June 6th team prepping for their move to the summit

June 6th team at the top of the fixed lines

The June 6th team stood on top of Denali today and has made it safely back down to high camp! After everything this team has navigated to get here, reaching the summit of North America at 20,310 feet is an absolutely massive accomplishment, and we could not be more thrilled for them.

Summit day on Denali is one of the longest and most demanding days of climbing anywhere in the world. From high camp at 17,200 feet, climbers face thousands of feet of elevation gain, brutal cold, thin air, and exposed terrain on the way to the 20,310-foot summit. The day can run anywhere from 12 to 16 hours of climbing, and every step requires focus, strength, and grit. Standing on top of Denali is the kind of achievement that climbers train for years to attempt, and the June 6th team earned every single step of it.

What makes today even more meaningful is everything that came before it. This team navigated weather holds, hauled heavy loads through the lower glacier, pushed through Windy Corner, worked the fixed lines, climbed the ridge, and made the committing move to high camp. They supported each other through long days and tough decisions, looked out for one another every step of the way, and stayed strong all the way to the top. By the time they stepped off from high camp this morning, they had built the kind of foundation that summit days are made of.

For now, the team is back at high camp, resting after one of the biggest days of their lives. We are absolutely overjoyed for every member of the June 6th team. Congratulations to the climbers and guides on a hard-earned and unforgettable summit on Denali!

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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.