection of craft beer from which to choose. And, the wind died enough for a couple mile sunset hike. I shall endeavor to persevere! I hope you do as well. I’ll leave you with some pretty pics. STC!

On the Road Again #7

May 24 – June 2, 2021

Sharon and I fancy ourselves connoisseurs of fine mountains. The San Francisco Peaks of home may pale in comparison to the more prolific peaks of the Rockies…but they are accessible, familiar, and…home! The San Juan mountains of SW Colorado are wild and rugged…everything a good range should be. They invite – and offer a lifetime of opportunities to explore. The Tetons are magnificent specimens! A visual feast, even if poorly named by someone with an over active imagination.

The Cascade mountains and big peaks of the Pacific Northwest are in a different class. They are remote and aloof. Dense forests (nay, jungles) and clouds keep them well hidden. Jagged slopes and glacier shrouded heights deny access to all but the most committed. That, perhaps, is part of their appeal. They do not give up their secrets easily. As someone once said, ” All things excellent are as difficult as rare.”

Monday (5/24). We arrived on the eastern edge of the Cascades late Sunday. Making our way across the range on Monday, we are given glimpses of the hidden beauty.

At a pullover above Diablo Lake we met four youngsters bicycle touring from Washington to Maine. All recent college graduates, they were eight days into an epic journey. They were feeling exhilarated – and a bit overwhelmed. We donated four Snickers bars to the cause and offered words of encouragement. We assured them that even though they had a long climbs and long days ahead, they would cherish this summer for the rest of their lives. It is fun to see others out seizing the carp.

We eventually found a place to call home for a few days on the western shores of Baker Lake. In spite of some light rain, we launched the boats for a leisurely tour. Unfortunately all the local peaks remained hidden. It was odd, and just a bit eerie…no other souls around.

Tuesday: No cell coverage, but the last forecast we’d seen was for an all day rain. We were treated instead to a nice mix of sun, puffy clouds with just a few sprinkles thrown in. We managed to get in a two hour bike ride along the lake before the rain arrived in force. Still no people, but lots of woodland creatures interested in making our acquaintance.

Wednesday: Plan today was to ride 15 miles and 2,500′ up to a trailhead on the flanks of Mt Baker. Instead we had a lie in, sorted gear for the bike trip, and did some chores around camp. Eventually, we drove up and went hiking instead. Felt a bit out of place as back country skiers skied past on their way down to the trailhead. The climb was worth the effort to catch a glimpse of Baker up close. Seven years ago a full Diapers and Depends expedition climbed Baker from the other side. Back at camp we prepped for another batch of rain.

Thursday – Sunday: More and more our attention is turning toward our trip north. The long range forecast for Prudhoe Bay is looking pretty good for our Thursday arrival.

Our original reservation to Prudhoe was meant to leave Seattle at 8am in the morning. A while back AK Airlines abruptly changed our flight to leave at midnight…not helpful for logistics. Since then they’ve added back some flights, so Sharon was able to work her magic and get us rebooked almost to our original times. Yay!

We’ve had a joyful reunion with the B’s here in Bellingham. So much fun getting caught up and reminiscing. We’ve packed a lot of history in the nine years we’ve known Cailie and Rob. We’ve enjoyed deep conversations, sunsets from high ridges, kayaking on the bay, hikes on beaches and forests. They have been the most amazing and gracious hosts. We’re already looking forward to seeing them again in the fall…and hopefully on a larger adventure early next year.

One more day to enjoy our friends and do some final prep before heading to Seattle, and eventually…the arctic. Our next post will likely not occur until we have completed the Dalton Highway and arrive in Fairbanks in mid June. We appreciate all the support and encouragement you have offered! Thank you! Until then…STC!

Dear Gravity…

…We need to talk. I’ve been attracted to you for as long as I can remember, but I’ve started to feel that what we have together is unhealthy. So often it seems that I’m doing all the work in our relationship. I feel you judging me for the extra pounds around my middle. Half the time we don’t even talk – you hardly let me get a word out. Then I start to think that the problems are my fault. You know the old cliche, “Its not you…its me.” Maybe you’re right. Maybe if I dropped a few pounds, passed on that extra beer or cup of ice cream we would get along better. But in the end, it seems that no matter what changes I make, or commit to make – you’re constant – you never change. It is frustrating. At the worst of times, you are a cold, heartless shrew.

Most definitely NOT on speaking terms with gravity
Photo Credit: Joel Schenk

But then, I get to the top of some ridge or peak, and the pressure you’ve been putting on me lessens. It’s like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders, (and legs, and feet). I take the time to enjoy the view and the accomplishment, and just like that I’m ready to forgive you for all the suffering you put me through. As I head down a trail and fall back into your warm embrace, and enjoy the wind on my face, I remember why I love you. Time flies when you’re having fun, and as I fly down on my bike or skis, or lightly run down a trail – I’m having FUN! I find my voice again. I sing, and laugh and shout for joy. We’re an awesome couple! We make a perfect team! You’re my best friend. The thing is – this hate/love cycle just doesn’t seem healthy. I realize that any good relationship requires hard work. And I really do appreciate all you’ve done for me. We’ve had some great times over the years. But just once in a while – I wish you’d lighten up and give me a break! That doesn’t seem like that much to ask. Its not like there’s a law against that, is there?

I think we have something special, I just needed to get some things off my chest. I’m willing to keep working at our relationship. I hope you’ll continue to be there for me.

XOXOXOX – Dave

Aaron…on the way DOWN Mt Humphreys

To Hell and Back

As a general rule, my goal is to avoid any place named “Hell”. This past week I made an exception. According to the USGS, some variation of the word “Hell” is affixed to 73 places in Arizona. After a good start, our winter has sputtered a bit. Since skiing conditions have suffered as a result, and for a change of pace, I decided to give the kayak some love. This time of year there are two obvious choices from Flag – Lakes Powell or Pleasant…both a two-ish hour drive. Whilst pondering my options, the thought occurred, why not combine time on the water with a trail run in a new area?

Some internet searching had turned up a little traveled trail leading to Governor’s Peak. This nondescript little peak is located in the northeast corner of the Hell’s Canyon Wilderness, located in the Hieroglyphic mountain range. Twenty years in Arizona and I had never heard of any of these places. That was definitely part of the attraction.

The descriptions were accurate. The trail was lightly used…and in many places was more of a suggestion of where a trail might go if one existed. Some well placed cairns were most helpful in leading to the summit. Probably the most surprising, and most welcome feature of the hike was the presence of flowing water. Water in the desert always seems such a gift. At several creek crossings I just sat and listened to the sound of trickling water, accompanied by the scores of birds also enjoying the streams.

For a trail run, as is often the case, there wasn’t much “running” involved – at least on the way up. Turns out there was a significant amount of “up” on this trail. Coming down, the trail was a bit more obvious and I was able to jog down most of the way. Love all the oxygen at lower elevations. Overall, a super pleasant way to spend a few hours.

Back at the car, I changed clothes, pulled out the bag chair, and enjoyed the view and a few snacks. Then it was off to the 2nd part of the day. The northern launch ramp at Lake Pleasant was just a few miles back down the road. Since there was a fairly brisk southerly breeze, I decided to head in that direction first.

From the comfort of bed earlier in the day, I had thought I’d spend three or four hours getting a real workout paddling around the lake. Yeah, well…plans change. Paddling into the wind for an hour seemed like enough of a workout, especially for muscles that seemed genuinely surprised to be swinging a paddle again. I poked around the Scorpion Bay marina checking out the sailboats and chatting with a couple in another kayak. I enjoyed a leisurely (with the wind) paddle back north – checking out some bays, coves and mules along the way.

I love winter. I love winter activities. I’m most definitely NOT ready for winter to be over. But what a treat to be able to enjoy a lovely ‘spring’ day for just the cost of a few hours driving.

Diapers and Depends through the Years

Sharon was recently going through some old photos and came across this one from February 2012. We’d all just climbed up the insanely steep “trail” out of South Canyon – and most important – were all still smiling. This little trip was the first time I’d met Rob, Cailie or Andrew. it was also the very first Diapers and Depends Expedition.

I’ve described this before, but during the trip we very quickly started with some good natured trash talking – e.g. the youngsters among us were “barely out of diapers”. We were so old we needed Depends! And so it went. Thus was born “Diapers and Depends Expeditions”. Since then, plus or minus a few others, the Diapers and Depends gang has reeled off an impressive list of accomplishments. As often happens, seeing this early photo made me a bit nostalgic and prompted this pictorial walk down memory lane celebrating the last eight years.

2012-2013

2014-2015

2016 – 2019

I can’t begin to describe what joy and enjoyment these folks and these trips have brought to our lives over the past eight years. And this extensive list isn’t nearly complete. It does not include all the conversations, emails, texts, phone calls, Flagstaff beer runs, picnics, dinners, birthday parties and just general time spent together with the Diapers and Depends group. It doesn’t include all the fantastic times we’ve spent with our grown children and extended family. It doesn’t include our large circle of friends here in Flagstaff. So, in this Thanksgiving week – it seems appropriate to be thankful not only for the opportunities we’ve had to explore so much of our world, but especially for all the wonderful people who are part of our lives.

Happy Thanksgiving All!

JMT Through Hike #3 – Pictures

“Life is too short to hike ugly places”

-Me…after listening to PCT thru hikers talk about all the dry, dusty, desolate and downright ugly sections they hiked through before arriving in the Sierra Nevada.

The John Muir Trail is hard. Getting from here to there always involves climbing up before climbing down…or climbing down followed by yet another climb up. For many, the high elevations cause significant problems. According to Ranger Rob at Crabtree Meadow, 90% of all evacuations are for altitude related problems. From the southern end, just getting to the start of the JMT requires either STD’s (screaming thighs of death) up from Whitney Portal or a roundabout twenty extra miles. From the northern end, one’s introduction to the JMT is 8,000 feet of climbing from the Yosemite Valley floor to the top of Donohue Pass. The John Muir Trail is hard…but oh, it is so worth it!! As an anonymous writer once penned, “All things excellent are as difficult as rare.” So true!

Almost every day, and often multiple times in a day, a hiker on the JMT is confronted by world class views. After the second day we put a one-per-day limit on the use of the word “Wow!” It really was that spectacular. So in this post, I’d like to let the Sierra Nevada speak for itself.

Under the Stars

We spent twenty-one days on the trail. We hiked every single day. With the exception of two nights spent at Tuolumne Meadow, we laid our heads to rest in a different location every night. You can spend hundreds of dollars a night to sleep in someone else’s bed in a luxury hotel and not come close to matching the luxurious beauty of our open air bedrooms. Here is a sample.

Wildflowers

“There is poety among the wildflowers”

– Rachel Irene Stevenson

Cause and effect. This was an exceptionally good snow year in the Sierra Nevada mountains. Heavy snow meant a late melt. A late melt meant a few extra mosquitoes along the trail. More of an annoyance than the apocalyptic swarms of biblical proportions that many warned of. Late snow also meant late wildflowers in glorious colors and quantities. Sharon took some extra time capturing their beauty.

Rocks and Water

At home I am often annoyed by long haul truckers who feel compelled to compensate for certain…shortcomings… by the overzealous use of engine brakes on a nearby highway. So it was with great joy that almost every night for three weeks I was lulled to sleep by the soothing sounds of creeks, cascades, rivers, rivulets, in other words, moving water of every description. Every day we were treated to boisterous waterfalls, gentle creeks, and everything in between. Every day we were treated to stunning alpine lakes filling broad valleys, or nestled in the intimate embrace of soaring granite peaks. Every day we were surrounded by “rocks” and “water”. Those familiar words are empty and meaningless until they’ve been filled with images and memories from the Sierra Nevada.

“Few places in this world are more dangerous than home. Fear not, therefore, to try the mountain-passes. They will kill care, save you from deadly apathy, set you free, and call forth every faculty into vigorous, enthusiastic action.”

-John Muir “The Wild Muir”

I second John’s sentiment above. Fear not to try the mountain passes. And not just on the John Muir trail. Some fear it is already being loved to death. There are countless lesser know, barely traveled trails all throughout the Sierra Nevada (and all over our country) that will yield similar view and experiences. The important thing is to educate yourself about “leave no trace” camping ethics, equip yourself with what little you need to be comfortable outside – and leave the rest of the gear home. Then get out the door – whether it is for one night or one month. Seize the Carp!

JMT Through Hike #2 – Friends and Fascinating People

I confess that when it comes to the wilderness I am basically pretty selfish. I want it all for myself. I don’t want to share. Perfection in backpacking has always been to never see another soul. The JMT is NOT that kind of a trip! This is a beautiful area and everyone from long distance through hikers to weekend warriors want a piece of it. I knew that going in. Turns out I was surprisingly OK sharing my wilderness with others. In fact, our favorite moments on the trail involved the friends we started with, and the fascinating people we met along the way. This post is a tribute to some of these amazing people.

“Friendship improves happiness, and abates misery, by doubling our joys, and dividing our grief.” -Marcus Tullius Cicero

At times it can be a challenge to organize a trip involving people with different work and family responsibilities, and from different corners of the country. As was proven once again on this trip – it is so worth it. We laughed with – and at – one another. We shared memories of many years and trips together. We had serious conversations about serious matters and deeply personal issues. We walked in comfortable silence, simply enjoying each other’s company. Thank you Sharon, Andrew, Cailie and Dan for just being who you are and making yet another trip special. Can’t wait for the next adventure…

“You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.” -Dale Carnegie

Most interactions with other hikers involved just a smile and brief pleasantries while passing on the trail. Occasionally though, we would stop long enough to find out a bit about the people sharing the trail with us. From time to time we would share info or observations, and compare notes and experiences. Here is a small sample of a few of the fascinating people out enjoying the JMT.

The appreciation of this wild place, the enthusiasm and the joy so often expressed by others was infectious. Rather than detract from the experience on the trail, these brief encounters were uplifting and stimulating. Our passing conversations often led to longer discussions as Sharon and I continued on down (or up) the trail. All the meet ups above took place with southbound folks as we passed. From time to time though, circumstances brought us together with fellow northbound travelers. Several of these chance encounters led to some deeper connections.

Father and daugher – Kirk and Brittney

We first met Kirk and Brittney on our way to resupply at Muir Trail Ranch (MTR). At first we leapfrogged along the trail, then we hiked together for a bit, then chatted even more as we sorted and swapped food from our resupply boxes. As happens, we ended up hiking and camping together several more times. Kirk has been on some amazing trips out back of beyond. Definitely a kindred spirit. Brittney is a veterinarian with some fascinating insights into the challenges faced by folks in this profession…and just life in general. She is incredibly insightful and eloquent – you should definitely check out her blog here. https://dvmexplorer.com/blog/ . Fortunately we met up one last time in Tuolomne Meadows just as we were leaving for home.

Vangie and Jane

We first saw Vangie and Jane at Vermilion Valley Resort as a group of JMT hikers were inhaling embarrassingly large breakfasts. Up the trail we leapfrogged and chatted a bit, then ended up camping together. These ladies were crushing it. Jane especially was knowledgeable about Yosemite and offered some helpful (and for once) accurate information about hiking in Yosemite. Vangie is planning a trip to Nepal later this fall, so we had fun sharing our experiences.

Ondrej & Helena – proudly representing the Czech Republic

What can I say about Ondrej and Helena? We first met camping at Garnet Lake, and then spent the next several days enjoying the privilege of getting to know this wonderful pair. We learned about the Czech Republic. As always, it was fascinating to see our country through fresh eyes. “People here are sooo friendly!” And thanks to their patient tutelage, I am now practically fluent in Czech. “Ahoy” is “hello” – although I think they may have just been messing with me. And “It is beautiful” – To je krásný. Just seeing their smiles and zest for life every day made the world seem a better place.

Our last night in the backcountry we spent hours along this beautiful river with Helena, Ondrej and the Texas Twins. Perfect.

VVR dinner gang. From left, Mylan, Tigger, Kirk, Brittney, Dave, Freight Train, and Taper & Bernard.

At the beginning of the evening, four separate groups were complete strangers. Several hours (and beers) later, we were sharing food and intimate details about our lives. Such is life on the trail. Mylan is in the merchant marine and somehow needed to get to the other side of the Sierra mountains in an impossible time frame. He said it was for work – but there may have been a girl involved. His friend Ethan across the table ate so much food that he earned his trail name “Taper” (for tapeworm). His tapeworm earned the trail name “Bernard”. Tigger and Freight Train met on the PCT. They had intended to through hike and had done a significant portion, until injury and life got in the way. They had rejoined for this middle portion. Even though three months earlier they hadn’t known each other, now they were like a married couple finishing each other’s stories and sentences. It was a magical evening.

Irrepressible Rachel!

Rachel was an interesting find. Tuolumne Meadow has a ‘backpacker’ portion of the campground where JMT through hikers and backpackers can spend a night as they pass through. Rachel was not hiking. She was on a solo bike tour and had camped nearby. Somehow she and Sharon got chatting and before long, she was joining us as we ferried our car down to Yosemite Valley in preparation for the last portion of our hike. The hour and a half drive wasn’t nearly long enough to even begin to learn about all the things that made this young lady amazing. Follow her on Instagram (RachelsontheRoad) to find out for yourself. She well and truly seizes the carp every single day.

Tim Cahill, adventurer and writer once said, “A journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles.” I couldn’t agree more. When I think of our experience on the JMT, I will certainly remember the achingly beautiful mountains, lakes and streams. No doubt it will be those images that will make you want to venture out to see those places yourself. But when I think back to our experience on the JMT, the images that will come to mind first will be the smiles and laughter of the beautiful people we met along the way.

JMT Thru Hike #1 – Overview

Lots of discussion about which direction was better. The only two directions that really matter on the JMT are “up” and “down”!

At 5:45 on a Wednesday in August we walked into Yosemite Valley, twenty-one days after setting out from the Whitney Portal trail head…and just like that it was over. The thing we had been dreaming about, and planning, and preparing for so long was suddenly a memory. In one sense it is very easy to quantify the accomplishment. We had walked a total of 234-ish miles in 21 days and climbed 42,240 vertical feet along the way…but those are just numbers. Numbers don’t begin to capture the feeling of topping out on a high pass after climbing uphill for miles, or the sight of a snow capped granite peak perfectly reflected in an alpine lake, or the magic of the evening light on that same mountain at sunset, or the power of a roaring waterfall or the soothing sound of a gentle riffle on that same creek. The statistics of a through hike have nothing to do with the joys of walking through wilderness and talking with old friends, or the simple pleasures of making new friends along the way. A hike on the John Muir Trail is very much more than the sum of all these parts.

Three years prior to this trip, I had the privilege of hiking a portion of the JMT with Dan, Phil, Steve and Michelle. ( https://www.seizingthecarp.com/jmt-august-2016/ ) Because of knee problems, Sharon was unable to participate on that trip. Having seen and heard about our experiences however, she suggested that now with the time to do so, we should through hike the entire trail. She didn’t have to convince me, and we reached out to our usual group of willing accomplices. Eventually the field of the willing was whittled down to those actually able to take the time. Dan Boss, Cailie the Gnome Princess and Andrew O all signed on to accompany us almost half way to an exit point over Bishop Pass. Sharon and I would complete the journey on our own. That was the plan. Reality of course had plans of her own.

On day two as we descended from Whitney pass, Andrew badly sprained his ankle near Guitar Lake. After an initial assessment and some treatment, we decided the best option was to make our way down to Crabtree Meadow and the ranger station there. By the next morning, it was clear Andrew was not going anywhere under his own power. His multi-colored, softball size ankle and the near certainty that he had broken a bone during his fall led Ranger Rob to order a helicopter evacuation. Thirty minutes later Andrew was whisked away, and we were left to mourn the departure of our friend. For someone who works as hard as he does, and has so little free time, it was incredibly sad to see him deprived of the rest of the trip. Having said that, it could easily have been much worse and we were very thankful for all the help in getting Andrew safely home (and to surgery several days later).

With the evac done, we packed up and continued our journey northward. As I’ve noted before, the four remaining members of the Diapers and Depends team have shared many adventures and are all very experienced backpackers. We very quickly settled into an easy rhythm of life on the trail. Every day brought unbelievable world class views, challenging trails, stimulating conversation, and enjoyable camp life at the end of the day. All too quickly it was time for Dan and Cailie to jump off the trail and head out over Bishop Pass. The fact that we so enjoyed their company made it that much more difficult to say good-bye.

Having said good-bye, Sharon and I fell right back into our own familiar routines…we’ve been doing this sort of thing for the past 34 years after all. One difference we did notice hiking as a couple, is that we started meeting and interacting more with other hikers along the trail. We met and spent time with some truly amazing people along the way (more on that in another post.) Unless you’ve done it, it is hard to get your mind around hiking 200+ miles or camping in the mountains for three weeks (without a shower I might add). Very quickly it becomes routine, and then suddenly the end looms. For me, walking into the campground at Tuolumne Meadow was the emotional end of the trip for me. We had decided that we would drop packs and hike the last bit from Tuolumne to Yosemite Valley as a day hike. Even though we took a detour to the top of Cloud’s Rest and enjoyed stunning views from far above Yosemite Valley – the last day seemed very much like an afterthought. We were really just connecting the dots to say we’d completed the hike.

So now we’re home. We’ve enjoyed several showers, washed clothes, cleaned and put away gear. We’ve reconnected with many of our friends here in Flagstaff and have tried to convey some sense of what it was like on the trail. We’re left to ponder what – if any – impact our time on the JMT has had. I’ll write more in depth, but here’s a quick first swipe at it.

  • We are fortunate beyond belief to have the time and the health to complete a lengthy and challenging trip like this.
  • We are fortunate beyond belief to have vast expanses of natural beauty like this in our country
  • Sharon and I had very different trips. I felt good and truly didn’t have a bad day. Sharon fought through an early illness and other health issues along the way. As Cailie said, knowing you have the mental resilience and physical toughness to fight through issues like that is something you can put in the bank during other difficult days.
  • I love nature and especially being in true wilderness settings without people. Having said that, having Andrew, Cailie and Dan along, and all the new friends we made along the trail really made this trip special.

There is much more I’d like to share about this trip. I’d like to talk specifically about some of the folks we met. I’ll speak a bit about some of the gear we used – what worked and what didn’t. I have no desire to give a step by step description of the trail or point out specific special places…there’s too much of that on the internet already. I would like to just share some of the beautiful images you might expect to see if you decide to wander this trail yourself…or at the very least, give you a small sense of what draws us to places like this. I will share some of the lessons we learned on a long trip (still possible to learn something new after all these years). So if you haven’t already done so, scroll down and sign up for email updates. And if you have any specific questions, please feel free to reach out. Sharon and I will be happy to offer any help we can. Until next time – Happy Trails and Seize the Carp!

Nepal 2012 – The Pictures

It’s been said that you can’t live in the past. I politely disagree. A long time ago someone told me “You are who you are because of where you were then.” It was a clever way of saying that we are products of the people we’ve met, the places we’ve been, and our experiences. Even though it is now in the past, the friendships we developed, the people we met, the things we saw and experienced had a lasting impact on us. Nepal changed us. That part of our past lives on in the present.

In the previous posts, I’ve tried to provide some insights into what made Nepal special. Hopefully, a few favorite photos will engender a sense of awe and wonder for this part of our world. This first gallery contains pictures taken near the end of our trip during our climb of Imja Tse. Located in the shadow of Everest’s neighbor Lhotse, the views from on top left me speechless.

The people, the villages, the temples, stupas, mani walls, prayer flags all offered a visual feast. Ultimately though, as lovers of high places, we had come for the mountains – and they most certainly did not disappoint.

Feel free reach out with any questions you might have about visiting Nepal. I/we would love to share any insights or info we have.

Nepal 2012 – The Trek

The Diapers and Depends Gang

After planning and anticipating for close to a year, having traveled from various places in the U.S. to San Francisco in order to fly half-way around the world, having survived both the traffic in Kathmandu and the flight into Lukla…we were more than ready to finally begin hiking.

The Great Diapers and Depends Nepal Expedition outside of Namche, with – yes – Everest in the background.
Dave, Joel, Dan, Cailie, Finjo, Andrew, Rob, Allison, Sharon, Nima
The Route

Given that our group was composed of people who love mountains and high places, we specifically chose a three week trip that would take us throughout the rugged area south and west of Mt Everest. All trekkers to the Everest region of Nepal start by flying into Lukla, and after two days of walking, arrive in Namche. The most popular trip from this historic village appeared to be the out and back trip to Everest Base Camp (EBC). Our trip would avoid that main trail and take us off significantly the beaten path. As we completed our meandering clockwise journey around the region, we would cross over two high passes – Renjo Pass (17,585′) and Chola Pass (17,782′). We would take a side trip north to Everest base camp, with a chance to climb Kala Patthar (18,192). Finally we would take another side trip to attempt to climb a mountain tucked into the shadow of Everest known as Island Peak (aka Imja Tse – 20,305′). In all, we would spend close to two week above 14,000′.

Everest High Passes and Peaks route
Trekking…in general

There are several options available for anyone interested in trekking in the Himalaya. A few folks found their way to Lukla by themselves. Hiking with backpacks, they either camped or made their own arrangements each night to stay in one of the many tea houses. As an alternative, Philip and Michele hired a guide and porter through Mountain Monarch to help with logistics, but followed their own itinerary. Others went with western guide companies. They had porters carry their gear, but generally had western guides and food. To a large degree, it seemed that while they passed through the region they remained separate from the local scene. Our choice was to go with a package deal from Mountain Monarch. We had a full complement of guides and porters. With the exception of base camp at Imja Tse, we ate and slept in tea houses along the way. We also followed a defined agenda, with our path, distances, rest days, etc for the most part predetermined. While we totally enjoyed our trip as it unfolded, it also would have been nice to travel using our famous “no plan” plan. If we were to do it again, we would probably follow the example of Philip and Michele. There was definitely value in having local knowledge and expertise, especially just getting through the airport to Lukla. They enjoyed a bit more freedom in deciding when and where they wanted to go.

Lodging

Trekking has become big business in the Khumbu Himal. In many villages, it appears that almost the entire economy is given over to accommodating trekkers. We were part of that. We took all our meals, and spent most nights in tea houses. In general, tea houses all have a common room, heated by a yak dung stove, where folks could hang out and where meals are served.  Sleeping areas are unheated double rooms with simple platforms topped with a foam pad. Typically there is a single bathroom – dubbed the squatter – that is shared by all. While they all had similar features, that is not to say they were all the same. Some were a bit more …’polished’ than others. Some had lights, some had none. Some had carpet in the bedrooms, some had dirt floors covered with a bit of astro turf. Given the remote nature of our trip and the cold weather, even the most rustic tea house offered a relatively comfortable place to call home at the end of each day.

Food

The food was…a bit of a challenge for us. Locals typically ate a vegetable and rice dish known as dal bhat and seemed quite content. Several times our guides turned up their noses at offers to share our western food choices. Dal bhat was fine, and we all tried it at our first group meal. Personally I would have had a hard time eating that twice a day for three weeks. The tea houses tried hard to tailor their menus to the tastes of an international population of trekkers. Given the difficulty of getting supplies to this remote region, and the unfamiliar nature of many foreign food preferences, they were actually remarkably successful. Having said that, there were also some spectacular failures. The “spaghetti” with “home made noodles” was instantly renamed “tapeworms in blood” both for the looks and taste. Since wasting food in a poor country was almost unforgivably thoughtless, and after trying several optimistically named menu items, we all learned to stick to simple, safe fare such as hard fried eggs, and various potato dishes. We recognized that our difficulty with the food had more to do with our taste and expectations than what was offered. Having said that, we all struggled to get enough calories to fuel our hike and keep us warm in the constant cold. We also agreed that the word ‘explosive’ should never, under any circumstances, ever apply to certain bodily functions. We all agreed based on experience. Enough said. We laugh about it now, but at the time it was a real challenge.

The Trail

I believe Joel and Allison calculated after the fact, that we traveled some 160 miles during our three week trek. The trail varied from finely laid stone paths to ‘barely-there-path-wannabe’ pathways. We varied in elevation from 8,500′ a day out of Lukla to almost 18,000′ crossing over the passes. We walked in shorts for a day or two, and endured horizontal snow and well below freezing temps. We passed through humble villages and bustling trekker hot spots. We visited monasteries and met young monks texting on smartphones shortly after chanting words from ancient texts. We were treated to stunning mountain vistas while walking in the footsteps of generations of Tibetan traders and the earliest mountaineers. It was all exactly what we hoped for in a trip to Nepal.

Next time: A picture speaks a thousand words. I’ll be posting some of the most dramatic pictures from our time in Nepal. Sign up below for email notification.

Nepal 2012 – The People

In the Throne Room of the Mountain gods

As we all pondered and prepared for our trip to Nepal, our main focus was on…well, the mountains. We were going to be spending three weeks wandering around in the shadow of Himalayan peaks. What we didn’t know, and hadn’t anticipated, was how much we would come to admire and appreciate the Nepalese people in general, and our guides and porters specifically.

Dawa Finjo Sherpa met us at the airport. For the next month this young man was our guide, mentor, nurse-maid, and friend. Although he was young, he had a wealth of experience in the mountains both as a climber and as a guide. He made all the arrangements for us at the various tea houses as we trekked through the countryside. He sized up our abilities and planned our route and side trips accordingly. As we all, one by one, fell prey to various lung and intestinal maladies, he reached into his bag of western and traditional remedies to nurse us back to health. Gradually as we got to know him, we were able to coax out some amazing stories. One of my favorites was about his successful Everest climb just six months prior. He had been paired with the egotistical and incompetent leader of an Albanian national team of climbers. This ‘climber’ was more than willing to let the Sherpa guides break trail, fix ropes, haul all the gear, food, oxygen, set up the tents, etc. so that he could ‘climb’ the mountain. Despite his lack of talent, this individual insisted that he be the first to reach the summit. Finjo just nodded and smiled – and dialed back his oxygen flow. As he slowed down, the rest of the team caught up and they reached the top together. Well played Finjo – well played. Now seven years later, Finjo still makes sure to wish the “Queen Mom” (Sharon) a happy birthday every year when the date rolls around. We couldn’t have asked for a better trip leader.

Our trip through the Himalayas would have been very different without the porters. We were each allowed a 35 lb duffel bag with extra clothes, sleeping bag, personal gear, etc. This was in addition to our day pack. Each porter would carry TWO of these gear duffels, plus their own gear, plus a portion of the community gear. And, we found out later, no matter how far we traveled or how high we climbed on any given day, it was a point of honor for them to arrive at our destination before the clients. One thing we noticed almost immediately was there was a definite “servant – master” dynamic evident. This made us all extremely uncomfortable, especially when we saw other trekkers totally buy into that and treat their guides and porters with disrespect. In spite of all their hard work, the porters often were required to sleep outside. Our accommodations were definitely rustic, but still a far cry better than what the porters were given. Throughout the trip we tried to communicate how much we appreciated what they were doing for us, but given the language barrier it was hard to gauge our success. We regularly bought snacks and drinks for the crew, and at the very end during our farewell dinner, we made sure they were seated in the tea house so that we could serve them food and drinks. We never were able to find out what they earned for all their hard work, but we know that the tips they received from us were greater than the average annual income for a Nepali. As we were thanking them for all they did for us, they were thanking us for the privilege of schlepping our gear all over the Himalaya. The money they earn is generally used to support a large portion of their extended families. They definitely earned our admiration and respect.

One of our porters in particular, Santos, had a heartbreaking story. Throughout the trip, Santos was always upbeat, always had a smile, and even though we had a significant language barrier, liked to joke around with us. We found out after we’d parted ways and were back in Kathmandu that just days before our group arrived, his infant son had died. He apparently had contracted an illness that would have responded to the most basic of antibiotics. Since there were no antibiotics available in his village, his son died. Any one of us would have been immobilized with grief, or filled with anger at the unfairness…yet he did nothing to indicate he had just suffered this tremendous loss. It also saddened us to realize that regardless of his feelings, he could not pass up this financial opportunity. His work ethic and attitude, coming on the heels of that personal tragedy, left us all absolutely dumbfounded – and in awe.

Just a few days out of Lukla we stopped to spend the night in the village of Thame at about 14,000′. All afternoon, Cailie had been feeling a bit out of sorts. During the night she developed HAPE (high altitude pulmonary edema). HAPE is a life threatening condition where fluid collects in the lungs. The only treatment is to descend to lower altitude so that the fluid can reabsorb into the body. Fortunately, one of the pieces of gear that our porters carried was something called a Gamow bag (good job Mountain Monarch). All night long the porters took turns keeping the bag inflated, which made Cailie’s body think it was several thousand feet lower than our 14,000′. To be fair, it probably helped that they all had a massive crush on Cailie – but still…

A Gamow bag in action

The night in the Gamow bag improved Cailie’s condition. Still, the decision was made for Cailie and Rob to return to lower elevation for a bit, with the hopes of joining us later on the trek. So after a tearful goodbye, an assistant guide and porter walked Cailie and Rob back toward Lukla. We found out later that during the next night, Cailie’s symptoms returned. Fearing for her safety, they took turns carrying Cailie on their backs 3,000 vertical feet down a steep, rocky trail from Namche Bazaar to a lower elevation. Thanks to their efforts, Cailie and Rob made it safely back to Kathmandu and a full recovery. Once again we were in total awe and very grateful!

While most of our interactions were with the members of our group, we did meet some interesting people along the way. And while we came for the mountains, much of what we remember most fondly were the people we met along the way.

Next Post: The Place…Lots of photos and videos – the Himalayas were everything we hoped they’d be – and more.

Nepal 2012 – Genesis

In the Throne Room of the Mountain gods

The names and stories may be unfamiliar to many, but during my formative years they were the stuff of dreams. The mystery of Mallory and Irving lost on Everest, and Norgay and Hillary on the summit. Pete Schoening’s amazing ‘miracle belay’ during an avalanche high on K2 saving five other climbers from being swept off the mountain. Willi Unsoeld famously cutting off his own frostbitten and dead toes (and keeping them in a jar to show visitors). Jim Wickwire spending the night 450 feet below the summit of K2 – and surviving – after becoming the 1st American to summit! Just the names of the mountains evoke images of mystical and magical places. Chomolungma. Dhaulagiri. Nanga Parbat. Ama Dablam. Nanda Devi. Shishapangma. The Himalaya always seemed irresistably beautiful and appealing, forbidding and unattainable all at the same time.

 

In 2011, longtime friend and climbing partner Dan threw out the idea of spending a month in Nepal…in the Himalaya! He didn’t really expect any response, and rightly so! A month away from work? No way! Airfare to fly half way around the world? Commercial guides? I don’t think so. The Himalaya was…unattainable. Regular folks like us don’t take trips like that. But then one by one, the perceived obstacles disappeared. Turns out regular folks really can take a trip like this. By the time we boarded our flight in San Francisco in November 2012, our merry little band numbered eight. Sharon and I, Andrew, Cailie, Rob – friends from Flagstaff, Joel and Allison, and Dan Boss – our fearless leader.

Thank you Singapore Airlines for making twenty total hours in the air, if not enjoyable, at least tolerable. When we finally stepped out of the relative calm of Tribhuvan airport terminal into the chaos of Kathmandu, culture shock reached out and smacked us in the face. When absolutely everything you consider ‘normal’ goes away and the ground is figuratively shifting beneath your feet, it is hard to get your bearings.

Dan had made arrangements through Mountain Monarch. Anyone interested in trekking in Nepal has plenty of options. Many western companies feature highly paid western guides who contract with local companies to do all the leg work. It is possible, through these same companies, to have a somewhat sanitized trip – staying in tents and having western food throughout the trip. We opted to go directly with a local company and have a slightly more ‘immersive’ experience staying at the local tea houses. I’ll say right up front, we couldn’t have been happier with Mountain Monarch.

Our agenda had us spending two days in Kathmandu, and then flying to Lukla on our third day to start our trek. We spent our time seeing the sites, enjoying the food (momos), touring both buddhist and hindu sites, and prepping for three weeks on the trail.

Kathmandu was overwhelming, and choatic, and fascinating. Often we just found ourselves laughing as we tried to process the different things we were seeing. After two days, we were ready for the butt clenching ride through town back to the airport to begin the ‘real’ trip.

The flight to Lukla was everything everyone says it is. We caught our first views of the Himalaya. We survived the flight, met up with our porters and began our trek, but more on that in the next post.

Friends – Episode #1

I love the lyrics to the song “Glorious” by Mamuse. So even though I’ve used them before at the beginning of a different post, I’m going to share them again.

I’ve got good friends to the left of me
And good friends to my right
Got the open sky above me
And the earth beneath my feet
Got a feeling in my heart That’s singin’
All in life is sweet – Oh what a day!

If you’ve read the ‘welcome’ page, you know that the genesis for this blog was a moving experience I had as a young man in the mountains. More precisely, it was the realization that the experience was somewhat diminished by not having anyone with whom to share it. To say that has changed would perhaps rank as the most colossal understatement of the ages. The quantity and quality of friends who have shared adventures since then almost defies description. In fact, as I gathered photos for this post, I realized there are so many friends, and so many adventures – they realistically won’t fit in one post. This, then, will be just the first in a series of photo essays to celebrate those whom I am privileged to call friend – and just a few of the adventures we’ve shared.

Boundary Waters (early 80’s)…I met the Backer boys in high school. We forged bonds of friendship doing what any self-respecting mountaineer wannabe living in the Midwest would do – we camped in the middle of winter – in northern Minnesota – in weather cold enough to freeze solid a bottle of Peppermint Schnapps. Thus was born the concept of “stupid fun.”

1985 Mt Robson… By the time we set our sights on Robson, Dan and Warren had already climbed Rainier as teenagers (what were their parents thinking?). I had lived close to lots of mountains in Alaska. We had several BWCA trips under our belts. Yep – we were ready for the big time.

A New Life (1985)…Two weeks after Robson I said “I do” to an amazing new chapter in life with my best friend and adventure partner. One of our first (and still favorite) adventures was a seven week long, 2,500 mile bike ride up the east coast and into the maritime provinces of Canada.

Boundary WatersAgain (2002)…Life in Milwaukee was fun, challenging and filled with lots of good times with many, many dear friends. We watched our children grow from infants to teens and were fully immersed in that world. A new century seemed like a good time for a fresh start though. In 2001 we moved to a mountain town in northern AZ and were suddenly confronted with a whole new world – a world filled with new friends and opportunities for new adventures. Interesting that I kicked off this new chapter in early 2002 with an old adventure with old friends.

Collectively, the four trips presented here amount to less than three months out of the 57 years I’ve spent on the planet so far. Only seven people are pictured in these photos. Seven people out of the hundreds, perhaps thousands of people I’ve met in the course of my life. A tiny fraction.  And yet, when I look at these pictures, the flood gates open, the memories come pouring out and fill my heart. They make me smile and laugh. They make me grateful. And they inspire me. They inspire me to call, or text, or email a friend – to talk, to reminisce – and to plan another adventure!

The end…so far!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Denali – The “Great One” – 2015

I’ve debated writing this post for some time. My reasons for climbing are very personal. I find most mountains to be awe-inspiring. I love spending time in such beautiful spaces. I never tire of looking out at the world from high on a mountain, and I enjoy the mental and physical challenges involved in getting to those high places. Conversely, I’ve met plenty of folks whose only interest in climbing peaks seems to be so they can say they’ve done it. There seems to be little joy in the doing of the thing, only in having it be done in order to boast or humble brag.  So my goal in sharing thoughts and photos from our 2015 climbing trip is not as a way of saying, “Look what I’ve done.” My hope is to share a little bit of what makes Denali “The Great One” and to hopefully inspire some awe along the way.

I’ve found that in talking about Denali, it helps to share some of the basics. The most commonly climbed route on Denali is known as the “West Buttress” named for a narrow ridge that is part of the route between a camp at 14,000′ and the high camp at 17,000′. The summit of Denali is 13,000 feet higher, and some 18 miles distant from the normal starting point on the Kahiltna glacier. (By comparison, Everest climbers ascend 12,000 vertical feet from base camp to summit).  Because of the copious amounts of bad weather, distance and elevation, most teams plan for 3+ weeks on the mountain. For us, gear, food, fuel, etc. for that amount of time amounted to 110-130 lbs each. Most teams “double carry” on the mountain. That means climbers carry a load of gear and supplies a few miles up the mountain, drop the load and return back down to their camp. Next morning they break camp and climb back up to where they dropped gear the previous day and establish a new camp. This process is repeated all the way to high camp at 17,000′. This helps climbers acclimate to the altitude and allows for lighter loads. It is a tried and true method used on big mountains all over the world. It also seems rather insane!  Rather than climb the mountain twice, we chose to “single” carry. This meant that as we moved from camp to camp up the mountain we carried all our gear, split approximately 60%-40% between our sleds (affectionately known as “dead pigs”)  and backpacks.  Obviously the additional weight made the climb more difficult, especially on the steep bits. The HUGE trade off was that we only climbed the mountain once.

My mountaineering career moved from the stuff of dreams to reality when I started spending summers in Alaska at age 17. The two great attributes of youth – stupidity and a sense of invincibility – fueled my early climbing adventures and dreams. I have a long history of dreaming about Denali. Even 130 miles away, on a clear day the mountain was visible from Anchorage. It loomed impossibly large on the horizon, and in a young man’s fancy. Shortly before his death on Everest, I actually wrote to Denali giant – Ray Genet – asking for advice on climbing Denali “alpine” style. Considering my “vast” experience at age 19, he politely told me I was an idiot for even considering such a thing. He was right of course, but still

Thirty-ish years later, in 2009, events in my life and my climbing career coincided to present an opportunity to make a dream come true and attempt a climb on the Great One. Everything went according to plan and we moved up to high camp without any problems. In spite of possibly the best weather window in the entire history of mountaineering, personnel problems prevented a summit attempt. While it was a disappointment having to turn back with the summit within reach, I was content with the knowledge that I could have reached the top. I was content having been able to spend several weeks in one of the most stunning alpine environments on earth.

Dan and Steve would not be denied. May 2015 back at Kahiltna International Airport loading the dead pigs for another adventure on Denali.

I may have been content, but Dan wasn’t. Almost immediately, I suspect, he began plotting our return. When Dan suggested another attempt in 2015, I initially wasn’t interested. I knew I could have reached the summit on the previous trip and didn’t feel the need to prove anything to myself.  The weather this time around was almost certain to be horrible. There were issues of time and money. Dan being Dan, he wouldn’t take no for an answer and enlisted the aid of our mutual friend Steve to help wear me down. Peer pressure can be brutal and I finally said yes. Spring of 2015 became a frenzy of training, choosing and sorting both gear and food, and attending to countless other details. Eventually we found ourselves, once again, in Talkeetna.

Getting to the camp at 14,000 is a major accomplishment. It means you’ve avoided the crevasses on the Kahiltna glacier, not been blown off the mountain at Windy Corner, and ascended 7,000 feet – just over half way to the summit. It is also where the climbing starts to get serious. It is 2,000 feet up a headwall to the West Buttress Ridge, which climbs another 1,000 feet to the high camp at 17,000′. In 2009 we watched as two climbers from Minnesota took a fatal fall down a couloir above camp. In 2015 we watched a helicopter airlift the body of another climber from the high camp. These are constant reminders that this is a serious mountain, and one can never take safety for granted.

We spent a rest day at high camp eating, hydrating, prepping gear, chatting with other climbers and enjoying the atmosphere. The weather cooperated, so on day nine of our climb we set out for the summit.

Summit day was amazing. Until we were actually traversing across to the summit ridge though, I didn’t allow myself to believe it was actually going to happen. There are so many things that have to go right, and so many things that can go wrong. The weather cooperated. We had a good plan and a strong team. Dan was the same upbeat, reliable climbing partner he has been for the past 30 years. Prior to Denali, Steve had only climbed Rainier and Mt Baker. He overcame his initial hesitance and developed into a strong, confident climber.

The result of exposed flesh meeting -71F windchill

Even with everything going right, it was still a challenge. Dan ended up getting frostbite on his face, and was a bit hypothermic coming off the summit. Then when we thought we were going to get a rest day at high camp, we got word of a storm blowing in. We didn’t have enough food or fuel to wait out a big Denali storm, so we had to pack up and head down only hours after returning to camp. Then back down at 11,000′ camp, the storm finally caught us and kept us tent bound for four days before we could descend. We all reminded ourselves that we were there by choice and it was all part of the experience.

It is hard to believe that all this took place 3 1/2 years ago. In the years since, there have been other adventures and other mountains. And God willing, there will be many more adventures in the years to come. I’m quite certain though, that nothing will come close to matching our time spent on “The Great One.”

Last view of Denali on the flight out.