Denali Expedition: Smith & Team Crossing Fingers to Fly
Posted by: Hannah Smith, Devin Guffey, Erika Birkeland
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Alaska Denali
Elevation: 7,200'
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June 1, 2023, 9:14 pm PDT
Hello all!
After a a quick nap of a couple hours we woke at 10:00 pm and packed up our camp. Just before midnight we began our walk out. During our nap the clouds faded away and gave us a beautiful view out. The air was crisp and so were the views. The moon light the dusk sky and hues of pink and purple faded in and out. We were the only team walking on the Kahiltna. As we took our final steps uphill on Heartbreak Hill we were greeted by a sea of tents at basecamp. Many hopefuls waited to check in and try to fly out. We had a couple hours before check in so we grabbed our sleeping bags and took another quick nap. As teams awoke you could feel the anxious and desperate energy of teams wanting to get off the glacier. Unfortunately, none of the RMI teams were able to fly. One plane even got stuck here at basecamp unable to fly out with the clouds engulfing camp so quickly. Our once clear morning turned into a wet afternoon. We are now curled up in our tents trying our best to stay dry and optimistic as we wait for weather to improve to we can off. A celebratory beer cached at basecamp has helped the mood. If we close our eyes we can pretend we are showered and sitting at the brewery. Weather is suppose to improve by Saturday so fingers crossed for clear skies both here and in Talkeetna. As for now, after only some naps we are pretty sleepy from our walk out.
So goodnight all,
RMI Guides Hannah Smith, Devin Guffey, and Erika Birkeland, and Team
