Our guide Rene Welty called in from the 11,200′ camp to let us all know that they team made it to the beautiful basin and established themselves for the evening.  She mentioned that it was HOT on the glacier today, which might sound like an oxymoron, eh?  A hot glacier?  It is amazing how warm it can get when the sun is out and there is no breeze.  While the ambient temperature might not read all that high on a thermometer, it can sure feel hot enough to sweat buckets, from all the radiant heat being bounced around from the reflective ice and snow surfaces that abound on the lower glacier.

Everyone is doing well and the team relaxed in the evening, apparently listening to some Cat Stevens.  We’ll have to find out whose playlist they’re running tonight…

Here is Rene!

recording

An overview of the West Buttress route from about 12,500′ to the 17,200′ High Camp.