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Crofton Climber - Update from 11,200′
May 27th, 2008 Categories: Crofton News
By Karen Huseionica, 5/25/08
Today, the team is still at Camp 2 with about 60 other climbers. This is due to the bad weather…lots of snow and high winds.
I talked to Art yesterday via satellite phone and he mentioned that Camp 2 is actually at 11,200’ and I had said in an earlier dispatch that it was at 9,500’. If the weather clears today they plan to make a carry of supplies to 13,500’ below Camp 3 then return to Camp 2 to spend another night before moving to Camp 3 at 14.200’.
Weather is always a factor in mountain climbing and Denali is certainly no exception -everyone needs to be patient and prepared.
Art’s keeping up with completing his high altitude medical study daily questionnaire and recording his oxygen saturation level and heart rate.
Thanks, Karen, for keeping Crofton “in the loop” -
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Update on Crofton Mountain Climber
May 25th, 2008 Categories: Crofton News
WEATHER OR NOT
By Karen Huseonica
In case you missed earlier installments in this series about Crofton resident Art Huseonica, this is an updat on his attempt to climb Denali, aka Mt. McKinley. Links to earlier posts are provided at the bottom of this post.
On Monday the team moved supplies up to Camp 2 at 9,500’ then returned to spend the night at Camp 1. On Tuesday, they moved up to Camp 2.
After the team gets higher on the mountain, I will attach a route map. As the terrain becomes more dangerous with crevasses and the angle steepens, the team will make smaller carries to advance camps, at least until some of the food and fuel supplies are used up. The team is looking forward to finally gaining considerable altitude and getting off the Kahiltna Glacier, which is the longest glacier in North America, running over 44 miles from its origin to terminus, and almost three miles wide in some areas.
Last night the team was haunted by the cracking and moaning of the glacier under their sleeping bags. As the summer solstice approaches, the team is finding it difficult to sleep because it never gets dark, however sheer exhaustion usually takes hold and they finally fall asleep.
Art reports that the team has been finding record snowfalls as they climb. The trails are well packed and there is a good snow pack so a little less worry about crevasses. To keep items from freezing at night, climbers put things such as snack food, water, boot liners, and pee bottles into their sleeping bags. The pee bottle acts as a hot water bottle. Wet gloves and socks actually dry overnight in the sleeping bag.
While climbing, Art says that he spends a considerable amount of time thinking about family – brothers Bill and Joe, sister Linda, and son Patrick. He is also staying in contact with his colleagues from the Crofton, Davidsonville, and Gambrills Maryland area who are on the Greater Crofton Council.
Thanks for the update, Karen.
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New Crofton Elementary School Named
May 25th, 2008 Categories: Crofton News
A name was unanimously approved by the Anne Arundel County Board of Education at their May 21 meeting for the new elementary school in Crofton.
The school formerly referred to as “Gambrills Area Elementary” is now Nantucket Elementary School. This was the name favored by many at the May 14 community meeting of parents and school adminstrators.
Nantucket Elementary is the 78th County elementary school, and it will have a population of approximately 640 students in grades K-5.
You can read my most recent report on re-districting in my earlier post, Crofton School Shuffle Official, which addresses the topic of which communities will be affected by the opening of this school.
CLick here to read the official Anne Arundel County Public Schools Press Release on this topic.
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Crofton Civic Association Elections
May 23rd, 2008 Categories: Crofton News
Mark your calendar for Tuesday, May 27, at 7:30 p.m. for the Crofton Civic Association election, to be held at Crofton Elementary School on Duke of Kent Street. Anyone over 18–years old who lives in the Special Tax district is eligible to join the Civic Association and vote.
With all but one office uncontested and two offices without any candidate, it may seem as though voting in this election is an exercise in futility. However, it’s important to let those people who serve on the Crofton Civic Association Board of Directors know that the community IS interested in what they do. Or don’t do. And showing up to vote is one way of communicating that.
One issue comes to mind, in particular, and that‘s Crofton’s curb appeal on Route 3. If our Civic Association Board of Directors doesn’t address it, who will?
Here’s a list of candidates:
- President: Steve Grimaud and Paul Yates
- Vice-President: No candidate
- Secretary: Aaron Gray
- Treasurer: No candidate
- District One: Richard Belong
- District Two: Tim Candler
- District Three: David Shickel
- District Four: Patrick Colllins
- District Five: Ralph Eckhard
I attempted to find some definition of the Crofton Districts, but I did not see it on the Crofton website and couldn’t find it anywhere online.
However, I served as Distract 3 Director several years ago, when I lived in the “J” Section. I also lived in District 1 for a number of years, and that was the “E” Section. My home now is in District 5, as far as I know – the “S” Section. And to the best of my knowledge, District 2 includes Lake Louise. If that’s accurate, I guess District 4 must be the R’s and T’s, but I can’t say for sure.
If I can find any additional information about the Districts or the candidates, I will update this post, so check back between now and Tuesday at 7 p.m.
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Crofton Community Leader Attacks Denali
May 22nd, 2008 Categories: Crofton News
GLACIER TRAVEL
Many thanks to Crofton’s Karen Huseonica for her update on Art and the Denali Ice-Agers expedition as they moved to Camp 1 at 7,800,’ a distance of over five miles after landing on the glacier. It follows, with minor editing -
The team took advantage of good weather and bypassed base camp to head for Camp 1 with heavily laden backpacks and sleds. The team temporarily lost elevation down the aptly named “Heartbreak Hill” to approximately 6800’ on the main branch of the Kahiltna Glacier. The “Lower Kahiltna”, as it is called, is home to some of the largest crevasses on Denali and the climbers’ route changes drastically throughout the climb.
Crevasses constantly open and close, creating sometimes tedious navigation through the glacier by the guides from the American Alpine Institute - Joseph Anderson, Alasdair Turner, and Jeremy Ellison.
Three factors make climbing Denali a unique challenge. One is that Denali is constantly hammered by severe storms coming off the Bering Sea. Making climbing even more difficult is the extreme cold; cold that is only found outside of Antarctica. Even Mount Everest is not as cold as a typical day on Denali.
Lastly, because of its high latitude near the Artic Circle, the barometric pressure is lower than at comparable altitudes nearer the equator. Denali’s summit at 20,320’ (6,194m) is equivalent to almost 23,000’ in the Himalaya Range in Asia. Contributing to this is the fact that Denali’s bulk and rise are greater than Mount Everest.
Although Everest is 9,000’ higher than Denali when measured from sea level, its base sites on the Tibetan Plateau at almost 17,000’ (3,700m). By comparison, Denali sits on a 2,000’ plateau, giving it a vertical rise of 18,000’ (5,500m). The result is a lengthy expedition with an increased risk of altitude sickness and frostbite.
Thanks again, Karen, for keeping Crofton in the loop about Art’s amazing adventure.
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