Highpointers up the Butt: Acclimatization Climb to 17,000 Feet

[Mohamed Ellozy]

For the first time the satellite phone transmission was not very good, I missed a few sentences but got all the important information (I think!).

June 9th

Monday was a rest day. On Tuesday (June 8th) they climbed to over 17,000 feet for acclimatization. Up a headwall that is 2,000 vertical feet in one mile, very steep as Bob put it. This is the section which has the fixed lines for last 800 feet. Then they went up the less steep West Buttress. It is narrow, with tremendous falloff, as Bob said "You had better know what you are doing". Near a rock formation called "Washburn's Thumb" it is again steep, with fixed lines.

Feeling a little effect of altitude, not much. Wednesday was again a rest day, on Thursday they plan to repeat the acclimatization climb.

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

sounds like the weather is holding; good luck guys, but be safe.

 

[Mohamed Ellozy]

Dr. D,

I have put your best wishes on my answering machine; that is how we handle "two way" communications!

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

Thanks, Mohamed. I suspect that you will get a message from them tonight. Not sure why the sat phone is not working as well now, as it worked great lower down on the Kathiltna. Perhaps surprisingly, a lot of parties were carrying regular cell phones for calling out from higher on the mountain (line of sight to Anchorage?).