Denali West Buttress - 4/27, Corn

AMS guide, Dan Corn, called in last night.  They rolled into 11K camp yesterday.  His entire group is doing well and everyone is having a good time.  Today, they are taking a rest day and doing some crampon technique practice in and around camp to prepare themselves for tomorrow when they are planning to make a carry around Windy Corner to cache all the the food, fuel and other items that they won't need until they are higher on the mountain.

From 11k onward (until they arrive back at 11K on the return) they will be traveling with crampons on. Snowshoes are no longer needed and will be left in their cache at 11K.  The carry to 13.5K, around the corner, will be their most challenging day yet.  It has super cool views and really feels like you are getting closer to the upper part of the mountain.  As soon as they turn the corner they will have up close views of the whole upper part of Denali.  

Dan said they have been enjoying being the first group on the mountain.  He also said that the trail breaking has not been that bad at all.  The glacier is in really good condition for traveling.  Dan likened the temperatures to late May.  He said he hadn't even put his puffy pants on yet.  Often times on these early season expeditions the teams start a little later in the morning to utilize the warmer temps, so far they have been leaving camp around 8 AM so that they can travel in the shade.

Here is a photo of 11K camp with Motorcycle hill in the background.