Disabled veterans attempt climb up Mt. McKinley
Army Sgt. Kirk Bauer lost most of his left leg in a firefight in Vietnam, but that hasn’t stopped him from tackling some the world’s greatest challenges with Disabled Sports USA – Warfighter Sports. He’s been with the organization for 42 years, and is now its executive director. Their goal is to help wounded veterans returning from war realize that they can still achieve great feats.
In June 2012, Bauer led four Iraq and Afghanistan veterans — two double-leg amputees, one single-leg amputee and one with muscle damage – up North America’s tallest mountain, Mt. McKinley in Alaska.
Their tagline: Five wounded warriors, four good legs, three wars, two generations, one mountain.
Disabled Sports USA – Warfighter Sports gave us some of the photos and video clips from the climb for a story Catonsville Times reporter Brian Conlin wrote this week about Kirk Bauer.
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- From left, Army Cpl. Steve Martin, Marine Cpt. Dave Borden, Army Sgt. and Executive Director of Disabled Sports USA Kirk Bauer, Army Staff Sgt. Neil Duncan and Army Capt. Jesse Acosta. (Disabled Sports USA – Warfighter Sports)
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- The group attempts to scale a hill at Windy Corner. Bauer said there were hills as steep as 40 degrees that they often had to climb. (Disabled Sports USA – Warfighter Sports)
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- The group stops for a break at a spot known as Windy Corner. (Disabled Sports USA – Warfighter Sports)
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- The group had to carry all of its supplies on their backs while trekking up the mountain – which is even more difficult with a prosthetic leg, said Kirk Bauer. (Disabled Sports USA – Warfighter Sports)
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- The group sets up camp at 11,000 feet on Mt. McKinley. (Disabled Sports USA – Warfighter Sports)
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- Kirk Bauer (back left) waits while Mountain Trip guide Gabi Benel helps Dave Bordon with the boots on his prosthetic leg. (Disabled Sports USA – Warfighter Sports)
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- Kirk Bauer, the executive director of Disabled Sports USA, poses for a photo on Mt. McKinley. Bauer lost his left leg in 1969 during the Vietnam War. (Disabled Sports USA – Warfighter Sports)
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- The Warfighter Sports camp is set up at 11,000 feet at a place called Motorcycle Hill. (Disabled Sports USA – Warfighter Sports)
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- The group’s tents are covered with snow after a storm. (Disabled Sports USA – Warfighter Sports)
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- The group continues its journey at a spot called Squirrel Ridge, at an elevation of 12,000 feet. (Disabled Sports USA – Warfighter Sports)
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- The group stops for a slice of frozen pizza. Food was often stored in the snow and exchanged with other groups for food and fuel, Kirk Bauer said. (Disabled Sports USA – Warfighter Sports)
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- Kirk Bauer balances himself on a pair of crutches dug into the snow. (Disabled Sports USA – Warfighter Sports)
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- Steve Martin, a double-leg amputee who was injured in Afghanistan, raises his arms up at the spot known as the “edge of the world.” (Disabled Sports USA – Warfighter Sports)
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- The view at an elevation of 14,000 feet. Bauer said there could be a snow storm happening at 11,000 feet, but at 14,000 it could be totally clear. (Disabled Sports USA – Warfighter Sports)
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- Jesse Acosta stands at 14,000 feet on Mt. McKinley at a spot known as the “edge of the world.” (Disabled Sports USA – Warfighter Sports)
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- The view from Mt. McKinley at 14,000 feet. (Disabled Sports USA – Warfighter Sports)
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- From left, Mountain Trip guide Chris Piasecki from Telluride, Co., Jesse Acosta, Steve Martin, Neil Duncan, Kirk Bauer and Dave Borden at about 15,000 feet. They could not make it to the top because of weather conditions. (Disabled Sports USA – Warfighter Sports)
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- A panorama photo stitch of two images taken on Mt. McKinley. (Disabled Sports USA – Warfighter Sports)
I interviewed Kirk Bauer on camera this week, and wove his interview with footage shot on the mountain during the climb. The team brought a GoPro HD camera to document their journey.
Click to view video, or watch the extended cut below.
Disabled veterans attempt climb up Mt. McKinley from The Darkroom on Vimeo.
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Denali Pilot
Mar 19, 2013 @ 13:44:56
Cool story. Bummer they didn’t get a chance to summit. Nice video with the Go Pro. Motivational you can’t let life hold you back.