Looking southeast across the SE Fork of the Kahiltna.  Mount Hunter is the prominent peak, with the mile-high Moonflower Buttress rising from the glacier.  (Drew Ludwig photo)

Right out of Base Camp the trail descends about 200m down “Heartbreak Hill,” before turning north up the broad Kahiltna Glacier. This makes for an easy start to the day, but can be a heartbreak when climbing back up it three weeks later!  (Jared Vilhauer photo)

Camp 1 is generally situated on the Kahiltna Glacier at about 7,800′, near the base of the first real hill of the ascent. Ski Hill rises about 1,800′ above the camp. Immediately to the east of camp is the Northeast Fork of the Kahiltna Glacier and a stunning mountain called West Kahiltna Peak.  (D. Ludwig photo)

Looking east from Camp 1, climbers have a great view of Denali on clear days. Here a Mountain Trip team head up the NE Fork, en route to the West Rib, which is the sun/shadow ridge in the center of the image.  (Michael Burmeister photo)

Camp 2 is located in the basin in the center of this image, taken from the peak called Kahiltna Dome, on the W. side if the Kahiltna Glacier, which is at the bottom of the photo.  Camp is right at the bottom of the shadowed basin, and if you look carefully, you can see the trail leading to it.  The West Buttress is the prominent rocky feature above camp, and the south (higher) summit is in the clouds to the right of the top of the W. Buttress. Motorcycle Hill is in the shade immediately above camp, and the big hanging glacier at right is the Upper Peters Glacier.  Windy Corner is the rocky ridge line that drops off the W. Buttress to the right.  (Yoshiko Miazaki-Back photo)

Looking west/southwest from the 11,200′ camp.  17,500′ Mount Foraker is at the far left and Kahiltna Dome is the rounded, glaciated peak to Foraker’s left.  (Francois Morin photo)

Looking downhill at Windy Corner, a prominent feature that drops off the West Buttress proper.  (F. Morin photo)

Looking down at 14,200′ camp from the base of the Headwall, the steep slope that leads to the ridge, which takes climbers to high camp.  (F. Morin photo)

Climbers on the Headwall, the steepest part of the West Buttress route. The ridge leading to high camp trends up and right in the image. The Headwall is fixed with ropes that facilitate protecting climbers from slips.  (F. Morin photo)

Climbers on the ridge leading to high camp.  This part of the route is fun, exposed and engaging!  (F. Morin photo)

Looking south and west across the 17,200′ high camp, with Mt. Foraker in the distance.  (Todd Rutledge photo)

Our friend Sarah Campbell on the Autobahn, the steep traverse that leads up from high camp to the col (saddle) between the North and South summits of Denali.  (T. Rutledge photo)

Above the Autobahn, the climb to the summit winds past the gray and black Zebra Rocks in this image and continues for hours until the climb up to the final, summit ridge.  (F. Morin photo)

The last stretch to the summit involves crossing the spectacular summit ridge.  The route often follows the crest of this knife-edged feature, with 9,000′ of exposure to the climbers’ right!  The summit is past the small climbers barely visible above the monster cornice.  (F. Morin photo)