Surviving Denali - 1989

Climbing Journal Fragments

Saturday June 17th, 1989: A day to remember or forget - it all depends on the particular perspective I’m able to focus on the event? With the decision to turn back 600' below the summit of Denali, we voted for survival, not victory. Had we continued in a last desperate effort to grab the 20,320' prize, our chances of surviving the descent to High Camp were extremely limited. At best, we'd have suffered severe frostbite.

So go the hard decisions of mountaineering: Three weeks of struggle, exposure and ordeal moving slowly upward on the massive ice slopes of Denali, North America’s highest peak, now seemed a futile gesture - all for nothing. Or was it? I look back over the scrawled notes of my Denali journal in an attempt to find justification for this extreme and apparently useless effort.

My Denali climb was conceived in early 1988 while climbing solo in the Mount Whitney area of the Sierra Nevada.  On the first day of the climb I made the acquaintance of Jeff, a fellow solo climber who was training for an attempt on Denali with a guided expedition in June.  In the event, due to reported altitude sickness, Jeff was unable to summit Denali, so on his return to California began making plans for a private expedition for the following year.

This meeting with Jeff was to have long term consequences ... leading me and two other climbers into a nightmare world of survival against a dangerous mountain and a chain of bad decisions.  My early impression of Jeff as a climber wasn't exactly favorable: Well turned out in expensive, fashionable alpine clothing, color co-coordinated and a rather vague history of alpine mountaineering. In many ways he was an enigma, particularly concerning his compatibility as a climbing partner and future expedition leader.  Despite these doubts and a sense of unease about Jeff - and the venture - I accepted the invitation to be part of his private expedition to climb Denali.

Our plan was to fly into the Kahiltna Base Camp, at an elevation of 7,500' on May 29th, and hope for three weeks of good weather during the month of June.  At Base Camp, there were numerous climbing parties returning from unsuccessful attempts on the summit, now waiting to be flown out. It was reported that conditions had been unsafe for climbing for most of the past three weeks.  Three British climbers have fallen to their deaths; another group had their tents and two clients blown off the 3,000 foot headwall below High Camp [17,200'].  Earlier, two Japanese climbers died in their tent at Denali Pass [18,200'] ...  hypothermia, carbon monoxide poisoning, severe altitude sickness?  No one seems to know the real reason.  What’s certain, the weather has been extreme for the time of year.  We hoped that conditions would improve for our attempt during the next three weeks.  Surely odds would be in our favor?

June 7th, 1989:  Morning procrastination ... although not the best weather conditions, other groups are moving out. We’re finally packed up, cached snow shoes and other items at 11,000' by 2 pm!  Then a slow march, with long stops in cold conditions for repairs to Bryan's crampons.  Around Windy Corner in icy conditions for the longest, coldest 13 hours climbing in my life, stumbling into the 14,200' camp at 3 am, with the temperature at - 10° F.  My feet are near freezing and body close to hypothermia, believing I'll never be warm again.  Kim and Bryan much worse than me. 

There's no discussion on either the cold or our choice of moving so late and for so long, all because of indecision in getting underway each morning.  We'll never make the summit if this continues.   Despite numerous clear and constructive references to this problem, nothing changes.  I’ve given us the name 'Jeff's Midnight Wanderers'.

June 10th, 1989:  A good weather day and it’s up the headwall to the notch at 16,200' with a carry of 4 days food and fuel to cache at the notch.  Once again, we leave late: Out at 2.30 pm and not at the notch until 8.30 pm, but weather remained excellent with great views on both sides of the West Buttress – superb!  The climb and descent of the top 1000' of the headwall is protected by fixed ropes, which are difficult to use, particularly during the descent.  Back to a very cold camp - late. 

June 17 th, 1989:   We leave for the summit at 9:45 am in perfect conditions, although some pluming obvious along the summit ridge, but we hope this wind will reduce by late afternoon [our estimate for reaching the summit].  We make good time to Denali Pass, where the wind is howling in from the east. Then its up the ridge to the Football Field by 6 pm.  The summit knoll is just ahead, maybe 1½ hours to go.  We reach 19,700' at the same time as the clouds roll in from the west, accompanied by gale force winds.  The summit knoll quickly becomes obscured by cloud and the general consensus from ourselves and other climbing parties in the vicinity is to retreat immediately to our camp at 17,200' before the weather situation deteriorates further, blocking any chance of a safe return.  Temperature is -20° F and dropping. Our decision to turn back, with the summit so close, we can almost reach out and touch it, is heartbreaking.  We realize this is our last chance at a summit attempt but the decision to retreat is the only choice in the circumstances. 

The descent is hazardous in the strong wind and all are tired and dispirited.  We take special care from Denali Pass to the 17,200' camp ... there have been numerous fatal accidents on this section of the descent.  Finally, at 10 pm, we arrive at camp in very strong winds and gratefully crawl into sleeping bags to endure the noise of ever increasing wind gusts as the night progresses.  Bryan is really down because of our failure.  My reaction will come later, whatever that will be.  I do know that had the fine weather held, I would have made the summit and for the moment I’m content with that.  At least we’re all alive and no frostbite.  The Genet team that returned from the summit early this morning  suffered a number of frostbite casualties.  No summit, and possibly no toes, would be just too much to bear.

June 18th, 1989:  I sleep very well for the first time at this altitude, despite a roaring storm throughout the night and morning.  Presently waiting for wind to drop in order to make a safe descent to the camp at 14,200' We decide on a descent down the Rescue Gully [straight shot of 3,000' to the camp].  This based on a move by Genet and RMI to do the same ...  they consider the West Buttress route too exposed with the prevailing wind.  The descent on the fixed ropes takes forever, but necessary because of the steep exposed slope.

June 19th, 1989: A night trip down from 11,000' to the Kahiltna Base Camp is carried out in beautiful conditions ... no wind, not particular cold and with firm snow underfoot.  We pull into the Base Camp at 3 am, throw up tents for the last time.  Bryan and I have a celebration of many mugs of essential hot fluids. We’re flown out to Talkeetna by Jay and Cliff Hudson around midday on the 20th, after 22 days on the mountain

Final Assessment

Overall a great disappointment.  The combination of bad decisions and constant extreme weather made the expedition a most dangerous mountain experience.   But I can't complain too much: I went into this with my eyes open, guessing something like this could occur.  At least we all survived the mountain, returning with no injuries or frostbite!

One day, I'll tell the full story of why this climb was so bloody dangerous!