Page 26 - 2013 AMA Winter

Matt Swannell trying to get the forecast over the phone during the storm
ered, the snow was falling fast and the robotic voice of the recorded forecast on the satellite telephone proclaimed ‘some snow’ but lit- tle other detail for the next four days. Numerous revisions to the ascent plan for the NW Buttress were calculated and pushing the timings as far as we could it became clear that unless the snow stopped by the following day there would be too much snow on already loaded slopes, and too little time for consolidation, for the route to be achievable. The depressing, yet unavoidable, decision was made that we were going to run out of time to complete the route and so would need to descend back to the airstrip to get out.
The several days of warm weather had transformed the Kahiltna Gla- cier with many open crevasses throughout the route where it had been so firm on the ascent. Arriving back at the airstrip in the early afternoon we were met by the backlog of climbers waiting for snow- hindered flights and began the long wait at the back of the queue. A recce flight came in and then with remarkable coordination from the ground the flights were timed through each break in the cloud until the ority of the climbers, though not us, had been extracted.
A final night on the glacier, eased by a particularly harsh celebratory Canadian whisky, led into another day of waiting and hoping for the clouds to lift until late that evening we finally left to be welcomed back into Talkeetna with a glut of burgers and beer. Little remained to be done other than kit cleaning, drying and packing, and some well earned rest.
The exercise has undoubtedly been a huge success. The 100% success on the summit of a 6000m peak which is regarded to be
John Sealey, Darren Swift,
Ivar Milligan and Tpr Gareth Steel with a Sqn flag on the summit
Ivar Milligan leading the team back down the Kahiltna Glacier
significantly harder than many of similar heights, is testament to the team’s and leader’s planning and preparation, a well-considered ascent profile, dedication and hard work on the mountain, and a certain amount of luck with the weather and conditions.
The AMA team comprised Matt Swannell (Leader), John Tolan, Chris Wright, Ivar Milligan, James Gordon, Darren Swift, John Sealy, Tpr Gareth Steel.
24 ARMY MOUNTAINEER