Peter Stanley Mt. McKinley

(Saturday, June 29, Camp II, 7,900 ft.) Well, it's now 6:00 in the evening... same day. We reached camp after a four mile hike up the Kahiltna Glacier. And as it worked out we got up at 4:00... started hiking at about a quarter to seven... and it took us four and a quarter hours to get to where we have camped. It has gotten a lot warmer and now it's raining. During most of today's climb we have been able to see an awful lot of the West Buttress route. It was explained to me by Jeff Detweiler that to go to Windy Corner from where we were this morning is equivalent to going from Pebble Rocks on Rainier up to the summit (of Mt. Rainier). Eric is really anxious to get done with the sledding part of this. He indicated that he really wants to get up... which we will, I guess, tomorrow or the next day... beyond the place where you can pull sleds because the slope just gets too darn steep. It's already getting pretty steep. He just says he'd rather double carry, using packs, than sled. He's about the most incredibly, in my opinion, marvelous, "easy does it" guide imaginable. He doesn't get rattled over anything. He believes that the way to climb this mountain is to take it real slow and easy and take really good care of yourself and... then you'll get there. His comments about other climbers that have run into difficulty generally reflect his disapproval of the fact that they push themselves too hard. When I think back about the difference between the way we're doing this mountain and the way we did Rainier... there's quite a dramatic difference. Part of it, though is the style of mountaineering. Rainier is an alpine-style mountain, or at least it's certainly climbed that way, and this is an expedition-style mountain. Alpine style means go light and go fast. Expedition-style means take what you need and take your time. An interesting aside about Ray Genet. Eric met Ray in Katmandu in September of 1979 just before Genet died on Everest. He was going up Everest to the summit. Apparently he was behind, taking the leader's wife, Anne Marie Schmatz. Eric's feeling was that Genet was trying to take care of her and make sure she got to the summit, and his decision to do so probably killed him. One of Eric's comments was that "that's what you get for trying to guide on Everest." In any event, in October of that year, '79, Genet and Anne Marie Schmatz made the summit, were coming down, were forced to bivouac. Her body is still there. Genet's has never been found. Eric's comment was, "Isn't that marvelous, to hit the top and keep on going!"

(At Camp II, 7,900 ft.) It is 8:25 a.m. on Sunday 30 June. Yesterday it rained like crazy. Eric said that's the first time that's ever happened. I took out the tent door here and I see it's beginning to break up and the sun is coming through. I really slept like a log last night... did not take a sleeping pill which makes me feel fine. I just feel really good this morning. My face is really blistered, lips and cheek on the left side from the sun. Don't know what the answer to that is except time and stay out of the sun.

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