Zach just called to report that the team is nestled in at Camp 1, located at about 7,800 feet on the Kahiltna Glacier. They traveled in very low visibility today, and at times they felt as if they were walking inside a ping pong ball. The sun yesterday consolidated the snow from the previous day's storm to some extent, and though they were all traveling on snowshoes or skis, they found the trail breaking to be manageable.
There were a couple of instances of climbers poking a leg into something that felt like a crevasse, but there was no confirmation of what caused the snow to give way under their snowshoe. The adrenaline rush they felt probably helped warm them up! Temperatures were moderate in the beginning of the day, but cooled as the sun passed behind the high ridgeline to the west of camp.
Dinner tonight is a chicken pasta dish that was reportedly smelling pretty tasty as its aroma wafted from the cook tent and out across the glacier.
Today was an example of what we call a "single carry." The climbers loaded up all of their clothes, food, fuel and supplies and carried it to the next camp in a single carry. From now on, they will probably employ what is known as a "double carry" technique, in which they load up about half of their total "stuff" and carry it to or near their next camp. They will bury their supplies in a deep hole in the snow and mark it well before returning to their camp to spend the night. This allows them to move a lot of "stuff" up the mountain without doing so in huge, crippling loads. It also allows them to get a taste of a higher elevation, but sleep at their previous, lower camp, and thereby ease themselves more gradually into the increasingly rarefied air of the upper mountain.
Everyone is in great spirits, and they are all feeling really good about their efforts of today. They are moving very well and are functioning as a very efficient team.
Tomorrow's activity will depend a lot on the visibility. If it is like today, with little wind or snow, but low visibility, they might carry some kit up the famous "Ski Hill" that rises 1,700' ahead of the team. We'll keep you posted!
Zack would like to send his love to his 8 month old son, Logan!
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Please tell Zach that Logan hasn't aged 3 months in 3 days, although it certainly feels like it at times :) We're holding down the home front and excited about this expedition and their progress.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful experience for the climbers and the benefiting school they represent.
Love to all (especially my wonderful husband) and good luck everyone.
Joanna and Logan
Ryan,
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy to see what a great group of guys you are climbing with. We are all rooting for you here and NJ and so excited to be able to track your daily progress. I'm so proud of you for making this dream come true. Keep strong, focused, and maintain your positive outlook. This is the experience of a lifetime and we cannot wait to hear about each step when you return!
Good luck to all. I love you Ryan!
LIVE IT UP!
Love,
Katie Longo and all family, friends, and fans of Ryan and crew