Entries from Mt. McKinley

Sunday June 29, 2025 - 10:49 pm PT

It was the ultimate luxury to lie in until the sun came around this morning. We ate our last bagel breakfast and lounged about in the sunshine. We rested, but we also schemed and plotted our ascent for the next few days, and that scheming got tougher as the day progressed. We became aware that the teams at 17K had turned around from their summit bids after finding avalanche conditions on the "autobahn". Of course we will need some improvement in that condition by the time we reach the same terrain, so the team will have the challenge of trying to remain optimistic and positive while acknowledging that a problem lies ahead. We said goodbye to Dom's RMI team as they descended through 14 camp, we ate our dinner and we prepared to climb. 

- RMI Guide Dave Hahn

Friday, June 27, 2025 10:38 pm PDT

Dispatch 14.2 – Storm Day 2

As forecasted, today was a better day. It was sunny and calm… and we didn’t go climbing. The guide team felt that the recent snowfall needed at least one good sunny day to settle and reduce the avalanche hazard. As it turned out, all other teams on the mountain came to a similar conclusion—no teams moved today.

We ended up making pretty good use of the day, though. We roped up and took a field trip to the Edge of the World! Since we are camped in the middle of a large glacial basin, it’s easy to forget just how high we’ve already climbed. A short walk to the edge is a quick reminder. It was thrilling today to climb a rock at the edge and look down a few thousand feet to the Kahiltna Glacier—where we camped a while back.

Back at camp, Calvin gave a well-received instructional session on avalanche beacons, and Sam put all his culinary skill into boiling water for our freeze-dried dinner.

We hope to carry up onto the Buttress tomorrow.

– RMI Guide Dave Hahn & Team

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

It snowed continuously through the night and all day. Finally, at six in the evening, it stopped, and we could see a bit more than a hundred feet in any direction. There was never a possibility of climbing today, so we made the best of a storm/rest day by enjoying a slow, leisurely breakfast in our dining tent. Afterward, we dug out the camp, took naps, and read books.

We managed to squeeze in a little training for the “fixed ropes” we hope to climb next. We practiced as the last snow fell and the clouds began to clear. That put us in a good position to witness the event of the day—a big avalanche roaring out of the Messner Couloir on the South Peak. We knew we weren’t in any danger from that particular couloir, but it was still sobering to be engulfed by the powder cloud thrown up by the slide. We’d heard several avalanches over the past 24 hours, but it was thrilling to actually watch one.

As we ate dinner, the clouds continued to melt away, and it was wonderful to be in actual sunshine again. Many of us found it hard to take our eyes off the mountain and all the fresh scars from sliding snow. We hope to climb the West Buttress in the morning, but that will depend on whether the new snow has had enough time to settle.

— RMI Guide Dave Hahn & Team

EAT.

SNOW.

LAY.

Today, is another rest DAY.

But, tomorrow we will PLAY.

RMI Climber Andrew

Sunday, June 22, 2025 - 9:30 pm PT

Forecasts weren’t great for today, but when we looked out in the morning, the actual weather wasn’t bad. We packed up and got our spikes on by 8:20AM to begin working up Motorcycle Hill. It was great to be climbing in crampons and using an ice axe again. We took our first rest break in the middle of Squirrel Hill and our second in the Polo Field just under the end of the West Buttress. It was a little breezy, but since temps weren’t very cold it wasn’t at all uncomfortable.

Most of our day was spent in brilliant sunshine with blue sky, while clouds filled in below us. Windy Corner wasn’t particularly windy, and the travel conditions were good, so we made it to our cache target of 13,500 feet in four hours. We did a bit of hard digging to keep our things safe from ravens.  After one last look at the great South Peak of Mt. McKinley (our destination) we dropped back around the corner and had an easy climb down to Camp at 11k. The final 30 minutes was in a mild whiteout as we descended into the clouds. 

The round trip was a pretty respectable 6 hours and got us back in plenty of time for a restful afternoon while it snowed lightly on our tents. Fingers crossed for moving weather tomorrow as we would like to get to 14k camp.  

- RMI Guide Dave Hahn

Sunday, June 23, 2025 - 8:15 pm PT

Another rest day. Right now we are in waiting mode, as the winds have picked up at the summit and we await a break in the weather for our summit push. Luckily, there are few waiting rooms more majestic than 14 camp.  

Breakfast is a leisurely affair of breakfast burritos - democratically voted as the best breakfast yet. Then, it’s time for a Hot Girl Walk up and down 14’s Main Street. The fashion is a bit different though - in lieu of Alo yoga matched sets are brightly colored sun hoodies, face shields, and triple boots - but never just down booties. We have standards. 

Post fashion walk, it’s time for stretching, hydrating, and a carnival classic: knocking over the cook pot with a snowball. It becomes readily apparent we won’t be forming a McKinley softball league anytime soon. 

Next up on the agenda is home improvement. Tents must be moved and foundations leveled with caddy-like precision. Hot tip for the golfers out there - get yourself a McKinley climber - we are happy to carry heavy bags over hilly terrain, can read the slope on any surface, and are likely broke from funding this hobby. 

Since the NPS won’t share the wi-fi password, the rest of the day is a mix of hydrating, reading, card playing, napping, snacking, and reapplying sunscreen. At 7pm the NPS weather report and daily trivia will crackle over the radio - unintelligibly, despite our direct line of sight to their tents. 

Post dinner, it’s time for another stroll up and down Main Street, though it’s giving more Fart Walk than Hot Girl Walk at this point. I’ve heard Fart Walks are the new summer wellness fad, so at least we’re trending. 

To everyone at home reading this blog, leaving comments, sending messages to our Garmins - you have no idea how much your love and support means everything to us. Thank you. 

- Sophia Bishop

Friday, June 20, 2025 9:59pm PDT

Happy Solstice from 11,000 ft

Today was our longest climbing day of the trip so far. We were up just after 2 a.m., in the shadows of the Kahiltna Glacier. Climbing began at 4:20 a.m. on the now-familiar Ski Hill. It was a cool morning, and the walking was easier thanks to a hard overnight freeze.

The hill steepened as we gained elevation, offering a striking view of the pyramidal granite of the West Buttress towering ahead. The team remained in shadow—a welcome relief—when we paused near our 10,000 ft cache from yesterday.

Leaving the main glacier, we stepped into the sun as we entered the basin below 11 Camp. We made it into camp in just under six hours, then spent a couple more building a secure and comfortable site.

There are a few clouds drifting about, but we expect the sun to stay with us well into the Alaskan night.

RMI Guide Dave Hahn & Team

Friday, June 20, 2025 10:02pm PDT

You must go up to go down, and go down to go up.

The team started the day with a simple yet efficient breakfast of cereal and coffee before donning their crampons, roping up, and beginning their walk out of camp at roughly 8:30 a.m.

The climb out of 14 Camp quickly gains elevation, built up by rolling slopes that offer brief stretches of reprieve before reaching the base of the fixed lines. A steep and icy headwall, the fixed lines provide both access to the upper mountain and a formidable challenge to anyone seeking passage. Installed each season by climbing rangers and maintained by guides, the fixed lines serve as a two-lane highway to Denali’s flank—the West Buttress.

The team made great progress, gaining elevation quickly as they found a rhythm in the often awkward and unfamiliar technique of fixed-line travel. After nearly 1,000 feet of “jugging” up various rope sections, the team broke through to the ridge, rounded a corner, and found shelter at the base of the Buttress—the high point for the day. Sheltered by rocky outcroppings, the team took a well-earned break while the guides collected gear to be left behind and dug out a cache.

Once the gear was stashed, the team turned and began the quite different, yet equally challenging, descent down the lines. Using arm wraps and steady footwork, they made their way down in a timely and stylish fashion.

Good snacks, a cozy tent, and the promise of a rest day awaited them upon return to 14 Camp.

RMI Guide Michael Bennet & Team

Thursday, June 19, 2025 9:36pm PDT

We were up and at ’em at 3 a.m., trying to beat the heat. This had us moving up the glacier from our 8,000 ft camp by 5 a.m. First up was Ski Hill—a steeper and longer incline than anything we’ve tackled so far. It was tough, but conditions were excellent after a solid overnight freeze.

It took about four hours to reach our goal: the head of the Kahiltna Glacier at 10,000 feet. There, we dug a deep, raven-proof hole in the snow and cached food and fuel.

The descent was pleasant, with lighter loads and easy walking. The team rolled back into camp at 11:30 a.m. and sheltered in the tents to escape the afternoon sun.

Tomorrow, we’ll move past the cache and camp at 11,000 feet.

RMI Guide Sam Hoffman & Team