6194m – AKA Mt Mckinley – The highest point in North America

June 2011 – 22 days on the Kahiltna glacier with RMI.  This was perhaps my favourite climb of all time.  I trained really hard, as on carry days I had close to 30kg on my back and 20kg in my sled.  The environment is pristine, and the views incredible.  This is also where I learnt that black looks terrible in photos…

We also summitted on my birthday, 4th July, in fantastic weather.

From the diary of Elias:

16 June – Day 1 – 1.45pm landed on glacier.  Set up tents.  10pm bed.  Downhill with sleds – horrible!

17 June – Day 2 – 2am up.  5am moving.  11.15am arrive into camp 1 at 7800ft.  2.30pm napping.  6pm dinner.

18 June – Day 3 – 3.30am up.  5.15am moving.  10.20am @ cache at 10000ft.  12.15 back at camp.  (Heaviest carry day – 14 days of food).

19 June – Day 4 – 3 am up, 5am walking.  7.15am at camp 2, 9500 ft.  (Below cache).

20 June – Day 5 – 4am up, 6am walking, 9am at 11000ft camp 3 (Above cache).

21 June – Day 6 – 5am up, 7am walking down to cache and retrieving, 9.30am back at camp.

22 June – Day 7 – 3.30am up, 5am walking, 10.30 arrive at 14000ft camp 4.  1.30 pm back at 11000 camp 3.  Carry day.

23 June – Day 8 – 5am up, 7.20 walking, 14000ft camp 4 at 2.30pm.  9.30pm bed.

24 June – Day 9 – 10am wake up and walk to the “edge of the world” at 2pm.  4.30 rope practice.  9pm bed.

25 June – Day 10 – building forts all day – super windy?

26 June – Day 11 – 9am wake up.  Building walls around posh till noon.  Afternoon rest. Lost the posh and a tent pole?

27 June – Day 12 – acclimatisation – up at 7.30, walking by 9.30, 2.30 top of ? ?, 4.40 at base of thumb, back in camp at 7pm.

28 June – Day 13 – rest day at 14 camp 4.

29 June – Day 14 – rest day.

30 June – Day 15 – Move to 17k camp 5.  7.30 wake up, 10 walking, 5.45 in camp 5.  11pm bed.

1 July – Day 16 – Rest day at 17.

2 July – Day 17 – Summit attempt.  8am wake up.  10.30 walking.  4.20 on pass (turn around – windy). 5.30 camp.  9.30 bed.

3 July – Day 18 rest day.

4 July – Day 19 – Summit!  11.30 walking.  8.10pm summit.  11.20pm camp.  12 hr day.

5 July – Day 20 – 17 to 11.  12.20am walking, 4.30pm @ 14 (camp 4), 7.30pm walking, 11.30pm at 11 (camp 3), 2am bed.

6 July – Day 21 – 9am wake up.  12.30 walking from 11k camp 3.  4.30pm @ 7800 camp 1.  8.30pm bed.  Landscape very changed – crevasses opening up.

7 July – Day 22 – 12.30am wake up.  2.20am walking.  7.30am at airstrip.  9.30 am on plane.