Guide Erin Laine called in from 14-Camp to give us an update on the June 2 West Buttress team, although she unfortunately cuts out a little early. So it goes attempting to make satellite phone calls from 14,200′ up, deep in the Alaska Range. They team would like to relay an apology message to those at home wondering why they weren’t calling in updates for the past couple of days. They weren’t able to find a good signal, and as you can hear here, it’s not always easy to keep the connection.

From what we could decipher from the message, the team is taking a rest and acclimatization day today at 14,200′, after retrieving their cache below camp yesterday, and moving camp from 11,200′ in the worst of the storm the day before. Today their primary goal will be to stay hydrated, well-fed and rested to prepare to move up to High Camp when the weather allows.

While most guides and climbers have noted in their reports that the weather is showing signs of clearing, the forecast says otherwise, so it will be interesting to see in the coming days if the weather takes a turn for the better or worse. The Great One doesn’t give itself up easily, and since it is so massive and close to the Arctic

Here’s Erin: