Lead Guide Sebasitan Grau called in from a beautiful basin at 11,200′ on the West Buttress route, as the team acclimatizes in preparation for their alpine style ascent of the West Rib.

The climbers are fit and excited to be gaining elevation.  Today they climbed up from 7800′ in what Seba describes as a relatively easy day, which speaks volumes about the climbers’ levels of fitness!  It’s a big day to carry their camp and supplies up 2400′.

The camp is in a fairly small basin, ringed by steep snow slopes, black rocky grags and some huge ice cliffs to the south.  The west side opens up to give the climbers views of the heavily glaciated Kahiltna Dome, a 12,411′ peak just south and west of camp, and the river-laced tundra stretching to the western horizon.

Here’s Seba!