May 13 Denali Team – Papa Rickman Calls from 14 Camp

David Rickman, climbing with his two sons, called in after a great day of progress.  The team carried a load of supplies high onto the ridge that leads to their next camp, the 17,220′ high camp.

The work entailed departing camp early, and hiking upwards about 1400′ to the bottom of a stretch of route known as the Headwall.  This has ropes affixed at regular intervals for about 600′.  The climbers have mechanical ascenders tethered to their harnesses, which are in turn clipped into the fixed ropes for security.

Most teams cache right near the top of the fixed ropes and most Mountain Trip groups cache about 200′ further up the ridge.  The May 13 crew climbed past our traditional cache site to bury their supplies below a prominent rock known as Washburn’s Thumb.  That is strong work!

Here’s David “Papa” Rickman!

recording

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