KTUU.com | Alaska's news and information source | Mission accomplished: Operation Denali comes home

Mission accomplished: Operation Denali comes home

by Leyla Santiago
Friday, June 19, 2009

TALKEETNA, Alaska -- In the first time they hit pavement this month, the men and women of Operation Denali arrived in Talkeetna ahead of schedule Friday after a two-and-a-half-week climb up Mount McKinley.

"It went about as expected, beat up my limb pretty good but I expected that," climber Matt Nyman said.

This team faced more challenges than Denali itself. Four wounded soldiers injured in Iraq coping with battle scars that left them without arms and legs.

"You're in tight quarters living in a tent for a few weeks so you're bound to bond," Nyman said.

But not everyone made it to the top.

"It's a huge disappointment, but it's part of what happens," Nyman said. "Not much I can do about altitude sickness."

Each climber had a different sense of accomplishment.

"It was a great challenge," team leader Marc Hoffmeister said. "Every member of the team really hit their own personal summits, whether or not everybody made the summit."

Some have new battle wounds to show.

"I froze my hand and didn't feel it because I have no feeling in that hand," Hoffmeister said.

Some have a new appreciation for the view of Denali.

"Now I can look across the inlet and actually know what it's like to have been on top of the mountain that stares at me each day," Hoffmeister said.

Operation Denali can now say mission accomplished.

The group was to head back to Eagle River Friday night.

Contact Leyla Santiago at lsantiago@ktuu.com