tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7275055190346738881.post-6145903268166193782007-05-17T06:50:00.000-07:002007-05-17T06:58:57.377-07:00The team flew to the Kahiltna Glacier on Monday and have been making their way up the broad glacier.<br /><br />They spent one night at Base Camp (7,200') before packing up camp and moving up glacier to Camp 1. The ironic thing is that moving up initially means moving DOWN, as the Southeast Fork drops about 600' before it joins the Kahiltna Glacier. This hill is called "Heartbreak Hill"for its seemingly never-ending incline on the return trip back up it.<br /><br />Conditions on the Kahiltna Glacier are improving, but it is still not giving up easy passage these days, as sparse new snow has made for some fairly thin snow bridges that cover some deep crevasses. We've heard reports of a few folks poking thorough, into crevasses, however I think our folks made it through unscathed.<br /><br />Camp 1 is located at about 7,800 feet, at the junction with the Northeast Fork of the Kahiltna. It is a broad, spacious camping area at the base of a large hill, affectionately called "Ski Hill". On clear days (like they are having today) you can look up at the summit, looming 12,500 feet above the Valley of Death (the Northeast Fork of the Kahiltna). Don't worry- the team isn't heading up that way!Todd Rutledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00957708682056582124info@mountaintrip.com