Denali National Park Mt. McKinley Expedition: Cifelli and Team Have an Active Rest Day
Posted by: Dominic Cifelli, Ben Luedtke, Mike Bennett
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 14,200'
Thursday, June 19, 2025 9:27pm PDT
Today was, oxymoronically, an “active rest day.” Yesterday, we endured a grueling move of 3,200 feet with half our gear and established a new camp at 14,200 feet, so our bodies needed rest. But as any fitness enthusiast or doctor will tell you, it’s important to move a little even during recovery so your gears don’t get rusty.
We woke up to our first frost at 6:30 a.m. A quick granola bar for breakfast, and by 7:30 a.m., we were on the move. Our first task of the day was a back carry. We took a quick 15-minute jaunt down to our cache site at 13,500 feet, where we had stored half of our gear three days ago. Our dutiful guides dug out our belongings, and then we returned to camp in an hour.
We had a leisurely breakfast of pan-roasted bagels with cream cheese and bacon—a method of warming my Tarrytown bagels I’ll definitely adopt upon my return. After a brief respite, our second task at noon was to refine our campsite. Snow walls were built around our tent structures to protect us from high winds, and the bathroom and kitchen structures were spruced up.
The third activity of the day was a mid-afternoon refresher on how to walk along fixed lines with an ascender. By dinner, many of us were questioning whether we had experienced “active rest” or rather “restful activity.”
This location has me, a psychiatrist, reflecting on the psychological challenges people have spoken of during this trip. Retracing your steps on a back carry day can be a bit of a mind trip. Above us looms the steep hill that the fixed lines run along, rising 2,000 feet to the ridgeline of the West Buttress. It harkens to the long journey ahead.
However, two things keep me inspired and motivated. The first is the story of Barbara Washburn, who was the first woman to summit Denali in 1947. While at Camp 2, I read her memoir The Accidental Adventurer, which recounted her pioneering journeys. I tell myself that if she could accomplish so many feats with initially little experience and training, surely I can dig deep and find that grit too.
The second is remembering my emancipated ancestors on today, Juneteenth. So many people of that time, over the centuries, and even today, take long journeys of hundreds to thousands of miles seeking a better life. My journey on the mountain is pleasure-seeking and limit-pushing, but there are parallels in that the conditions are inhospitable and decisions here have life-or-death implications. Therefore, I am motivated to keep going despite my fatigue, trepidation, and excitement—knowing that my ancestors couldn’t stop, and I’m summoning their strength now.
Onward to more adventure.
Happy Juneteenth.
Adjoa Smalls-Mantey
Comments (6)
Well done Adjoa and team! Keep it up!
Posted by: Abi on
Tarrytown, NY has the best bagels! We are so proud of you for taking this journey. Happy Juneteenth!
Posted by: Lauren Smalls-Mantey on
It would be wonderful to be as strong, courageous, and adventurous as you all! (Well, and young)
I’m loving following along through the daily missives. I’m pretty excited just sitting here on the couch! There appears to be a few budding adventure writers in the group. I’m sure you all are pretty amped up!
Onward and upward!
Mikayla’s mom
Posted by: Michelle DeMers on
Way to Adjoa. We are proud of you. We are happy that you are with such experienced climbers. It is a pleasure to read the daily blogs. It helps to keep us updated about your progress. It also keeps us calm and hopeful. We love you❤️
Posted by: Samuel Mantey, Adjoa’s father on
Y’all are amazing! And definitely doing hard things. So inspiring. Nate & Aspen, I love you! Betsy/Mom
Posted by: Betsy Brunner on
Awesome job you guys! We are proud of you!
Posted by: Earl Brunner on