The May 26th team had a split day on the mountain today, with the team taking two different paths down on the glacier. While most of the crew continued working their way up the route, one of the team’s clients made the decision to head back to Basecamp and is now safely off the glacier, headed home from Talkeetna. Decisions like this are personal and reflect the kind of honest assessment that responsible climbing on Denali always asks for. We’re glad the climber is safely back in town and wish them well.

The rest of the team kept moving and made some real progress today. They linked up with a couple of other guided teams on the route and made the push all the way to Camp 2, settling in at 11,200 feet this afternoon. Moving in coordination with other guided teams is a great approach on Denali. Familiar faces, experienced guides working together, and shared communication on the route all add to the day and to the overall margin of safety.

To round out the day, the team is enjoying a Denali classic this evening: Denali Ice Cream! For anyone unfamiliar, Denali Ice Cream is the unofficial dessert of the mountain, made by mixing fresh snow with sweetened condensed milk and whatever extras the camp kitchen happens to have on hand. It’s a fun, longstanding camp tradition, and a great way to celebrate a hard day’s work on the glacier. Little moments like this go a long way toward keeping spirits up and bonding the team together.

For now, the May 26th team is settled in at Camp 2 with another productive day behind them. We’re proud of how the team has handled today, and we’re excited to see them continue working their way up the mountain.

Mountain Trip teams at Camp 2

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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.