The June 21 Team called in to let us all know that they have successfully climbed from Denali base camp 7,200 ft (2194 m) to Camp 1 7,800 ft (2377 m). From the Southeast Fork of the Kahiltna Glacier, the crew departed base camp, dropped down the infamous Heartbreak Hill, and onto the glacier itself. This is a moderately tough day of about 5 miles and is a good warm-up for the upcoming days.
Throughout the expedition, climb teams will typically follow the “climb high, sleep low” technique for better acclimatization; however, the altitude difference between Base Camp and Camp 1 is minimal enough to permit us to generally “single-carry” this stretch. On the late May and June expeditions, we may climb early in the morning to avoid excessive heat and soft snow conditions on the lower glacier.
While the recording is a little choppy we’re grateful to hear from this team and to know that all is well. Check back soon for their next update!
Good luck! We’re following you and thinking about you as you head up the mountain!