WE'RE HOME!!!

On June 25 at 3:30 am we crossed the mile wide, crotch deep McKinley River Bar and made our way back to Wonder Lake . Waiting our arrival was two duffle bags of food: bananas, gooey cakes and muffins, chips and salsa, croisants, bagels and cream cheese....Yumm! We devoured them immediately! It felt wonderful to take off those heavy packs knowing we would not have to put them back on our tierd bodied! A wonderful sight on our way down from McGonogall Pass was my boyfriend Chris, he came out to finish our hike with us. We immediately gave him our wet ropes and other weighty gear. The poor guy had as heavy a pack as we did. He hiked the rest of the way with us and having crossed the river three times, helped us on the river crossing. It was great to see a familiar face and have someone cook for us. Our descent was very long and tiering! The snow conditions were like plowing knee deep in a slurpee while occasionally falling waist deep into a black abyss. We jumped over a six foot wide crevasse, I took a 15 foot fall into a crevasse, we had 15 hours of sleep in four days! The weather never let up on us! We came down Karsten's ridge in a white out! Us ladies worked our butts off! Every day we were out there!

Even though we didn't make the summit, I feel so proud of us! We worked hard! We were safe! All of us maintained good health and good attitudes! We were independent and self sufficient. We made smart choices! And we learned tons! We are now experts!!!

Our high point was the top of Karstens Ridge, we went up with eight days of food and our camp on our backs, we had to make it to Browns Tower camp that day in perfect weather. Throughout the day the weather got worse and while on the Coxcomb it was a white out and wind that would blow us off ballance. When the fixed line was burried under the snow and we could barely see 10 feet in front of us we decided it was best to turn around. A major disappointment but on day 32 we were getting tierd of being out there. We were ready to head back toward civilization. After 22 hours of working that day we slept for a long time. We still had to go back up to our cache, the weather did not let us for two days.

Finally the weather cleared and we went for it. Then our descent began. Thanks to everyone that followed us and wrote to us on e-mail! It was wonderful to hear all the support while we were up there! We had a great time! Please keep on writing and checking the web sight we will put up photos and everyone will write there accounts and excerpts from their journals!

thanks again! We love you ALL!

ADVENTUROUSLY! -
Cobi Harris, Denali Divas