Team Dom attempts Denali May 21 - June 10th

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We will also bring a tobacco pipe with us and have an honorary smoke in honor of Charles Harold Steele (1919 - 2008). He was the father of the original team member Charles Steele who had to undergo hip surgery earlier this month and therefore could not go with us. Charles Harold Steele was a very good miler back in the 1940's and I had the honor to meet him on several occasions. He always enjoyed jokes and was able to tell a couple more before passing away in his wife's arms on April 23rd due to a heart attack. The pipe we are bringing was one of Charles Harold's favorite pipes and we also have some of his favorite tobacco.

Rob Kettels arrived in Anchorage today and the remaining members will arrive tomorrow or Wednesday. We'll stay at the Long House Hotel In Anchorage for two days before heading to Talkeetna and the flight to Kahiltna Glacier.
A few last minute additions and leaving stuff at home will happen tonight I'm sure. The big initial challenge is to get the stuff on the airplane without having to pay excessive fees.......might need to travel with the double plastics on :D

Mats
 
All the best wishes...

Good luck, and remember what Ed Viesturs says...

"Getting to the top is optional, but getting down is mandatory."
 
Packed and ready to go! Might be pushing the size limit for my "carry on" though :D heh, heh... We'll see whether the warm and friendly folks at LAX give me a hard time tomorrow.

I walked barefoot on the warm, sunny beach in Ventura this morning 'cuz I won't be walking barefoot for a long, long time...........! :eek:
 
To misquote Dickie Hall, "Climb hard, play safe, have fun."

Best to you all and looking forward to reading all about it!
 
Have a safe and enjoyable trip all of you! ;)

If you have time before going to Talkeetna I would highly recomend Pizza Olympia, it is really close to REI on Northen Lights Blvd.

Great Greek salads and REALLY good pizza...
It is run by a family and watching them interact is part of the fun!

(Playing 'The Game')
;)

Come home safe and sound and with a LOT of pictures!

:)
 
Well, by now some of the team has arrived in Anchorage.

A few more will arrive this evening, and then the 2 straggelers will arrive tomorrow afternoon.

I understand that they will be gathering at a popular strip club tomorrow evening to finalize their plans... KIDDING! :p

They will meet up tomorrow evening, and then travel to Talkeetna for a NPS
'Briefing' and geting ready and packing up for the trip to Base camp the next day.

I am hoping that they will have a little time in Anchorage to explore and experience some of the state besides the Glaciers! ;)

In the words of Norman Vaughan, 'Dream big, and dare to fail!'
If you have no idea who Norman Vaughn was, please Google him, he was simply an amazing man, and sorely missed by all who knew or met him.

I will keep 'Team Dom' in my thoughts and be sending warm wishes for a month of great weather, perfect temps and 'severe clear' skies!

I will keep updating this thread as 'Team Dom' calls and informs me of their progress.

Lets hope for a safe trip and of course a safe return!

;)
 
Well, now all of Team Dom is safely in Anchorage, and checking out the finer strip clubs and pizza joints from what I hear...

Its good to still have friends on the Police Force... Oh, and F&G.

:rolleyes:

Hope they enjoy the 'big city life' before heading out to the Glaciers!

:)
 
Last direct update from us.....heading to Talkeetna at 7:30am......should be able to get on the glacier tomorrow evening. We are packed and ready.....I had some issues with the overboots but Junipers crampons worked great with an extra strap. Sliced my thumb with a razorblade while cutting the insulation of the overboots and forgot to bring a memory card for the camera and Jeff forgot his downparka, but that's it for drama....the snow-covered peaks north of Anchorage are stunning.....sky still light although past midnight......Jeff is snoaring load....Arm, Jeff, Rob and I are upstairs in one room and Frodo, Sue, Hamtero and Go are downstairs. Worked hard to keep each persons gear below 125 lbs for the flight in.......might need to chew portions of the summer sausages we bought :D

Weather might turn a bit windy on Friday so we want to get on the glacier tomorrow and possibly move up to 7,800 feet.....a 5.5 mile trip on the glacier......landing at 7,200 feet and going down to 6,600 feet before moving up to 7,800.....the section after that is about 4 miles and goes up the "skihill" to 9,800 feet......

Somehow we ended up not going to the strip bars.....one of the local stories here are that polar bears have been seen mating with grizzlies up on the north shore. Apparantly it's not a good situation.....

Over sat phone next......thanks for all well wishings :) We might need them.....Rob meet an Italian mountain guide yesterday who showed him a picture when he was on top of Denali in May and it was -54F......without the windchill.

Looking forward to see you all when we get back :)

Team Dom
 
The last I heard from Team Dom they were just taking off from Talkeetna to fly to Kahiltna, a day ahead of schedule to try to beat some incoming weather.

Lets hope the Alaska weather people are as accurate as ours have been lately...

;)
 
chinooktrail said:
The last I heard from Team Dom they were just taking off from Talkeetna to fly to Kahiltna, a day ahead of schedule to try to beat some incoming weather.

Lets hope the Alaska weather people are as accurate as ours have been lately...

;)
Click to expand...

Great news, as some times groups get stuck in Talkeetna for days waiting for Kahiltna base camp to clear. In 2004, our group got split up, with Frodo, Ben Baranko, and John Christiana, the three who never had been on the mountain before, flying into Kahiltna base in the evening. Fortunately, go, Peter Anderson, and I were able to fly in the next morning, so our team was able to stay intact for the next few days. This is go's fourth attempt of the West Butt, as he turned around at about 10,000 ft to accompany Peter and me down when we got sick in 2004, after having been up to about 18,000 ft on an earlier trip, so I am really pulling for him.

For anyone reading this thread who does not know all eight members of Team Dom, each of them is incredibly tough, both mentally and physically. In my opinion, Team Dom will be the strongest team by far attempting the West Butt this season. The only question, as always, will be the weather.

Dr. D.
 
Pretty daunting 'airstrip'

plane%20off%20kahiltna%20large.png
 
Nothing like taking off down hill and then flying out of the bottom of a five thousand foot toilet bowl :eek:
 
I'm soooo envious! I flew around the mountain and over base camp a few years ago, so I have a visual. Best of luck to you all on Team Dom!
 
Had a VERY brief call from Team Dom last evening. Seems the Satelite phone batteries are not working out very well...

They had camped at 7800' and were headed up to 10,500' to camp.

Then the phone went out, like I said, brief call.

The weather for that section of the mountian, under 14,000' calls for about 6" of snow and 10* below for tonight, not adjusted for wind chill. Things are looking a little better for tomorrow though!

Hope they are all warm and feeling strong!

According to the Itinerary, they should be carrying supplies to 13,00' and then head back to camp at 10,500 for the night. Which would mean they are a day ahead of schedule for their plans.

Lets all keep hoping for good weather and a safe adventure.

:)
 
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