Lonnie Dupre took this photo of himself while he was making his attempt to climb Denali, North America’s highest mountain peak. If he looks a little cold and fatigued, he should be. Bad weather forced him to abandon his climb when he was about 13 hours from the summit. All in all Dupre spent 22 days on the mountain during his attempt to solo climb Denali in January.
The first thing Lonnie Dupre of Grand Marais did when he made it back to his operation headquarters in Talkeetna, Alaska was take a hot shower.
A long, hot, soapy, sudsy, shower. The kind designed to take the smell and chill out of his body acquired from having spent 22 days on Mount Denali in wicked winds and frigid, bone chilling, cold weather.
Dupre’s bid to become the first person to solo climb Mount Denali in the month of January ended one day short of the summit at 17,200 feet when he was stuck in a tiny 3’x3’x6’ snow cave for more than six days.
He was only 13 hours from the North America’s highest mountain top when the weather broke and he made his way down to camp at 14,000 feet and tried to regroup. But he was too tired and short on supplies, so he kept going down.
“It was the hardest decision I had to make when I decided to head back down the mountain. I was a little frustrated, but you can’t do anything with Mother Nature,” said Dupre.
With more than 25 years and 15,000 miles of Arctic and polar adventures behind him, Dupre was ready for this challenge. However, he knew it would be no sure thing to reach Denali’s 20,320- foot summit when winds can (and do) reach 100 miles per hour and temperatures can (and do) dip below 50 below zero. Only 16 people have ever made it to the top of Denali in the winter.
While most 49-year-old men wouldn’t try this at all, Dupre may make another attempt next year. It depends upon finances and general health. Much of the way, Dupre pulled a sled and carried gear that totaled 170 pounds. No easy feat for even a young, super fit climber. He also spent up to four hours building snow caves to sleep in. No tent is designed to withstand Denali’s winds. All of this takes a lot of physical and metal effort.
Despite being very uncomfortable and having endured several falls, Dupre emerged from his adventure with only a minor injury to his foot and just a few blisters from frostbite.
“The trip was highly successful. I wouldn’t change my plans or any of the equipment I used. I just ran out of good weather,” said Dupre.
At 14,000 feet, with the moon coming around Denali’s summit, Dupre witnessed an unprecedented site. “The moon’s rays went into a crevasse and came out through another crevasse. It took me awhile to figure out what was going on. It was surreal, like a lantern inside the crevasse. It was a spectacular site and maybe one that no one else has ever seen.”
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