AMS Denali, West Buttress: 6/24: Hoeshen and 6/25: Gowler

AMS lead guide Rob Gowler just phoned in from the 14,200' camp.  His June 25th team and the June 24th AMS team led by Josh Hoeshen descended from high camp today in a evening window of clear skies  and decreased winds.  They have been campng out in a snow and wind storm up high and decided that a summit attempt is not in the cards this year.

They expect to travel through some deep snow tomorrow as they climb down the mountain, so that will take a while as they will have to "break" trail though the new snow.  They did do a fair bit of that travel on their way up the mountain too, so they know to move in such conditions.

We expect to see them on Sunday if weather and climbing conditions permit.

We are glad that they are back at 14,200' safe and sound and we look forward to hearing their stories!

17,200' high camp, I'll bet, looked similar to this photo today.

16,000' ridge that they climbed down this evening, it's my favorite part of the climb! Very beautiful.

Climber at the base of the fixed lines on the headwall, they descending the fixed lines today.

Past photograph of  the 14,200' camp, where they are now.