The team has moved to basecamp to reevaluate the objectives of the climb; after a few days spent at the base of the West Rib couloir in bad weather, Jared and Greg were forced to come to the decision to abandon their hopes for a West Rib ascent and change the focus of the trip to climbing other peaks around the Kahiltna glacier area. Weather and route conditions often ruin even the most carefully laid mountain strategies, and while waiting the team used up their supplies for the route between the base of the route and their high camp cache. A team is in a vulnerable position between when they cache most of their supplies elsewhere and when they can reach those supplies, so even though Jared reserved several extra days of food and fuel for just this scenario, the weather and resulting route conditions had other ideas and prevented them from moving and consequently the team found themselves without adequate supplies to continue upward.
As we say in the mountains, weather is king- moving despite bad conditions is bad style, so I sent sixty pounds of food to basecamp yesterday with another MT group and the West Rib crew has reached them and are eating happy right now. The plan for the remainder of the trip is being formulated as I write this, and when I know more you'll know more.
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Mark,
ReplyDeleteReading about how you cache your supplies and then how you have to get to them later really reminds me what a serious climb you are on. (Not that I need any reminding, for crying out loud.) This is the real deal, isn't it? People write about this in magazines and such.
You know that I (and for that matter, most people) can't even dream of doing what you are doing.
Sixty pounds of food sounds really good.
I can't wait to see what other peaks you will climb on the glacier! Your photos and stories are SO eagerly anticipated around here!!
I know you wanted to summit, and I hope that you aren't disappointed too much. After all, this is still an amazing accomplishment.
You can still wear the shirt. :D
Why do I suspect you'll just come back and do this again...?
Lots of love,
Kim