Bill Dwyer called in to remind us all that weather forecasts on Denali are about as reliable as my old, 1970 VW Microbus. That is to say… NOT!
The forecast called for a beautiful day today, but with dawn came reality, in the form of winds and drifting snow. The team is hunkered down and entrenched at their camp at 17,200′ (5245m), waiting for the wind to abate, so they can make a shot for the summit.
When they get a chance, they will climb out of camp and onto a steep rising traverse called the Autobahn, which leads up to a prominent mountain pass called Denali Pass, separating the north and south summits of the peak. Let’s hope for better weather!
This shows the route from just outside High Camp to the summit. The dotted line is where the route zig-zags past "Zebra Rocks" and across a stretch known as the "Speed Bumps," before arriving at the broad plateau named the "Football Field."
