The team has arrived at what could be considered their Advanced Base Camp, tucked in the broad basin at 14,200′. They made really good time moving up today, despite consistent and continuous snowfall the whole time they were hiking. They climbed up a sereis of moderately steep slopes before traversing along the base of the craggy West Buttress to a point where they could turn around the infamous rocky rib of Windy Corner and make the final 800′ ascent up to camp.
Spirits are high, and they have a tight camp established. Tonight they will enjoy a well-deserved rest and tomorrow will be a pretty mellow day of dropping back 700′ or so down the trail to pick up the cache they left a day ago. Tonight’s dinner of halibut should leave them satiated and ready to tuck into their sleeping bags.
Here is the team!
