The May 16th team made it up to high camp today! After all the work it took to get here, reaching high camp at 17,200 feet is a huge milestone and a major step toward a summit attempt.

The fixed lines were a bit slower than usual today, with the team taking around three hours to make their way up. A lot of that came down to traffic on the route, with multiple parties moving on the lines at the same time. Traffic jams on the fixed lines are part of life on Denali this time of year, as the climbing season is in full swing and teams from all over the world are working through the same key sections of the route. The team handled the slower pace well, stayed patient, and kept moving steadily when the line ahead opened up.

Once past the fixed lines, the rest of the ridge climb went smoothly. The ridge above the fixed lines is one of the more iconic sections of the West Buttress, a long, exposed stretch of climbing with steep terrain and big views in every direction. Working through it on a good day and rolling into high camp at 17,200 feet ready for the next phase is a real accomplishment.

By all reports, the team is stoked to be in position for a summit attempt. That kind of energy at high camp is exactly what you want heading into the biggest day of the expedition. From here, the team will rest, hydrate, and watch the weather for the right window to make their push.

For now, the May 16th team is at high camp, settled in and ready for what comes next. The summit is in view, and we’re feeling great about how the team is set up heading into the final stretch.

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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.