Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Denali Team 5 and 6: Dispatch #12 and 8
Both Teams 5 and 6 at 14,00 feet


Denali Team 5: May 29 – June 18
Guides: Forest McBrian, Dustin Byrne, and Kristen Looper

Climbers: David Flux (UK), Mark Aitken (UK), Steve Olivera (Guam), Rishi Patel (UK), Nichola Tuer (UK), and Richard Paul Brooks (Australia).

Dustin called at 1:45 pm on June 14th with this dispatch:

“Hi! We came down to 14,00 feet yesterday and everyone's doing well and happy.  We had a great breakfast (which was burritos) and plan on hiking down to Base Camp tonight. We plan to leave at 9pm. That should get us back down to Base Camp soon, and hopefully I’ll be calling you tomorrow as we fly out!”

Andrew Yasso, from Team 6, gets on phone: 

Denali Team 6: June 5 to June 25
Guides: Aidan Loehr, Andrew Yasso, and Erin Smart

Climbers: Simon Thomas Gower (Australia), Richard Van Der Sprenkel (UK), Alan Laidlaw (UK), Anna Koufos-Slade (Virginia), Chok Lin Lui (Australia), Kevin Fourie (South Africa), Luke Richmond (Thailand), and Bill Strycharz (Oregon).

“Hi! This is Andrew!  I just walked into Dustin’s tent, so I thought I’d say hello really quick and give you all a short dispatch.  We were going to cache all the way at High Camp, but we had a change of plans.  We saw lenticular clouds over Mt. Foraker that indicated very high winds.  The summit of Foraker is about the same elevation as where we’d cache, and so it's just not a good day to move.  So, today is a rest day, and we’re all sitting around.  Everyone got to sleep in! It's fun being up here with another AAI Team, as well.  We should have a great dinner party tonight.”


7 comments:

Anna said...

To team #6 - Reading the blogs with bitter-sweet feelings, but always wishing you strength and good weather. Had a few days in Talkeetna and took the train for an overnight in Denali Park with part of my "adoptive" team - great folks! I miss you all... Happy B-day, Weapon!

Anonymous said...

How fun is that for two teams to meet up on the mountain?

Preets said...

Hi Baby
I have started reading 'Mad, bad and dangerous to know'. Not sure if its a good idea for me to read it while you're still on the mountain but its made me appreciate how hard you've had to train to get where you are now. I'm so proud of you! Enjoy the rest day and have fun at the dinner party!

nancy said...

Team 5,
Great to hear you're having such a good time on the way down after your awesome trip to the summit. Dustin, can't wait to see those photos! Nancy & Howard

Jeanne said...

Hi Team 6,

Glad to know you are well fed and taking precautions. Enjoy your dinner party and take some photos. You all are working so hard and doing a great job. We are thinking and praying for you at home.

FYI, Bruins won the hockey game.

Lots of love!

chris sutton said...

hi team 5, you are maybe back down by now and enjoying the 'big city' life... mark, everyone is so impressed with the summit success..what next???

neilrome said...

Nicky

Well done to you all!
Can't wait to see all the photos. Are you feeling the 50lbs on your back?!!
Love
C-A