Digging up caches
The May 26th team made their descent from high camp down to 14 Camp this afternoon, kicking off the journey off the mountain after their successful summit. The plan from here is to keep moving and depart 14 Camp tonight, with the goal of arriving at Basecamp in time to catch a flight off the mountain tomorrow morning.
Traveling down the lower glacier in the late evening and overnight hours is one of the smartest approaches on Denali. As temperatures drop, the snow refreezes and the snow bridges that span the crevasses below firm up significantly. Moving during these hours is the safest way to cross the lower glacier, and it positions the team to be at Basecamp at exactly the right time to catch the first flights out in the morning.
That said, traveling overnight has its own challenges. Climbers are moving when their bodies naturally want to rest, pushing through fatigue and cold in the small hours of the morning while staying sharp on terrain that demands attention. After summit day and the descent back to 14, the team is putting in serious work to get themselves off the glacier quickly and safely. It takes discipline and grit, and the team is up to it.
For now, the May 26th team is at 14 Camp, taking a brief rest before stepping back into their harnesses for the long pull down the lower mountain. We’re so proud of everything this team has accomplished, and we’re looking forward to welcoming them off the glacier tomorrow!
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