The May 17th team got a cache in up on the ridge today, completing another significant piece of work on the upper mountain. Caching on the ridge is one of the more demanding objectives on the West Buttress, and getting it done is a real step toward the upper mountain.

The ridge above the fixed lines is a long, exposed stretch of climbing with steep terrain and significant drop-offs on both sides. It demands focus, sharp footwork in crampons, and confident rope team travel, all while working at altitude. Successfully getting a cache up there means the team has put in serious work and now has supplies staged in a key position for the move to high camp.

For now, the May 17th team is back at 14 Camp with another productive day behind them. With supplies staged up on the ridge and the team climbing well, they’re in a strong position to keep building toward the upper mountain.

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