Iditarod 2015: Podium Positions Set as Race Continues Across Alaska

I wanted to post one last update on the 2015 Iditarod sled dog race before moving on for another year. While the winner of the race has been crowned, and all of the podium positions are now set, there are still a number of mushers and their teams of dogs still out on the course. Some won't reach the finish line for several days yet, and conditions out on the trail remain very cold. "The Last Great Race" doesn't end when the first person crosses the finish line, and for those still racing it is a test of their skill and endurance. 

Yesterday morning Dallas Seavey claimed his third victory in the last four years, with his only loss coming in 2013 when his father Mitch won instead. The Seavey Iditarod dynasty is in full force this year once again, as yesterday Mitch finished second, reaching Nome nearly an hour and a half ahead of third place finisher Aaron Burmeister. Two ladies battled for fourth and fifth spots over the final couple of days, with Jessie Royer crossing the finish line almost three hours ahead of Aliy Zirkle. Since then, another 12 racers have arrived in Nome, leaving 51 teams to still arrive at the finish. 10 others who started in Anchorage have scratched along the way. 

At the moment, Cindy Abbott is running in last place out of the checkpoint at Kaltag. That leaves her with roughly 346 miles (556 km) yet to go before she is done. If she does manage to make it to Nome, she'll receive the traditional red lantern that goes to the final finisher. This is a badge of honor for having the strength and determination to see the race through to the end, no matter where you finish. 

As for the Seaveys, they're enjoying a much deserved and needed rest after a long race. But no doubt they're already thinking about next year, when they'll probably be battling it out at the top of the leaderboard once again. For Dallas, the sky is the limit in terms of the number of potential wins he could have for his career. The current record is five held by Rick Swenson, but surpassing that total now seems like a real possibility for a man who just turned 28 years old. 

For all of the talk about how this year's Iditarod was going to be easier and faster than year's past due to much of the course taking place on frozen rivers, it turned out to be just as difficult as ever. In order to finish – let alone win – this event, the mushers need to be highly focused, physically fit, and mentally prepared for the challenges of the trail. They also have to be in sync with their dogs, knowing when to let them run, and when it is time to rest. A 1000-mile (1600 km) dog sled race through the Alaskan backcountry is serious business, which is why this truly one of the most spectacular competitive events on the planet.

Congratulations once again to everyone who has already finished in Nome, and good luck to all of the other racers still out on the course.

Video: Awake - The Northern Lights in Timelapse

Filmed in Alaska in the dead of winter, this video captures the ethereal Northern Lights in beautiful fashion. In fact, they look so other-worldly that they almost don't look real. Amazing shades of green, violet, and crimson dance across the sky in a mesmerizing patterns that simply have to be seen to be believed. This three-minute clip gives viewers a spectacular look at the greatest light show on Earth in a truly beautiful setting.

AWAKE - Electric Northern Lights Time Lapse from Alexis Coram on Vimeo.

Dallas Seavey Wins 2015 Iditarod

Dallas Seavey has claimed victory in the 2015 Iditarod sled dog race. The 28-year old defending-champ has become the first musher to reach Nome, arriving early this morning. He finishes the 979 mile (1575 km) race with a total time of 8 days, 18 hours, 13 minutes and 6 seconds. He also crushed the competition, claiming his second straight win in "The Last Great Race" and his third victory overall. 

In the latter stages of the race it became clear that Dallas had the strongest team of dogs out on the course. As his closest competitors slowed down as the neared the later checkpoints along the route, Seavey only seemed to get stronger. Over the last few stages he was breaking trail on fresh snow, but only widened his lead over those who were chasing him. In the ends, he crossed the finish line well ahead of the next closest musher.

As the race continues today, the battle will now be for second place. Dallas' father Mitch is currently holding that position, having left the White Mountain checkpoint just 34 minutes ahead of third place musher Aaron Burmeister. Jessie Royer and Aliy Zirkle are also out of White Mountain, and are currently holding down the fourth and fifth spots respectively. Unless something radical changes while they race today, that is likely to be their order of finish. 

For Dallas Seavey winning another Idiatrod puts him in rare company. Even his dad has just two wins in the race. Winning three times before the age of 30 puts Dallas in a position to set the bar very high for his career, perhaps even surpassing the record five victories of Rick Swenson. For claiming victory this morning, he was handed a check for $70,000 and the keys to a new pick-up truck as well. Not a bad prize for a little more than a week's work. 

While the winner of the race has been crowned, there is still a lot of racing to be done in this year's event. The next group of mushers will continue to trickle across the finish line throughout the day, but it will take several days for the race to wrap up, with competitors likely arriving well into the weekend. The final person to cross the finish line will receive the traditional red lantern that comes along with holding that position. 

Congratulations to Dallas on another impressive win, and good luck to all of the mushers still out on the course. Get home safely. 

Iditarod 2015: Dallas Seavey Takes Lead Out of Elim

The lead mushers are moving into the homestretch in the 2015 Iditarod, and there is a very familiar name at the top of the leaderboard at the moment. Yesterday, defending champion Dallas Seavey moved out in front and is now the clear favorite to finish first in Nome. But the race isn't over just yet, and the two-time winner will face stiff competition on the final legs to the finish line.

As of this writing, Dallas it the only musher out of the checkpoint at Elim, which is situated 123 miles (198 km) from the finish. He set off just 15 minutes before second place musher Aaron Burmeister arrived at that point. The only other competitors to reach Elim at this point are Dalla's dad – and 2013 champ – Mitch Seavey, and Jessie Royer who is now holding down the fourth position. Three-time runner-up Aliy Zirkle is in fifth place out of Koyuk, but is bearing down on the frontier town as well.

The winner of the race is expected to arrive in Nome sometime early Wednesday. Right now, the anticipation is building that the younger Seavey could claim his third victory in four years, although there is still a lot of racing to be done. Last year, four-time champ Jeff King looked like a lock to claim his fifth title, but just 25 miles (40 km) from the finish he was caught in a blizzard, got lost, and ultimately was forced to scratch. That opened the door for Dallas to nab his second title, but it is a good reminder that the race isn't over until the mushers and their dogs reach the finish.

Weather conditions on the trail remain very cold, but there is more snow in the latter stages of the race than there was at the beginning. That will help the teams run a bit faster, and seems to be favoring Dallas at the moment. He is currently posting the highest speeds of any of the top racers at the moment, which will make catching him all the more difficult.

It now appears that we should know the winner of the race by this time tomorrow. I'll post the news as soon as he or she crosses the finish line.

Iditarod 2015: Burmeister Leads, Seaveys in Pursuit

It was an interesting weekend in Alaska, where the 2015 Iditarod sled dog race continues to play out with the top mushers battling one another at the top of the leaderboard. As they begin to take the turn towards Nome, all of the contenders have now completed their mandatory 8- and 24-hour rest periods, freeing them up to race towards the finish line in what is shaping up to be another interesting battle.

As of this writing, Aaron Burmeister leads the pack as the first musher in and out of the Shaktoolik checkpoint. He holds an hour and a half lead on Dallas Seavey, who has also passed through that village, and is in hot pursuit. At this point of the race, Seavey's team is running much faster than Burmeister, but with 220 miles yet to go, it is still anyone's race.

Mitch Seavey is currently running in third place out of Unalakleet, with Aliy Zirkle just 18 minutes back. Jessie Royer is holding down the fifth spot out on the trail, while four-time champ Jeff King is running in seventh place overall, but has banked up a bit more rest time at the moment.

As the teams have traveled west and north, the temperatures have gotten much colder. In fact, they are bitterly cold at the moment, which is a reminder that this race is still held in Alaska during the winter. Yesterday morning the mercury hovered around -30ºF (-34ºC), although the winds were mercifully light. Hard packed snow on the trails has made conditions better than they were at the start of the event, when the race was forced north to Fairbanks due to a lack of snow on the traditional Iditarod route.

With more than 200 miles to go before the winner reaches Nome, the race is truly still up for grabs. With so many good mushers lurking near the top, it'll come down to whomever has the best strategy for resting and racing heading into the final stages of the race, and who has the fastest dogs. This could be the year that Zirkle ends her frustrations after finishing second to both Mitch and Dallas Seavey each of the past three years. Then again, either one of those two men could bring the title back home again this year. But don't count Burmeister out just yet. The 15-year veteran is racing well, and he could stave off the competition to claim his first title as well.

It is now looking like the first mushers could reach Nome as early as Wednesday. We'll just have to watch the weather and trail conditions to see how everything plays out over the next couple of days. With so many contenders within striking distance of one another, it should certainly be interesting to see how this all plays out.

Video: Paddling Ingram Creek in Alaska

Over the past two summers, pro-kayakers Todd and Brendan Wells, along with Matt Peters, have turned Ingram Creek in Alaska into their own personal playground. As you'll see from this video, this river, which runs through the spectacular Kenai Peninsula, has a little of everything to offer paddlers, including some excellent whitewater and a 35-foot waterfall for that extra rush of adrenaline. This is three minutes of pure paddling bliss that I'm sure you'll enjoy.

The Best of Ingram Creek from Mountain Mind Collective on Vimeo.

Iditarod 2015: Burmeister Atop Leaderboard, But Contenders Plan Longterm Strategy

It has been an interesting 24-hours in the 2015 Iditarod, where several of the top mushers are clearly making tactical moves at this stage of the race in order to be ready for the final push to Nome sometime next week. Several of the main contenders arrived at the Galena checkpoint yesterday, where they have been taking their mandatory rest stops. As a result, the leaderboard has been scrambled some, with one of the top contenders now in prime position to take the lead heading towards the halfway point of the race.

As of this writing, Aaron Burmeister is the leader out into the Huslia checkpoint. Currently running in second place is defending champion Dallas Seavey, who arrived about two hours behind Burmeister, although Seavey has already taken his mandatory 8-hour rest, while Burmeister has yet to stop. The only other musher to reach Huslia at this point is Thomas Warner, who is an additional hour and a half behind. Chasing the leaders are Martin Buser and Hugh Neff, both out of Galena and running in fourth and fifth places respectively.

Five-time champ Jeff King was leading the race into Galena yesterday, but he has now slipped to 10th place overall as he appears to be taking his mandatory 24-hour break. With his 8-hour rest already out of the way, he seems poised to make the run all the way to Nome. With 583 miles (938 km) yet to go, that is a bold strategy to pull at this stage of the race, but it could pay off in the long run.

Other fan favorites on the leaderboard include DeeDee Jonrow holding down the 8th spot into Galena, as well as Aliy Zirkle, who has come up just short in the last three races, finishing second each time to a member of the Seveay family. She's currently in 11th place, and resting in Galena too, although she'll no doubt make a move in the days ahead. 2013 champ Mitch Seavey has already taken his 24-hour rest as well, and seems ready to improve on his current standing of 42nd place overall too. Once he returns to the trail out of the Galena checkpoint, expect him to start chasing his son.

At this point of the race, it appears that just about anyone could still win. There is a lot of racing yet to come, and with much of the route taking place on frozen rivers, just about anything can happen in the days ahead. After the race was diverted further north due to a lack of snow, the route is now turning towards a more traditional path that is known to the mushers. This will help them plot out their strategies more fully, and to know what to expect on the trail ahead.

It is hard to say exactly when the first teams will start to arrive in Nome, but around Wednesday of next week seems like a good bet. The weekend will likely sort out some of the contenders, and give us an idea of who will be battling for the win. Stay tuned for updates from The Last Great Race.

Iditarod 2015: Jeff King Leads at Galena, Challengers Lurk

There are once again some very familiar names lurking on the leaderboard at the 2015 Iditarod sled dog race currently underway in Alaska. The top mushers have now completed more than 350 miles (563 km) of the course, and have passed through the checkpoint in Ruby as they steam on towards the finish line in Nome. There is still a long way to go until someone reaches that point however, and the race has not been an easy one thus far. But it is shaping up to be another classic that will be decided on strategy and positioning in the days ahead.

Iditarod legend Jeff King is currently the leader, and the only musher to have passed through the Galena checkpoint. He is being chased by Ally Zirkle, who is in second place out of Ruby. Aaron Burmeister is holding down the third spot, with former champ Martin Buser currently in fourth and Jessie Royer in fifth. Defending champ Dallas Seavey is running 7th overall, and seems poised to make a move as the race develops.

Of that group, King, Buser, and Seavey are the only ones to have already taken their mandatory 8 hour rest period, which means that Zirkle, Burmeister, and the rest may be ahead on the leaderboard, but they will give up time when they stop for their eventual rest. All of the mushers are also required to make a mandatory 24-hour stop, but that won't come until a bit later in the race. Those rest periods are part of the strategy that they'll employ as they make their way toward the home stretch in a few days time.

Elsewhere on the course, four-time champ Lance Mackey is hinting that this could be his final Iditarod. Mackey has been having issues with his hands getting very cold, despite wearing very warm gloves. This is causing him some pain and discomfort, and has forced him to take his mandatory 24-hour rest in Tanana, days before his competition will do the same. Lance suffered similar issues in last month's Yukon Quest, and it could be an indication that his long-distance racing days are coming to an end. Mackey has had to deal with a number of ailments over the years, not the least of which was surviving cancer to continue racing, but it seems that this time his body is no longer cooperating with him, and this could be the last ride for one of the sport's great champions.

Meanwhile, at the front of the race, the teams continue to press on. A lack of snow on the trail has forced them to race on frozen riverbeds for much of the way thus far, but that doesn't seem to have had much of an impact on the proceedings thus far. The leading mushers are comfortable racing on any surface, and while they would like to see more snow, they're managing to cover the distances just fine so far.

It will be likely be the middle of next week before we know who the 2015 Iditarod champ will be. There is a lot of racing yet to go, and the leaderboard will likely be scrambled several times before the race is done. I'll post regular updates on the standings as the teams continue on to Nome.

Iditarod 2015: Snow Arrives Just in Time!

The 2015 Iditarod got underway in Anchorage, Alaska over the weekend with 78 mushers setting off from downtown as part of the ceremonial start to the biggest sled dog race in the entire world. But if you've been following the events leading up to the start of the competition you probably already know that the lack of snow along the Iditarod Trail has forced race organizers to make some dramatic changes to the route. The actual restart of the race will take place today in Fairbanks, which is 225 miles (362 km) further north than the Iditarod traditionally runs. The move seems to be paying off however, as some much needed snow arrived in a timely fashion over the weekend.

About 4 inches (10 cm) of snow fell along the Iditarod Trail on Sunday, bring a blanket of fresh powder that the dogs and mushers are sure to appreciate. The route that will be taken to Nome this year incorporates a lot of frozen rivers, which is very different to run on than snow, and could create some real challenges for the teams. At this point, any amount of snow will probably make them feel a bit better as they launch the 1000 mile (1600 km) journey that is expected to take roughly nine days to complete.

The mushers will see a staggered restart beginning at 10 AM local time today. That's when the dog teams will be turned lose at last, and the true race will begin. Spectators are expected to line the route out of Fairbanks, cheering their favorite teams on. The route will give them ample opportunity to do just that, with the first mile and a half (2.4 km) being run on city streets before turning onto a frozen river leading out of town. After that, most fans of the race will follow along on the official website, where a constantly changing leaderboard will update us to the standings. Expect perennial favorites like Mitch and Dallas Seavey, and Jeff King to make a move early to separate themselves from the pack.


This isn't the first time the race has been run between Fairbanks and Nome. Back in 2003 similar weather conditions forced the Iditarod to take this unique route, with a surprise victory earning the win. Norwegian musher Robert Sorlie claimed the top spot in that race, and his efforts are a good reminder that anyone can win this race, particularly when it is being run on mostly unknown ground. Perhaps this route will be the great equalizer, and a new contender will arise to challenge the established names.

Over the next couple of weeks we'll be watching the race closely, as it is always a source for high drama. Last year's dramatic finish is the perfect example of this as it appeared that Jeff King would be assured of another win just 25 miles (40 km) from the finish line. But a surprise blizzard blew him off course, causing him to be disoriented and lose his way. That opened the door for Dallas Seavey to claim the win, his second in three years.

Will something that dramatic happen again? Who knows! That's why they call this "The Last Great Race."

The 2015 Iditarod Gets Underway Tomorrow!

One of my favorite events of the year will kickoff tomorrow in Anchorage, Alaska, where the ceremonial start of the 2015 Iditarod sled dog race will take place. This year, 78 mushers will take to the line to compete in the "Last Great Race," a 1000-mile (1600 km) endurance run that will culminate at the finish line in Nome.

The streets of Anchorage will be lined with well wishers as the racers set out from downtown and head toward Campbell Airstrip just 11 miles (17 km) out of town. From there they'll head to the secondary starting point in Fairbanks where they'll return to the trail on Monday. The route has been moved about 225 miles (360 km) north to help make up for the lack of snow on the traditional route. Unlike some parts of the U.S., Alaska has not been covered in excess snow this winter, and it will now have an impact on the state's greatest sporting event. In fact, Anchorage typically sees 60 inches  (150 cm) of powder by now, but has only seen 20 inches (50 cm) so far.

This has caused race organizers to scramble to find an alternate route that will help keep the race moving forward. The path they have chosen will actually spend more than half of its time out on ice rather than snow, which should make for a vastly different race than ones we've seen in recent years. In fact, the ice could actually level the playing field, allowing just about anyone to have a shot at the win.

The field is a diverse one to say the least. It includes six former champions with the likes of Mitch and Dallas Seavey returning, as well as Jeff King, Lance Mackey, and a host of other very experienced and talented mushers. Iditarod veteran Brent Sass will be looking to capitalize on the momentum he received by winning the Yukon Quest last month as well.  There are also 20 rookies in the field too, and they are likely to get a baptism by fire with this challenging new course.

It is expected that it will take this year's winner about 10 days to reach Nome. Over the course of the next couple of weeks I will be keeping a close eye on the proceedings and keep readers up-to-date as things unfold. If last year taught us anything it is that this race is always full of surprises, and I suspect there will be some amazing stories this time out too.

Winter Climbs 2015: Nanga Teams Retreat to BC, Moro Departs for Nepal

There is more news from Nanga Parbat today, where the combined international team of Alex Txikon, Daniele Nardi, local climbers Muhammad Ali "Sadpara" and Muhammad Kahn, along with the Iranian squad, have retreated back to Base Camp after establishing Camp 3 on the mountain. The group had been working for five straight days to establish the route and shuttle gear, and are now ready to rest and regain some strength before heading up again.

According to reports, C3 was installed at 6700 meters (21,981 ft) where at least three of the climbers spent the night as part of their acclimatization. They then fixed ropes above that point, but were unable to reach Camp 4 before deciding it was time to descend. The entire squad is still working on acclimating to the altitude, with the exception of Nardi who has been on Nanga for more than a month now.

Dispatches indicate that Txikon and the other late arrivals are in need of some rest, so they'll spend at least a few days in BC now to let their bodies recover. The forecasts indicate that the weather should be good through the weekend, with storms arriving on the mountain on Sunday. That means that there is no weather window for the next few days, which will limit their efforts. In fact, the forecast calls for poor weather for most of next week, with possibly a meter of snow being dropped on the slopes of Nanga Parbat. For now, the teams will just have to wait to see if and when they'll get another chance.

Meanwhile, Italian climber Simone Moro is preparing to set out for Nepal. He'll leave tomorrow to begin his winter expedition in the Himalaya. He will be joined on the climb by talented alpinist Tamara Lunger, who summited K2 without oxygen this past summer.

The duo have set their sighs on the 8163 meter (26,781 ft) Manaslu, which they hope to link with Manaslu East, a peak that is an impressive 7992 meters (26,220 ft) in height. The hope is to complete the climb before the end of winter, which means they'll have roughly 35 days to top out. Both are said to have already been acclimatizing prior to their departure, with the plan of eventually making an alpine style attempt on the two summits once they have scouted the route.

Finally, there have been no updates yet from Andy Kirkpatrick, who had intended to set off for Denali to complete a solo summit of that mountain in February. The latest updates to the Brit's Facebook and Twitter pages indicate that he was heading off on an expedition, but there has been radio silence for the past eight days. Hopefully he is now in Alaska and prepping for the climb, but at this point it is unclear what his plans are.

That's all for today. It looks like things will be kind of quiet for the next few days at least as the weather on Nanga sorts itself out, and Simone and Tamara make their way to the mountain. We'll have more updates soon as the news warrants.

Dutch Adventurer to Ski 1200 Miles Across Canada

Over the past three years, Dutch adventurer Yuri Klaver has been working on an epic project that he calls his Arctic Venture. The idea of this expedition it to travel under his own power from Nome, Alaska to Greenland on foot, skis, and by kayak. When he finishes, he hopes to have covered more than 6000 miles (9656 km), crossing through some of the most remote areas of Alaska and Canada – not to mention the North Atlantic – in the process.

Early next week Yuri will set off on the third stage of that journey – a 1200 mile (1931 km) expedition across Northern Canada on skis. Over the coming months he hopes to travel from Prudhoe Bay in Alaska to Resolute Bay in Canada. He'll start by retrieving his trusty kayak from storage and filling it with supplies. It will serve as his sledge as he pulls it along behind him across the Canadian arctic, with all of his food, fuel, and other gear with him.

According to Yuri, he expects the trip to take approximately 6 months to complete. He hopes to arrive in Resolute sometime in September. In the meantime, he is preparing for the unexpected while traveling above the Arctic circle. He has been training with how to deal with polar bears, poor weather conditions, and fragmenting of the ice. He'll use a large caliber handgun to keep the bears at bay and has developed an alert system to help protect his tent at night. His kayak/sledge will also help him to continue to make progress even when the frozen surface conditions begin to break up, and paddling will be the only option.

Klaver is no stranger to remote expeditions. Back in 2012 he attempted to cross the Bering Sea from Russia to the United States. That journey ended prematurely when he was rescued by Russian border guards a week into the trip. His 2013 phase of Arctic Venture was more successful however, as he paddled for two months along the Bering Sea before going upriver at the Noatak River in the wild and remote Brooks Range of Alaska. Last year he returned to that spot, as he traversed the Brooks Range on skis, and paddled down the Colville River. In 2015, he'll now continue this massive undertaking by pressing on towards Resolute Bay.

On Monday, Yuri will depart from the Netherlands for Alaska where he will organize his gear and travel back to his ending point from last year before hitting the trail in early March. You'll be able to follow his progress on his website where he posts regular updates from his adventures.

Legislation Introduced to Officially Rename Mt. McKinley to Denali

Two U.S. Senators from the state of Alaska have introduced legislation that would permanently change the name of Mt. McKinley back to its native name of Denali. This marks the latest attempt to get the mountain, which is officially named after William McKinley, the 25th President of the United States, renamed. Previous attempts to change the mountain's moniker have been denied, although the bill will likely receive more support in the newly elected Republican Congress.

The legislation was introduced by U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, who argue that the mountain first received its name thousands of years ago by the Athabascan tribe, who called it "Denali," which means the "the Great One" or "the High One" in their language. It wasn't officially renamed to Mt. McKinley until 1917, although it has been referred to by that name for nearly 20 years prior to that by local prospectors and settlers.

At 20,237 feet (6168 meters) in height, McKinley is the tallest mountain in North America, and a significant climb amongst mountaineers. While the general public most commonly knows the peak it by its officially designated name, it has been referred to it as Denali for years in mountaineering circles. Regardless of the outcome of this legislation, that isn't likely to change anytime soon.

While there will be more Republican support for a name change this time out, it won't be without some opposition. Ohio Representative Bob Gibbs, who is a Republican as well, has introduced counter-legistiaiton aimed at blocking efforts to rename the mountain. President McKinley was from Ohio, and many people there still take pride in the fact that the mountain bears his name.

As you can imagine, in Alaska the sentiment is quite different. There, the indigenous people and others feel it is time to give the mountain its original name back. Denali is used commonly there to name streets, businesses, and even children. There has been a groundswell of support for the name change there for years, although most locals already refer to it by its Athabascan name anyway.

There is no word yet on when the vote on the bill will come to congress, and while it may seem like a rather trivial piece of legislation, it could get bogged down in committees to try to stall it out. Still, later this year, it is possible that Mt. McKinley will be no more, and everyone will refer to the mountain as Denali.

Winter Climbs 2014-2015: Lonnie is Off Denali, Team Drama on Nanga Parbat

We're barely two weeks into 2015, and it has already been an historic year for winter climbing. With Lonnie Dupre's successful summit of Denali, he has now become the first person to climb that mountain solo in the month of January when it is the coldest, harshest days of all. Meanwhile, over in Pakistan, the three teams currently on Nanga Parbat have pressed forward, while a fourth squad continues to try to clear logistical hurdles.

We'll start with an update from Denali. After reaching the 6168 meter (20,237 ft) summit this past weekend, Lonnie was able to make the descent back to Base Camp with little difficulty. Retrieving his gear as he went down, Dupre managed to return to BC on Wednesday, where he had hoped for a quick airlift back to Talkeetna to start his celebration. Unfortunately the weather didn't cooperate, and even though two planes took off to retrieve him and his gear, neither of them were able to land Kahiltna Glacier due to high winds. With the mission to retrieve him aborted, he was forced to settle into his tent for one more night and wait for calmer weather.

Yesterday, the conditions were much more conducive for the aircraft, they were able to land and retrieve the mountaineer/polar explorer from his chilly campsite. Lonnie is now safely back in Talkeetna, where he is thawing out and relaxing, while enjoying sharing his tales of the climb with the locals. His website promises more updates on the summit push, as well as video from the ascent too. Stay tuned for that post, as I'm sure it'll be quite the tale.

Over on Nanga Parbat there seems to be a bit of a drama brewing between Italian climber Danielle Nardi, and his campmates Tomek Mankiewicz and Elisabeth Revol. Tomek and Elisabeth departed Base Camp a week ago to establish several higher camps, and have apparently decided that they are now going to attempt to push up towards the summit. They have made this decision without consulting Danielle or without being in communication at all, as they are traveling with just a satellite phone. In a post to his website, Nardi has said that the cooperative expedition is now over due to this lack of communication between the teammates, although he says he will continue to provide support for Tomek and Elisabeth out of a sense of obligation for their safety.


It seems that the trio of climbers had planned on working more closely with one another on their eventual summit bids than was previously thought, and now Danielle feels that he has been left out of those plans. The lack of updates from Tomek and Elisabeth – who refused to take a radio with on their ascent – has left Nardi to read about the duo's progress on the Internet, rather than hearing directly from them. Considering they had planned the project together, it now seems as if he is the one who has been left behind.

As for their part Tomek and Elisabeth have now established Camp 4 at 7000 meters (22,965 ft) amidst fluctuating weather conditions. High winds have been buffeting the mountain over the past few days, although very little snow is reported on the Diamir Face. The forecast is expected to improve over the weekend however, and the two climbing partners may take the opportunity to move up even higher. So far, they are happy with their progress and can see a good line to the summit, but the blisteringly cold conditions are making it very tough. (Update: It now appears that the two climbers will go down from Camp 4 to BC. How this will impact future plans remains to be seen.)

On the Rupal side of the mountain, the Russians team of Nickolay Totmjanin, Valery Shamalo, Serguey Kondrashkin and Victor Koval have started their second rotation up the mountain. They had been back in BC at the beginning of the week where they were resting and waiting out the weather. On Wednesday they started back up the mountain but there have been few updates on their progress ever since. Presumably they are heading put to stock Camp 2 and possibly press on to C3 as the weather permits.

Finally, ExWeb is reporting that the Iranian team that had hoped to be on Nanga by now has hit a snag with Pakistani immigration. Apparently there have been some issues with their visa, and the squad is trying to work through the situation so that they can proceed with their expedition. Hopefully they'll get over those bureaucratic bumps soon, and can proceed to Base Camp.

Winter Climbs 2014-2015: Lonnie Descends on Denali, Progress on Nanga Parbat

With the winter climbing season now in full swing, teams are working hard Nanga Parbat, where several squads are hoping to complete the first winter ascent of that 8000-meter giant. While they gird themselves for the challenge ahead, another climber is already wrapping up his expedition on the tallest peak in North America.

We'll start with an update on Lonnie Dupre, who successfully completed the first solo ascent of Denali in January on Sunday. When I posted the news of his success yesterday, Lonnie had already returned from the summit to his high camp located at 17,200 feet (5242 meters). An update later in the day indicated that he only spent a few hours resting there before proceeding down to his camp at the West Buttress Ridge, which sits at 14,200 feet (4328 meters). He stopped there long enough to cache some of his supplies, and then was immediately proceeding further town to 11,200 feet (3413 meters) where he had hoped to rest for the night. That means he is almost safely off the mountain, and while he still has further to go before he gets to Base Camp, the most treacherous part of the climb is now behind him.

Lonnie's home team expects to hear more from him later today, including potentially more details on his summit push. As you can probably imagine, he is exhausted from his efforts and could use some rest, but the weather on Denali is fickle, and it is best that he get to the safest place possible before the winter weather returns.

Meanwhile, the Russian team of Nickolay Totmjanin, Valery Shamalo, Serguey Kondrashkin and Victor Koval arrived in BC on Nanga Parbat last week, and have immediately gone to work. According to Russian Climb, the team has now shuttled gear up to their camp at 6000 meters (19,685 ft) on the Rupal Face, and have fixed ropes to that point, but were forced back down due to high winds. After four days of working the route, they have now returned to Base Camp to rest and gather their strength before proceeding up further.


Italian climber Danielle Nardi is back in BC on the Diamir Face as well. He reports that snow is in the forecast over the next few days, so he'll wait for the weather to pass before going back up the mountain. At that time, he hopes to finish establishing Camp 2, located at 5100 meters (16,732 ft). Danielle is hoping to make a solo-summit of Nanga, which means he'll have to be very patient, conserve his strength and energy, and hope that the weather turns in his favor.

Tomek Mackiewicz and Elisabeth Revol are sharing BC with Danielle, and are bit further along in their acclimatization efforts. They have reportedly climbed up to Camp 3 at 6600 meters (21,653 ft), and are planning on going as high as 7200 meters (23,622 ft) before turning back. They report that the weather is holding at the moment, but the route is extremely difficult, with very cold temperatures.

As you probably already know, Nanga Parbat is just one of two 8000-meter peaks that remain unclimbed in the winter. K2 is the other mountain to hold that distinction, and an attempt on that peak was shut down this year when the Chinese refused to issue a permit to climb from the north side. With all of these climbers concentrating on Nanga, it seems that there is a good shot of someone reaching the top this year. But as always, the weather will dictate if that proves to be true.

The season is truly just getting underway. Stay tuned for more updates soon.

Winter Climbs 2014-2015: Lonnie Dupre Summits Denali!

The winter climbing season is barely underway, and we already have our first successful summit of the new year. Yesterday, polar explorer and mountaineer Lonnie Dupre reached the top of Denali in Alaska, bringing an end to his quest to climb the highest peak in North America in January, the coldest, harshest month of the year on that mountain.

On Saturday, Lonnie's home team updated his status indicating that he had reached 17,200 feet (5242 meters) on the mountain, which would put him within striking distance of the 20,237 foot (6168 meter) summit. Better yet, the weather forecast indicated that a period of excellent weather would cover the area for the next few days, creating the best summit window that Lonnie has seen during his winter visits to the mountain. It is not uncommon for temperatures to drop to -50ºF/-45ºC on Denali in January, and winds can blow at speeds of over 100 mph (160 km/h). In the past, those conditions have prevented him from summiting, but that wasn't the case this time.

Yesterday another update was posted to Lonnie's website, this time indicating that the team had received a SPOT GPS signal from the summit of the mountain. Lonnie had reached the top at approximately 2:08 PM local time, and while I'm sure he took a little time to enjoy the view, he was soon heading back down the mountain. Another SPOT update later in the day indicated that he has descended back to his high camp at 17,200 feet, where he is likely still resting now. He'll continue his descent today, and will likely be off the mountain in a few days, provided the weather continues to hold.

The successful solo-summit of Denali brings an end to a quest that Lonnie has been on for the past five years. This was his fourth attempt at climbing the mountain in January, and this time all of the variables came together in a proper fashion. Hopefully the weather will cooperate for just a bit longer, as the decent can be a treacherous one as well. He won't breathe easy until he has made it safely back to Base Camp. From there, he can call in a flight to come pick him up, and the celebration can truly begin.

Look for Lonnie to post his summit report once he is safely off the mountain and back in BC. I'm sure he has plenty of good insights to share.

Congratulations to Lonnie on completely this challenge. Get down safely!

Winter Climbs 2014-2015: Updates From Nanga Parbat and Denali

Now that the holidays are officially behind us, and we're all returning to a more typical routine, it seems fitting that we start a new week with an update on the winter climbing expeditions that are underway in Pakistan and Alaska. Over the past few weeks, the teams have been getting settled into Base Camp, and have started the challenging work of acclimatizing to the altitude and the cold temperatures. Soon, the real work will begin, with each of the teams hoping to make history in the weeks ahead.

We'll start on Nanga Parbat, where three teams are looking to make the first winter ascent of that peak. The Russian squad of Nickolay Totmjanin, Valery Shamalo, Serguey Kondrashkin and Victor Koval arrived in Pakistan just before Christmas, and set out for BC on the Rupal side of the mountain almost immediately. They established Base Camp on December 27, and have been shuttling gear up the slope ever since. As of yesterday, they have reached 5900 meters (19,356 ft), and have firmly established Camp 1 at that location. They are currently back in BC resting up before they head up the mountain once again.

Over ont he Diamir Face, the first team of climbers in BC as well, with Tomek Mankiewicz and Elisabeth Revol sharing space with Daniele Nardi. While the trio are officially on the same permit, they aren't intending to do much climbing with one another, as Daniele is looking for a solo summit, while Tomek and Elisabeth join forces on their attempt at the first ascent. According to Russian Climb, they reached Camp 1 on January 2, so they are making solid progress thus far. Meanwhile, Daniele is just getting settled in Base Camp today.

A third team consisting of Iranian climbers Reza Bahadorani, Iraj Maani and Mahmoud Hashemi is preparing to depart for Pakistan. The trio intends to arrive on the mountain next week, and begin their expedition as well.


Over on Denali, Lonnie Dupre is forging ahead with his attempt at a solo-summit in January. Conditions remain very cold, but the weather has improved over the past few days, allowing him to move more than 160 lbs (72 kilograms) of gear up to 13,600 feet (4145 meters). Yesterday he planned to go up to 14,000 feet (4267 meters), where he will build a large snow cave that will serve as one of his high camps. Once that job is done, he'll begin carrying gear up to 16,000 ft (4876 meters), which will mark his next major campsite. At the moment, all seems to be going well, and Lonnie is happy with his progress.

Finally, it appears that Dupre won't be the only climber making a solo-summit bid on Denali this winter. British mountaineer Andy Kirkpatrick is also in the final stages of planning his own expedition to the mountain, and intends to arrive their in February. Kirkpatrick says that he has been thinking about this climb for 14 years, and he is now ready to make it a reality. We'll certainly be following his efforts closely in a few weeks as well.

That's all for today. Expect regular updates on each of these expeditions in the weeks ahead. It should be an exciting time on both Nanga Parbat and Denali. Perhaps this year could see the first winter ascent of Nanga at long last.

Winter Climbs 2014-2015: High Winds and Extreme Cold on Denali

Just a very brief update from Alaska today, where Lonnie Dupre has been waiting for the arrival of the New Year, while preparing for his major challenge ahead. His plan is to make a solo-summit of Denali in January, which is when that 6168 meter (20,237 ft) mountain is at its absolute coldest. This is his fourth attempt at this expedition, and Dupre is already being reminded of why this is such a difficult goal to attain.

Since his arrival on the mountain a few weeks back, Lonnie has been shuttling his gear up the route, and building a series of camps that will be well stocked for when he eventually makes his summit push. This is not only a good logistical move, it is also helping him to acclimatize. A few days ago, he reached an altitude of 11,200 feet (3413 meters), where he had intended to stash some gear, and then descend 600 feet (182 meters) back down the slope for a rest day. High winds and very cold temperatures have hit his location however, forcing him to take a second consecutive rest day simply because it was unsafe for him to climb in the whiteout conditions that had developed. Reportedly, winds were as high as 60 mph (96 km/h), and temperatures plummeted with their arrival.

Just how cold does it get on the mountain? Have a look at the photo attached with this blog post. That's Lonnie inside of a snow cave that he dug for protection on his 2012 expedition. As you can see, the frost is forming on his boots and pants, and just about all the rest of his gear, due to the temperatures. These are the kinds of challenges he is facing as he presses ahead with the climb.

Tomorrow marks the first day of 2015 and of January. That means the clock is now officially ticking on the expedition, and Lonnie has 31 days to complete his quest. The weather forecast calls for improving conditions over the next few days, so he now plans to descend a bit lower, collect some more gear, and bring it back up to 11, 200 feet. From there, he'll begin scouting the upper sections of the mountain and start placing his high camps in anticipation of an eventual summit push. The next few weeks should be prove very interesting.

Elsewhere, the teams on Nanga Parbat should be gathering in Base Camp now as well. Expect reports on the progress on that mountain soon too.

Winter Climbs 2014-2015: Teams Gathering in Pakistan

Just a quick update on the winter climbing expeditions that are either now underway, or are preparing to begin. With the new season just over a week old at this point, most of the teams are still making their way to the mountains following the holiday season last week. While they are in transit, the climbers are mentally and physically preparing themselves for the challenges ahead on what will likely be the most difficult expedition of their careers.

As mentioned last week, the planned attempt on the North Side of K2 has been scrubbed following the denial of a climbing permit by the Chinese government. This has left Denis Urubko, Adam Bielecki and Alex Txikon on the sidelines this season after they had been planning their expedition for months. As you can imagine, the team is disappointed by this turn of events, but they have vowed to try again in the future. Chinese officials cancelled the permit after terrorist activity in the region picked up in November. They have already invited the climbers to reapply for a permit when conditions improve and it is once again safe for foreign visitors to travel in the Xinjiang region.

With K2 now off the table for this winter, all attention will now turn toward Nanga Parbat, the only other 8000 meter peak that remains unclimbed in the winter. There are no fewer than three teams attempting that mountain, including Daniele Nardi, who arrived in Pakistan on Saturday and is now making his way out to Base Camp. He'll climb with Elisabeth Revol on the Diamir Face, and now expects to be in BC by January 1.


That duo will be sharing Base Camp with Tomek Mackiewicz, who spent a few weeks acclimatizing in the Rupal Valley before the arrival of winter. Tomek should already be in BC at this point, where the is scouting the route and already preparing to make his solo attempt on the mountain.

The Russian team of Nickolay Totmjanin, Valery Shamalo, Serguey Kondrashkin and Victor Koval arrived in Pakistan in time for Christmas, and wasted no time in getting to work. They were in and out of Islamabad as quickly as possible, and arrived in Base Camp on December 27, where they report that all is okay. After a few days of getting settled, they will begin the first preliminary steps of heading up the mountain, while they begin to acclimatize to the altitude and cold weather.

Finally, we leave the Karakoram behind to check in with Lonnie Dupre on Denali. He is busy preparing for his attempt to summit the tallest mountain in North America in January, and has already been very busy establishing some of his higher camps. He has already climbed up to 11,200 feet (3413 meters) where he has started to get a taste of the weather that the mountain is so well known for. Wind speeds have already been in excess of 50 mph (80 km/h), and temperatures are well below zero. Still, he is happy with his progress thus far, and will take a rest day today before continuing to shuttle gear up the slope. Once January 1 arrives, the expedition will be officially under way, with Lonnie hoping to become just the 4th person to stand on the summit during the coldest, darkest, windiest month of the year on Denali.

That's all for today. I'll post more updates as the teams start to progress.

Winter Climbs 2014-2015: The Season is Underway!

This past weekend officially marked the first day of winter here in the northern hemisphere, which means it is time for the winter climbing teams to start their expeditions as well. While some are waiting until after the holidays to get underway, others are already making their way to the mountains, where they'll now face the daunting task of climbing some of the world's toughest peaks during the coldest, most treacherous time of year.

There will be no fewer than than three teams heading to Nanga Parbat this winter, and according to ExWeb the Russian squad of Nickolay Totmjanin, Valery Shamalo, Serguey Kondrashkin and Victor Koval left for Pakistan yesterday. They hope to be on the trail to Base Camp as early as tomorrow, with plans for reaching the mountain as quickly as possible. They intend to climb a variation of the Schell Route on the Rupal Face, establishing Camps 1-3, with an intermediate camp consisting of one small tent stationed between C3 and the summit. They'll start acclimating as soon as they arrive, and will then let the weather dictate their progress.

The Russians won't be alone in Base Camp. Polish climber Tomek Mackiewicz is already there after acclimatizing in the Rupal Valley. He's sharing space with Elisabeth Revol and Daniele Nardi, although they won't be climbing together. Mankiewicz is attempting a solo summit of Nanga Parbat, while Revol and Nardi will try a new route.

Also heading to Nanga Parbat soon will be the Iranian team of Reza Bahadorani, Iraj Maani and Mahmoud Hashemi. The trio of climbers remain at home in Iran at that moment, where they are currently putting the final touches on their planning and logistics. They plan to depart for Pakistan during the second week of January.


After sorting out the issues with their climbing permit on K2, Denis Urubko and his team, which consists of Adam Bielecki and Alex Txikon, will now depart for China in the first week of January. Denis posted to his Facebook page that they will have 40 days to climb once they reach Base Camp. He feels confident that they are a strong enough team to accomplish the first ascent of K2 in the winter. They will be climbing along a new route on the North Face of the mountain, where they hope to get some protection and respite from the dangerous winds.

Finally, we head to Alaska for an update on Lonnie Dupre's efforts to climb Denali in January. He was flown out to the mountain last Thursday, and has skied into his first campsite, which he's using as a base of operations until the expedition officially gets underway on January 1. In the meantime, he has started to shuttle gear up to Camp 1, located at 7800 ft (2377 meters) as also acclimatizes to the cold and altitude. He has a lot of work to do for his solo expedition, but with more than a week to go until the arrival of the new year, Lonnie is in good shape so far. He even reports that a raven has joined him on his expedition, and has followed him on his journey over the past few days.

For more on Lonnie's efforts, check out the video below.