After climbing a Guatemalan volcano, Jelle Veyt and Marie Heyvaert returned to grinding up its steep hills. “The suffering is real…it’s strange how I developed the skill to really enjoy the moment while I’m suffering,” Veyt wrote.

In late March they gained some respite for the hills, entering Mexico and finally stepping foot on his target mountain’s continent. But Denali is still almost 6,000 miles away and Veyt is having to plan way ahead. Most
Denali climbers fly to the glacier below the mountain and climb from there, Veyt’s human-powered seven summits doesn’t allow this so he will have to make a long approach trek once he arrives in Alaska.

This slow approach means that he’ll need to start in early spring, thus ruling out a climb this season. He plans to climb Denali in 2024 and take his time moving through North America, exploring, and training as he goes.

Veyt’s partner, Heyvaert, will return to Belgium soon. The duo is riding one last section of Mexico together before she returns home from Oaxaca.