Guide Rene Welty called in from the broad basin camp at 14,200′. The team moved up today in brisk wind, but persevered and is now settled in next to two other Mountain Trip teams.
Today was a tough day, with 3000′ of elevation gain and the steepest climbing that team has encountered thus far. The ascended a long slope immediately above their previous camp that is known as Motorcycle Hill. Above that feature, they climbed a couple more slopes before making the long, rising traverse up to Windy Corner, a steep ridge that drops down from the heights of the West Buttress proper and kind of guards the upper mountain, when the wind is blowing fiercely.
Fortunately, today the wind was present, but not too extreme and the team pushed around Windy Corner and climbed another hour up to the basin.
Here’s Rene!
