Yesterday, the team had their first cache day of the expedition — a cornerstone of expedition-style climbing on Denali. Unlike alpine-style climbing, where teams carry everything they need in a single push, expedition-style climbing involves making multiple trips between camps to gradually move supplies higher up the mountain. This approach follows the time-tested mountaineering principle of “climb high, sleep low,” which significantly aids in altitude acclimatization. By ascending with a load, dropping it off, and then descending to sleep at a lower elevation, climbers give their bodies a chance to adapt to the thinner air without the added stress of spending the night at altitude. Over the course of the expedition, this rhythm builds the red blood cell count and physiological resilience needed to safely push toward the summit.

For yesterday’s cache, the team selected items they wouldn’t need for the next few days — things like snacks, meals, fuel, and extra gear — and packed them into their sleds and backpacks. They then carried these loads most of the way to Camp 2, stopping at 9,300′ to bury their supplies. Caching is more involved than simply leaving a pile of gear behind. The team digs a deep hole in the glacier, often three to four feet down, and carefully arranges their supplies before packing the snow back on top. The cache is then marked with bamboo wands flagged with bright colored tape and logged as a waypoint on the team’s GPS, ensuring they can locate it again even if a storm rolls in and reshapes the surrounding terrain.

After caching their loads, the team enjoyed a quick descent back to camp. Light packs and downhill travel making for a much easier return trip than the haul up. They’ll retrieve the cache the day after they move up to Camp 2, completing the back-and-forth pattern that defines expedition-style climbing. With the cache placed and the route ahead becoming familiar, the team should be moving up to Camp 2 today!

Stay tuned for more to come from the May 9th team!

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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.