Denali Team 2: May 6 to May 26 - Dispatch #8

[this dispatch was posted earlier, removed by accident for a few minutes, and reposted May 18]

Guides: Mike Pond, Dustin Byrne, Alan Rousseau

Climbers: Garry McMahon (UK), Roy Cursley (UK), Kayla Cooper (Washington), Damon Vincent (Missouri), Greg Lamarche (B), Margaret St. Hill (Australia), Vijay Kumar (New Jersey), Christine Burke (Australia)

Mike Pond called May 17th at 11:04pm PST with the following dispatch: This is Mike Pond calling on behalf of Team 2: We are safe and sound at Camp 3; 14,200 feet. We are super psyched to have an awesome weather window in and around us right now. We arrived here yesterday evening with the help of some good friends. We set up camp today and we are going to take a rest day tomorrow. On Saturday we will move to ascend the fixed lines and get to high camp. Assuming this amazing weather holds we hope to make a summit attempt on Monday or Tuesday. 

This weather window is really amazing and it's looking warmer than it has been. it's crystal clear and there's a light wind. We are really excited and just couldn't ask for anything much more right now. 

Another benefit of this amazing weather is the sunsets. It's crystal clear so we've got a beautiful sunset over Mt. Foraker, Mt. Hunter and we can see all the way to Avalanche Spire. It's really quite beautiful. We're just overwhelmed by our good fortune and can't wait to move up the mountain. We'll have to wait to acclimatize so we don't rush it and blow our attempt due to altitude sickness or something. In the meantime, we've got a cricket match against another team that we are most definitely going to win. In think on Saturday our cricket victory will be a little extra boost to our spirits as we head into the fixed lines and toward high camp. 

Messages:

Chris says to an un-named friend "I was wrong!!! We'll be one day later than I said we would over the phone."

A "soccer aficionado" on the team would like the results of the English Premiere league Manchester United vs. Manchester game. (Manchester City 1, Manchester United 0 both teams have won both their games since this game and Manchester is Ranked #1 while Manchester United is Ranked #2)

Damon says "Hi" to Samantha and "good luck studying for the boards?.
 (sorry I think Mike said "boards" but it was muffled)

Greg gives a big hug to Evelien, and the two doggies, everything is going great and he has not opened the small envelope yet.

Kayla would like to tell her mother that she is significantly warmer than she expected and that she is doing really well.