THE
EXPEDITION:
INFORMATION:
LINKS:
- Washington
State Patrol Memorial Page for Trooper James E. Saunders
-
- Exemplary
Life and Service of Trooper James E. Saunders
- (Seattle Times, 14
October 1999)
- Concerns
of Police Survivors, Inc.
- (COPS)
Farmington
Police Department (NM)
Jefferson County
Police Dept. (KY)
Washington
State Patrol (WA)
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- Denali
2001 Expedition
Plan
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- Expedition Summary for the West Buttress Route:
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·
16.5 miles from Kahiltna Base Camp to South Summit
- ·
49.5 total expedition miles (33 miles on siege-style ascent,
16.5 miles on descent).
- ·
13,120ft elevation gain
- ·
21,300 ft total elevation gain (8,180ft due to siege-style
ascent/retreat)
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- 24 total Expedition Days
- 20
Climbing Days, including the following 7 planned rest days:
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· Climbing
Day 5 at Camp III (11,000ft)
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· Climbing
Day 9 at Camp IV (14,200ft)
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· Climbing
Day 11 at Camp IV (14,200ft)
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· Climbing
Days 15-18 at Camp V (17,200ft). These are also possible summit days.
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- Six Camps (plus 2 Alternative Camps at intermediate cache
locations):
- 1. Base Camp: Kahiltna Glacier Base Camp (7,200ft)
- 2. Camp I: Ski Hill (7,800ft), established on Climbing Day 1
- 3. Camp II: Upper Kahiltna Glacier (9,700ft), established on
Climbing Day 2
- 4. Camp III: Motorcycle Hill (11,000ft), established on Climbing
Day 4
- ·
Alternative Camp I: Windy Corner (13,500ft)
- 5. Camp IV: Advanced Base Camp (14,200ft), established on Climbing
Day 7
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Alternative Camp II: Headwall Ridge (16,200ft)
- 6. Camp V: High Camp (17,200ft), established on Climbing Day 12
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- Two Reserve Caches:
- 1.
Emergency Cache I: 4-6 days & emergency supplies at Kahiltna
Base Camp (7,200ft)
- 2.
Emergency Cache II: 2 days at Camp III (11,000ft), and leave
snowshoes/skis
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- 2 possible side excursions (consider these "vacations"
from the expedition):
- 1.
Climbing Day 3: Kahiltna Dome (12,535ft)
acclimatization/conditioning climb
- 2.
Climbing Day 9: “Edge of the World” overlooking the 4,700ft
cliff face to the Northeast Fork
of the Kahiltna Glacier, 0.25 miles south of Advanced Base Camp
- (Photo: Bradford Washburn )
| Detailed
Expedition Climbing Itinerary |
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- Key:
| Rest Days |
| Possible Summit Days |
| Planned Summit Day |
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- Expedition
Day #
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- Climbing
- Day
#
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- Date
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- Objective
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- Description of Activities
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- Common
Hazards
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1
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29 May 2001
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Arrive in Anchorage, Alaska
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Team members meet and review expedition plans
together.
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2
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30 May 2001
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In Anchorage, Alaska
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Organize last minute details for the following day to
ensure a timely departure. Purchase
food and last minute supplies. Drive
to Talkeetna. Check in with
air service for departure time to Kahiltna Base Camp.
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3
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31 May 2001
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Anchorage to Talkeetna, and to
Kahiltna Base Camp (7,200ft)
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Register with Denali National Park Service. Organize
gear at air service for flight to Base Camp. Complete fuel card. Fill
water bottles. Dress for glacier. Fly to Kahiltna Base Camp. Register with
base camp manager. Collect fuel.
Go to bed early. Leave Emergency Cache I
with 4-6 days extra food & supplies.
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4
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1
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1 June 2001
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Kahiltna Base Camp (7,200ft)
to Camp I (7,800ft)
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Leave base camp by 3:00am & travel at night.
Single-carry to Camp I, arriving by 10:30am. Set up camp. Probably build
half-height snow walls for sufficient wind protection.
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Heat, sunburn, dehydration. Soft snow.
Largest crevasses and snow bridges of entire route.
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5
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2
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2 June 2001
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Camp I (7,800ft) to Camp II on Upper Kahiltna Glacier
(9,700ft)
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Carry and cache supplies. Travel by night,
wanding route well. Return to Camp I.
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Heat, soft snow. Poor weather, high winds. Weather
worsens as elevation gains, and white-out storm conditions expected.
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6
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3
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3 June 2001
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Camp I (7,800ft)
to Camp II (9,700ft)
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Move camp to Camp II. Retrieve wands. Set up camp,
and build fortified snow walls. If time and weather permit, side excursion
to climb Kahiltna Dome (12,525ft).
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Repeated from previous day
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7
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4
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4 June 2001
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Camp II (9,700ft)
to Camp III (11,000ft)
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Single-carry to Camp III. Set up camp. Or, perform a
double carry, with Team 1 retrieving supplies from Camp II while Team 2
establishes Camp III.
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Weather. Avalanche debris zones. A critical
near 90 degree turn due north is needed at approximately 10,800ft to
locate camp. It can be impossible to find during a white-out.
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8
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5
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5 June 2001
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Camp III (11,000ft)
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Rest day. Leave Emergency Cache II with 1-2
days extra food & supplies. Also, team will cache snowshoes &
skis at this point
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Hidden crevasses, icefall, seracs, and slab
avalanches. Possible pulmonary edema. Camp overcrowding possible if poor
weather conditions are at "Windy Corner".
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9
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6
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6 June 2001
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Camp III (11,000ft)
to "Windy Corner" (13,500ft)
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Carry to Windy Corner and cache supplies. Return to
Camp III. This may be a possible Alternative Camp.
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Extreme wind conditions with gusts frequently from 60
to 100mph. Heavy crevasse fields with a high risk of glacial advancement
and collapsing bergschrunds. Steep, icy slopes and the most dangerous
exposure of the entire route. There is a serious threat of
rockfall and snow avalanches. The team must avoid traversing the
Windy Corner in stormy conditions.
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10
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7
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7 June 2001
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Camp III (11,000ft)
to Camp IV (14,200ft)
Advance Base Camp
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Carry to 14,200ft and establish Advance Base Camp.
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Weather conditions usually improve at 14,200ft from
11,000ft. Dangers are repeated from the previous day.
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11
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8
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8 June 2001
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Camp IV (14,200ft)
to Windy Corner
(13,500ft)
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Descend to retrieve cache at Windy Corner. Return to
Camp IV.
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Repeated from previous day.
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12
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9
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9 June 2001
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Camp IV (14,200ft)
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Rest day. Possible excursion to the “Edge of
the World”.
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Strong winds and/or heavy snowfall possible.
Temperatures commonly drop to -20F. Altitude sickness, with AMS
common in first 24 hours. There is only a remote chance of avalanche, but
roped travel outside of camp and wanded areas is recommended due to
crevasse danger.
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13
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10
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10 June 2001
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Camp IV (14,200ft)
to Headwall Ridge (16,200ft)
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Carry to ridge above the Headwall and establish a
deep cache to protect against to wind erosion. This may be an alternative
camp. Return to Camp IV.
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Snow and ice face with angles up to 55 degrees.
Slab avalanches. Crevasses between 14,300ft and 15,500ft elevation.
Crowding on fixed lines due to traffic, or crampon and ascender
jamming.
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14
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11
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11 June 2001
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Camp IV (14,200ft)
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Rest day.
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Repeated from Camp IV.
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15
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12
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12 June 2001
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Camp IV (14,200ft)
to Camp V (17,200ft)
High Camp
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Climb and establish High Camp. High wall
fortification around camp is necessary. This camp is the most difficult
and exhausting for the team to build.
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High Exposure on ridgeline from 16,200ft to 17,200ft.
Wind, falls & frostbite. The team should not attempt this
stage in stormy conditions.
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16
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13
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13 June 2001
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Camp V (17,200ft)
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Rest day at High Camp.
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Altitude, lack of oxygen. Extreme cold, dry air, high
winds.
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17
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14
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14 June 2001
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Camp V (17,200ft)
to Headwall Ridge (16,200ft)
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Descend to retrieve cache from 16,200ft. Return
to Camp V. It is possible to summit on this day, but the team may
retrieve the cache as a precaution for an extended stay at High Camp.
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Repeated from 2 previous days.
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18
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15
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15 June 2001
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Camp V (17,200ft)
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Rest day. Optional Summit Day.
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Repeated from previous day.
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19
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16
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16 June 2001
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Camp V (17,200ft)
to Summit (20,320ft)
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Summit Day. Optional rest day, depending on
weather & physical condition.
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There are few predictable signs of worsening weather.
Weather conditions are monitored closely, and care is taken to notice
lenticular clouds forming over nearby Mount Foraker. Summit
Day is usually the longest, most exhausting n the mountain, taking over 12
hours to reach the summit in three stages. Prepare for a
possible bivouac. Anchor well, wand route, and exercise care on the
descent.
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20
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17
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17 June 2001
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Option: Summit, rest, or descend.
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Summit Day. Optional rest day, depending on
weather & physical condition.
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Repeated from previous day.
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21
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18
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18 June 2001
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Option: Summit, rest, or descend.
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Summit Day. Optional rest day, depending on
weather & physical condition.
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Repeated from previous day.
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22
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19
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19 June 2001
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Camp V (17,200ft)
to either Advance Base Camp (14,200ft) or Camp III (11,000ft).
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Descend safely.
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23
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20
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20 June 2001
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Descend to Kahiltna Base Camp (7,800ft).
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Retrieve emergency caches at 11,000ft and at Base
Camp
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24
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21 June 2001
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Kahiltna Base Camp to Talkeetna
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CELEBRATE A SAFE AND SUCCESSFUL RETURN!!!!
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