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Darkstar: May 18, 2010 Uphill: 600 ft. | Downhill: 7,000 ft.

The happiest and sadest day of the trip, one of my partners and I make the move to head home. The forecast shows inconsistent weather for at least 5 more days, if not a week, and that extends beyond what we've both allocated for the trip. In retrospect we should have stayed to wait it out, but we acted from our guts and took what was supposed to be the last clear day and boogied on down the mountain. We did not not skin up till the base of Heartbreak hill which leads back to base camp. We skied a lot of powder on this descent but it was also really interesting because we shared the duties of taking out one sled's worth of gear between us. I can't really explain how awkward it was to go down this far with that pain in the ass sled, but when we got our rythm and crusied passed a ton of parties going up, it was a feeling I'll never forget.

Also interesting, by that night, we were drinking beer and eating real food again. Weather windows are evrything on Denali (safety too.)