The May 23 Team took another weather day at Camp 2 (11,200′) yesterday. It stormed most of the day with a lot of snow and wind. The team took advantage of the down time to get their strength up for the move to Camp 3 (14,200′). The day consisted of a leisurely morning of coffee…
Josh Cummins called in an update with a very special conclusion to his call – No spoiler alerts here – listen to it! The team was graced with a bluebird sky day and they rallied to take advantage of it. They shouldered their packs with food and supplies that they won’t need for a few…
The May 23 team finally is coming out of the “ping pong ball”–a term common to Alaskan mountaineering, when you find yourself in a disorienting whiteout for an extended period of time, making travel nearly impossible. They have spent a day hunkered down in their tents, getting some extra rest to prepare them for the…
Lead guide Yoshiko Miyazaki called in an update from Camp Two at 11,200′ on the May 23 team. Unfortunately, her reception wasn’t the best, so some of the message is a bit unclear. Camp Two sits in a glacial basin of sorts, with high mountain walls on virtually all sides, so often it can be…
Mountain Trip Lead Guide Yoshiko Miyazaki called in from our May 23rd team’s Camp 2. The team packed up camp from their previous encampment on the Kahiltna Glacier at 7,800′, shouldered heavy packs, clipped themselves to loaded sleds and started hiking up the long “Ski Hill” in very blustery wind this morning. Ski Hill rises…
The May 23 is making moves despite some weather on the mountain. In a small weather window, the team was able to put in a cache of gear at 9600′. These cache days are very important both for acclimatization (“climb high, sleep low”) and making the loads lighter! Often a cache will consist of gear…
Art calls in with the May 23rd West Buttress Team from Camp 1. They had an early exit from Basecamp at 4am during the colder hours of the day to cross the Kahiltna Glacier to Camp 1. The Kahiltna Glacier is longest glacier in the Alaska Range and requires a couple days of hiking to…
Lead guide Yoshiko calls in from basecamp. The team flew in yesterday and spent the day of May 25th practicing skills around basecamp. They went on a tour around the lower Kahiltna glacier to become familiar with surrounding peaks and to of course get some exercise. The plan to leave early on May 26th to…
This will be our 47th season guiding on Denali, and we’re honored to welcome the May 23 team and all of the other climbers that have trusted us to help them test their fortitude on the highest mountain in North America. We’re incredibly excited to have teams back in the Alaska Range after a year…