Dynatech-elevation

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Archivos de la categoría: '2009 Expedicion Dynatech-Mckinley'

They are closer and closer to the great objective. Usually the great successes are achieved after reaching small objectives. The Raules and Adrián have managed to advance a lot on this mountain. Yesterday, they arrived in CIV Medical Camp (4.328 m), they left some material there and they returned to CIII. They seized this carrying to acclimatize. It is impossible to ascend from the CIII with the mountain sleds, because the orography does not allow their dragging. All the material have to be carried at their backs, therefore they have to do two carryings. They have already done the first one, and today they will do the second one, so they will finish the acclimation. Once they are in CIV, they will rest and hope good weather which allows them to arrive in CV and then reach the summit.

When they called me, I was drinking beers with the Himalayan Carlos Pauner, a professional mountainer and great friend of us, we have shared with Carlos some expeditions to the largest mountains in the planet. I have put him through them and they have been speaking a few minutes. Pauner have wished them the best and he has encouraged them.

 

News from the Raules and Adrián could not be better. We say “Raules” because another Raúl from Málaga has added to this aragonese team.  He is a very good friend of Raúl Martínez, they both have shared residence in San Francisco (California), so we think that, doubtless, it will be favourable for their relationship.

 

Their voices are enthusiastic but the facts they informed us are even more exciting.  Daily they communicate with us with British punctuality, in spite of the difficulties, they always do it to inform us of the expedition development.

We have been accustomed to their daily progress,  they make it easy, each day they gain meters and they fulfill absolutely fine with the schedule. The mountaineers be like that, decisive and committed to it. Daring and tenacious in their cause. Yesterday they informed us that they would climb  to CII. They did it, besides their ambition leads them to sleep a few hours and undertake the path until the CII, where they have slept and from where they are going to climb to the C IV Medical Camp (4.328 km).

The rise becomes harder as they leave Camp II with very hard ramps, when turning right to go round Squirrel Point they will arrive at a difficult strecht in which there is a lot of ice blocks with finish into the void. Once they pass these blocks, they will arrive in a ground which leads them to Windy corner, and after crossing Windy Corner and the cracked camp they will find an area with plenty of holes.

A long and complicated day, but with a clear objective. In this case, besides going advancing meters on the mountain, they will arrive in a height Camp, in which they will find a Rangers and medical post. Also there is a telecommunication centre from which they can contact to serveral services (harness for instance). Definitively they reach the 4.328 m., and they will rest for a few days. We are afraid but it will be a forced rest, because the weather forecast are not goods, they must check them with the Rangers forecast but the ones we have here are not encouraging.

From tomorrow afternoon until Monday morning, it is likely to rain according weather forecast. Our climbers have been infomed about it, and they will act in accordance to this forecast. It is not totally bad, because some days for resting will help them to achieve acclimation and to adapt their punished bodies. From the CIV, they have to carry the material once more, but now without mountain sled, go down the CIV again, and go up to CV another time, until the summit.

But on the mountain make plans like that has no sense, because we depend on the Denalis whims.

Now we just hope that the weather and the events will be favourable for them.

 

 

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 This mountain because of its geographical position, due to it is very close to the Arctic, has several differences compared to the others. Its very low temperature and sunlight hours. Only, from 00:00 hours to 02:00 hours, there is a penumbra which distinguishes the short night from the rest of the day. It allows the climbers to advance on the mountain at any time.

They had arrived at Camp I and they were tired. Each one has to drag the mountain sled with more than 50 kgs. This technique for carrying it is very hard. The strength is performed with the hip, we are not accustomed to this body gesture. Apart from that, the mountainers constantly suffer the imbalance due to the sled slide by their hips.

But they are not there to feel sorry, they have gone to overcome difficulties, they want to work hard and fight for it, nobody is going to give them anything and they are aware of it. There is no summit, whitout battle. This is part of the game betwwen the mountain and the man.
Adrián and Raúl know the rules and they will spare no effort to win the battle.
Tomorrow, they will climb to Camp II, Kahiltna (3.048 m). This route is expected to be very hard because of very steep slopes, the rise will be slow, each step will be taken in a very sure way, without neither oversights nor discouragements, but decisively.

After doing all shopping and organize the material, Raúl and Adrián have boarded the light aircraft which have taken them to Kahiltna base camp (2.225 m). In order to advance on the mountain, and after arriving and making all necessary arrengements with the Rangers, they are ready to ascend the Camp I, Ski Hill (2.800 m.), along these 9 km., the climbers will have to carry all necessary material for staying ot the mountain. They are aware that now the weather is favourable for them, so they will make the most of it. One day gained on the mountain could be the difference between success or failure. They are two expert mountaineers, they know each other quite well, and they know that it is not necessary to acclimatize yet at this altitude. They are also aware that there will be days to stay in high altitude camps, days of suffering, nausea and headeachs. But their tenacity is their strength, and it will allow them to overcome any foreseeable weakness.
Statistics are not encouraging, only forty percent of the mountaineers, which have attempted to reach the summit, have achieved it. Besides, along this season, two people have already died and another one is missing more than a week ago.
However, our climbers are encouraged to face this challenge with which they have been dreaming about for several months.

Comprando material
Doing last shoppings
Yesterday, after travelling 180 km. by road from Anchorage to Talkeetna, they booked the flight to the base camp.

They are having an encouraging information, apparently good weather is expected for the next few days. Doubtless, this is very good news, because in this way, the bad weather will not hinder for the moment the mountaineers progression.

Adrián and Raúl are expected to arrive at the base camp today, they will set up, and they will begin to cope with the new situation in order to achieve the desired acclimation.

Camino a Talkeetna
Route to Talkeetna
Raúl Martínez and Adrián Uclés have landed in Anchorage (Alaska) at 21:05 local time.
The adventure has begun, now is time to act without delay and organize the team, they have to do the last shopping and plan the logistics accurately.
The buy of one kilo of excess food is an unnecessary ballast, an effort which should not be assumed.

This city is the last great place in which they are going to stay, before going into the Mckinley or Denali, in the language of the natives.

They will travel 180 kms. by road throughout the day until Talkeetna, there they will stay overnight and then they will take flight to Kahiltna base camp (2.225 m).

The climbers are very excited and they ardently desire to face the mountain, they want to progress and begin to live their dream.

Raúl Martínez y Adrián Uclés
Raúl Martínez and Adrián Uclés