CAMP 4

After a day of rest, it's time to carry the first load to the top of the headwall. The upper 150 m of the wall is quite steep and protected by fixed ropes. The weather is excellent and soon we leave Camp 3 behind. The Kahiltna Glacier, framed by Mount Hunter on the left and Foraker on the right, stretches all the way to the distant horizon.

Costas rests before climbing the fixed ropes while watching the rapidly deteriorating weather.

We cache our loads at the top of the headwall ( 4,940m/16,200ft) and spend a few minutes admiring the scenery. Behind me, the snowy ridge of the West Buttress continues towards Foraker in the distance. To the left is the Kahiltna Glacier.

The next day we are ready to move to Camp 4. We reach the top of the headwall and continue up along the ridge.

This is by far the most enjoyable part of the climb as long as the weather is nice. The ridge drops 1,000 m to Camp 3 and 2,000 m to the Peter Glacier. In some places it is a delicate balancing act on an edge not much wider than a couple of feet. In other places, the ridge widens out so we can comfortably traverse on the north side.

Behind us the West Buttress ridge slowly recedes into the clouds.

Finally we reach the site of Camp 4 at 5,243 m (17,200ft). The Denali Pass at 5,548 m (18,200ft) is right in front of us. If the weather holds, we will try for the summit in the next two to three days.