The June 16th Gillig team made the move up to 14 Camp today, reaching one of the most important camps on the West Buttress on their Denali ski expedition!

The move from Camp 2 to 14 Camp is one of the bigger days on Denali, gaining roughly 3,000 feet of elevation through demanding terrain. The team climbed up Motorcycle Hill, worked their way across Squirrel Hill, pushed through Windy Corner at around 13,500 feet, and finished at 14 Camp at 14,200 feet. It’s a long, physically demanding day with heavy loads, and for a ski team hauling skis and ski-specific gear in addition to the standard kit, getting everyone into camp ready to settle in is a real accomplishment.

14 Camp sits at the center of any West Buttress expedition. It’s the staging ground for the upper mountain and the launching point for summit pushes in the days ahead. For the Gillig team, it’s also a major waypoint on the way to attempting a summit ski descent, since every foot of elevation gained is terrain they’ll eventually get to ski back down. From here, the focus shifts to acclimatizing to the new altitude, recovering from the move, and looking ahead to the next phase of the climb.

For now, the June 16th Gillig team is settled in at 14 Camp, getting tents pitched and bodies fed after a big day on the rope. With the move behind them, the upper mountain is now in view, and the ski expedition is rolling right along.

14 Camp

—

Family and friends are encouraged to leave comments for their loved ones on this expedition. Please keep in mind that climbers will not be able to see posts or comments until they return to Talkeetna at the end of the expedition.

Don’t forget that you can subscribe to this expedition’s Field Reports by entering your email address in the form to the right or below if viewing via mobile. That way, you never miss an update!

Interested in more information about conditions and happenings on Denali? Be sure to also check out the Denali National Park’s Denali Dispatches Blog where they post weekly Field Reports.