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.

The Summit!!!

I just got the news: The team did make the summit the other day!

Apparently, after they assisted Stefan (sorry for mis-spelling your name in previous posts!) they geared back up and headed out of camp at about 2:30 pm. They reached the summit late at night, but in Alaska, in June: it's never dark. They then rested a day before descending.

I believe they are spending tonight at Camp 2 at 11,200'. They'll probably get a very early start so that they cross the lower glacier during the wee hours of the morning, when it is most frozen.

I have to say, climbing up to Denali Pass twice in one day and then going all the way to the summit is a huge day. Those folks are definitely to be heartily congratulated!

Good work!!!

Possible summit!?!

A climber on the summit ridge in mid-June

My apologies up front for my lack of information. Dave Staeheli sent his satellite phone down with one of his assistant guides, Zach Johnson. Zach relayed me a message stating that he was descending from Camp 3 with Stephan, who is doing much better. He also said that he thought that Dave and the crew went back up to the summit two days ago, after assisting with Stephan's descent!

The logistics and workload of managing 8 climbers on summit day are pretty intense, so I can see how Dave might have had his hands too full to contact Zach via radio and notify him of their summit bid. Also, the radios we use up there do not always work between any given "Point A" and "Point B". It's a big, complex mountain and while we would all love blow by blow updates, I'm afraid that's just not the reality right now.

Zach thought that the group probably would have made the summit the other day, as he didn't see any weather factors that would have turned them around. He said everyone was doing well and could have probably made it.

Let's keep our fingers crossed...