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Crew: Mike (Bean), Marc (XC Snowboarder), Matt (pioletski)
West Buttress route of Denali; summited on 6/3/2014
At this time last year, folks were asking me what I was going to do after finishing the 14er tour. I talked of taking my kids backpacking in July; I was entertaining vague thoughts of some interesting 13ers, maybe Rainier, maybe the Grand Teton. Marc had one peak to go on his 14er list, which he has now finished. I thought that maybe, eventually, I would consider Denali, but felt that I had some work to do first.
So an email arrives from Bean in November that throws all those well-ordered thoughts for a loop. Denali this spring! As with the 14er project, it had to start with some serious shopping... Now I can say that it is the most beautiful place I have ever been, and it was the most brutally difficult task I have done. I won't try to put too many words into this TR, but instead invite you to enjoy our photos.
The trip begins and ends sorting gear at the Talkeetna Air Taxi bunkhouse
View of Denali from Talkeetna
Breakfast at the Roadhouse
Surf's always up in Talkeetna
All aboard for Kahiltna. L to R: Matt, Mike, Marc
Quite the scenic flight
Rigging sleds at Kahiltna Base
Met up with Jordan, whom you may remember as Jcwhite on this forum, here to ski the 3 biggest peaks in the Alaska Range
As Jordan puts it, "let the sweat-fest begin!"
Traversing Kahiltna Glacier
First night: Ski Hill Camp, 7800'
Things are cozy in the tent
Third night: 11,000 camp. Note the conga line on Motorcycle Hill
Sorting gear and food at 11,000 camp
And we're off: Motorcycle Hill
Squirrel Hill
Windy Corner
Approaching 14,200 camp
Once at 14 camp, we dug in and built ourselves a castle
Our cozy mess tent
Enjoying the calm before the snowstorm. The funnel-shaped couloir at top center is the Messner.
Gearing up for a training climb
Mt Hunter afloat on the ether
Large, slow-moving guided groups... the bane of the West Buttress route.
Marc ascending the fixed belay lines above 14 camp
Mike at Washburn's Thumb on an acclimatization day
Summit day! Hunter and 14 Camp seen from about 16,000 feet.
Beautiful day on the West Buttress
Marc and Mike on the Phantom Headwall
The "Ski the Big 3" crew catches up at 18,500 feet
Matt at the summit
Marc and his teddy bear atop Denali
Bean at the high point of the continent
View from the top of North America
Descending: Pig Hill
Back to crampons to descend the West Buttress
Sunset from 16,500 feet... the sun will rise again in 2 hours.
Homeward bound at Windy Corner
Back at Kahiltna Base with the Big 3 team. Note the snowflakes, which would pin us down here for 36 hours before we could fly
Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):
Great photo essay Matt - thanks for sharing all the pics and memories. This seems like a pretty awesome follow up to the 14ers project if you ask me. Well done and congrats to all, guys.
Congrats to you all! Super fun to watch the updates on Lauren's Facebook page. Many folks, including me, were cheering you on from afar - watching your progress and hoping for a safe and summit-ful adventure!
looks like fun. The ”castle” photo is great! Congratulations on the successful summit and ski. Moar ski photos, please! :)
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