Denali National Park Mt. McKinley Expedition: Wittmier & Team Share Expedition Highlights from 14,000’ Camp
Posted by: Dustin Wittmier, Lacie Smith, Will Ambler
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 14,200'
Thursday, June 13, 2025 8:54pm PDT
Denali dispatch -Don’t let her savagery fool you. This mountain has a mind of her own. Sun turns to snow and calm turns to wind. A cyclical pattern as unpredictable as the market’s response to earnings beat these days. Volatility is the name of the game, and a patience rooted in readiness is a must. When she cooperates never expect ideal but tolerable is enough. Embrace her wind and moodiness, it makes her that much more endearing.
We spent the day eating, resting, and visiting the edge of #4 the world. Let me tell you, it did not disappoint. Here are some more lessons learned for the loved ones back home.
1. If it has a name, it means the mountain wants it to be named. For example, Squirrel hill is “squirley,” that may take a minute to digest. The names mean obstacles, and the obstacles mean hard. Don’t let the inviting nature of the titles fool you. If your guide calls a part of the mountain anything other than the route, you know you’re in for it.
2. Pee bottles, I know to those back home this is a grotesque thought, but up here they are a gift. Embrace your gift. Own your gift. Treasure your gift. As Lacie said, under no circumstances, zero circumstances, does she leave her tent at night to pee. Now I understand her logic.
3. Nighttime and darkness are not symbiotic here in Alaska. Night is light and day is light. Another essential item is the eye mask but really the eye shield. It’s amazing how you can trick your “I need darkness to sleep” body into submission. The titled portions on the route are extra wreck you parts, the foundation of your hard as hell sundae, and the eye mask is the cherry a maraschino cherry on top. Does anyone even like those?
4. Ditch loops are magic. Sprinkled fairy dust when you need to throw off your pack. Punches and cream? Rumple punchskin? Puncharella?
5. Healthy is consuming the most calorie dense food you can. Frozen or thawed, who cares. Eat it and eat a lot of it. #frostingdoesnotfreeze.
6. Blue bags are a triple bag system for a reason. Do not roll. Do not wrap. Twist tie then knot, your pack and guide will thank you. Extra tips required for solving your personal poop problems.
7. A 38-degree tent is warm, sauna like warm. No cold plunges needed on this mountain, just walk outside and you’re set.
8. Foot baths in the cook tent are a no A forever no. A never again no.
9. When the guides say you have an hour before we are walking it feels more like five minutes. If you’re sitting around at any point, you are doing it all wrong. Remember cramming for tests in school? Bring that urgency and maybe you have a chance of being on time if you’re container store organized.
10. Lather on your sunscreen Even on the days you are not sure you’ll ever see the sun again. Bathe in your sunscreen. You can never apply it too often. Pro tip: bring a sunscreen stick for the extra miserable, inopportune moments you must reapply
10.Rest breaks go something like: parka, pee, sit on pack, drink, eat, apply sunscreen, drink again, throw your pack on, repeat. Super restful, obviously. Side note, just because you see another team resting it doesn’t mean you get to “rest” there too. Best not to get your hopes up.
12. Most people don’t realize there is a dry cleaner up here. The life of luxury, truly Your sleeping bag isn’t just your haven of warmth, but it serves as your personal drying machine. You know when you do laundry and you fill the machines to capacity to fit it all in one load? Or when you’re bringing groceries inside and you load up both arms to make one trip? That’s your sleeping bag. Fill her up and let her go to work.
13. Rest step. It’s as essential to your movement efficiency as brushing your teeth is to your smile.
14. Bring a pillowcase. One that smells like home. A little bit of comfort in the uncomfortable.
15. Do not assume relationships. Father, daughter, mother, son, grandparent, grandchild etc. Sure, everything is fine when you get it right. But when you get it wrong, well, someone walks away like a small child without a piece of candy from a candy store. My aunt said she is the butterfly on my pack, or this trip and she nailed it. To all the butterflies on with us, thank you. Your encouragement and belief fuels us in the valleys and celebrates with us on the mountaintops
Thank you for the continued prayers, we can’t wait to make it back home to all of you. Weather permitting, we are on the move again tomorrow, our last big push to embrace all the hard this mountain has left for us. We may have underestimated her beauty, but we never underestimate her boss-ness.
Love,
RMI Climber Caroline and Team
Comments (1)
Hey Dustin! It sounds like you have an Awesome Team with you!!! Sending Well wishes to you and your team for Monster strong legs to climb those beautiful steep grades, Massive big lungs to bring in the cool crisp Alaska air , The BEST Attitudes on the mountain AND Bluebird skies for all of you!!!
Farmer Dave
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