Metrep from Comox

Today is the first morning we wake up as a complete group since we split on 8 May. Ian, Dave, Patrice & I are going to Camp 5 and summit attempt the next day. Patrick & Eric are on a quasi rescue mission and headed in the same direction. Our plan is to head towards the German’s camp and assess the situation. If Eric & Pat can help them on their own, the rest of us continue. If not then we all help as we can. As it turns out, the weather prevents us all from progressing beyond Prospector’s pass. We turn around and return to Camp 4. Based on what we know of the condition of the Germans, we inform the Park Wardens of the situation. Then we send the daily Sitrep knowing it will generate many questions. From our perspective we want to help without subjecting ourselves to an unreasonable level of risk. The weather will determine if we reach the Germans. Once we get there we can assess our ability to help them descend. If we can’t help them without jeopardising our safety then we will give them fuel and food and let the professionals do their jobs.

Note. The main group’s high point was near the crest of Prospector Pass at approx. 5500m. A significant achievement for those 4 participants who in some cases were on their first mountaineering expedition.

Sitrep sent to NSMC

Patrice resting with Team Calgary (behind)

Just before the icefall

Camp 2 with the icefall and Queen Peak behind

Metrep from Comox

It’s clear skies when we wake up this morning. The Metrep says it won’t last beyond lunch time. We’ve come to trust the forecasts at this altitude and decide that we do not have sufficient time (8 hrs) to cross the pass, check on the Germans and safely get back to Camp 4. We call the Park Wardens office to advise them that we won’t be able to check on them, but the weather window would allow an helicopter to do so. After much discussion and several sat phone calls, the Wardens take over where they should. Unfortunately, according to the schedule, the last day to make a summit attempt was today. At this stage of the game, it is therefore too late for the main team to ascend any further to position themselves for a summit attempt. The only reasonable option is to start heading down with what appears to be a few extra days in hand. We pack up our kit and when we leave Camp 4 at 1200 there’s a chopper flying over. We’ll find out later what happened to the Germans, but the warden asked us to leave a cache at Camp 4 if we could spare it. We left 2 days of food and fuel and marked it with wands. Our descent is straight forward stopping at each cache to collect extra food, gear and garbage. Eric has the honour of tossing our latrine bag into a crevasse on the way down. We meet a team of 4 from Calgary doing a partial load carry between Camps 2 & 3. All told it takes us 3 hrs to down climb to Camp 2. Tomorrow we’ll head towards Base Camp. We’ll be 7 days ahead of schedule because of our spare bad weather days built-in the descent schedule. If we can be flown back to Yakutat we’ll see about changing our flights to get home sooner.

Sitrep sent to NSMC

Coming down between Camps 2 and 1.5

Gulf Air Taxi meeting us at Base Camp

Base Camp with all the gear from the Arctic Institute of Canada Team.

Metrep from Comox

We woke up to an other sunny day. As agreed last night, we packed up our camp and started the descent to Base Camp. We left around 1100 and after collecting all gear and garbage at Camps 1.5 and 1 we made it to Base Camp. At Camp 1 we called Gulf Air Taxi to inform them that we would be at Base Camp in about 1 hour and they informed us that 2 planes would be there in about 1 ½ - 2 hours. Well it ended up being the other way around. The planes got there one hour later and we got there 1 ½ hour later. Because of the uncertainty of the weather (clouds rolling up the valley towards Base Camp), we did not feel like missing those planes and quite naturally all team members accelerated to cadence to what almost became a double pace. The significant increase in air pressure must have played a positive role in that last push.

Patrick, Patrice, Ian and Dave are sent on the first 2 planes, while Eric and I dig up the safety rations from our Base Camp cache. The next hour or so is spent talking to the various teams at Base Camp, including an American team led by a Switzerland guide, a Canadian team and the Arctic Institute of Canada Base Camp team. Eric & I were glad to spend a few minutes with their Base Camp team to find out a little more about their research activities on Mount Logan.

Finally, around 1700, Eric & I got pickup by Kurt and we enjoyed once again the spectacular Cessna 185 flight over the mountains.

As we arrive, Patrice informs us that it should not be a problem for the flights to be advanced and that we should be able to leave tomorrow on the 1730 flight to Seattle. From then on, we all got a shower, a good meal at the Yakutat lodge, a pool night at the Beaver Barrier lodge and a good-dry night of sleep in the "Outlook" cedar log lodge.

Sitrep sent to NSMC

Team picture with Kurt and George at the Yakutat Airport

After a restful night, a quick tour downtown Yakutat and a good breakfast, we head back to Gulf Air Taxi to finalise the administrative details (payments, packing, etc.). The day quickly goes by and we end up at the airport at 1630 ready to depart. Kurt and George from Gulf Air Taxi came by to wish us fair well.

The flight is uneventful. We arrive at Seattle on time, get to our hotel and are all in Bed around midnight.

Sitrep sent to NSMC

We all meet for breakfast around 0615 near the Hotel’s main entrance. We depart for the Airport at 0700 and after dragging our bags half way across the airport we are informed that empty fuel bottles (for Camping stoves) were not allowed on the plane. After debating the issue and a verification with the HazMat section we had to leave our empty bottles behind. The verdict was given at 0815 with a plane departure of 0830. We completed our baggage checking, got on the train to get to the Air Canada terminal and then ran to our gate and plane which was way beyond final boarding.

After a transfer in Toronto and a missing backpack for Eric, we made it to Ottawa at 1800. Loved ones were there to welcome us back.

Mission Accomplished!