Juan Pablo Alcalde called in from the team’s Campo 2 today, after the crew carried loads up and around the infamous Windy Corner to an elevation of about 13,400 feet. They were fortunate to have beautiful weather and it was actually hot for part of their carry today! Starting out of camp, they climbed 1000…
Mountain Trip guide Maddie Crowell called in from 14,200′ after the crew backcarried their cache from where they had buried it a couple days ago at 13,500′. It was sort of an active rest day, with a short 20 minute hike downhill from camp and about an hour hike carrying their cached loads back uphill.…
Lead guide Jason Denley called in from the Southeast Fork of the Kahiltna Glacier. This afternoon, the entire team flew from the small, “end-of-the-road” town of Talkeetna to Denali Base Camp at 7,200′, deep in the heart of the rugged Alaska Range. The morning started with an early departure from Anchorage. The guides picked up…
The May 11 team did not call in last night, but they successfully retrieved their supplies yesterday from their cache site at 10,200′ (3108m) and are now fully supplied at Camp 2 (11,200′ 3413m). Yesterday is what we call an “active rest day”. It typically doesn’t take long for the team to retrieve their cache…
Spectacular view from the fixed lines, looking down onto Camp 3 and Mountain Foraker The May 8 team crushed their way up to Camp 3 at 14,200′ (4328m) yesterday, making great time in good weather. Getting to Camp 3 is an exciting part of the expedition. Now the team is set up to plan…
A hearty “Welcome!” to our May 18 West Buttress team! We are so excited to be along for this journey to North America’s highest peak. We know that for many Denali is a lifelong goal, and the culmination of many months of training, and years spent in the mountains. So we are honored to have been…
Jordan calls in to let us know that the May 11 team has successfully moved up to Camp 2 (11,200′ 3413m). After making breakfast, coffee, and melting snow for water this morning, the team broke down camp and packed everything up in backpacks and sleds. Once that big task is done the team lays out…
The team had a successfully cache at 10,200′ today near Kahiltna Pass. This is the team’s first cache of many on the trip. Caching is part of the expedition style of climbing that allows climbers to “climb high and sleep low”, making it easier for the body to acclimate to the new altitudes as they…
A team from last year rounding Windy Corner to the cache site. The West Buttress rises to the right in the photo. James called in to report a successful cache at Windy Corner yesterday. The team enjoyed beautiful weather, wearing sun hoodies up to the cache at 13,500′. At this point, the team will leave…
The May 11 team dug in at Camp 1 through some wind and low visibility yesterday. Rest day/weather days are a great time to refine your cribbage skills, catch up on some reading, take a nap, or worry about eating all the snacks you brought for the whole trip.. Depending on where you are on…