“Rather cold, rather windy, and rather hot, all in the same breath”.

Audio Recording

We’ve got a short audio update to share from the May 10th West Buttress Denali Expedition: they are the first Mountain Trip team of the season to make it to Camp 3, the hallowed 14,000′ camp!

Congratulations, May 10th Team!

Making it to 14,000′ is a huge milestone for expeditions ascending the West Buttress Route on Denali. It’s where the “walking” ends, and the “climbing” begins. Much of their expedition thus far has been approaching the West Buttress via the Kahiltna Glacier, but now they are positioned directly below the Headwall which leads up to the 16,000′ Ridge and takes climbers to the final camp before the Summit!

Camp 3 is what some folks call “Advanced Basecamp” on Denali because this glacial plateau will transform into a small city of expeditions and climbing groups waiting for their “weather window” to launch an attempt at the summit.

The 14,000′ Camp is situated in a big flat bowl of terrain which allows expedition members to move safely unroped between camps, creating a very social atmosphere as climbers get to wander through camp and strike up conversations with other expedition teams. In this half-a-square-mile stretch of snow, you’re likely to hear dozens of different languages from all over the world. It’s a great time for our international team members to find their compatriots and spend some quality time speaking their native tongue.

It’s also a time for our various teams to come together and strategize for how to approach to remaining part of the climb. Because 14 Camp is a natural “bottle neck” on the West Buttress Route, it’s also where we try to get our guides together for an annual group shot!

Mountain Trip Guides at 14,000 ft Camp on Denali.

Help us congratulate the May 10th Team for making it to Camp 3 by leaving a comment below!