The majority of the West Rib team arrived back in Anchorage yesterday, 22 days after departing for the glacier. The climbers did well, but were stymied by a rough stretch of weather that unfortunately, denied them any opportunity to get high on Denali. A good friend once told me that, “Luck is when timing and…
Well, perhaps “party” is not the accurate term, but several Mountain Trip teams spent the night at Base Camp on the Southeast Fork of the Kahiltna Glacier, awaiting the weather to improve so they can fly out to verdant Talkeetna. One flight made it into Base Camp yesterday, and a handful of our climbers clambered…
The members of our 2014 Denali West Rib Team are in good spirits, which might well be the secret behind their tenacity! They just moved up to the traditional Camp 3 on the West Buttress, after having been thwarted in their attempt of the West Rib by a serious storm that sat on the Range.…
Jochen called in a nice post from 11,200′ today. The team has been working hard, but their original route choice was thwarted by a week of bad weather, so they are now heading up the West Buttress, seeking fun climbing, and perhaps a nice view, as they climb higher. recording
The West Rib team is moving up the Kahiltna Glacier to the basin camp at 11,200′. They are making good time and doing their best to move up during the current good weather.
Mike called in a nice descriptive update from the team’s original camp at 7,800′ on the main body of the Kahiltna Glacier. The team has had a change of plans and is now going to attempt to climb up the West Buttress, or at least as far up the route as they can with their…
It’s been a pretty long stretch of wind and snow in the Alaska Range for the last days, and it is expected to continue through most of the weekend. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, as the snow is expected to taper off and winds die down by late Sunday and…
Weather is the name of the problem right now: it has not been terrible but not good enough to move up the route. Visibility has been lacking due to snowfall; of all things that help make navigating an icefall on a glacier easier, vilibility is #1. Having cached a good amount of their food up…
Mike called in the Rib Team’s report today. It sounds like it’s cold and snowy, and the team has spent some quality tent time. But spirits remain high and the team is hoping for a break in the weather to continue their ascent. Mike sends out a hearty greeting to the team’s friends and family.…
Despite weather delays for other teams on the mountain, the West Rib team has managed to advance their expedition forward and are planning to begin the climb today, finally leaving the Northeast Fork of the Kahiltna. We will update as soon as we get definitive word…