Conshohocken Base Camp Update

Less than 3 weeks until departure and final preparations from Conshohocken Base Camp are proceeding according to plans.  The major task remaining is locking down the food and menu.  Lots of calories to pack for a 6'4" Pollock on a 3 week expedition.

It took a couple tries, but finally nailed down some MSR XGKakes.

Food and gear have taken over Conshohocken Base Camp.

Food stockpile underway.

Gear sorting started...sorta.

Nemo Moki, home away from home for three weeks.

  

Skillz on San Jacinto

This past weekend the team busted out a lil training trip in Cali.  With our crazy schedules, this was the last opportunity to get everyone together, hang from trees, run through the crevasse rescue scenarios, and play in the snow.  We were all a smidge worried when we saw 100+ deg temps in Palm Springs, but San Jacinto Peak provided us with just enough white stuff to have some meet our objectives.  Traffic was totally LA and it took over four hours to get from to Palm Springs.  Ben was also able to make it up from San Diego late Friday night. We missed the last tram on Friday night and ended up crashing just off the road outside the gate for the first tram in the morning.  Below are some highlights from one blast of a weekend.

Just enough room for one Niki in the back seat of the Wrangler.

Seriously?

Slept under the stars in 80 deg weather...perfect training for Denali.

Picture of the trip.

Tram ride on San Jacinto.

Niki's personal touch on wands.

Niki logging some sled hauling time.

Snow kitchen table and benches!

Nemo Moki fortification.

Park Ranger:  "Awesome tent, strong snow walls, cool music.  Did you guys read the permit?"
What goes up must come down.

Ben on our self-rescue setup.

Canadian Drop Loop System.

...and the California Grey Squirrel.

Blog is up...

The official Sifl Denali Expedition Blog is now up.  Stay tuned for blog updates, real time twitter feeds from the satellite phone while on the mountain, live GPS tracking, and weather update links.  Also check out the other pages for background info on the team and the route.

wyrd