Army team successfully summits Mount McKinley

By John Pennell, U.S. Army Alaska PAOJune 6, 2013

Heading for the summit
1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – The nine members of the climbing team pose with the peak of Mount McKinley looming in the background in this file photo taken May 22. The Alaska Post will feature more as the team descends the mountain, also known as Denali, and returns to Fort Wainw... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
On the summit
2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

"They made it," read the post on the Northern Warfare Training Center's social media site, Saturday around 8 p.m. It was a very brief conversation based on the elevation and long movement.

"The team is tired and fatigued and will now begin their movement back, a comment from Maj. William Prayner, the NWTC commander continued, "…very proud of a monumental physical and mental effort - but still some significant work to do working back down the mountain safely."

That statement was a bit prescient, perhaps. Three days later, weather interrupted plans for the extraction team's flight Tuesday.