Jeremy Jones

We stand on the shoulders of the legends before us. They move the needle forward. They unlock the secrets and the unknowns. A few in every generation take a bullet for us. They sacrifice their lives in the pursuit of progression. To many it seems senseless, but it is the price of adventure. Those who step on the landmine make us all wonder why we do it. Is it worth it? But to not explore, to not evolve, to not seek the precious new ground would be a disservice to mankind. A disservice to those before us who sought out those wild and raw places where life is lived in its most pure and precious form. Never do we reach a spot and say enough is enough. This is the end of the line. At least if you call yourself a professional. The trail map is for the weekender or the paying client. If you want to make a mark in this world you have to seek new ground.

Jeremy Jones

Jeremy Jones, portrait by Tim Peare

In June of 2013, I was invited by Conrad Anker and his son Max to climb and ride Denali. We were a group of 14 ranging from 22–59 years old. There was no media tied to the trip. It would be my first ever snowboarding vacation. I was in the middle of filming for Higher and I was researching the Himalayas for a possible film trip. This would be a great test to see how I handled altitude and a chance to learn from Conrad, a true master in the mountains.

Day 2: 7,800 feet.
24 hours of daylight have thrown any sense of traditional schedule out of the window. Snow surface and temperature are the rulers of this world. The crew has been on the go since landing at base camp 30 hours ago. We arrived here at camp 1 at 4 a.m. The scale is enormous and the mountain looms above at 13,000 feet into the atmosphere. Our tired legs have not gotten us far.

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Denali, or Mt. McKinley is the highest mountain in North America. Photo: Jeremy Jones

Day 3: 11, 200 feet.
Getting into the mix now. Biggest day yet. Moved 120 pounds from 7,800 feet to 11,200 feet in 12 hours. It’s amazing we can move such heavy loads. The pain is numbed from the scenery. From the outside world watching us trudge up the glacier at a snail’s pace, one would think we are bored out of our minds. But watching the landscape unfold one step at a time is absolutely mind-blowing. I mind surf my way down walls of spines that are forbidden fruit due to the seracs or cliffs below. As my eyes settle in on the landscape clean lines reveal themselves. Then there is the mind and body to focus on. Nailing the right heart rate, perfect stride and proper pace is an art form. A micro adjustment here, tweak of the pack there. The moments of silence where I lose myself in the moment, only to have it interrupted by an exciting new idea or an old memory. But make no mistake about it, today hurt. I am kicked-in, lying here on my back hardly able to move. Mainlining life today.

Day 6: 11,300 feet.
At 14 camp we are very much in the mix now. Intensity is up for me. The Messner Couloir, Orient, Rescue Gully, 17 camp. I have heard of them and now they sit out my tent door. The scale is massive. That is the biggest difference, and the elevation. The terrain is manageable but right now the snow is hard.

Jeremy Jones

In the shadows of giants. Photo: Jeremy Jones

Day 10: 14,200 feet.
We started early. Walked across camp and went up, up and away to the highest point in North America. Twelve hours prior to reaching that spot
I was panting on the side of the mountain, 5,000 feet from the summit. “Maybe today isn’t my day? Maybe I did not acclimatize enough? Maybe I caught a bug last night? Did I drink enough? Why can I not get a full breath? Slow down. Drink. Power food. Keep moving but slow down.” By 18,000 feet I was in rhythm and feeling great. The higher I got on the face the more in my element I was. The Top Gun tune … “Take a ride into the danger zone.” We were front pointing on a 5,000-foot face known as the Orient Express. Between my legs if I looked down I could see below a sea of smaller, jagged mountains, and eventually the endless tundra 18,000 feet below.

Above 19,000 feet things got slower, flightier. A happy lightheaded walk through the twilight zone. The summit ridge, a cornice on one side. Bumble around, relax, and brew some water, 30 minutes later start heading down. I go to the edge very slow. See the horizon drop away into the clouds. Confirm we are in the right spot and not entering into a 3,000-foot chute that cliffs out. Many have lost their way here, never to be seen again. Snow is pretty good, best of the trip. Feel safe and descend, hooting and hollering until my legs start to burn. It is a never-ending run and I love every minute. The mission felt good. I felt good. Denali, Orient Express, happy, content, it worked!

I WANT MORE!!!!!!!

Read also: All In: The Jeremy Jones Interview

Originally featured in Snowboard Magazine 11.2: The Transcendent Issue

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