The June 6th team kept the momentum going today, single-carrying all the way up to 10,000 feet near the Kahiltna Pass cache site and setting up camp there for the night. After their strong push to Camp 1 yesterday, this is another solid day of gaining ground up the lower mountain.

Single carrying means the team moved all their supplies in one trip rather than caching part of the load partway up and back-carrying it later. It’s a more efficient approach when conditions are good and the team is feeling strong, and it lets the team make quick, decisive progress up the route. By choosing to single carry up to 10K today, the team has effectively combined what is sometimes a two-day process into one, putting themselves in a great position to keep moving up the mountain.

The plan from here is to make the move to Camp 2 tomorrow as an active rest day. An active rest day means the team is still on the move, but at a more relaxed pace than a full push or cache day. Moving to Camp 2 the day after a big single-carry day gives climbers a chance to keep working on acclimatization, stay on schedule, and reach the next camp without the strain of a heavy effort. It’s a smart approach when conditions allow and a sign of the kind of decisive, efficient climbing the team is doing.

For now, the June 6th team is settled in at 10K, getting rest and getting ready for tomorrow’s move. With two strong days behind them and good momentum building, the team is off to an excellent start on their Denali expedition.

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