There is an old climbing adage that goes, “When you reach the summit, you’re only half way there.” Lead Guide Brian Muller called from 14,200′ (4328m), after the team descended from High Camp this morning. They are doing well and elated at their good fortune to have reached the summit on a beautiful day yesterday.…
An elated June 17 Pancoe team is on the SUMMIT!!!!! The team awoke early, checked the weather, and quickly packed up to make a summit bid. Benefiting from good weather, and aided by the strength, fitness and resolve of the team, they made great time climbing to the summit of North America. At 20,3010′ (6190m),…
Lead Guide Brian Muller updated us on his team, which is resting today at 14,200′ (4328m), after numerous days of hard work to reach this point. Their plan is to move up to High Camp at 17,200′ (5243m) tomorrow and see what the weather does. They are making great time on their Denali expedition, and…
It was a big day for the June 12 team, the first day of climbing on the upper mountain(above 14 Camp. The terrain immediately above the big 14 Camp starts out pretty mellow, but the slope increases as the climbers ascend. After about an hour of hiking, the snow starts to get quite steep, culminating…
Lead Guide Brian Muller called in on behalf of the June 12, Pancoe Team. They moved up to establish a new camp at 14,200′ (4328m) in very good weather. They were a bit delayed getting out of their previous camp due to wet snow that turned their tents in popsicles. Packing frozen tents is a…
Lead Guide Brian Muller called in from 11,200′, where the team is camped in a stunning basin, ringed with ice cliffs and steep snow walls. Today, the team dropped downhill to retrieve a cache they had buried in the snow at an elevation of about 10,000′ two days ago. They then shouldered their packs and…
Guide Brian Muller called in an update from Camp Two at 11,200′, after the team made their move up in good weather and conditions. Denali sandwiches (toasted bagels with cream cheese and lox) were enjoyed thoroughly by all. Next on their agenda is to backcarry to Kahiltna Corner to grab their cache. Here’s Brian with…
Mountain Trip guide Brian Muller called in an update on the June 12 team, from Camp One at 7,800′. The team spent their day caching at Kahiltna Corner, near Kahiltna Pass, where the route heads east towards Camp Two, despite poor visibility and light snow. The team will hopefully be able to move up to…
The June 12 Team got up early this morning (2am Alaska Time), packed up camp and moved on up to Camp 1. Teams will often move at night, or early in the morning on the lower Kahiltna Glacier this time of year to avoid the heat of the day and travel when the snow surface…
The June 12 Denali West Buttress team is in Talkeetna on a beautiful day and ready to fly into basecamp! They will stop by the National Park Service office and check in, then head over to the local airstrip and await their flight to the glacier. It’s looking good and they should be spending the…