Acclimatization will be one of the most important aspects of this trip. That’s why it’s so important to maintain the schedule we’ve laid out, carry high, sleep low, and rest on rest days. We’ve also got to take weather into consideration, so be prepared for some storms. Denali is unpredictable.” Their guide for the next twenty-eight days, Lionel, was a wealth of information. Even with all the climbing experience Karon had racked up the past year, she’d learned a notebook full more today.
He handed them each a sheet of paper. “Let’s go through this quick.” He spoke with a British accent that clipped at a pace her little Southern brain already couldn’t keep up with. Oh boy. “We’re almost at sea level right now, day one. We’ll fly into Base Camp on the Kahiltna Glacier at 7,200 feet. We’ll stay there day two to get used to the altitude before we begin our ascent. Day three we’ll climb to Ski Hill at 7,900 feet. Day four, the Upper Kahiltna at 9,600 feet. Day five, we’ll rest and acclimate. Day six, we’ll climb to 11,000 feet. Day seven, we’ll rest. Day eight, we’ll carry to Basin Camp and sleep low back at 11,000. Day nine, we’ll move to Basin Camp. Once we get there, we’ll be at 14,200 feet. We’ll take days ten and eleven to rest and acclimate again. Days twelve and thirteen we carry to Ridge Camp and sleep at Basin Camp. Day fourteen, we’ll move to Ridge Camp at 16,200 feet. Day fifteen, High Camp at 17,200 feet. Day sixteen, we’ll rest, and day seventeen will be our first possible day to summit.”
Karon wrote in shorthand to keep up with the guide. “And the rest of the days are in case we have to deal with weather?”
“Yes. Many of our climbers make it to High Camp but never see the summit because of weather.” He smiled. “But since you’ve taken extra time for this expedition, the chances are higher that we’ll be able to wait out a storm or multiple storms and still summit in time for your return.”
Clint flicked her in the arm. “Good, because I’d hate to take a month off work and sit in a tent the whole time freezing my toes off.”
Karon rolled her eyes. “Excuse my brother, Lionel. Please continue.”
Lionel gave Clint a scolding look any teacher would be proud of—and Clint even squirmed. Karon liked this guy already. “All your gear has been checked and double-checked. AMS has prepared everything else on our end. Any questions?”
Clint looked to her and, with wisdom beyond his years, kept his mouth shut.
She rubbed her hands together. “Nope. I’m just ready to get up there.”
Lionel shut his notebook with a snap and smiled. “Then let’s load up.”
The small plane that flew them to the glacier gave them a spectacular view, but Karon preferred Deline’s Otter since they’d flown around each of the peaks. This ride was closer to the ground and Karon loved it. Her adrenaline pumped. She couldn’t believe Lionel could sit in the noisy plane and snore.
Denali stood tall, its massive structure covered in snow and ice. No wonder the mountain was named by the native people as the High One, Sultana, the Wife, and Begguya, the Child.
The regal family were the crown jewels of the Alaska Range. And just as a family should, they stood firm together.
Her mouth dropped as she watched an enormous avalanche on the steep slopes of Sultana. Whispering a prayer that there weren’t any climbers in the area, Karon kept her eyes glued to the beautiful devastation.
As the plane banked to land on the thirty-six-mile-long glacier, she prayed for their safety. The magnitude of what they were about to embark on sent chills up her arms. Excitement and a touch of fear caused her to giggle.
Clint leaned closer. “Nervous?”
“A little.”
“You’ll do great. Besides, you’ve got me, and I’ve never failed at anything.” He smirked.
“Pride goeth before the fall, little brother.” She pushed him back into his seat.
“Only on Tuesdays.”
Lionel opened his eyes from his nap. “Are you two chums going to be like this the whole trip?”
“Worse!” they shouted at the same time.
“Oh good.” Lionel shut his eyes again. “Entertainment.”
The pilot shook his head, lowered the plane, and flew the final approach.
One soft bounce and they were skidding along the glacier’s surface.
Even with her sunglasses on, the glare burned her eyes. Karon took off her favorite aviators and replaced them with her glacier glasses. Much better. At least she could see now. Her eyes would have to adjust to the brightness over the next month.
As they unpacked the plane, Karon couldn’t wait to meet other climbers and explore the Base Camp. Her excitement only grew as they said good-bye to the AMS pilot.
Lionel directed them to haul all their equipment and sleds to where they would camp. Each of them would be responsible for a large amount of supplies. Clint teased Karon before they left that the frame pack was bigger than her. And he was almost correct. But during the months of training, she’d grown strong and could carry the required amount of weight, just like him.
Her excitement propelled her forward, and pulling a sled, she raced Clint to the camp.
She tripped the last three feet and flew headlong into a snowbank. Even face-first, she couldn’t contain her laughter. She smacked at the arms pulling her out. Clint always had to baby her. But as she wiped the thick layer of snow out of her hair and face, she realized the strong arms that held her weren’t her brother’s.
They belonged to a very tall, incredibly cute ranger named Zack.