“Darkness, oh darkness, roll over me tonight”
So, I am standing at the counter of the biggest outdoor specialist in Belgium, with in my right-hand “Denali’s West Buttress – a climber’s guide to Mount McKinley’s classic route”. I am very down to earth about all these expeditions and escapades. I am just a pilgrim on this gigantic globe and very lucky to be able to do all this stuff, but when you are climbing one of the toughest mountains in the world, people start to ask questions. “Aha, big plans I see?”. I answer him with my most down to earth intonation: “Yes”. The conversation ends here.
I am off in May 2012 for my biggest expedition so far: Denali or better known as Mount McKinley. This 6194m giant is one of the 7 continental summits and often referred to as the coldest mountain on earth. It is situated 250km to the north of Anchorage in the state of Alaska, close to the Arctic Circle. There are only 6 companies in the world who are allowed to send out a team on Denali, so the choice to go on board with Jagged Globe was a no-brainer. I will be climbing the West Buttress Route in a total of 26 days. Climbing is restricted to 3 months per year, since climbing it outside the season would be suicide. Record temperature ever registered was -73°C. Wow, I have to make sure Battles in the North is on my iPod. But I am not even sure if electronics will work at these temperatures.
It is a technical fairly easy route, but it remains a big and difficult mountain by any standard. The mountain frequently attracts storms and it is not uncommon to have to wait out extreme weather for multiple days. Around 1000 people attempt to climb it every year, with an average summit rate of 52%. I agree, motivational stats.
The biggest difference with an Himalayan expedition is that there is no porterage available. This means you have to carry everything yourself. I’ll be wearing an extensive layer system (oh yes shopping already started), with a 100L backpack and pull a sled of 25kg. No covered cabins or tea houses. Just your tent and hoping your roommate doesn’t snore.
I know what is going to come. It will be a combination of being with the right people and the right equipment on the right place and time. Oh right, and a backpack full of courage. It will be hard. And still, there is this undefined attraction between the mountains and myself. I admit, I am afraid of this mountain. But a wise man on the Robben Island once said that the brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear. Preparation and training starts now. The journey begins.
