McKinley Expedition: Champion & Team Retrieve Gear, Glad to be reunited with snacks
Posted by: Nikki Champion, Nick Sinapius, Rosie Hust
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Alaska Mt. McKinley
Elevation: 11,000'
Wednesday, May 20, 2026 - 9:28 pm PT
Tonight’s dispatch starts with a Haiku from Oliver:
Trango home on snow
Vented, sturdy and solid
Palace of solace
Today we woke up to a low cloud, light snow and calm winds. It was our chance to go back and grab our cache. As we let the morning slow roll, we enjoyed the the second smoked salmon meal of the trip and then geared up with empty packs and sleds and started back downhill to be reunited with our snacks and group meals we have been missing. After a quick 30 minutes of down we were digging.
We then loaded everything up, and headed back up hill for a short hour. As we finally made it back into camp, weather mellowed out and we enjoyed a solid afternoon of building a kitchen, good burritos, and snapping a quick team photo.
Weather might be a bit tough tomorrow, but when things allow we will gear up to carry to 13,500'
RMI Guide Nikki Champion
Comments (2)
Team you are magnificent. Pushing your way skywards, onwards and upwards. Heatwave in our little country presently- surviving!!! Special love and hugs to Oliver- you are a great trooper. Thinking of you. Best wishes to all the team.
Posted by: Olive & John Blackwell on
Thank you for posting this photo! It is so wonderful to see smiling faces. Sending all the best good-weather vibes and wishes to the team. Love you Bruce!
Posted by: Emily Chaplin on