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| Denali Summit 20,320ft 8:30pm |
Name: Andrew YassoAll photos courtesy of Andrew Yasso
Age: 23
Years mountaineering: 5 years rock climbing, 4 years mountaineering and alpine climbing
Profession: Program & Expedition Coordinator, Instructor, and Guide for the American Alpine Institute
Big summits in the Bag: Big is all relative. Denali is big, but so are the flight of stairs at the park I train at.
I broke nearly every bone in my leg 3 days before I left for boot camp for the US Marines. After having metal added to my leg, and muscle removed, I realized that military service just wasn’t going to work out. I went to College, and in the process of rehabilitating my leg I was recommend to try the University rock wall. Rock climbing was one of the few relatively low impact activities I could do on my leg that allowed it to stretch and build muscle. Because I hate going to the gym to “work-out,” climbing was an activity that kept me interested and really helped me recover from my injury.
What was the thing that got you into climbing?
You may have been looking for an answer like “Hong Kong and Lebanon,” both places I have climbed before, but this weird little crag in Wisconsin and the situation that brought me there was definitely the craziest place in my eyes.
Where was the craziest place climbing has taken you?
I was driving from Wisconsin to Wyoming when I hit some sort of large rodent that took out my radiator. I got stuck in upstate Iowa (where the accident happened) and then made my way back to Wisconsin while the car was being repaired. With nothing to do for a few days, I started searching forums for climbing areas and wrote a bunch of people emails asking if they knew of any climbing areas where I was. I actually got in touch with a local guy who shared some little known beta with me, and ended up climbing in a WAY backwoods crag that had bolts spaced really far apart and my guidebook was a napkin I had written notes on.
An absolutely beautiful mountain that should not be underestimated. It has routes that are seemingly impossible, and also impossibly easy. By no means would I consider the West Buttress of Denali an “easy” route, however it is amazing such a simple passage exists on a massive mountain. It is quite unbelievable really.
Denali... what can you say about Denali?
I have been fortunate enough to climb and summit Denali one time. I will be going back again this year.
How many times have you climbed the"High One"?
The mental challenge. I had enough time to get sick, get better, and then get sick again on the mountain. I do fairly well at altitude, but I must have picked up a stomach bug before flying onto the mountain. You know, if you get sick at home you can usually call in to work and just lay around and watch TV. But on a mountain like Denali, there is no easy way up, or down. If you get tired, you can’t just “take a day off.” You are going to spend 3 weeks, maybe more, on one single objective. If you get sick, you have to push through it and make it happen. Sure there are systems in place to facilitate rescue if things really get bad, but these should never be relied on. You are your brain are your best safety tool, and at times they have to override the pain and fatigue in your body to make it happen.
What is the hardest part of climbing mountains like this?
Feeling out of shape, when you’re actually in the best shape of your life. Altitude has a way of sucking the life out of me that I haven’t experience anywhere else. It is frustrating knowing that the only thing that can really make dealing with altitude better, is spending more time at altitude.
Whats the worst part of climbing high altitude peaks?
I stole this from a fellow guide, but one of my proudest accomplishments is my ability to back down when conditions are unfavorable. I have no shame in “giving up,” when the conditions don’t allow for a safe ascent. When it comes to giving up due to fatigue however, I definitely think about it sometimes, but rarely come close to following through. I think anyone who says they never have feelings of giving up during these types of expeditions is probably being dishonest. The challenge is being able to lie to yourself for long enough that the feelings of wanting to give up pass, and you find it in you to keep going. Denali is a process of continuously recommitting yourself to a goal, no matter how far off that goal may seem. The faster you can recommit yourself and the shorter time you spend questioning yourself, the higher your chances of staying focused and mentally ready for the climb ahead.
Do you ever want to give up?
Probably the social experience on the mountain. The bond you are going to form with your teammates is going to be close, really close. Not only are you attempting something that will require training for together, planning for together, and executing together, but you will literally be less than a rope length away from each other for nearly a month. The type of bond this type of expedition forms is absolutely amazing. Not to be understated however, is the social experience you’ll have along the way. I swear, I heard more languages spoken at 14,200 foot camp on Denali than in most international airports! Your camp will be surrounded teams from Japan, Romania, and Australia, just to name a few. It’s a really cool experience.
Whats the best part of a climbing expedition like the one we will be attempting?
For sure, there is rock fall danger, falling ice, avalanches, and crevasses. I think the biggest dangers on these types of expeditions don’t really get talked about very often though. Snoring teammates, bad cooks, and death due to boredom are probably much bigger concerns! It’s funny but really true that these are things that can really end a trip for someone.
We all know there are dangers involved in expeditions can you name a few?
Being sick on Denali was pretty bad last year. Not having a solid bowel movement for 10 days was, how do I put this, less than ideal. Let me add though, that I was constantly discussing my situation with my colleagues, and was able to maintain my overall strength and morale. Making sure to discuss any health issues with your teammates is huge, no matter how uncomfortable the topic may be.
What was the worst situation you ever found yourself in on a high altitude climb?
I can’t, actually. I don’t know what it means to other people. I stood on top of Denali with a father who had attempted the mountain three times. The first time he tried the mountain was over 30 years ago. His first two tries he was turned around, and the third time he came back and stood on the summit with his wife and 17-year-old son. The reason I enjoyed my Denali summit, was because I got to share it with that father. The tears on his cheeks were enough for me.
Can you explain what its like to stand on the summit of a mountain that for most will always just be a dream?
Go out and put on a pack. There is no substitute for wearing a pack, and specifically, the pack you are going to use. We have had ultra-marathon runners join us who were turned around due to fatigue. If you don’t carry a pack, if you don’t literally start the process of bruising your hips and getting used to the pain, you will not enjoy your trip whatsoever. And remember, this is supposed to be fun. I brought up a badminton set last year and played at 14,000 feet!
What advise would you give to those planning on a expedition like Denali or something in the same caliber?
Oh I’ve got a bunch. I brought two different flavors of small toothpaste tubes so that I wouldn’t get sick of the same flavor for multiple weeks. I brought a tuxedo shirt as a sun shirt, because with the popped collar and the cuffs down I was covered from the sun! It also cost me two dollars at a thrift store. I brought an extra warm fuzzy hat to wear around camp. I brought 6 books, and buried one in base camp right when I arrived so that if we got stuck on the way flying out I would have something new to read. The rest of the books were paperback so if I was halfway through one I could rip it and leave the half I was done with in a cache. Oh, if you have a cell phone plan with Sprint, you MIGHT get service at 14 camp. I have a Blackberry Pearl cell phone with Sprint service, and was able to send a couple of text messages, update my facebook status, and make about 15 minutes worth of poor quality phone calls. Pretty cool!
Whats one nonessential you would not leave behind on a Denali expedition... oh Heck give me two or three so when we forget one we know what we will be missing?
I would bring good quality chocolate so you can trade with the other teams at 14,000 foot camp. I brought a little mini speaker for my iPod so we could have music in the cook tent. Honestly, up until 14,000 feet on Denali you have a sled, and I found that sleds are awesome for carrying superfluous gear! Flying onto the glacier, my team average 139lbs/person, before adding a 7lbs gallon of white gas once on the mountain. Can you tell me that you can feel the difference between 140 and 150 pounds of gear? I know I can’t. Bringing a little extra on the West Buttress of Denali is what it’s all about.
And last but not leastBefore I started guiding, I made a point of acquiring the best training possible. I read as many books on the subject as I could, talked with experienced people, and even took courses through the company I now work for, the American Alpine Institute. I have made a point of participating in as many professional development seminars and continuing education possibilities, because my knowledge is one of the few things that I can control in the mountains. The people that know me best, know that I take these steps and know that even though I can’t control the mountain, I am in control of myself.
What do those around you think of you risking your life every time you step on a big mountain with your sights set on a summit?
There are inherent risks with climbing a mountain, but there are also risks with driving a car. We all go to Drivers Ed., and then probably don’t think much about the dangers of driving after that. Maybe you can get away with that in driving, but not in climbing. In climbing, you have to constantly reevaluate the situations, and reeducate yourself as techniques and equipment improve. Does my mom cry every time I tell her I’m going to be driving somewhere? No, but I think she’s a little bummed when I tell her I’ll be on a mountain for 3 weeks.
I’m really looking forward to going back to Denali this year. I am fortunate enough to work for the company that has the highest expedition summit success rate on the mountain and has an impeccable safety record. You could do much worse in life, then to experience a summit with the American Alpine Institute’s guides and instructors. I feel so blessed to work alongside and learn from such high quality and experienced individuals, especially on a mountain as stellar as Denali.
And at this point It would be cool if you could fill us in on any thing we may have left out, anything inspirational and sappy lol the stuff people love to read.
No matter how you do Denali, be it in a guided party or as an individual team, it is quite an accomplishment. You will learn something about yourself on Denali that will be hard to learn anywhere else. You’ll find out what kind of temperatures you can deal with, pain you can deal with, and mental fatigue you can deal with. And when it’s all over, you’ll never be more happy to put on cotton, see green trees, or eat fresh fruit.
Photos in order- Unloading plane at Base Camp-Mt Hunter in background,Stopping for smile on route at 16,500ft,Standing at the edge-14,000 camp 3000ft below-Mt Foraker in background,Hardest part about playing Badminton at 14,000ft-Breathing
The Snowmelt would like to thank Andrew and AAI for taking the time and letting us all get a little closer to the summit. Its people like these that affirm my belief in the notion that all that climb belong to a community, a community that has one goal making sure everyone gets to the top safety. I would encourage anyone like us at the Snowmelt who has entertained the idea of standing atop North Americas tallest peak to look into AAI, These guys offer so many amazing programs and all offer the knowledge to get you one step closer to the top!
For more info on AAI's Denali program see http://www.aai.cc/
