Dupre makes little progress Tuesday in McKinley climb

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Low visibility kept Grand Marais adventurer Lonnie Dupre from moving up Mount McKinley on Tuesday.

If the weather clears enough for him to see 100 feet, he plans to climb from his snow cave at 9,600 feet to 11,200 today, according to his support team.

Dupre is attempting to become the first person to climb the 20,320-foot-tall McKinley — the highest mountain in North America — solo in January. He began his climb Thursday after a plane dropped him off at 7,200 feet. He traveled up the Lower Kahiltna Glacier on Friday and Saturday to an elevation of about 7,800 feet. He spent Christmas and part of Monday in a snow cave, waiting for better visibility, but reached 9,600 feet by the end of the day Monday.

Dupre, 50, began his climb carrying and dragging about 130 pounds of gear and food, some of which he will cache in snow caves as he climbs.

Dupre tried climbing McKinley, also known as Denali, last winter, but bad weather prevented him from getting above 17,200 feet.

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