Click on the link below to hear Joe’s first audio report from the Base Camp of Mt. McKinley at 7,300 feet! AudioClip1-May29 Hello! This is Joe Lawson with Expedition Hope calling from base camp of Mt. McKinley/Denali – 7,300 feet. It is now Sunday, the 29th of May at 6:30 PM Alaska-time. We are really, [...]
On Sunday, the team flew onto the Kahiltna Glacier where activities included reviewing crevasse rescue, snow anchors and other techniques. When Joe was on Base Camp a few days ago, he had the opportunity to see other teams preparing for — or returning from — their expeditions. Watch a short video of the base camp [...]
Saturday marked the first full day that the expedition team spent together in Talkeetna. The team includes nine climbers (including Joe) and three guides from Rainier Mountaineering Inc. One important aspect of the day’s agenda was the gear check. Joe’s backpack weighed in at a healthy 60 pounds, with a 40+ pound duffle bag that [...]
Boarding the Cessna. Today, Joe drove from Anchorage to Talkeetna (about a 2 ½ hour drive), took a single propeller Cessna on Talkeetna Air Service and flew directly onto the Kahiltna Glacier, which, at 7,300 feet, is the base camp for the Mt. McKinley (Denali) climb. A view from the plane. Joe reports some of [...]
Joe’s plane just landed and he placed his first call back to Indy: It’s unbelievable, flying into Anchorage and seeing the huge, snow-capped mountains. It’s midnight in Indianapolis, nine PM here in Anchorage, but it is like broad daylight and sunny. We could see Mt. McKinley on approach, even though it’s far away – more [...]
Greetings! After last-minute purchasing of additional supplies, final gear packing and saying goodbyes to friends and family, Joe departed for Mt. McKinley today! For the duration of the Mt. McKinley expedition, Joe will make periodic calls via satellite phone back to the EH office. We will post small audio clips, as well as longer text [...]
On Saturday, May 21, we had the incredible opportunity to attend the seventh annual Welcome Back Awards in Atlanta, Georgia. These awards recognized six outstanding individuals who have made incredible contributions to those suffering from depression and other mental illnesses. These were in the areas of psychiatry, primary care, destimgmatization, community service and lifetime achievement. [...]
Mt. McKinley (Denali), at 20,320 feet, is the highest mountain in North America! Mt. McKinley climbers carry heavy loads (often 60-90 lbs) at altitudes between 7,000 and 20,000 feet. Temperatures may range from 90 degrees F. (32*C) to – 50* F (- 40* C). Conditions may vary from intense snow glare to severe snowstorms with [...]
When my father committed suicide in 1986, I always wanted to find a way to honor his memory and to raise awareness and support for the illness that he struggled with for so many years — depression. Since my father loved the outdoors, I couldn’t think of a better way then honoring his memory and [...]
Thank you for visiting the Expedition Hope™ Web site. Battling depression and other mental illnesses affects millions of people not only in North America, but also around the world. It has become my personal mission to help raise awareness and funds for this very serious issue. In 1986, my father, Virgil A. Lawson, committed suicide [...]