The May 27 team successfully cached at 10,200′ (3108m). Caching is an expedition style of climbing that allows teams to lighten their packs as well as acclimatize to the altitude. The team choses food, fuel, and gear that they won’t need for a couple days and carries these lighter (lighter than the original 110 pounds of full gear) packs to a higher elevation usually positioned in between the camp they are currently at and the camp they will move to next. Once a team gets to a cache site, they will take turns digging a meter-deep hole into the glacier, where they will stash selected items and burry with a heaping mound of snow on top. Once this is done, the cache will be marked by GPS and a six foot tall wand with the teams identifying name on the wand. (Can you imagine losing your cache in a sea of white? Don’t do that). Burying the cache protects food from clever ravens who love to steal mountaineers snacks.
Caching is also a way for the team to “climb high and sleep low.” This is a great way to help the body to acclimate to higher altitudes, and recover at night at a lower elevation.
A 2021 team leaving Camp 1
We have two recordings and wishing a happy birthday!!
What a great report. It sounds like the team is doing great. Lucy sounds strong and happy. Glad the weather is good. Go team May 27th!!!!