Above 14000 Ft.

Hello Climbing Followers 


Current Location: 14144 ft.


April and Bobby checked in tonight at 10:51pm.  We are amazed at the progress that they are making.  It feels like we are climbing with them but minus the long hard days, snow, wind, tents and port-a-potty..hahaha.  It has been a great way to learn and experience Mt. McKinley without having to go there.  


I'm sure that April and Bobby are excited.  At 14000ft there is a ranger station with toilets.  I'm sure they will be excited to use a real toilet instead of the bucket.  


If you haven't checked out the SPOT finder today, you really should click on the link to see April and Bobby's path today.  I can't understand the track they are taking.  I'm sure once they are home and tell us, everything will make since.  But it is hard to understand when you have a marker on the screen and it keeps moving in different directions.  Some parts it looks like they moved around in circles. 


Information on Camp 3 (SOURCE)

Camp 3 on Denali, also called Genet basin in honor of Denali pioneer Ray Genet, sits atop a plateau at 14,200 feet below the Messner Couloir, the Direct, West Buttress, and is bordered on the far right by the West Rib. The edge of the plateau is known amongst climbers as "The Edge of the World" because from the edge of the plateau, the terrain drops six thousand feet almost straight down to the Northeast Fork of the Kahiltna. The views from the plateau are spectacular. Hunter and Foraker are set at center stage and catch the last of the evening light as the sun sets. 14 can be a very windy and inhospitable place, but when compared with the hardships of the upper mountain, it is a safe haven and congregating spot for ascending and descending climbers.

The Rangers and most guide services have a strong presence at 14 and things like toilets, weather forecasts, and medical assistance are readily available.

Today was probably a really long and hard day.  They made camp at 14,144ft.  In this leg of the climb they did some climbing with crampons and ice axes to get around Windy Corner where the upper Mountain comes into view.  I am sure that they will sleep good tonight.  I know I'm tired just thinking about it.  


Current Weather:

...7 THOUSAND FEET TO 14 THOUSAND FEET... ...WIND SPEEDS LESS THAN 20 MPH ARE NOT INCLUDED... .THURSDAY...MOSTLY CLOUDY. SOUTHEAST WINDS 20 MPH AT 14 THOUSAND FEET. HIGH AT 14 THOUSAND FEET...5 ABOVE. .THURSDAY NIGHT...MOSTLY CLOUDY. SOUTHEAST WINDS 30 MPH AT 14 THOUSAND FEET. LOW AT 14 THOUSAND FEET...ZERO .FRIDAY...MOSTLY CLOUDY. SOUTHEAST WINDS 20 MPH AT 14 THOUSAND FEET. HIGH AT 14 THOUSAND FEET...5 ABOVE. ...ABOVE 14 THOUSAND FEET... .THURSDAY...PARTLY CLOUDY. HIGH AT 17 THOUSAND FEET...ZERO WINDS FROM 17 THOUSAND FEET TO THE SUMMIT...SOUTHEAST 25 MPH. .THURSDAY NIGHT...PARTLY CLOUDY. LOW AT 17 THOUSAND FEET...5 BELOW. WINDS FROM 17 THOUSAND FEET TO THE SUMMIT...SOUTHEAST 30 MPH. .FRIDAY...PARTLY CLOUDY. HIGH AT 17 THOUSAND FEET...ZERO. WINDS FROM 17 THOUSAND FEET TO THE SUMMIT...SOUTHEAST 20 MPH. .OUTLOOK SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY... A CHANCE OF SNOW...ESPECIALLY BELOW 17 THOUSAND FEET. SUMMIT WINDS...NORTHEAST 35 MPH.