Mountain Trip teams on the coming down the fixed lines

The May 28th team got a cache in up on the ridge today! 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.

Heading into today’s climb, the team spent some time yesterday reviewing skills together, going over the techniques they’d lean on for the ridge. That kind of preparation pays off in a big way. Refreshing key skills before stepping onto more demanding terrain helps every climber feel confident, sharp, and ready when it’s time to put them into practice. By all accounts, the team translated yesterday’s prep into a strong day on the ridge today.

For now, the May 28th team is back at 14 Camp with another solid day behind them. With supplies now staged on the ridge and the team climbing well, they’re in a great position to keep building toward the upper mountain.

—

Family and friends are encouraged to leave comments for their loved ones on this expedition. Please keep in mind that climbers will not be able to see posts or comments until they return to Talkeetna at the end of the expedition.

Don’t forget that you can subscribe to this expedition’s Field Reports by entering your email address in the form to the right or below if viewing via mobile. That way, you never miss an update!

Interested in more information about conditions and happenings on Denali? Be sure to also check out the Denali National Park’s Denali Dispatches Blog where they post weekly Field Reports.