Mt. McKinley Expedition: Cifelli and Team’s Time to Move
Posted by: Dominic Cifelli, Ben Luedtke, Mike Bennett
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 14,200'
Friday, June 27, 2025 8:21pm PDT
Blog Denali – Day 19
Bonjour à tous!
Today marks day 19 since we all met in Anchorage, and day 17 on the mountain. Since the first week went so well, many of us believed we’d be off this frozen rock after 15 days... However, Mother Nature had different plans for us. I now understand why Denali has such a tough reputation: the freaking weather!
Today is our 10th day at 14k camp, and the 6th day of weather delay. We’ve endured two snowstorms, and the last one—lasting almost 36 hours—brought 40 cm of fresh snow. Although the weather is finally on our side today, we still can’t move due to avalanche hazards.
Over the past week, no one has summited, and the few teams that made it to high camp were stuck in even worse conditions than we’ve experienced. I’m grateful to our responsible and professional guides for making the decision to stay put.
On a more personal note, this has been one of the hardest weeks of my amateur climbing career. I’ve never waited this long in full winter camping mode, with almost nothing to do. Mornings are cold, and many toes in the team are freezing. On top of that, I feel weaker every day at this altitude. I’ve lost weight and am probably missing plenty of essential nutrients like vitamins and soluble fiber. (Also, the fact that I ran out of food and entertainment played a big role—LOL.)
On the bright side, my amazing team is kindly helping me survive—special thanks to Andrew for the Kindle, Tait for two bags of beef jerky, and Mikaila for letting me use her InReach. I’ve also gained valuable experience for future adventures. I’ve learned about clothing layers (my thin ones suck), baby Nalgene bottles, Leuko tape, pressure breathing, how much toilet paper to bring, glacier travel, gnarly supplements, and more.
Overall, it’s amazing that all 9 team members (and 3 guides) are still here, holding onto hope of reaching the summit. We’re also lucky, in a way, to have a weather window this weekend for a summit attempt. Many teams haven’t even gotten that chance this year.
À ma famille et mes amis, j’ai hâte de vous revoir! J’espère que vous passez un beau mois de juin, plus chaud qu’ici! Même si je manque une partie de l’été montréalais, je profite énormément du plein air, et les paysages glaciaires sont à couper le souffle. J’ai hâte de vous montrer les photos! Évidemment, je suis très stressé pour les deux prochains jours... Envoyez-moi des ondes relaxantes, haha!
Étienne XOX
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Comments (3)
Praying the weather and Denali smile on the team and your patience and tenacity are safely, well-rewarded.
You’ve all already proven you’re amazing and can do some very hard things!
Hey Mikayla, I love you!
Your mom
Posted by: Michelle DeMers on
Sending positive weather vibes from where I am, and I’ll gladly exchange that heat wave here for even a smidge of snow. You guys are beasts and inspirations. Be safe. Hope y’all send it soon.
Posted by: Matt Reiland on
Salut Etienne, je pense beaucoup à toi et t’envoie plein d’énergie positive pour garder le moral. C’est rare d’avoir du temps pour voir passer le temps! Tu as une équipe formidable. Je prie fort pour que votre groupe puisse poursuivre sa montée. Bon courage à tous. Denise
Posted by: Denise on