I have been amazed by the logistics necessary to bring a research group of nine and the needed gear for a lengthy stay on a glacier in Denali National Park. Behind the scenes work is rampant. There is gear to be ordered, purchased and delivered, travel arrangements made, National Park permits obtained, communications generated and managed along with numerous other activities that will enable safe travel from the climbing base camp at 7,500 feet in Denali to the study site on Mount Hunter at 14,000 feet. Much of the work has been done by the PolarTREC folks, but the scientific team is hard at work as well.
My role is being further defined as logistics get ironed out, but along with PolarTREC activities I will be a full partner in the team's work tracking up the Kahiltna Glacier with ground penetrating radar and ice coring gear to be deployed on Mount Hunter. My two plus week stay will be brief compared with Scientist Seth Campbell and the rest of his group, but as I mentioned above the logistics to get me there and back have been impressive. Gear has been delivered to my home in Damariscotta, Maine for fitting and inspection, and Seth and I have met in at the University of Maine in Orono for some preliminary briefings, crevasse rescue training and gear purchasing. PolarTREC's gear folks have sent me a -40º sleeping bag, expedition parka, gore-tex bibs, hats, gloves, sleeping pads, insulating layers and assorted other paraphernalia. Technical climbing equipment and other base camp and glacier travel needs will be managed by Scientist Campbell and his team. I have a pretty good resume of wilderness travel, but nothing of the sort that will happen in Denali. Some of our group will head to the White Mountains in New Hampshire in early March for a short shakedown trip. I live in small town Maine and as I have been in the area and at the same school for nearly 3 decades the word is out about my PolarTREC adventure with a former student leading the charge.
Just today in the supermarket the parents of another former student, who now captains an offshore fishing boat, excitedly chatted up my trip while we were picking out produce….oh, they also reminded me to be careful. YIKES!