Team Early Birds is en route to Alaska!

Our first expedition of the 2006 season is converging on Alaska today. Tomorrow they will have a team meeting and gear check. Saturday they will drive to Talkeetna and hopefully fly to the Southeast Fork of the Kahiltna Glacier!

You can follow their progress at:

Best of luck to all the team!

The 2006 Denali Season Is Approaching!

We are three weeks away from the start of our 2006 Denali climbing season and it is looking to be a busy one! Most of our expeditions are full and we are excited to get under way.

We will change our expedition update format for this season. Please stay tuned for information about how to access each expedition's updates.

CARSTENSZ PYRAMID EXPEDITION!!!

This isn't really about Alaska, but it is exciting. Mountain Trip just secured permits to climb Carstensz Pyramid in Indonesia. This exotic mountain has been closed for the last three years, but hard work by a friend over there has succeeded in finding a safe, legal way to approach the mountain.

This window of opportunity may shut down before too long, so if you're interested in climbing this one of the true 7 Summits, contact us ASAP.

Banco De Chile "Dream Team" reaches the summit of North America!!

Ryan Campbell just called in via the satellite phone to let us know that the Banco de Chile 2005 Mt. McKinley Expedition reached the summit of Denali this afternoon! The team was the first expedition to the top today and encountered difficult snow conditions and variable weather. At times they were forced to break trail through knee deep snow and shortly after reaching the summit, the weather turned and they had to descend through wind and clouds.

Ryan reports that the entire team made it to the highest point in North America in good style. They are now enjoying a well-deserved rest before tomorrow's strenuous descent back to 14,200 foot camp and then back to Basecamp at 7,200 feet.

Felicitaciones a todos los escaladores Chilenos! Ustedes trabajaban muy duro para hacer este cumbre, y les felecito!

June 24th team made the summit yesterday!!!!

Sorry for not reporting on this small team, but I haven't heard anything from them until now.

Lead guide Dave Staeheli along with Tom Lehane and Rob Griffin, summited yesterday. They flew to the glacier on June 25th and must have made great time to have summitted by now. The lads sure looked fit in Anchorage.

This was Dave's second trip to the summit this season. He led a group of seven climbers to the top in early May. Two additional members of that group, IFMGA guide Clint Cook and Alaskan veteren Stuart Hutchison, took a left at Denali Pass and went up to the seldom visited North summit.

Banco De Chile Dream Team is poised at High Camp!

My apologies; I had a bit of mis-information earlier. I got a call from lead guide Ryan Campbell earlier today and he said that the Chilean team is taking an acclimatization day at high camp (17,200 feet) today and will try to summit tomorrow!

Apperently, they moved up to High Camp yesterday and are resting and preparing for the Big Day. Ryan said that the group made good time moving up from 14,200 feet and that they all look good-to-go! The weather today was a bit nasty and tomorrow might be more of the same.

Summit day on Denali is serious business and the team will need a pretty good day in order to safely make an attempt at the top. Fortunately, they made great time moving from Basecamp to High Camp and so have plenty of food and fuel to wait out any bad weather.

We'll keep our fingers crossed down here! Good luck to all of you up high. It is not a very comfortable place up there and we wish you all the best.

Chilean Dream Team Makes a Carry to 16,400 feet

We heard from Ryan yesterday an he reports that the "Chilean Dream Team" (thanks Sabrina, for the new name!) has made their carry of supplies up the steep fixed lines and on to the rocky ridge at 16,400 feet. This part of the route has the steepest climbing and climbers employ the use of fixed lines to more safely ascend it.

Ryan said that the team is living up to its new moniker and that spirits are high. The weather has been a bit of a mixed bag and there is a chance for snow today and tomorrow at higher elevations. Hopefully, there won't be enough new snow to impede the Dream Team's upward progress.

You can follow the weather on Denali at this website: http://pafg.arh.noaa.gov/wmofcst.php?wmo=SXAK49PAFG&type=public

Clark's team reaches the summit!!!!

Last night I received a call from Rob Durnell, one of the guides on the June 17th expedition. He called to say that the entire group was on the top of North America!

Everyone did really well and they team was lucky with the weather. Rob said that everyone felt great and that they will descend to Camp 3 at 14,200 feet today. They may spend a night at Camp 3 before heading down to Basecamp on Monday.

Congratulations to all of you!!!

Banco de Chile Expedition is at 14,300 feet.

I just heard from Ryan Campbell and from Kiko Guzman. The team moved to the Medical Camp at 14,200 feet today. Both reported that everyone is doing well and that the team is strong and motivated.

If the weather holds they will back-carry tommorrow (see previous posts, if this doesn't make sense...) and will carry a load up the ridge on Sunday.

Clark's Team moves to High Camp!

We heard from Ryan a few minutes ago and he reported that Clark's group has made the move to high camp. The weather looks good at 14,200 feet and if it holds, Clark will head to the summit in the next couple of days.

I've tried to pass messages along to the crew as they are posted on the blog. Hopefully, we'll hear from Clark tomorrow and can pass along good thoughts and best wishes. Good luck to everyone up there at high camp!!!