Re: Final Denali '09 Email

Hey all-  I just wanted to send a big THANK YOU for keeping up with the Denali climb e-mails and sending me your well wishes.  I certainly wish all of you could have joined me on this climb, but alas, many of you have your hands full with other exciting things (like new babies and/or jobs!).  The good news is that I will one day be returning to Denali for what will hopefully be an uninterrupted climb of the mountain.  That means I'll be looking for some good friends to join me!!  It was disappointing coming off the mountain early, but at least there is always an upside to it.  It is a truly amazing part of the world and I think you'd all enjoy it.  Who knows when I will return- hopefully in the next two years or so (depending on other climbs in Asia, Antarctica, Australia, or back to S. America).  I'll make sure to let you know!

 

Pictures of the climb can be found at: www.flickr.com/photos/sundownr01/sets

 

Also, thanks to those of you that were able to make a donation to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation.  This climb raised almost $2000 for the SOWF, which is great considering my last second attempt to generate interest!

 

I'm still in Vegas, waiting for the chance to fly back to Florida.  For those of you that aren't in Florida (almost all of you...), I hope to get the chance to visit you over the next month or later in the year as winter approaches since I miss hanging out!  Until then, I wish you all the best of luck and health.  Congratulations to all the new moms & dads out there!!  Take care and keep in touch...

 

Love and High Fives- Rob

On Wed, Jun 10, 2009 at 7:28 AM, Mark Uberuaga <markuberuaga@hotmail.com> wrote:

A final note from Lara:
 
Hello Everyone,
  
      This will be the last time you will open you inbox and see my Denali '09 emails, just waiting to be opened. A sad moment, i know but I hope there will be more emails to comprise and more memories to share with you all.
 
Let's do a quick recap, shall we?
     June 4th: After a long a tedious day of walking in the Kahiltna glacier the group finally arrived at Base Camp at 10:30 PM. Dehydrated, hungry, wet and amazingly tired, the Team set up the tents under a misty veil of rain, then proceeded to melt some snow and a prepare (hardly) a healthy dinner consisting of cold tuna. The survivors of this long march went to bed, then they were tucked in bed by the strong and unforgiving harms of Morfeo.
     June 5th:  The team woke up to a foggy day with visibility no more than 100 to 200 feet, as expected, no planes will be landing today. Everybody spent the day in a semi-lethargy state of laziness. The highlight of the day was breakfast of turkey burgers cooked by Karim, yes you read correctly, Karim was cooking. I wonder if maybe this will inspire him to cook more meals when he gets home!... Not likely. During the rest of the day however, there were no change on the weather. So unfortunately to our climbers they would have to spend another day on the nonamusing base camp.
     June 6th: Our team awoke to sunny skies and in record time everything was packed and ready to go. The first flight took Karim, Tim, John and Andrew, while Dan followed 45 min later in the last flight. by noon the team was in Talkeetna sorting and drying all the gear in the backyard of the hostel. Then the team spent the rest of the day taking much needed showers, eating burgers, calling families, eating ice cream, checking out whit the park services, eating pizza, and etc.
     June 7th: The team woke up from a deep and renewing sleep, and took care of the first necessity of they day...eating breakfast (of course), after that they finished to packing and were picked up by the shuttle van that would take them to Anchorage. They made a stop in Wasilla, Alaska and met Ralph and his wife Susan, then continued directly to the airport to drop off Dan for his flight home, finally arriving at Anchorage's hostel where they will stay until their time of departure comes.
 
      Basically everybody is packed and counting the hours for their respective flights.
 
I need to be honest and tell you that what I know about Tom Mahoilc and Tom Valentine is what my father has told us at home, so I asked Art and Will to send me some information about them. What they send me is very special and I want to share it with all of you. 
 
"Thom Maholic! He was my best friend and could always count on him. I miss him every day and have no doubt that he would have been on that mountain as well carrying someone else's memory...
 
Thom Maholic was killed on 26 June 2006 in the Kadahar Providence of Afghanistan. He had risen to the rank of Master Sergeant and was the Team Sergeant for ODA 765, an elite Special Forces "Scuba Team" of the 2nd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) when he was Killed In Action. Thom was so well liked in the Special Operations Community, the Firebase he had been operating out of at the time of his death was called Firebase Ghecko. It is now named Firebase Maholic.
 
Thom was an athlete by all means with a very competitive spirit but usually not with others but more competitive with himself. He liked to find "his limits" and push them a little further. Thom enjoyed climbing a small mountain within the Firebase Ghecko area. One day, it was discussed that the next morning, the entire team ODA 765 would climb up it together. To attempt to get one up on Thom, one of the team members decided to get up a little earlier and get climbing it solo before everyone else did it together. To his surprise, half way up, he was met by Thom, who was already on his way back down!!! He was awesome!
 
Thom was born in Bradford, PA in 1 February 1968. He was the son of the late William Maholic and Dorothy Maholic who survives and lives the spring and summer times in Bradford, PA and winters in Texas. She is a super woman and is very proud of all her children, especially of Thom and his achievements as a young man. 
On December 27, 1993 in Bradford, PA, Thom married his high school sweatheart, Wendy. They lived together on Ft. Bragg along with their son, Andrew Gregory, who was born on 3 April 1996. Andrew is quite the athlete like his father and has recently taken a liking to any kind of hockey! (Karim and I are planning to take Andrew up to summit Mt. Rainier, which Thom did in 2001, so he can see what his father has seen from on high!)
 
Thom graduated Bradford Area High School in the class of 1986. He enlisted in the National Guard after high school and attended Basic combat training and advanced Individual training at Ft. Benning, GA. He later went on to active duty, serving in Panama. He attended the Special Forces Medical Sergeants course in 1993 and spent the remainder of his time in the Special Forces. Thom had graduated from Special Forces Scuba School, Airborne Jump Master's course, the Special Forces Search, Escape, Resist and Evade (SERE) course amongst other courses and certifications. He was an excellent person. A great Husband, father, son, brother and friend. He is deeply missed and very much remembered."    
                                                                                    -Art
                              
 
"Tommy V or "Val" for short was a Man full of life. He had a wife and two young children when he gave his life in a Parachute training accident in Yuma Az last year. He had just returned from his 3nd tour in OIF and had 5 previous tours in OEF. Needless to say he was a seasoned Combat Vet as a Senior Chief Petty Officer/ E-8. He had over 18 years of service in the Seal Teams. He was awarded the Silver star and 3 Bronze stars with Combat V for his actions in Combat thru the years. Many of the actions he was involved in where national headlines. He always had smile and something positive to say. He was a long time Skier and Mountaineer. He summit ed Denali in 2006 with other members of his Team. He was a great man and a true hero. Proud to call him a friend. He is with boys on the climb in spirit for sure."
                                                                      -Will
 
Thank you both for your words. It really and truly means a lot to me to be able to share just a little of the lives with everyone reading these emails.
 
 
Also... For those of you who are interested in knowing a little about the writer behind these emails, I would hate to leave you wondering who i am. So without further ado....
     My name is Lara Mella-Jansen and I have just been promoted to the 11th grade. The thrill that i receive from writing and expressing my own sense of inspiration through words, is what sometimes i do the least. I love reading the classics or pretty much any type of literature. I have yet to know what I would like to study and pursue for the rest of my life... but i am sure i will eventually find it. My favorite hobby is Tennis, it has been the only sport that i ever kept with, between Karate, Ballet, Volleyball, Track and even Triathlons (sorry dad), the only thing that i find totally stress ending is Tennis. I sadly have no brothers and sisters, but i don't mind it much... I really couldn't imagine having to share my amazing parents with anyone else. I am also the biggest animal lover you will ever meet :) I am actually terrible at writing about myself but I hope it wasn't too disappointing.
 
 
One thing though, is that i would like to Thank everyone who has helped me along with this experience and I hope you guys have enjoyed reading these emails. I would also like to Thank the team for all your bravery and all you willingness at making a difference, it has shown me that it doesn't matter what you do, as long as you do it with all your heart and a little bit of courage, then anything I do can be something great. Thank you again. :)
 
 
                                  "As he was drawing near—already on the way
                                  down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude
                                  of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God
                                  with a loud voice for all the mighty works that
                                  they had seen, saying, 'Blessed is the King
                                  who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in
                                  heaven and glory in the highest!'"
                                                 -Luke 19:37-38 
 
 
                                                                                        -Lara<3
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

---

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Final Denali '09 Email

A final note from Lara:
 
Hello Everyone,
  
      This will be the last time you will open you inbox and see my Denali '09 emails, just waiting to be opened. A sad moment, i know but I hope there will be more emails to comprise and more memories to share with you all.
 
Let's do a quick recap, shall we?
     June 4th: After a long a tedious day of walking in the Kahiltna glacier the group finally arrived at Base Camp at 10:30 PM. Dehydrated, hungry, wet and amazingly tired, the Team set up the tents under a misty veil of rain, then proceeded to melt some snow and a prepare (hardly) a healthy dinner consisting of cold tuna. The survivors of this long march went to bed, then they were tucked in bed by the strong and unforgiving harms of Morfeo.
     June 5th:  The team woke up to a foggy day with visibility no more than 100 to 200 feet, as expected, no planes will be landing today. Everybody spent the day in a semi-lethargy state of laziness. The highlight of the day was breakfast of turkey burgers cooked by Karim, yes you read correctly, Karim was cooking. I wonder if maybe this will inspire him to cook more meals when he gets home!... Not likely. During the rest of the day however, there were no change on the weather. So unfortunately to our climbers they would have to spend another day on the nonamusing base camp.
     June 6th: Our team awoke to sunny skies and in record time everything was packed and ready to go. The first flight took Karim, Tim, John and Andrew, while Dan followed 45 min later in the last flight. by noon the team was in Talkeetna sorting and drying all the gear in the backyard of the hostel. Then the team spent the rest of the day taking much needed showers, eating burgers, calling families, eating ice cream, checking out whit the park services, eating pizza, and etc.
     June 7th: The team woke up from a deep and renewing sleep, and took care of the first necessity of they day...eating breakfast (of course), after that they finished to packing and were picked up by the shuttle van that would take them to Anchorage. They made a stop in Wasilla, Alaska and met Ralph and his wife Susan, then continued directly to the airport to drop off Dan for his flight home, finally arriving at Anchorage's hostel where they will stay until their time of departure comes.
 
      Basically everybody is packed and counting the hours for their respective flights.
 
I need to be honest and tell you that what I know about Tom Mahoilc and Tom Valentine is what my father has told us at home, so I asked Art and Will to send me some information about them. What they send me is very special and I want to share it with all of you. 
 
"Thom Maholic! He was my best friend and could always count on him. I miss him every day and have no doubt that he would have been on that mountain as well carrying someone else's memory...
 
Thom Maholic was killed on 26 June 2006 in the Kadahar Providence of Afghanistan. He had risen to the rank of Master Sergeant and was the Team Sergeant for ODA 765, an elite Special Forces "Scuba Team" of the 2nd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) when he was Killed In Action. Thom was so well liked in the Special Operations Community, the Firebase he had been operating out of at the time of his death was called Firebase Ghecko. It is now named Firebase Maholic.
 
Thom was an athlete by all means with a very competitive spirit but usually not with others but more competitive with himself. He liked to find "his limits" and push them a little further. Thom enjoyed climbing a small mountain within the Firebase Ghecko area. One day, it was discussed that the next morning, the entire team ODA 765 would climb up it together. To attempt to get one up on Thom, one of the team members decided to get up a little earlier and get climbing it solo before everyone else did it together. To his surprise, half way up, he was met by Thom, who was already on his way back down!!! He was awesome!
 
Thom was born in Bradford, PA in 1 February 1968. He was the son of the late William Maholic and Dorothy Maholic who survives and lives the spring and summer times in Bradford, PA and winters in Texas. She is a super woman and is very proud of all her children, especially of Thom and his achievements as a young man. 
On December 27, 1993 in Bradford, PA, Thom married his high school sweatheart, Wendy. They lived together on Ft. Bragg along with their son, Andrew Gregory, who was born on 3 April 1996. Andrew is quite the athlete like his father and has recently taken a liking to any kind of hockey! (Karim and I are planning to take Andrew up to summit Mt. Rainier, which Thom did in 2001, so he can see what his father has seen from on high!)
 
Thom graduated Bradford Area High School in the class of 1986. He enlisted in the National Guard after high school and attended Basic combat training and advanced Individual training at Ft. Benning, GA. He later went on to active duty, serving in Panama. He attended the Special Forces Medical Sergeants course in 1993 and spent the remainder of his time in the Special Forces. Thom had graduated from Special Forces Scuba School, Airborne Jump Master's course, the Special Forces Search, Escape, Resist and Evade (SERE) course amongst other courses and certifications. He was an excellent person. A great Husband, father, son, brother and friend. He is deeply missed and very much remembered."    
                                                                                    -Art
                              
 
"Tommy V or "Val" for short was a Man full of life. He had a wife and two young children when he gave his life in a Parachute training accident in Yuma Az last year. He had just returned from his 3nd tour in OIF and had 5 previous tours in OEF. Needless to say he was a seasoned Combat Vet as a Senior Chief Petty Officer/ E-8. He had over 18 years of service in the Seal Teams. He was awarded the Silver star and 3 Bronze stars with Combat V for his actions in Combat thru the years. Many of the actions he was involved in where national headlines. He always had smile and something positive to say. He was a long time Skier and Mountaineer. He summit ed Denali in 2006 with other members of his Team. He was a great man and a true hero. Proud to call him a friend. He is with boys on the climb in spirit for sure."
                                                                      -Will
 
Thank you both for your words. It really and truly means a lot to me to be able to share just a little of the lives with everyone reading these emails.
 
 
Also... For those of you who are interested in knowing a little about the writer behind these emails, I would hate to leave you wondering who i am. So without further ado....
     My name is Lara Mella-Jansen and I have just been promoted to the 11th grade. The thrill that i receive from writing and expressing my own sense of inspiration through words, is what sometimes i do the least. I love reading the classics or pretty much any type of literature. I have yet to know what I would like to study and pursue for the rest of my life... but i am sure i will eventually find it. My favorite hobby is Tennis, it has been the only sport that i ever kept with, between Karate, Ballet, Volleyball, Track and even Triathlons (sorry dad), the only thing that i find totally stress ending is Tennis. I sadly have no brothers and sisters, but i don't mind it much... I really couldn't imagine having to share my amazing parents with anyone else. I am also the biggest animal lover you will ever meet :) I am actually terrible at writing about myself but I hope it wasn't too disappointing.
 
 
One thing though, is that i would like to Thank everyone who has helped me along with this experience and I hope you guys have enjoyed reading these emails. I would also like to Thank the team for all your bravery and all you willingness at making a difference, it has shown me that it doesn't matter what you do, as long as you do it with all your heart and a little bit of courage, then anything I do can be something great. Thank you again. :)
 
 
                                  "As he was drawing near—already on the way
                                  down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude
                                  of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God
                                  with a loud voice for all the mighty works that
                                  they had seen, saying, 'Blessed is the King
                                  who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in
                                  heaven and glory in the highest!'"
                                                 -Luke 19:37-38 
 
 
                                                                                        -Lara<3
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

---

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Summit!

Great news from Lara:

This is it! Our team has summited Denali successfully! Congratulations One Voice One Call, you have finally reached your goal!
 
June 4, 2009 Thursday
 I received a call from my father today informing me of their very happy news. Only three of our team were able to summit though, (out of the original 6) they were: Karim, Tim, and Andrew. Dan stayed at camp 17000 with symptoms of dehydration. With the Lord's protection, yesterday at 7:20 pm they summited Mt. Denali. Even though they were only 3 physically, the team felt the presence of two more souls at that mountain top. Thomas Maholic and Thomas Valentine were present in the hearts and memories of their friends. This is where our team realized that our greatest heroes will always live on, through their actions, words, and their remembrance. Not only has the group reached their goal of summiting to the top, but they have also fulfilled their call. Looking out at the Mountain range surrounding them, the team took pictures of the majestically, icy landscape and smiled at each other. The unrealistic beauty of the blue-white snow peaks seemed to smile back too.  Pulling themselves away from the image of staying on that summit forever, they packed up their cameras and pictures and started to descend back down to their camp. On their way down they met up with the Dutch group that they had previously met at camp 14000 during the storm. Many congratulations and touching words were passed, then the two groups went their own way, our team back to camp 17000, while the Dutch group went up to the summit and to experience the same emotions our team went through just before. Then our team arrived at camp 17000 (where Dan is) at 10:40 pm, they rested, packed up their equipment, and plan to then descend back to 14000 where John is. Finally each of the men will make their way down to base camp and be on their way home, each following  their own paths back to civilization. 
 

RE: Rob is Off the Mountain - Team goes for the Summit

I spoke to Rob last night and again this morning.  He arrived at Talkeetna a day ahead of his flight out of Anchorage.  With a guide, he went fly-fishing.  He said the water was high and cloudy from recent runoffs, but he still managed to land some nice-sized fish.  Yesterday evening he caught the train for a three-hour trip to Anchorage, and spent most of the time in an observation car where he met a young doctor with whom he ate dinner once in Anchorage.  He caught the red-eye from ANC to Houston, which stopped briefly in Seattle.  He expects to be home in Destin this afternoon.
   Dad Mark


-----Original Message-----
From: Mark Uberuaga [mailto:markuberuaga@hotmail.com]
Sent: Thu 6/4/2009 3:33 AM
To: usaf7summits blog; Marshall, Mark; cmarshallrd@mindspring.com; jetsetvet@hotmail.com; scrapadoo11@hotmail.com; abarr@ucdavis.edu; Sam Glaser; Marcel Bieg; mark.rockefeller@gmail.com; demgm79@gmail.com; helmscp@gmail.com; ferrellje@hotmail.com; courtball@earthlink.net; paqit@hotmail.com; taryn_mcdonald@hotmail.com; rmckinney@bankandoffice.com; Rob Marshall
Subject: Rob is Off the Mountain - Team goes for the Summit


Thursday, June 4:



Rob called yesterday from Talkeetna to let me know he'd made it back off of the mountain safely.  We didn't get to talk about the trip much, but he sounded like he was in high spirits. 



Below is an update from Lara regarding the rest of the team: 


Hello Everyone,

I Just wanted you all to know that the day that we have been waiting for has finally come! Today our men are attempting to summit the mighty Mt. Denali!

 June 3, 2009  Wednesday
Today i got a quick message from my father updating me about the previous days. On Monday the Team stayed at Camp 14000 because the weather was still bad. It snowed a lot and was sad to see how Rob said goodbye to the mountain. He left to base camp and is hoping to arrive at Anchorage sometime this week. Good luck Rob and we hope you make a safe and successful descent! Tuesday was the day that our team again packed up all their equipment and moved to camp 17000, John however, had to descent along with Rob. The blisters on his feet got so bad that he couldn't climb the challenging Walking Ridge. It is said that the Ridge is very hazardous, thanks to the high winds and unsteady pathway, also climbers have the feeling of being blown off the mountain (literally!). The group arrived at Camp 17000 at 7 pm after a long and aggressive trek. They quickly made igloos of snow and ice, heated up a quick meal, and rested their tired bodies into a peaceful and deep sleep. Today they woke up excited to actually be thinking in their heads "Today we will reach the top!... Finally!" When my dad left me the message he said that they would be leaving at around 12 pm or 1:00 pm. I will hopefully receive a call tonight informing me of their success and I will send out an email either tonight, or if it's too late, tomorrow! Let's keep them in our thoughts tonight and pray the weather doesn't interfere.

 

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Rob is Off the Mountain - Team goes for the Summit

Thursday, June 4:
 
Rob called yesterday from Talkeetna to let me know he'd made it back off of the mountain safely.  We didn't get to talk about the trip much, but he sounded like he was in high spirits. 
 
Below is an update from Lara regarding the rest of the team:  
 
Hello Everyone,
 
I Just wanted you all to know that the day that we have been waiting for has finally come! Today our men are attempting to summit the mighty Mt. Denali!
 
June 3, 2009  Wednesday
Today i got a quick message from my father updating me about the previous days. On Monday the Team stayed at Camp 14000 because the weather was still bad. It snowed a lot and was sad to see how Rob said goodbye to the mountain. He left to base camp and is hoping to arrive at Anchorage sometime this week. Good luck Rob and we hope you make a safe and successful descent! Tuesday was the day that our team again packed up all their equipment and moved to camp 17000, John however, had to descent along with Rob. The blisters on his feet got so bad that he couldn't climb the challenging Walking Ridge. It is said that the Ridge is very hazardous, thanks to the high winds and unsteady pathway, also climbers have the feeling of being blown off the mountain (literally!). The group arrived at Camp 17000 at 7 pm after a long and aggressive trek. They quickly made igloos of snow and ice, heated up a quick meal, and rested their tired bodies into a peaceful and deep sleep. Today they woke up excited to actually be thinking in their heads "Today we will reach the top!... Finally!" When my dad left me the message he said that they would be leaving at around 12 pm or 1:00 pm. I will hopefully receive a call tonight informing me of their success and I will send out an email either tonight, or if it's too late, tomorrow! Let's keep them in our thoughts tonight and pray the weather doesn't interfere.
 
 

FW: Denali '09

 
Here is the latest update form Lara.  I haven't heard from Rob yet, but I'll update you all as soon as I do.
 
       May 31, 2009  Sunday
Congratulations to our team!! They did the half carry to camp 17000 and it was very successful. Once in Camp 17000 they unloaded the food and equipment and cashed out the food (meaning digging a hole and stuffing everything in there). It was a hard climb because it was the first time they had crossed the headwall. The highest obstacle on the mountain. The team needed to climb with ropes and that was also the most technical part. The wind was high and the temperature was extremely cold! Then the group returned back to camp 14000 to wait for the storm to pass. On saturday they awoke to high winds in the high camp so they just stayed put. The highlight of the day was when John honored and carried out the ceremony of Tim's promotion. This was done in Camp 14000 in Denali, Alaska. The team has been amusing themselves by joking around with Tim. Finding out the biggest honor of your career by Pinkkitty1214... but hey I think that's an honor in itself! Just kidding, Congratulations to Tim! The ceremony was very nice and unique, Tim was holding a flag in 50mph winds, everyone was in bright yellow and orange snow suits, and don't forget the beards. The weather on the other hand is not being very nice, the storm is said to continue on it's very unwelcome trek for 4 to 5 days more. The team is waiting for a break to climb up to camp 17000 and then prepare for a break in the weather to summit. Rob however will be descending to Base camp tomorrow. His time has run out and all the planes are stopped, so no planes into the Glacier and zero coming out. Let's wish Rob a safe return. I wish everyone a blessed week!
 
 

Out with the Low and in with the High

Saturday, May 30th:
 
Rob called again today!  I was able to pass on your encouragements and messages from home if you asked.  He said that the low pressure system that had brought all of the snow was being replaced with some new high pressure.  This means that the weather will be improving.  The only drawback is that there is expected to be cold temperatures and strong winds during the transition period. 
 
Rob said though that it was sunny today when we were talking and that the team might make the move to 17k tomorrow potentially setting them up for a summit bid on Monday. 
 
This is hopeful news!  I'll pass more when I get it. 
 
Mark
 
From Lara: 

May 30, 2009 Saturday

Our team hasn't received much good news lately. The weather is said to continue on it's storm mood until monday or tuesday. Don't worry though because even though our team has been backed up a couple of days, they are still on schedule. Yesterday our team attempted to do a half carry to camp 17000 (or 16800.) My father called me at around 4 pm telling me they were going to try to do the half carry and that they would return in about 7 hours. I still have not received a call from him, so I am not aware of whether or not they succeed in that. Even if they were not able to go all the way up, this attempt will help them on their acclimazation. I wish there is more I can tell everyone, but to compensate for the lack of information on the climb, I will provide more information about the mountain.
 
Our mount Denali (also known as Mt. Mckinley) is known as one of the seven summits.
Denali- North America
Kilimanjaro- Africa
Aconcagua- South America
Elbrus- Europe
Carstensz- Oceania
Vinson- Antartica
Everest- Asia (Tallest mountain in the world)
 
Mount McKinley has a larger bulk and rise than Mt. Everest, although the summit of Everest is higher measured from sea level 29,028 feet (8,800 m). Everest's base sits on the Tibetan Plateau at about 17,000 feet (5,200 m), giving it a real vertical rise of a little more than 12,000 feet (3,700 m). The base of Mount McKinley is roughly a 2,000-foot (610 meter) plateau, giving it an actual rise of 18,000 feet (5,500 m).
 
The forces that lifted Mount McKinley—the subduction of the Pacific plate beneath the North American plate—also raised great ranges across southern Alaska. As that huge sheet of ocean-floor rock plunges downward into the mantle, it shoves and crumples the continent into soaring mountains which include some of the most active volcanoes on the continent. Mount McKinley in particular is uplifted relative to the rocks around it because it is at the intersection of major active strike-slip faults (faults that move rocks laterally across the Earth's surface) which allow the deep buried rocks to be unroofed more rapidly compared to those around them.
 
The first recorded attempt to climb Mount McKinley was by Judge James Wickersham in 1903, via the Peters Glacier and the North Face, now known as the Wickersham Wall. This route has tremendous avalanche danger and was not successfully climbed until 1963.
 
The mountain is regularly climbed today, with just over 50% of the expeditions successful, although it is still a dangerous undertaking. By 2003, the mountain had claimed the lives of nearly 100 mountaineers. The vast majority of climbers use the West Buttress Route, pioneered in 1951 by Bradford Washburn, after an extensive aerial photographic analysis of the mountain. Climbers typically take two to four weeks to ascend the mountain.

                                        

Storm at 14k

Friday, May 29th
 
I received another call from Rob yesterday afternoon.  He said it is supposed to snow another 6-12" in the next 36 hrs.  He said they're expecting 30mph winds and highs of -10F until Sunday.  He thinks Monday may be the first window of oportunity to press ahead to the upper mountain.  He expressed concern that he might not have enough time to stick it out because of work.  Let's hope for the best!
 
Below is a message I just received from Lara too:  
 
May 28, 2009 Thursday
 Just to get everything up-to-date, on Monday, our tired mountaineers woke up to find themselves working against the weather. They had to do a half carry of equipment to camp 14000 before the storm hit. They had a succesful half carry that took 6 hours for the climb and an hour and a half for the descent. My father told me that when they reached Windy Corner (a famous crevasse) it started to rain, and continued raining for the rest of their journey until reaching back down to camp 11000. When they were in camp 14000, Rob and Dan started to make the snow holes to protect the equipment, but once they shoveled away the fresh rain and snow, they encountered  already-made snow holes. That is the best part about climbing during the most crowded part of the season. Reusable items are found everywhere and previous climbers give advise about the landscape and climbing conditions. On Tuesday our team woke up at around 10:00 and at 11:00 they started to pack up all the equipment and take out their new snugly snow shoes to start the long climb back up to camp 14000. The weather was fine until they reached windy corner and then it stared to snow. It snowed all the way until they reached camp. Everyone unpacked and started the process of setting the tents for the storm. Everything was all dandy and in order, until someone noted that the tent poles were missing. Panic and confusion went straight into their minds, this was not going to go down very well after a 6 hour hike, when all they were thinking about was serving up dinner and laying down to rest. This was also a problem because if they would have left it in the previous camp, then someone would have had to gone back and run the risk of getting stuck in the storm. But luckely, the contents of the missing items were found in a random food bag. Everyone then proceeded to take a deep breath and relax, and fall back into the routine. The weather forecast for the next five days are High winds and snow. This means that the team will stay in Camp 14000 until the weather calms down and they acclimatize to the altitude and lack of pressure. Once the mountain is safe enough to continue climbing, the team will proceed to do another half carry to camp 16000. Camp 14000 is where teams get ready to summit. There is a permanent park rangers station, and people from around the world pass throught this Camp. Whether they pass through in dissapoinment or in victory, this is where all the teams come together to rest, prepare or quit. One Voice One Call has many interesting neighbors, from Italians to French and many other countries like Armenia, Germany, and Russia. All these people have one goal in there heads from the time they wake up to the time they pass out in exhaustion. All of them are brave people just accomplishing each one of their personal and different goals. There is never a boring moment in this camp, chatting around and even learning how to speak russian, are just a couple of the oppurtunites for entertainment. Even sitting on the toilet (which is in the middle of the camp and in the open) can be an uneventful experience, but forget the newspaper! "Look at how those Germans clean out their tents, how very sanitary!" Not only is the group being distracted from the terrible news of the storm but they are also healing from little injures. John has a blister that is healing and everyone is in fine spirits, even though Dan and karim have a strange sense of "deja vu" from last years Expedtion ,which ended in having to climb back down the mountain without reaching the summit,  we have hopes that this year however, they will succeed and reach their "call." Also, big thanks to Ralph! his support to the group has been great! he is keeping them imformed of the weather and is always there when they have needed him. 
 
 
     Note:
      - Here is a link of a map with the route and camps that the team is awaiting to conquer......
 
               http://classic.mountainzone.com/climbing/99/denali/graphics/map-climbingroute.jpg
 
                          
                        
 
                               

Safe at 14k - Riding out a Storm

Thursday, May 28th
 
I received a brief call from Rob yesterday at about 2pm Denali time.  He said they had made it up to their 14,000' camp and now it was "nuking".  He said it was snowing a lot and the wind was blowing hard, but he seemed to be enjoying it!  We got cut off after about 30 seconds, so I wasn't able to pass any words on to him or to get any more information out of him.
 
In my experience being at 14,000' feet is the best place to be for a storm.  The team is high enough on the mountain that they are benefitting from the extra time and acclimation.  Its a lot warmer and easier on the body than being up at high camp too.  If they've got enough supplies to sit it out for a few days they'll be looking really good when the weather clears for a shot at the upper mountain.
 
Mark
 
 

Memorial Day

This just in from Lara! 
 
     May 25, 2009 Monday
             On Sunday our team woke up at around 10:30 am and started walking from camp 9700 to camp 11000. After a hard night the night before, in which they fell asleep at 3:30 am, the group started walking to camp 11000 at 12:30 pm and arrived at 5:30 pm. Everyone is fine and in good spirits. The weather has been good to them, and the beauty of the mountains is breathtaking. The sun is a main contributor to the "warm" weather.  Sometimes if climbers don't wear skin protection, they can get sunburn on their noses, (thanks to the sun reflecting off of the white snow, kind of like the tanning reflectors the teenagers use to get their already golden skin to a more prominent brown.) Can you imagine getting sunburn on your nose while climbing in -20 degree Fahrenheit weather?! I would also like to share that the team saw two military helicopters flying over the area, which is unusual unless they are on a rescue mission. Today, the team woke up at 6:00 am and carried half of the equipment to camp 14000 then they walked back to 11000. Now they will have to wait because the officials are saying that they are expecting a storm Tuesday and Wednesday. They say that it is getting very cold but it is still not incredibly cold. They planned to leave the snowshoes at 11,000 and switch to crampons. The goal of the team is to leave to camp 14000 today, before the storm hits. If they are delayed however, right now they are one day ahead of schedule. But I do not yet have the information to be able to tell you guys if they are leaving or if they are going to wait out the storm at camp 11000. From now on the climb gets tougher. Whether it's from weather conditions or tricky crevasses, the team will face some of the most challenging situations in their overall climbing experience.
 
 

Moving to 11k Today!

Sunday, May 24th, 8:30 am: 
 
I just got a sat phone message from Rob!  He sounds great and seems to be doing really well.  He said that is has been really hot and that getting up ski hill was brutal hard work.  The team has been making great progress up the lower mountain under blue skies.  On Denali's lower flanks, even though the ambient temperatures are around freezing, the sun's radiation is intense and it's reflected off of the snow, making it "feel" like it's 80-100 degrees! 
 
They're moving from their 9700' camp up to their third camp located at 11,000' today!  Hopefully they'll get a little rest when they get there.
 
Mark

At Camp 2 9700' Tonight

It sounds like our guys have had a couple big days!  Here is another dispatch from our team written by Lara: 
 
May 23, 2009  Saturday
  Yesterday, Friday, our team finally were able to catch a flight into the Kahiltna Glacier. Here is what helpful Ralph sent me, saying, and i quote,  "I met the group early yesterday morning in Anchorage and helped transport them to Talkeetna.  What a great bunch of guys.  I think they are a strong group and the group dynamics look good.  I called Hudson Flying Service this morning and their pilot Jock Bondurant said he finally got them into Base camp on the Kahiltna Glacier around 6:00 p.m.  They are on their way now!" The first group left on their plane to the Glacier at 7:00 pm (with Karim, Dan and Tim), while the second group left at 8:30 pm (with John, Rob, and Andrew). When the second group arrived and the sleds were packed and ready, the group started their ascent to Camp 7,800 at 10:45 pm. My father informed me that the weather was good, not too cold and they very much enjoyed the view of the mountains and icy landscape. They arrived, after a long and treacherous walk, at 3:20 am. (This walk was  very hard and challenging because they had been awake for over 12 hours.) As quickly as they could, each in their own dreary sleepwalk, put up their tents and fell into a dreamless, deep sleep trying to recover from the ordeal of the day before. They awoke at around 8:00 am (Saturday) and broke their fast with partially frozen bagels and a hot drink. (Yummy!) Once getting everything ready (around noon) and in its place they started walking to Camp 9,700. Once reaching Camp 9,700, the team will rest for a little bit and then proceed to take half of the equipment up to Camp 11,000. Then they have to walk back down to Camp 9,700 and rest until the next awaking. Then i will have more information to contribute to everyone. 
 

RE: The Fog Lifted

This should be called the "Snake Eaters' Summit", as all but one of the group are SOC personnel.  (For those unfamiliar with the term, dating back at least to the days of the Green Berets in jungles, special operators have been called "snake eaters.")
  Mark Marshall


-----Original Message-----
From: Mark Uberuaga [mailto:markuberuaga@hotmail.com]
Sent: Sat 5/23/2009 2:19 AM
To: usaf7summits blog; Marshall, Mark; cmarshallrd@mindspring.com; jetsetvet@hotmail.com; scrapadoo11@hotmail.com; abarr@ucdavis.edu; Sam Glaser; Marcel Bieg; mark.rockefeller@gmail.com; demgm79@gmail.com; helmscp@gmail.com; ferrellje@hotmail.com; courtball@earthlink.net; paqit@hotmail.com; taryn_mcdonald@hotmail.com; rmckinney@bankandoffice.com; Rob Marshall
Subject: The Fog Lifted


I heard from Rob Friday evening too and now it sounds like the weather has cleared enough for the pilots to make it up to base camp and back.  So, now they've loaded their planes and are on their way!

Below is more from Lara.

Mark

May 22, 2009  Friday
       So our group of excited mountaineers woke up at the early hour of 7:30 am, and started packing the much needed gear in Kevin and Ralph's vehicles. The Jeeps were so packed that it occurred once or twice in their minds to leave behind one of the group members, but that would be cruel, so everyone piled in as best they could. Once arriving at Talkeetna, they went straight to the NPS briefing and experienced a couple of hours of sleep-educing chatter and regulations to keep in mind. The highlight of the educational briefing was when they received The Green Bucket ,this is where the men will keep their bodily waste until the they climb back down the mountain... in June. (Mountain regulators are apparently very serious about littering!) The Team was supposed to leave on a flight to Kahiltna Glacier but due to fog, they will be stuck until the weather conditions become acceptable again. Kahiltna Glacier is the base camp where the men will be starting the expedition. To pass the time, they are going to town to eat a generous meal of pizza and burgers. After their lunch they will continue to check for updates and flight departures to see if they can leave tonight. Yesterday the men participated at a Crevasse Rescue Training, where i have been told, they enjoyed themselves very much, and ended the day with a night on the town and a nice dinner.


      I would like to add that this expedition is in memory of the fallen comrades in Afghanistan and Iraq. Two of whom, our mountain climbers are keeping close to their hearts and minds as they progress up the side of the thunderous Mt. Denali. They are Tom Maholic and Tom Valentine. Both were great outdoorsmen and amazing men. One Voice One Call is dedicating this to their memory.



Again i would like to clarify the identity of our team members:

Karim - Army Special Forces
Tim - Navy Seal
Dan - Civilian
John - Navy Seal
Rob - Airforce Special Operations - Pilot
Andrew - Army Special Forces



                          "I look up to the mountain - does my help come from there?
                           My help comes from  the Lord, who made heaven and earth!
                           He will not let you stumble ; the one who watches over you
                           will not slumber. Indeed, He who watches over Israel never
                           slumbers or sleeps. The Lord Himself watches over you! The Lord
                           stands beside you as you protective shade. The sun will not
                           harm you by day, nor the moon at night. The Lord keeps you
                           from all harm and watches over your life. The Lord keeps watch
                           over you as you come and go now and forever."  
                                                                                              -Psalm 120



                                                     - Lara <3

 

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The Fog Lifted

I heard from Rob Friday evening too and now it sounds like the weather has cleared enough for the pilots to make it up to base camp and back.  So, now they've loaded their planes and are on their way!
 
Below is more from Lara.
 
Mark
 
May 22, 2009  Friday
       So our group of excited mountaineers woke up at the early hour of 7:30 am, and started packing the much needed gear in Kevin and Ralph's vehicles. The Jeeps were so packed that it occurred once or twice in their minds to leave behind one of the group members, but that would be cruel, so everyone piled in as best they could. Once arriving at Talkeetna, they went straight to the NPS briefing and experienced a couple of hours of sleep-educing chatter and regulations to keep in mind. The highlight of the educational briefing was when they received The Green Bucket ,this is where the men will keep their bodily waste until the they climb back down the mountain... in June. (Mountain regulators are apparently very serious about littering!) The Team was supposed to leave on a flight to Kahiltna Glacier but due to fog, they will be stuck until the weather conditions become acceptable again. Kahiltna Glacier is the base camp where the men will be starting the expedition. To pass the time, they are going to town to eat a generous meal of pizza and burgers. After their lunch they will continue to check for updates and flight departures to see if they can leave tonight. Yesterday the men participated at a Crevasse Rescue Training, where i have been told, they enjoyed themselves very much, and ended the day with a night on the town and a nice dinner.
 
 
      I would like to add that this expedition is in memory of the fallen comrades in Afghanistan and Iraq. Two of whom, our mountain climbers are keeping close to their hearts and minds as they progress up the side of the thunderous Mt. Denali. They are Tom Maholic and Tom Valentine. Both were great outdoorsmen and amazing men. One Voice One Call is dedicating this to their memory.
 
 
 
Again i would like to clarify the identity of our team members:
 
Karim - Army Special Forces
Tim - Navy Seal
Dan - Civilian
John - Navy Seal
Rob - Airforce Special Operations - Pilot
Andrew - Army Special Forces
 
 
 
                          "I look up to the mountain - does my help come from there?
                           My help comes from  the Lord, who made heaven and earth!
                           He will not let you stumble ; the one who watches over you
                           will not slumber. Indeed, He who watches over Israel never
                           slumbers or sleeps. The Lord Himself watches over you! The Lord
                           stands beside you as you protective shade. The sun will not
                           harm you by day, nor the moon at night. The Lord keeps you
                           from all harm and watches over your life. The Lord keeps watch
                           over you as you come and go now and forever."  
                                                                                              -Psalm 120
 
 
 
                                                     - Lara <3

News From Talkeetna

Hi everyone!
 
I'm super excited for Rob and his team and I hope you are too.  I'm going to pass any information I get on to you all throughout the climb.  First news has already come in from Lara.  Her father is Karim and she said that fog on the mountain precluded the team from flying on today.  Hopefully we'll have another chance to hear from Rob if this is actually the case.
 
Below is a message she just sent out.
 
Mark
 
ps Don't hesitate to call me if you have any questions or concerns about what Rob is up to.  My number is 520-400-5060.

News From Talkeetna

Hello Everyone,
 
          My name is Lara and i was asked by my father, Karim, to keep you guys in touch with the Denali expedition. I will be sending continuous emails letting you know of their progress. If anyone would like to be taken off of the list, please just send me an email telling me to do so. :)
 
Our team members:
Karim
Tim
Dan
John
Rob
Andrew
 
            In case anyone is unfamiliar with One Voice One Call, (name chosen by me) this team is a group of 6 men who are going to be climbing the famous Mt. Denali (the highest mountain in North America) in the course of the next month (hopefully). Right now, the team has arrived at Anchorage. Kevin flew in on the weekend (one of the biggest supporters in this expedition!) , while Tim and John arrived Tuesday night, Dan Wednesday morning, followed by Karim, Andrew and Rob on Wednesday night.
            Kevin, Dan, Tim and John spent most of the day (Wednesday) purchasing the expedition food, what a sight, "Four guys trying to find their way in the intricate labyrinth of a grocery store".
           
       May 21 2009, Thursday
                Todays schedule includes, organizing and packing all the food and equipment, as well as getting any hard to find, missing climbing gear ready for the trip. They finished the preparations at 3 pm and are going to have a group meal later on. Last minute preparations will be after, and resting for tomorrow will proceed. Tomorrow they plan to leave at 7:30am. Ralph Baldwin (another major supporter, who lives in a small town in between Anchorage and Talkeetna. Also where Palin is from!) and Kevin will be taking them to Talkeetna. At noon there will be a NPS breifing and if the weather permits they fly to Kahiltna Glacier and begin the adventure...
 
* Quick Note: The name One Voice One Call represents the overall motivation of the team members. All the men are climbing together as one voice, but all of them have different calls or motives for climbing and being heard. This climb is a very important time for each and everyone of these men. I am personally very proud of this group and i wish them the safest, most exciting and fulfilling climb of their lives :) *
 
          Please if anyone would like to add anything or have me post something just reply, telling me what to write and what you would like to say!
 
 
                        "How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messanger
                         who brings good news, the good news of peace and salvation,
                         the news that the God of Israel reigns!"
                                               -Isaiah 52:7
 
 
 
                                                                    Thanks,
                                                                            Lara <3

Climbers in Anchorage

26th St Hostel, Anchorage

Leaving for Talkeetna

Howdy everyone!  Just a quick note to say we're doing great here in Alaska.  It's early morning on the 22nd and we are just about to leave for Talkeetna.  Once there, we will get a briefing from the National Park Service on Denali rules and safety issues.  Then we'll load up into planes from Hudson Air and fly onto the glacier.  From here on out, Mark Uberuaga will be spreading the news we send out.  If I can upload a picture in time, I'll try it!

 

Hopefully I'll run into several other Air Force climbers who are flying onto the glacier this morning.  We will have quite the mixed group climbing near each other- Air Force, Army, and Navy special operations... quite the joint effort!

 

Climb High, Fly Low-  Rob

Return to Alaska!

In an effort to gain more training for Mt. Everest and Vinson Massif, we've decided to make a return to the highest mountain of North America: Mt. McKinley of Alaska! While the team already carried the Air Force flag to this summit last spring, this group will ascend to keep their skills sharp and to continue to build momentum for the two big peaks remaining.



The plans have the team arriving in Alaska around May 20th, with a start of the climb on the 22nd. As with all our climbs, the weather and team health dictate the exact number of days necessary to reach the summit, but we're predicting a return no later than June 10th. We'll have four Air Force members climbing on this trip. On the same schedule will be five special forces team members: two Navy SEALS, two Army Rangers, and one member from of the Dominican Republic SOF.



We'll be looking to use this climb to start fundraising for our planned Everest climb. Originally we were set on a 2010 attempt, but a new baby in the life of one of our lead climbers and a operational deployments during the best climbing window might delay it to the latter part of '10 or the early party of '11. In the mean time, we are incorporating the USAF 7 Summits Challenge as a not-for-profit organization. This should help us to raise the money necessary! Many thanks to Mark Rockefeller for his legal assistance in this important venture.

If you can offer any assistance, advice, website support, or sponsorship, please don't hesitate to contact us at: usaf7summits@gmail.com.

Climb High, Fly Low- Capt Rob Marshall