Couple sets out to climb McKinley, woman first to attempt in winter

February 25, 2010

Feret and Testov share a moment before embarking on their journey up "The Great One." (Dan Carpenter/KTUU-DT)

by Lori Tipton
Wednesday, February 24, 2010

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- An Alaska couple has begun its journey to summit Mount McKinley during winter and one of the climbers is making history.

Artur Testov and Christine Feret loaded up their gear for a journey of a lifetime.

The two will spend the next month together working as a team as they try to summit Mount McKinley.

"Woke up this morning, it's like gorgeous, so here we are," Feret said.

The couple was dropped off by air taxi Tuesday afternoon at the Kahiltna Glacier.

"This is one of the craziest days in the climb because I mean... You have everything in front of you," Testov said.

This isn't the first time the couple has scaled the Alaska Range.

The two summitted McKinley twice this past summer.

Testov successfully climbed McKinley during the winter of 1998.

But for Feret, the winter climb will be a first.

The trip makes her the first female to ever try in winter.

"No woman has ever even tried it so in a way, it's exciting enough to just be going, it's an awesome trip. It's an awesome adventure in the most extreme of conditions so by itself, it's great enough, but to know that I'm the first woman to step on the mountain in the winter is extra cool," Feret said.

The Alaska Range can be a very lonely place during this time of year.

For mountaineers there is no base camp, no climbing rangers to help and no chance of a rescue.

The two will build snow caves along the way, and they say they're ready.

"It's gonna be more fun. It's good: Nice woman, nice mountain, nice weather," Testov said.

"It's gonna be cold, it's gonna be hard, and we're just going there, doing our best, and be as safe as we can," Feret said.

Contact Lori Tipton at ltipton@ktuu.com

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