Headed home

Most team members have left Anchorage for home and we will compile photos from the trip over the coming days.

The team really did well together and I have heard from several members that there was no ill will toward anyone, in the end. Teamwork is a funny thing. We all have our personal ambitions and when a group of disparate strangers can come together and bond over the course of a long and trying experience, the sum of the group can often be more powerful than any of its parts. Sure, that sounds cliche, but it is a large part of what mountaineering expeditions are about.

Congratulations to all the climbers. You all did very well under extreme conditions. The days spent tent bound at high camp undoubtedly provoked some soul searching and re-prioritizing of life goals. Times like that are heavy-duty.

I often recommend that climbers give themselves a week at home before making any life-altering decisions, as the power of an expedition can really change one's perspective. While it's nice to come home and take a fresh look at the comforts around us and to revel in the friendships we put on hold whilst on the mountain, there is a part of coming off a trip that is reminiscent of the scene in "The Hurt Locker" where the main character is back from Iraq, staring at a never-ending shelf of different cereals...

Thanks to everyone who posted to this blog. This is a document of an intense experience and I invite any of the team to send me photos or text to add to this narrative.

Until then, stay safe and keep climbing!

Todd R