A large moisture system is sitting on the Alaska range, preventing teams from ascending/descending and from flying in the range. When storms like this one move in, teams hunker down and try to practice one of the hardest skills in mountaineering—–patience. The weather will improve, but it’s difficult knowing that the timing is indeterminate and…
We welcome the June 15th West Buttress climbers who have chosen to place their trust in Mountain Trip. Denali, “The Great One,” or “The Roof of North America”, is often touted as the hardest of the Seven Summits, or highest peaks on each continent. Denali rises in stark contrast above the surrounding tundra, standing like…
Mountain Trip guide Nicole Lawton called in from a snowy Camp 1 at 7,800′. A significant storm as taken up residence over Denali in recent days, and the June 11th team stayed in camp as the snow fell on the Kahiltna Glacier. The forecasters refer to it as a “tropical storm,” which seems a bit…
Kevin Cook checked in from the June 4th West Buttress of Denali team. The team is nestled into camp at 14,200′, due to a difficult storm that is preventing any upward progress for the time being. Camp is a nice place to be when snow is falling in copious amounts! They have plenty of food…
Luiz Cavalieri called in on behalf of the June 11th West Buttress team. Despite very tough weather that has kept other teams in camp on the upper parts of Denali, Luiz and his team were able to carry loads of supplies up above Camp 1 to a spot near the very start of the Kahiltna…
Lead Guide Aaron Diamond calls in the final trip report for the May 28 Team: recording
Nathan called in this evening from the June 1 team, waiting out the weather at 14,200 ft on Denali. It was a stormy day up higher on the mountain, so they spent the day fortifying camp and trying to stay busy and motivated. They expect another day or two of stormy weather, so they’ll be…
Teri called in from the June 11 Denali team today with the evening expedition update from Camp 1 (7,800 ft). Today they carried a load of food, fuel, and some extra equipment up to around 10,000 ft on the upper Kahiltna Glacier where they buried it in the snow and will pick it up in…
Lead Guide Eli reports that the team made the short drop down from 14 Camp to their cache site at Windy Corner. It wasn’t particularly smooth traveling, as the team broke trail on the descent, and then due to the wind, broke trail on the ascent, as well. That is exhausting work and the team…
Weather settled in as the team was moving a load of equipment and supplies from 14 Camp to a cache site on the ridge above camp. The Team departed 14 Camp, hiked up moderate snow slopes for roughly 1200′ before encountering “The Headwall.” Also known as “the fixed lines,” this 600′ stretch of snow and ice…