Read "Part 1" HERE
The morning after the grueling push above tree line we arose late and ate a well earned breakfast. Talking it over, we decided to take the day off and rest up before the big push to the top. We had traveled over 15 miles and the last two, nearly straight up, had done the guys in.
We all spent the morning airing out our socks and catching up on our journaling. After lunch a few of the guys decided to scout out our route for the following day. It was a nice day with high clouds scattered about like enormous cotton balls overhead. We were in the snow now and the footing was great!! We steadily made our way up towards the craggy, snow swept peak still 1500 ft away. It was a different world up there in the alpine in early May. The wind was howling and sweeping the snow across the mountain side blurring visibility with blizzard like conditions. Turning around and glancing down the mountain, it appeared to be sunny and spring like just 1/2 mile away. We pushed on up to a wonderful vantage point and plotted our course for the following day. From where we sat we could see the peak looming above and the whole valley flowing out below. We picked our route and heading back to camp.
The guys were happy to see up and anxious to hear the details of our trip. Was is steep? dangerous? Did we think they could make it? We jokingly told them it was very dangerous and that they would probably die but that we were going anyway!!
That evening nestled under the Noah tarp between two snow banks we discussed the next days events with anticipation. Sipping hot chocolate and finishing supper with warm apple cobbler we laughed and joked about how far they had come in the past four days. From sunny, hot Alabama to sleeping in the snow and scaling an ice capped peak.
Early the next morning we arose, scarfed down breakfast and broke camp. We strapped on our snowshoes and lifted our heavy packs ready for the mountains challenge. With one last pep talk we started up! The going was steep but the footing, a mixture of snow and alpine tundra, was excellent.
Each step put us closer to our goal and we forged ahead. After 30 min or so we came to a bench in the mountainside around 300 yds wide and deep. This offered us a great place to rest up and drop our packs for the remaining attempt of the summit. The weather was changing and it appeared that a storm was closing in....perfect! The wind began to pick up driving the snow sideways and cutting through our clothing to our core. We didn't rest long before we had to move and warm up. The sky was dark and we needed to make our move now or we would miss our window of opportunity.
Grabbing water and a few cliff bars we scurried up the next steep incline through a rocky chute some 300 feet above. Are blood was pumping now and all high with adrenaline as the wind was rolling over us with 30mph gusts. The snow seemed to be pelting us from below as we picked our way ever higher. I yelled from ahead to keep coming and Lee encouraged from behind.
All of the men on the trip were of great fortitude and mental capacity. They were strong men and had overcome many obstacles in the past 5 days. I had faith in them and was excited for them to reach their goal of the summit.
The wind never let up and as we pushed higher the snow gave way to ice and steeper terrain. Leading the party, I went ahead to scout out a ledge with a 40 degree incline on one side and a 300 ft drop off on the other. The footing was descent but there was little room for error. Etching slowly up the wind and snow made visibility almost 0. I began to doubt if we could make it up safely to the peak just 100 yds above. Moving another 10yds I hit an incline of about 50 degrees that had been camouflaged by the snow. I surveyed our options and realized there was no way with these conditions that we were going to be able to make it. I sat there for a minute disappointed at the outcome of events. I knew these guys wanted it terribly....I wanted it for them terribly but it wasn't going to happen! Safety is the best success and I knew going further would compromise us all.
I yelled out to the group below that it wasn't going to happen and we needed to turn back. They all agreed that they didn't want to die trying and they veered of across the mountain to meet me below.
We rendezvoused at rocky outcropping below and we made our way down picking our way through the mixture of snow and rocks. All of a sudden we hit a snow/ice field at a 45 degree angle separating us from our packs below. The ice field was some 400 yds across on all direcitons and the best option was straight down. I was a little nervous because one slip we would slide all the way down. The wind was blowing the snow such that we couldn't tell what exactly lay below.
We kicked off our snow shoes and sat on them like a sled. Using the crampon on the bottom we slowly slid/skid down the mountianside. It was all fun and games until Lee, the most experienced guy bringing up the rear, slid off his snow shoe and tumbled into the group like a stack of dominoes. He took us all out in a row and we all lost control of our "sleds". Luckily I was able to get some footing grabbing Eric and Jacob. Jacob and Eric in turn grabbed Mike and Turtle. We all breathed a sigh a relief before hearing Lee yelling from below as we skidded down the mountain at what seemed like break neck speeds. At first I thought his yells were of fear but soon realized he was yelling out of sheer enjoyment. The clouds and snow had lifted to a point were we could see that the slope below spilled out into a nice bowl of white level snow. Lee effectively had glacaided all the way down in 8 seconds. We all looked at each other and laughed with relief!! "Man, that looks like the best way down to me," yelled Mike before he dumped his snow shoe sled and let loose down the mountain. We all laughed and followed suite.
The day was ending soon and we needed to get down off the main mountain fast. We found our snow covered packs, strapped our snowshoes back on and headed down. We navigated off the mountain through a series of avalanche shoots, alders thickets and stream beds before we hit the level ground we so longed for. We were beat and sleep came easy that night.
That evening I contemplated the days events. Although I was very disappointed that we were not able to summit I remembered why Alaska holds such respect and grander in all of our eyes. It is still untamed and unpredictable. I love it for this reason and something in my soul NEEDS it to be this way. Something I cannot control or tame keeps me humble and gives me perspective. Some may look at our situation as failure but I view it as great success. We all tested ourselves against RAW Alaska and that IS the success.
Read more on the Senior Trip at www.AlaskanVentures.com
The morning after the grueling push above tree line we arose late and ate a well earned breakfast. Talking it over, we decided to take the day off and rest up before the big push to the top. We had traveled over 15 miles and the last two, nearly straight up, had done the guys in. We all spent the morning airing out our socks and catching up on our journaling. After lunch a few of the guys decided to scout out our route for the following day. It was a nice day with high clouds scattered about like enormous cotton balls overhead. We were in the snow now and the footing was great!! We steadily made our way up towards the craggy, snow swept peak still 1500 ft away. It was a different world up there in the alpine in early May. The wind was howling and sweeping the snow across the mountain side blurring visibility with blizzard like conditions. Turning around and glancing down the mountain, it appeared to be sunny and spring like just 1/2 mile away. We pushed on up to a wonderful vantage point and plotted our course for the following day. From where we sat we could see the peak looming above and the whole valley flowing out below. We picked our route and heading back to camp.
The guys were happy to see up and anxious to hear the details of our trip. Was is steep? dangerous? Did we think they could make it? We jokingly told them it was very dangerous and that they would probably die but that we were going anyway!!That evening nestled under the Noah tarp between two snow banks we discussed the next days events with anticipation. Sipping hot chocolate and finishing supper with warm apple cobbler we laughed and joked about how far they had come in the past four days. From sunny, hot Alabama to sleeping in the snow and scaling an ice capped peak.
Early the next morning we arose, scarfed down breakfast and broke camp. We strapped on our snowshoes and lifted our heavy packs ready for the mountains challenge. With one last pep talk we started up! The going was steep but the footing, a mixture of snow and alpine tundra, was excellent.
Each step put us closer to our goal and we forged ahead. After 30 min or so we came to a bench in the mountainside around 300 yds wide and deep. This offered us a great place to rest up and drop our packs for the remaining attempt of the summit. The weather was changing and it appeared that a storm was closing in....perfect! The wind began to pick up driving the snow sideways and cutting through our clothing to our core. We didn't rest long before we had to move and warm up. The sky was dark and we needed to make our move now or we would miss our window of opportunity.Grabbing water and a few cliff bars we scurried up the next steep incline through a rocky chute some 300 feet above. Are blood was pumping now and all high with adrenaline as the wind was rolling over us with 30mph gusts. The snow seemed to be pelting us from below as we picked our way ever higher. I yelled from ahead to keep coming and Lee encouraged from behind.
All of the men on the trip were of great fortitude and mental capacity. They were strong men and had overcome many obstacles in the past 5 days. I had faith in them and was excited for them to reach their goal of the summit.
The wind never let up and as we pushed higher the snow gave way to ice and steeper terrain. Leading the party, I went ahead to scout out a ledge with a 40 degree incline on one side and a 300 ft drop off on the other. The footing was descent but there was little room for error. Etching slowly up the wind and snow made visibility almost 0. I began to doubt if we could make it up safely to the peak just 100 yds above. Moving another 10yds I hit an incline of about 50 degrees that had been camouflaged by the snow. I surveyed our options and realized there was no way with these conditions that we were going to be able to make it. I sat there for a minute disappointed at the outcome of events. I knew these guys wanted it terribly....I wanted it for them terribly but it wasn't going to happen! Safety is the best success and I knew going further would compromise us all.
I yelled out to the group below that it wasn't going to happen and we needed to turn back. They all agreed that they didn't want to die trying and they veered of across the mountain to meet me below.
We rendezvoused at rocky outcropping below and we made our way down picking our way through the mixture of snow and rocks. All of a sudden we hit a snow/ice field at a 45 degree angle separating us from our packs below. The ice field was some 400 yds across on all direcitons and the best option was straight down. I was a little nervous because one slip we would slide all the way down. The wind was blowing the snow such that we couldn't tell what exactly lay below.
We kicked off our snow shoes and sat on them like a sled. Using the crampon on the bottom we slowly slid/skid down the mountianside. It was all fun and games until Lee, the most experienced guy bringing up the rear, slid off his snow shoe and tumbled into the group like a stack of dominoes. He took us all out in a row and we all lost control of our "sleds". Luckily I was able to get some footing grabbing Eric and Jacob. Jacob and Eric in turn grabbed Mike and Turtle. We all breathed a sigh a relief before hearing Lee yelling from below as we skidded down the mountain at what seemed like break neck speeds. At first I thought his yells were of fear but soon realized he was yelling out of sheer enjoyment. The clouds and snow had lifted to a point were we could see that the slope below spilled out into a nice bowl of white level snow. Lee effectively had glacaided all the way down in 8 seconds. We all looked at each other and laughed with relief!! "Man, that looks like the best way down to me," yelled Mike before he dumped his snow shoe sled and let loose down the mountain. We all laughed and followed suite.
The day was ending soon and we needed to get down off the main mountain fast. We found our snow covered packs, strapped our snowshoes back on and headed down. We navigated off the mountain through a series of avalanche shoots, alders thickets and stream beds before we hit the level ground we so longed for. We were beat and sleep came easy that night. That evening I contemplated the days events. Although I was very disappointed that we were not able to summit I remembered why Alaska holds such respect and grander in all of our eyes. It is still untamed and unpredictable. I love it for this reason and something in my soul NEEDS it to be this way. Something I cannot control or tame keeps me humble and gives me perspective. Some may look at our situation as failure but I view it as great success. We all tested ourselves against RAW Alaska and that IS the success.
Read more on the Senior Trip at www.AlaskanVentures.com
This is a really good article. I enjoyed reading it. Hope you write more!
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