Bill called to say that he, Elsie and Ben have all spent an absolutely beautiful day around base camp, practicing some of the skills the team will need for a summit push. If the weather holds, the group will head up tonight!
Ephi and Bill Hanlon are en route to Denpassar and should be heading home in the next day or so.
We'd like to take a moment to compliment all the members of the team. This sort of expedition can be very challenging and, at times, frustrating. As climbers, we all strive to control all the possible factors that can have effects on our climbs, and then we make the best decision we can whether to go ahead with the ascent or not.
In this expedition's case, the climbers were faced with numerous obstacles that caused delay after delay. They did not know exactly when or even if they would get a shot at their peak. Their patience, resolve and tenacity is a testament to their commitment to this endeavor. They could easily have "bagged it all" and caught a flight home, but they stuck with it, and they finally got their chance.
Perseverance is an easy thing to overlook in today's society that is so often focused on immediate gratification. All of these climbers hung in thre and they are all to be commended. The guys at base camp were going stir crazy in the rain and snow, while Ben and Elsie were going batty in the humidity of Nabire. The latter two took a day to boat over to a neighboring island for some world-class snorkeling, but most days they needed to stay close to the helicopter.
Hopefully they will get their chance at the top this evening. Regardless, I'd just like to say "Great job" to all of you, for hanging in there.
Northwest Buttress of Denali
13 years ago
No comments:
Post a Comment