outdooraddict Posted January 10, 2023 Posted January 10, 2023 (edited) Denali via the West Buttress, May 14-June 2, 2021 (just now got around to making the TR video). Team 3:1 Advantage (3 person team originally, then 2 person). This was my husband's (Marlin Thorman) and my 50th state highpoint we accomplished together. Itinerary: May 14 - Flew onto Kahiltna Glacier. Trekked from the airstrip to 7800' camp. Starting weight was about 140lb food and fuel per person (prepared for 28 days). May 15 - 7800’ camp to 9900’ camp May 16 - 9900’ Camp to 11k camp May 17 - Rest day in 11k camp May 18 - Cache to 13,500’ May 19 - Rest/weather day May 20 - My husband trekked our 3rd teammate out to the airstrip and back by himself. (Teammate bailed due to inability to tolerate altitude and exertion with having had covid recently.) May 21 - Move from 11k camp to 14k camp (windy/snowy day, but worse weather approaching) May 22 - Establishing camp at 14k May 23 - Camp reinforcement & repair day due to broken tent pole from high winds overnight May 24 - Retrieve cache from 13,500’ and Edge of the World excursion May 25 - Cache to 16,800’ May 26 - Reconstructing the melting camp walls day, dug an underground bathroom May 27 - Weather day (lots of shoveling snow) May 28 - Rest day May 29 - Weather day (snowing & super windy again) May 30 - Move from 14k’ camp to 17k’ camp May 31 - Summit day, pack up 17k’ camp, back to 14k’ camp (bad weather approaching) June 1 - 14k’ camp to 7800’ camp. Tried to push to the airstrip but poor visibility and no broken trail on lower mountain made going slow and precarious with unknown crevasse locations. June 2 - 7800’ camp to airstrip and flew out to Talkeetna. Beautiful day! Trip report video: Detailed video of our snow castle camp at 14k'...... Edited January 10, 2023 by outdooraddict 2 1 Quote
bellows Posted January 11, 2023 Posted January 11, 2023 Whoever rolled into 14 camp on June 1st and got your abandoned castle must have been super excited, that thing was amazing! 1 Quote
wdietsch Posted January 13, 2023 Posted January 13, 2023 Curious ... how long did it take to construct Castle Washburn? Quote
olyclimber Posted January 14, 2023 Posted January 14, 2023 That is the coolest snow fort I have ever seen. 1 Quote
outdooraddict Posted January 14, 2023 Author Posted January 14, 2023 @wdietsch It took us 3 working days with 3 people (approximately 70 human hours). Quote
aikidjoe Posted January 21, 2023 Posted January 21, 2023 That is impressive! Thanks for sharing. 1 Quote
Lostbolt Posted January 23, 2023 Posted January 23, 2023 Looks like it was worth it even with the weather. Great videos 1 Quote
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