WTIP UPDATE: Dupre flown back to Talkeetna

Grand Marais adventurer Lonnie Dupre is back in the small town of Talkeetna, Alaska.

An air taxi was able to land at base camp at 7,200 feet on the mountain Monday afternoon. Along with the pilot, the plane carried the two members of Dupre’s support team.Grand Marais adventurer Lonnie Dupre reached base camp at 7,200 feet on Mount McKinley early Monday after a difficult three-day descent from 14,200 feet.

The Duluth News-Tribune reports Dupre decided Friday to abandon his second attempt to become the first person to reach Mount McKinley’s 20,320-foot summit solo in January after being pinned down by strong winds for nearly a week.

Dupre descended to 11,200 feet Friday, using two ice axes and crampons to prevent himself from being blown away as he rounded Windy Corner at 13,200 feet.

According to his website, while descending an icy slope at 12,000 feet, wind gusts that Dupre estimated to be up to 80 mph blew him off his feet. He was able to stop his fall with his ice axes. He finished descending the hill by going backward using both ice axes and his crampons to prevent being blown off his feet again.

High winds and bad visibility continued to hinder Dupre on Saturday, Sunday and early Monday. On Saturday, he had difficulties finding the bamboo wands he had placed on the ascent to mark the route. On Sunday, he left 7,800-foot camp for the five-mile trip to 7,200-foot base camp but was caught in a blizzard in the afternoon.

A spokesman said about 2:30 a.m. Monday, the weather subsided and Dupre continued to base camp, arriving about 4:30 a.m. Alaska time. An air taxi will take him off the mountain as soon as the weather allows.

Dupre, 50, tried climbing McKinley last January, but bad weather stopped him at 17,200 feet.