After putting in an 11 hour day on Wednesday, John Rostek and the team reached the 14,000 feet mark. Not only are the climbers above the clouds, but they also stand poised to attack the final 6,000 feet. At the 14,000 feet mark, they are at the base of the peak. In order to make next steps safe, the team is taking a couple of days to acclimatize themselves to the elevation.
They have left the sleds behind, a fact that made John pretty happy. They will go up a ridge line in order to reach the summit. Depending on the weather, they just might make that peak some time this weekend. First, they will have to reach and camp at 17,000 feet.
Just how is that weather? During the day, John stated that it was just beautiful. The sun's reflection off the glaciers emit enough heat to walk about in a fleece and light gloves. Over night, however, the temperature drops dramatically. Condensation in the tent freezes. John anticipates that the cold will play a much larger factor in the final ascent.
Everyone on the team is healthy, though John showed signs of a bit of a cough on the phone. He wasn't winded and was very alert.
If you haven't already made you TAX DEDUCTIBLE donation - why are you waiting???
Make your check out to: Piast Institute ("Mr Rostek's Climb" in the memo) and mail it to:
Hamtramck Public School
3201 Roosevelt
Hamtramck, MI 48212
Thanks for your support.
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