Climber Jason Woo called in an update from the June 9 Denali West Buttress team– they made it up to Camp Two, at 11,200′! The team has the unique perspective of traveling on a night schedule on the lower mountain, to escape the heat and avoid traveling across any snow-bridges in the heat of the day. After reaching Camp Two above Kahiltna Pass, the climbers truly get the sense that the approach is ending and the climbing is beginning, as they will trade in their snowshoes and poles for an axe and crampons above this point on the route.

Jason makes sure to give a shoutout to his guides, including Maddie for her excellent camp cooking skills (we can second this one!). It sounds like the team is in good spirits and having a great time! It’s likely that early this morning the team will take a trip above Camp Two up around Windy Corner to around 10,500′, where they’ll place their next cache.

Here’s Jason!

recording