Good Morning, Afternoon, Evening, wherever you find yourself in the world!

This is Lead Guide Harrison from the May 12th West Buttress Denali Expedition, and this is our final trip dispatch!

After working our way up Denali for nearly two weeks, the team moved to High Camp on the afternoon of May 24th. The next day provided us with calm winds, and many teams also moved upwards towards the summit. With the light winds and clear weather, we also attempted to reach the summit of Denali.

We arrived at the peaceful summit in under 7 hours and were delighted to see the high peaks of the Alaska Range and beautiful clouds extending north toward the Arctic Circle. The day, while clear and with light wind, was cold. The team did wonderfully, and everyone stayed warm and well-protected from the elements during our Summit Attempt.

The May 12th Team on the summit of Denali!

After returning to High Camp, we made a hot meal, had some hot beverages, and drifted off to sleep. The following day included breaking down camp, returning to Camp 3, and making our way down the mountain. With a lot of energy still in us, we moved through the night from Camp 3 to Basecamp. Before I knew it, we reached the airstrip at 6 AM, and I was surprised; we had just made our way from Camp 3 in 8 hours! It was an incredible time and a testament to our team’s fortitude ( and maybe excitement to not sleep on snow!).

We finally made an early afternoon flight on the 28th of May back to the small mining town of Talkeetna, AK, which served as our launch point 15 days prior. Smiling faces, tour buses, good food, fresh air, and a canvas of green vegetation greeted us. We completed our trip up to the top of North America.

The whole team in the Cook Tent.

I’d like to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude to all who followed our journey through these dispatches. Climbing Denali is never easy, and numerous challenges, both anticipated and unexpected, are an integral part of mountaineering in these grand mountains. It was an absolute pleasure working with each and every one of you, and I eagerly look forward to hearing about the summits you’ve conquered since our expedition. Thank you for being a part of this incredible journey.