Denali – Kahiltna glacier
Team Zulu/Maxidor flew onto the Kahiltna glacier and to Base Camp on Monday. At Base Camp they prepared to move up the mountain by organising loads and rigging their sleds. Shortly after they started making their way, Tony fell into a ‘slot’ or ice hollow up to his waist. All were relieved it was only a ‘slot’. They are now at 8000 ft (2500m) and are in good spirits feasting on eggs, sausages, cheese, and avo!
Extract from ‘Freeze Frame’ re Sean’s Denali expedition in 2002 – ‘Our flight from Talkeetna to Base Camp was a mini adventure. We were crammed into a little single-ending beaver no unlike a crop-sprayer… The maze of streams and forests began to give way to undulating hills. Denali hogged the horizon along with her two imposing lieutenants, Hunter and Foraker, and then we were in among the mountains, weaving and soaring amid the white peaks. Our plane seemed the size of a fly against the backdrop of the 3-km sheer face of Denali’s south side.
Base Camp at 6562 ft (2000m) nestles in a bowl at the foot of these mountain and only planes with skis can land on the tiny strip… From Base Camp we set out immediately and over-nighted at two temporary camps on the way up the Kahiltna glacier…’
Base Camp and the landing strip on the Kahiltna Glacier
The flight into Base Camp
