Solo Unsupported January Denali Attempt

[Craig]

Lonnie Dupre's Blog

Overview:

Denali, aka Mount McKinley, in Alaska, is North America's highest mountain at 20,320 feet. Denali's high latitude (being close to the Arctic) makes it feel like a 23,000-foot peak. This, along with its unpredictable weather and vast crevasse fields, makes it a challenging climb in summer even by Himalayan standards. But in the winter it's a whole different set of conditions. Winds often exceed 100 miles per hour, temperatures plummet below -50F, and there's an average of only six hours of sunlight.

Only nine expeditions totaling 16 people have ever reached the summit of Denali in winter. Six deaths resulted from those climbs. Only one team (comprised of three Russian climbers) has ever made the summit in January...the dead of winter. Of those nine original expeditions, four were solo, but none of the solos were in January, the darkest and coldest time.

The Plan:

Planning has already begun for the projected one-month winter climb. In June 2010, two other Minnesotans and I made an unguided climb via Denali's West Buttress route. We reached the summit after 13 days. I used that expedition to assess whether it would be possible with my 20-plus years of polar expedition experience, and some modification of climbing gear, to successfully climb the mountain in January.
I will pull a 6-foot sled and carry a backpack, a combined weight of about 150 pounds. I'll be attached to the sled via a 14-foot lightweight ladder and a waist harness. The ladder will help to span crevasses should I slip into one. I will also be using extra-long skis for bridging crevasses.
Six thousand calories per day will be needed to stave off the cold and can be eaten without cooking, with the exception of soups and drinks, to conserve weight and fuel. Some 300 bamboo wands will be carried to mark the route, dangerous crevasse crossings and camps from start to summit to help ensure a safe return during low visibility. Camps will consist of snow caves...even modern expedition tents cannot hold up to Denali's winter winds. Snow caves are more reliable and warmer, essential when it's -50° outside. To train for the expedition, I will hike with 6o-pound packs, run, pull tires, do kettle bells, ski, hone climbing skills in Washington and Colorado, and use a hyperbaric chamber to acclimatize for the altitude.

Objectives:

1. Summit Denali before the end of January 2011.
2. Submit daily blog entries, photographs and audio posts from the trail to support the expedition's website and social media.
3. Provide a platform to bring attention to Alaska's vanishing glaciers.
4. Do something big at the summit that will be documented there.
5. Produce a film and an audio documentary for radio as well as professionally shot still images for publication.

Expedition Budget: $46,775.

As of Jan 8th he is at 7800'.

If not tragic, this expedition should be entertaining...

 

[Chugach001]

Bad Assed.

Two friends of mine had successful winter solos up there 20-odd years ago. Another turned around at 16k because, as he says, it was so much more awesomely huge, hostile and remote than in summer and he was simply overwhelmed. It's a mental challenge if there ever was one.

 

[Tim Seaver]

Anything Goes

Ah, the old ladder trick. The only time I saw that in use was on the W Buttress, right as we were intersecting the NE fork into the "Valley of Death", where we met a young Japanese woman wearing a ladder.

We thought "Wow, soloing the West Rib..she must be a badass!"

That's when she stopped and asked us how to operate her stove.

 

[IndianChris]

4. Do something big at the summit that will be documented there.

What does that mean? "Do something big at the summit..."
Like what?

 

[mirabela]

Ugh. It sounds horrible to me ...

Then again, so many things out at the extreme ends of our sports do.

More power to him & good luck in any case.

 

[MichaelJ]

Just how unsupported an attempt is this? Yesterday a plane

dropped in a Steak Sandwich, chips, and some red wine!!!!

Then again, I can't find a claim of being unsupported anywhere in the expedition description.

 

[Craig]

Just how unsupported an attempt is this? Yesterday a plane Then again, I can't find a claim of being unsupported anywhere in the expedition description.

Oh boy – you are right.
At least he doesn't have anyone breaking trail for him.

 

[grouseking]

For some reason, I just cannot picture this...being tied to a ladder? Just in case he falls into a crack and plummets to his death? SO the ladder is tied behind him, and he has to pull that ladder in front of him just in case there is a crazy crevasse. Yikes. More power to him. I need to see a picture of this to understand better.

 

[mtruman]

For some reason, I just cannot picture this...being tied to a ladder? Just in case he falls into a crack and plummets to his death? SO the ladder is tied behind him, and he has to pull that ladder in front of him just in case there is a crazy crevasse. Yikes. More power to him. I need to see a picture of this to understand better.

Looks like he's not dragging it behind him. This looks crazy!!

 

[MichaelJ]

That plane must be darned heavy to drag!
(well, it does look like it in the photo)

This is the way you'd have to do it, unfortunately, since the point is to keep you from falling into a crevasse.
He's not using tents, he's using snow caves, so after every day of skiing/dragging, he has to dig out his shelter for the night. Wow, serious work!

What about daylight? The days have to be wicked short up there right now ... is he doing a lot of his movement in the dark?

 

[Craig]

They were projecting 5 days of good weather when he was dropped off. That might get him to 14K.

Your previous point about being supported is a good one. Did he have food/gear drops made at each of his proposed camps? If so, that would increase his chances of success/survival in case of a prolong bout of bad weather.
If not, what’s he going to do above 14K if he hits a week or two of bad weather?

 

[Chip]

Looks like he's not dragging it behind him. This looks crazy!!

I can't imagine he'll drag it like that on the mountain, in between the steps. It said he'd be attached by harness. Even then, I guess all he can hope is that the weight of the sled prevents him from falling further after breaking through ? Then he's suspended over the edge of the crevasse and needs to self rescue from that position some how ? I don't know, looking at the picture again, maybe that is how he's using the ladder, seems like it would hamper leg and hip movement.

It is supported, the only claim is "Dupre is attempting the first solo January ascent of Denali."

Good luck !

 

[Little Rickie]

Seems crazy to me. "Expedition Budget: $46,775." Must have a good day job.

6,000 cals a day! That's like Thanksgiving every day. What does he eat? Not to be gross but how can a body move that much food in, through and out the body day after day?

I can't see the blog on my wk computer.

 

[MichaelJ]

Answering some of my own questions, from his audio blog on Jan 10 (around 8,000' and 0°F) he reports that it took about 1:50 to dig his snow cave, gets about 5-1/2 hours of light, and so starts and finishes each day in the dark .

 

[IndianChris]

6,000 cals a day! That's like Thanksgiving every day. What does he eat? Not to be gross but how can a body move that much food in, through and out the body day after day?

Perspiration, heat (et al)...a calorie is a measure of heat energy, right. Most of it will be burned.

 

[Craig]

What does that mean? "Do something big at the summit..."
Like what?

He’d get extra points if he slept on the summit and produced a self portrait sunset picture.

 

[Craig]

I Just got off the Satellite phone with Lonnie. He is dug in at 9200 feet for the night. He had a good day of travel despite a sustained glacier downwind of approximately 50 mph during the day.

Perhaps a slight exaggeration?

He has projected good weather through the end of the week. Can he make 14K by then?

 

[arm]

Did he have food/gear drops made at each of his proposed camps? If so, that would increase his chances of success/survival in case of a prolong bout of bad weather. If not, what’s he going to do above 14K if he hits a week or two of bad weather?

he could snag a few pop-tarts at the gift shop at high camp ...

 

[Chip]

Ah, the old ladder trick.

Could someone explain how the ladder is used ? I'm picturing him breaking through and either being suspended at the end of it or disappearing into the crevasse, along with the ladder and sled.

Or is he simply hoping to see the cevasse and use the ladder to span it ?

 

[DougPaul]

Could someone explain how the ladder is used ? I'm picturing him breaking through and either being suspended at the end of it or disappearing into the crevasse, along with the ladder and sled.

Or is he simply hoping to see the cevasse and use the ladder to span it ?

He walks with the center of the ladder around his waist with the ladder out horizontal. The hope is that if his feet break through into a hidden crevasse, the ladder will span the crevasse and catch his fall. He then has to climb out on top of the ladder to firm snow (which can hopefully be found at the end of the ladder...). Repeat as necessary.

Doug