Mt. McKinley Expediton: Champion and Team Wait out Weather at the Base of Ski Hill
Posted by: Nikki Champion, Leif Bergstrom, Hannah Blum
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 9,800'
Tuesday, June 3, 2025 8:44pm PDT
If we thought yesterday was weathery, today topped it. After we went to bed last night, we were lulled to sleep by the sound of blowing winds and drifting snow — a soundtrack that carried on through the morning and well into the day.
We had a slow roll into the morning, enjoying eggs and hashbrowns before spending some time shoveling and fixing up the bathroom tent. The rest of the day followed a familiar rhythm: a bit of sport eating, followed by rounds of napping.
Around 5 PM, some familiar faces rolled through camp — another RMI team guided by Seth, Jackson, and Ray. We welcomed them into our cook tent for some hot water and shelter while they thawed out. Once everyone was warmed up, we whipped up a big batch of mac and cheese with bacon bits, then tucked in for the night.
We’re prepping our gear and feeling optimistic about making the move to 11,000 feet tomorrow.
— RMI Guide Nikki Champion & Team
Comments (2)
Lots of folks tracking your progress here. No doubt you’re all anxious and chomping at the bit to climb. We’re all wishing you clear skies and God’s speed in the days ahead.
The meals sound great… if you don’t get moving soon you may get too fat to climb!
Posted by: Larry Lytle on
Hoping you all get better weather the rest of the trip! So proud of James and the team! Thank you for the updates! Sending love from Colorado!
“Good luck, Daddy!” - Olivia
“Watch out for Polar Bears!” - Henry
Posted by: Kayleen Senado on