Everyone is off the mountain!

Dave called yesterday to let us know that the rest of the crew is off the mountain. Many of the climbers had flights home yesterday and I believe that they were even able to make their scheduled flights.

It has also come to our attention that Stefan's collapse on the Autobahn (not at Denali Pass as I had thought) might have had more to do with a specialized form of breathing technique that a friend of his who climbed Everest (ergo, a credible source of information on how to climb mountains...?) had recommended. It was a technique called "double pressure breathing."

I'm not sure how it works exactly, but it illustrates two good points: climbing mountains isn't rocket science. You train well, work hard and take big, deep breaths occasionally as you're heading up hill. Don't make more out of it than it is. The results of trying to get too fancy could be that you pass out at 18,00 feet... Secondly, listen to your guides; they know what works up there and have only your best interests in mind when they give you advice.

Well that wraps up the dispatches for this expedition. I hope you've enjoyed them and that they helped you feel a bit more connected to your friends and family who climbed with us. Thanks for your support and thanks for your trust in Mountain Trip.

Todd- out.