Trip Reports

Rest Day for June 15 Team at High Camp

The June 15 Team is waiting patiently for a break in the weather before attempting the final push to the summit. High winds kept the team in camp today, allowing the climbers a rest before the the final ascent. Team members used their time in camp to build snow walls to protect their tents from…

June 18 Team at High Camp 17,200′

Yesterday the team retraced their steps up the fixed lines and the headwall, climbed the beautiful ridge line above 14 Camp, picked up their cached items at 16,500′, and made the final push to High Camp at 17,200′. It’s an exhausting day and Etienne reports that the team moved well and is feeling good. Great…

Rest Day for the June 22 Team

After over a week of steady work moving up the mountain, it was a day of rest for the June 22 Team. Rest days are an important part of the climbing schedule because it allows climbers to relax, hydrate, eat, and recover from the exertion of carrying a heavy pack day after day. The plan…

June 15th West Buttress Team Is At High Camp

Mountain Trip guide Nick Nason called in on behalf of the June 15th Denali team.  They made the big push up a stunning ridge to arrive at 17,200′ today.  The morning started with another ascent of the fixed lines, clipping in with their ascenders to gain added security on the 40-45 degree slope.  The ridge…

June 22nd Denali Team Caches At 16,400′

Mountain Trip guide Mason Stansfield called in for our June 22nd West Buttress expedition.  The team had a good day of carrying supplies high above Camp 3 this morning.  They will spend tomorrow at the 14,200′ camp as a rest and acclimatization day. The crew departed camp in the shade of Denali (it never gets…

Final dispatch from the June 11 team

Lead guide Kristin Arnold called in a final update for the June 11 team, who are back in Anchorage after their expedition up the West Buttress! They are likely enjoying being back in civilization, complete with warm showers, fresh produce, greenery and iced beverages. The team descended from 14-camp all the way to Denali base…