The May 27 West Buttress team moved up to Camp Three this morning! Reaching 14,000′ on the route is a big milestone for climbers. The views out over the entire Alaska Range from their vantage point are truly awe-inspiring. The team will spend at least three days at 14-Camp, spending time acclimatizing to the thinner…
Guide Robert Caldwell called in an update on the May 27 West Buttress team, who spent the day backcarrying below Camp Three at 14,200′ to retrieve their cache near Windy Corner. After returning to camp, the team spent the rest of the day practicing skills essential for the upper mountain–like ascending a fixed line and…
Challenge accepted, Amy! Leif stepped up and jumped on the satellite phone to share a really nice update from Genet Basin at 14,200′. The team had a big day as they climbed up from their Camp 2 at 11,000′ and up the thousand foot slope known as Motorcycle Hill. After a brief rest, they set…
The May 27 team cached around Windy Corner today in good weather yesterday. Getting a cache of gear around Windy Corner sets the team up nicely to move to 14 Camp and have all their food and gear close by even if a storm rolls in. Above Camp 2 is where the real climbing really…
The May 27th West Buttress expedition had a sort of active rest day today. They dropped down from their 11,000′ camp to dig up and retrieve the cache they placed at around 10,000′ a couple days ago. We call this making a “backcarry” or “backcarrying.” It only took them about a half hour to hike…
The May 27th team took an “Active Rest” day from Camp 2 (11,200′) yesterday. The team hiked down from Camp 2 to retrieve their cache from 9,800′ in “variable” conditions fo wind and snow. This was good training for the team! These days are easier and I good chance for the team to keep acclimatizing…
Waking up to a beautiful bluebird day with warm temperatures, the team moved from Camp 1 to Camp 2 at 11,200′. After a full day with stellar views of the Alaska Range, the team is feeling good and healthy at their new camp. Tomorrow calls for a back-carry day to retrieve their cache from a…
Climber Robert Caldwell called in an update on the May 27 West Buttress team from Camp One on the route. Despite variable weather, the team was able to cache up near Kahiltna Pass at the top of Ski Hill at around 9,500′. They then headed back down to camp at 7,800′ to hunker down for…
It sounded like Jesse Wright on the satellite phone, relaying the news that our May 27th team packed up camp on the Southeast Fork of the Kahiltna Glacier and made the ~5 mile trek to the site of their first camp on the West Buttress route of Denali. Conditions were mixed, with difficult visibility at…
Meet the May 27th Denali West Buttress Team! Composed of lead-guide Jesse Wright and assistant guides Ty Guarino and Robert Caldwell. Climbers include Greg, Terry, Leif and Ning. Denali rises up to 20,310 feet (6190 m). Due to its location so close to the Arctic Circle, conditions can often be very winter-like well into the…