Dragontail Peak, Backbone Ridge. Northwest Mountain School's Joel Kauffman with Kevin Quigley. This pitch is 5.9 OW. I recommend bringing a C4 #6 unless this size instills confidence. Kevin was able to aid it with a tipped out # 5...

Colchuck Peakin the Background.

Backbone Ridge with Fin Direct finish. There are many options on the Fin. The first time I climbed it we went left. This time we went right and found a new C4 #1 Camalot and the 10a crack finish.

Descending into Alpine Lakes basin and back to Asgard pass.

Backbone ridge starts below the shortest of the three pine trees in the foreground. The Fin is the lighter colored clean granite in the center of the picture. Grade IV in 16hours car-to-car is good for a couple of guys who have never climbed together before.

Moonrise and alpine glow on Foraker from the top of Squirrell hill. How could you not have a chill down your spine... The ski back up to 14 to meet the crew was delightfully univentful. Ben Mitchell and crew chaperoned me through the lower Kahiltna in the afternoon heat. After that things froze up nicelyTyler and I left 11k and climbed to the base of the Direct West Buttress in order to avoid fog on the Lower Peters Glacier. We climbed the right tending mixed weakness to 16K

Sunrise from the NW Ridge above the Forgotten Wall.

TJ at the first Crux of DWB.

TJ leaving our First Light Bivy headed toword the top of the Fixed Lines 16, 200ft.

After traversing the upper Peters Glacier we were able to climb up to the NW Ridge. This photo is taken with Foraker in the background and the DWB in the middle ground.

Sunrise from the upper NW Ridge of Denali with Wonder Lake 18,000ft. below.

RIP Karen and Sue.

Nice Beaver! TAT places us below our objectives. Mount Huntinton, AK.Alex follows in the Dark. Hood down, increasing spindrift.

We approach the first crux. Ice from the Triassic period.

Early morning view of Denali and the South ridge.

From right to left: Wall of Shadows, Harvard Route, West Face Coulour, Colton-Leech, French Ridge is the left-hand skyline.

Name that Cumbre. Los Hermanos Kauffman. If you're lucky enough to be in the mountains, you're lucky enough. A sneak peek onto the South Continental Ice Cap. Parque los Glaciares.

Neil contemplating the afternoon building in Arenales. Muchos gracias para todo Amigos.

Gear to 5". Neil emerges from sustained 90m corner.