Timeline

First Attempt (2018)

Let's do it!
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
Training: cardio and core muscles
Training: crevasse rescue response, Dinkey Peak, BC
Training: cllimbing Mt. Shasta, CA
Re-balancing expedition diet
Testing brand new expedition tent. Climbing and descending steep snow, fixed lines and without. Dinkey Peak, BC
Training: FRA of Spindle Peak via Spindle Couloir, BC
In Vancouver General Hospital' trauma unit
February 14, 2018
Inspecting our boots
Departure!
Guess, what we forgot?
The end

Second Attempt (2019)

Breaking new pair of alpine boots, Mt. Shuksan, WA
Training:  climbing fixed ropes up to 65°, Squamish, BC
Testing expedition tent in a snowstorm, Dinkey Peak, BC
Training: climbing at strong winds, Mt. Hood, OR
Training: Seymour Alpine Edition, BC
Training for Denali Autobahn, Mt. Hood, OR
Training: climbing steep snow, Pump Peak, BC
Training: snowcamping at -20°C, Joffre Lake, BC
Training: snowtravel at -20°C, Mt. Rohr, BC
Training: rigging expedition tent and using emergency tarp for kitchen. Cypress Bowl, BC
Training: ascending rope in free air. Squamish, BC
Countdown: four weeks left to Day 1
Three weeks to departure
Training: alpine walk + cardio + endurance, BCMC trail, BC
Final gear review: expedition sled, kitchen and snow-melting  systems, Mt. Seymour, BC
Countdown: three weeks left to Day 1
2 weeks before departure!
Why we love Denali
Ten days to departure
Packing 21-days food
Expedition stuff, complete
На заре голоса зовут меня
Five days to departure
Road ahead
Two days to departure: weather here and there
20 hours to departure

On the road Vancouver, BC - Talkeetna, AK

Day 10 - 14K camp, very windy
Day 11 - 14K camp, snow storm is coming
Day 12 - 14K camp - preparing for the storm
Day 13 - 14K camp, fixed lines and caching at 16K ridge
Day 14 - 14K camp, bracing for the storm
Day 15 - 14K camp, stormy weather
Day 16 - 14K camp, storm is over
Day 17 - Move to 17K camp
Day 18 - 17K camp, retreive cache from 16K
Day 19 - SUMMIT !!!
Day 20 - bivy at 16K ridge
Day 21 - fixed lines and 14K camp
Day 22 - Going home (14K -> Base)

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Let's do it!

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262 days to Day 1 (1st attempt) California Climber's Salute. Two of us on the summit of DaFeng (四姑娘山大丰), in China. Elevation 5,025 m. This peak had been on my mind for more than ten years! After it's over, what's next? We wanted to climb something higher, and as always, without guides and porters. Naturally, there was yet another peak, equally desired by me and equally hard to even think it was possible to climb: Denali (6,190m), the highest mountain in North America. Now, it made perfect sense to attempt. Since that day, Denali would be mentioned by two of us every single day.
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Testing expedition tent in a snowstorm

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128 days to Day 1 Camped two nights at Dinkey Peak . We wanted to check our tent under heavy static stress and we got lucky. It was pretty big (for local standards) dump of wet snow overnight and our expedition tent passed the test. Had to get out at night and check the structure - the tent stood, with thick layer of wet snow on top and sides. Lesson leaned : watch tent poles. If accidentally dropped, they can travel over and then under the snow quite a distance. Although I knew this, I still managed to drop one and it was gone down the steep slope in less than one second. It was already dark, so we pitched the tent without it. Next morning, Vera spotted it sticking out 10 meters below us. So I lowered her on belay and she retrieved it: after being airbiorn like an bow arrow, it pierced hard layer of crust and stopped, only 20cm of it still sticking out. One pole is gone...and odds of finding it next morning being <1%. Vera's attitude in such situations (not first time!
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