Mountain Trip climber Jaahnavi called in with an update on the June 22 Denali West Buttress expedition, who have spent their past several days at Denali Base Camp practicing mountaineering skills.

The team lowered Jaahnavi into a crevasse, that they previously determined was safe, and she practiced ascending out, to give her an idea of how much work vertical ascension demands with a heavy pack.

The team then lowered guide Fischer Hazen, and practiced appropriate crevasse rescue technique. As the team will be crossing the lower glacier late in the season, they will likely encounter less than ideal conditions on the glacier.

Jaahnavi’s father, Dr. Krishna, will fly out back to Talkeetna this evening. The rest of the team will continue up to Camp 1 at 7,800′, weather permitting, and begin their journey up the West Buttress Route.

Here’s Jaahnavi!