Team B-US Denali West Rib Climb Itinerary

In Anchorage:
May 8 : Jan arrives in Anchorage. begin trip preparation at hostel.
May 9: Andy arrives in Anchorage. pick up sat. phone, pack, and shop for Denali.
May 10: Morning shuttle to Talkeetna, Afternoon meeting with Rangers. Continue to pack and shop for Denali. Find Hudson Air Taxi. ID sleds, and rig.

Arrival on the Kahiltna glacier:
May 11: Morning flight into the kahiltna glacier (7200'), ski past Camp 1 to 8000ft (Mouth of NE Fork) and set up base camp. Drop cache for NE Fork/West Rib attempt. - 6 miles, 800ft gain.
May 12: Ski to 11000ft (Motorcycle hill camp), drop cache. Return to 8000ft. - 10 miles r/t, 3000ft gain
May 13: Ski to 11000ft, sort and pack gear for west buttress aclimation trip and high cache. - 5 miles, 3000ft gain.
May 14: pack and rest for west buttress, ski around area.

West Buttress acclimatization trip:
May 15: Drop Skis. Carry cache to windy corner @ 13,500ft, return to 11,000ft camp - 4 miles r/t, 2500ft gain.
May 16: Climb to Camp IV @ 14,200ft, set up high camp - 3 miles, 3200ft gain
May 17: Retrieve cache at 13,500ft, return to camp IV. - 2 miles r/t, 700 ft gain
May 18: Active rest day at altitude. Carry cache to West Rib junction @ 16,000ft. - 4 miles r/t, 1800ft gain
May 19: Active rest day at altitude. Practice on Fixed Ropes.

Plan A - West Rib portion of the trip:
May 20: descend west butt to 8000' base camp, pick up skis at 11,000ft camp.
May 21: ski up NE fork of Kahiltna to "moderately safe" camp II (10000'). - 3 miles, 2000ft gain
May 22: ski west rib col approach, to 11000' on the NE Kahiltna, send the col to gain the ridge at 12,800', climb lower rib to camp III (13,300'.) (big day, but at this point we are honed) - 2 miles, 3300ft. gain
May 23: climb lower rib to camp IV (~16,000') - 1 mile, 2700ft gain
May 24: rest at 16,000'
May 25: Summit day! climb upper rib to summit ridge, slog ridge to the top of the continent. descend west Buttress to Genet Basin (14,000'). - 2 miles, 4000ft gain
May 26: Rest day.
May 27: Ski/Descend to Base camp (8000').
May 28: Ski/Descend to landing strip and pack for departure.
May 29: Weather/Rest Day
May 30: Weather/Rest Day
May 31: Weather/Rest Day
June 1: Weather/Rest Day
June 2: Weather/Rest Day
June 3: Weather/Rest Day
June 4: Weather/Rest Day
June 5: Andy Flies out to Talkeetna in the morning. Jan keeps climbing?

Plan B - West Buttress from 14K Camp:
May 20: Carry cache to Ridge Camp @ 16,200ft, return to 14k camp. - 4 miles r/t, 2000ft. gain
May 21: Rest day at 14k camp
May 22: Move to High Camp @ 17,200ft - 2 miles, 3000ft. gain
May 23: Rest day @ 17,200ft
May 24: Summit Day or pick up Cache @ 16,200ft. - 6 miles r/t, 3200ft gain
May 25: Summit day!
May 26: Summit day!
May 27: Summit day!
May 28: Summit day!
May 29: Summit day!
May 30: Descend to 14K Camp
May 31: Ski/Descend to 8000ft base camp
June 1: Ski/Descend to Landing strip and pack for departure
June 2: Weather/Rest Day/Bonus Climbing/Skiing
June 3: Weather/Rest Day/Bonus Climbing/Skiing
June 4: Weather/Rest Day/Bonus Climbing/Skiing
June 5: Andy Flies out to Talkeetna in the Morning. Jan keeps climbing?