May 16th Guide Team
The May 16th team is now on day five in Talkeetna, still waiting for the right window to fly. Hopes lifted briefly around 6 PM this evening when it looked like conditions might be turning, but the window closed quickly and the team is staying put for another night in town.
Five days on the ground is a long stretch by any measure, and waiting in Talkeetna for the weather to break is one of the harder mental tests of any Denali expedition. Plans get made and remade. Forecasts get checked, then re-checked. Each new day brings a fresh round of hope, and when those windows don’t pan out, it can wear on a team. That’s where a good guide makes all the difference. The team’s lead guide has done a great job keeping morale up through the wait, and from all signs, the team has handled the delay with patience and good humor. They’re rolling with the slower pace of town life and staying ready for the call to fly whenever it comes.
The good news is that the team’s mindset is exactly where it needs to be heading into the expedition. Climbers who handle long waits well tend to handle the rest of the climb well, too. Denali rewards flexibility, patience, and the ability to roll with whatever the mountain hands you, and the May 16th team is already demonstrating those qualities before they’ve even stepped onto the glacier.
Here’s hoping the next weather window holds and the team can finally get airborne!
The May 14th team waits out the weather
Hard at work in Talkeetna
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