Both times I have been to 14 camp on Denali, the NPS Rangers very much deterred climbers from attempting 14 to summit and said it was "barely possible."Fireweed wrote: ↑Thu May 27, 2021 7:38 pm https://www.nps.gov/dena/blogs/troubling-trends.htm
Another disturbing trend we are seeing is people attempting the summit from 14,000 feet. While it is totally reasonable to gain 7,000 feet of elevation in a day in Colorado and summit a 14’er, going from 14,000 feet to the summit of Denali is a whole different undertaking. There are very few mountaineers capable of moving fast enough to accomplish this safely. Exhaustion, untested physiological response to high altitude, rapidly changing weather, and insufficient gear on such a long push are all factors we have seen contribute to injuries and deaths for those attempting a summit out of 14 camp. Monday was a very real and sobering reminder of the dangers of this phenomenon.
It should go without saying that planning from the outset of the expedition to make an attempt to reach the summit from 14,000 feet is ill advised for someone who has never before been to this altitude, particularly in an arctic environment, and has no real conception of how their body will respond to such stresses. However, it also seems that many of the attempts to go to the summit from 14 camp in a single push are often a spur of the moment strategy that develops when an expedition has been pinned down by weather and is running out of time. In other words, it's borne out of desperation, impatience, and summit fever.
Sure, I agree that those who do not have the experience, should not attempt this, but I would strongly disagree with the overall tone. In modern alpinism the 14 to summit has become the norm and many would argue that it is a safer bet in many ways.
First of all 17 camp is a cold, desolate place and feels much higher than 17k. Carrying all your gear and setting up a camp there is a lot of work and could require a rest day afterwards. Just staying up at 17 camp is exhausting. Time and time again I have seen (and heard of) climbers stranded up there, stuck in a storm and unable to get themselves down. It is a very unforgiving place, perhaps more unforgiving than camps above 6,000m in the Himalaya. In order to safely summit from 17 camp you need 3 good days of weather, which in the Alaska Range is unlikely.
Summitting from1 4 camp is not new and it is not a "spur of the moment strategy." It is well documented and suggested in books like "Training for the New Alpinism" as it has many advantages, including safety. 14 camp on Denali is a pretty safe place, 17 camp is not. If you leave from 14 camp with the understanding that no matter what you are returning to 14 camp that day (no unplanned bivy as that is likely a death sentence) then to me it is safer than trying to make a camp at 17k.
It is a big day, but it is not THAT difficult. The terrain is all easy and can be done unroped. It you are sufficiently acclimated then you should be able to go from 14 to summit and back in 12-16 hours. Given the long days and lack of darkness during the climbing season, it really is a fun day out.
Denali is an incredible place, my favorite place on Earth. I will say that despite its reputation as a tourist mountain, it is the real deal and most (including myself) do not summit on their first trip. I have often joked with friends that Karakoram is training for Alaska.
I hope to go back some day...
EDIT:
I pulled this from my Trip Report from that climb
14 to Summit
The Pros:
You only need a single weather window, instead of 2-3 days if you use 17 camp
No chance of being stuck at 17 for a long time before or after your climb
No need to carry a heavy pack to 17k
Overall, much higher chance of success
The Cons:
If s**t hits the fan, you're done. No bivy gear is carried and you are relying wholly on your own ability to get yourself down in the event of bad weather or an emergency. To some, this ups the risk factor, but for many other alpinists, putting the risk in your own hands is much more desirable. After all, we climb to test ourselves and the mountain is merely an arena.