Day 14 Denali- a stormy day of waiting and reflection..

June 29,2021

It was going to be the day. Conditions were generally calm and the whole camp decided to give it a shot. So after an early breakfast and a chat, we were told to make ready for the climb to start at 1pm; which meant wearing all your puff coats and heavy gloves plus everything warm you could find. Two groups: Dawson + 1 and two guides; Bob and I and our head guy Josh. With the whole camp trying to go up, however there was congestion on the main hill and at the last minute Josh decided to let Dawson and team go but hold us back for another day. Not good to sit a wait on a traffic jam at 5.500 m when the wind is blowing. Best way to get frostbites. Disappointed but in the end good luck for us as two hours later instead of the wind calming, it picked up at 30 knots. All hands on deck to build a protective wall around our tent. I am getting very good at cutting snow blocks. Two hours workout pre-dinner. Wall built. Time for dinner. Helas, during our plastic dinner we got told the wall was down and we had to start again.

Bob got cold and wet. I got my new beard frozen.

Anyway is now 10pm and we have been in the tumble drier for >8 hours. It’s actually windy in my sleeping bag! Let’s hope the wall holds. Dawson is due back at 1am. Let’s hope at least he summited. For us another day of reflection and thinking about the lovely food and time we could have had with our families instead of this crazy mountain.