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'Pretty Intense Up Here'
Team 4: 17,200 Feet - Tuesday, June 11, 2002
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Szundy
Szundy
DISPATCHES
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Howdy Mountain Zoners, this is Matt Szundy and Erik Barnes calling from high camp on Mount McKinley. That's right we made the move yesterday from 14,000-foot camp to 17.2 camp ascending the fixed lines and the beautiful ridge between 16 and 17, traversing the Granite Thumb, Washburn's Thumb, and Knife-Edge Ridge.

Everybody did really well on the move. We had sort of a late start and got into camp pretty late, but proceeded to put in camp in very good style. And nobody is feeling too sick from the altitude; the standard slight headaches that one experiences up here but that's about it.

"...at this point the storm systems that have been hitting the mountain are supposed to be dying down tomorrow, but it is pretty intense up here..."

We look forward to checking the weather tonight at the 8pm broadcast from the National Park Service and based on our assessment in the morning we're looking for a summit attempt tomorrow morning. We will definitely call you several times during the day on our summit bid to touch base and let you know how things are going.

But at this point the storm systems that have been hitting the mountain are supposed to be dying down tomorrow, but it is pretty intense up here. So, hopefully we'll have a weather window tomorrow and summit on our day 19 of this expedition.

So for now this is Matt Szundy and Erik Barnes calling from 17.2 for Alpine Ascents' Dozy Bonkers. Talk to you tomorrow, hopefully from the summit. Take care.

Matt Szundy, Alpine Ascents International Guide and MountainZone.com Correspondent