May 27, 2025 IMG Denali teams 1 and 2 are still only one day apart! Team 1 are headed to 14,000 camp for the night. After caching supplies yesterday, they’re acclimated and have had a chance to store some of their supplies higher up the mountain. Team 2 spent today caching their own supplies! Ideally, […]
May 25th, 2025 Both IMG Denali teams are currently camped and operating out of the 11,000′ camp. Team 1 made a carry up Motorcycle Hill and around the famous Windy Corner today to supply their next cache, located at 13,500′.Team 2 reached the 11,000′ camp yesterday and are currently back-carrying to retrieve items cached at […]
May 23, 2025 Team 1, lead by Brad Swanson, is ascending to 11k Camp! This incredible landscape provides a beautiful view of Foraker’s summit on a clear day, as seen in the photo above. Team 2, led by Max Bond, is caching at 10k, and will be spending to night at Ski Hill. Caching is […]
May 22, 2025 – Team 2 has arrived on the Kahiltna Glacier! They are headed up to Ski Hill Camp, and will begin their trek up the mountain tomorrow morning. Team Swanson is carrying gear to 10k Camp to cache supplies and begin acclimating to the altitude. They will continue to climb with interspersed acclimation/caching […]
May 21. 2025 – Team Swanson has arrived on the Kahiltna Glacier! From here on out the team will be out of cell service, and all communications to HQ will be coming via InReach. They are currently at 7,200 feet above sea level, and over the next two weeks they will climb up a additional […]
May 20, 2025 Team 1 is on day three of waiting to fly out of Talkeetna, the staging ground from which the climbers will take a bush plane up to the Kahiltna Glacier Base Camp. However, this delay is not unusual and spirits are high among the team as they make new friends, human […]
May 17th, 2025 Today, they’ll be busy with final gear checks and attending the mandatory National Park Service briefing. Spirits are high as the team prepares to launch their climb of North America’s highest peak. Best of luck to everyone, the mountain awaits! Follow along here on the blog and on our social media for […]
May 16, 2025 – And they’re off! IMG Denali Team 1, lead by Senior Guide Brad Swanson, landed in Anchorage today and is busy getting ready for the expedition ahead. After gear checks and a team dinner, everybody will get a night of good rest before heading to Talkeetna, the launch point for the expedition. […]
March 29, 2025 Day one of Denali Prep Seminar on Mt. Rainier! Pristine snow, and blue sky’s as the team ascends to their basecamp. Max Bond (Photo)
July 10, 1974 Fifty years ago today I made my first ascent of Denali, the culmination of a successful 41 day “Denali Traverse 1974” expedition. I was 19 years old with over 20 Rainier ascents and one season as an RMI guide under my belt, but was already very experienced at suffering. We started in […]
