&ldquo;I attempted Denali in 2002 but got weathered off at 16,500 feet. Through that experience I watched as my team and I changed with the exhaustion and altitude. We quite literally metamorphosed in the time span of several weeks. That stuck with me: the visual changes due to the stimuli and stress of being at altitude and pushing the limits of our abilities.&rdquo;
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&ldquo;I intentionally left the subjects&rsquo; names out, so as to focus not on the individual accomplishments but rather to provide a visual exploration of the human condition after climbing North America's highest peak, Denali (as it is more respectfully known here in Alaska).&rdquo;

"The series was completed during two climbing seasons, 2008 and 2010. The images were made using a 4x5" Toyoview VX125 and shot with Kodak Portra NC 160 film. I don&rsquo;t like the efficiency of digital cameras, and these photographs allow for a very personal interaction between subject and photographer. That is what I love about this type of portraiture: the connection of a shared moment in the mountains."

"I set up a makeshift 'studio' with PVC pipe and scrim. Sometimes I offered climbers microbrews as rewards for sitting for the camera. The only caveat: no sipping before the portrait was finished. Just one sip and they would lose their edge."

"I&rsquo;m drawn to climbers because they embody human emotion at its most raw. These athletes have no reserves and no energy to adopt a persona or strike a pose."

"It is within the moments of the 'after' that I have sought to find the exactness that exists within the human response&nbsp;&mdash;&nbsp;and to capture the curious mix of adrenaline, reflection, and exhaustion all sharing the same instant."&nbsp;

For Anchorage, Alaska-based photographer <a href=http://www.timremickphotography.com/ target=_blank>Tim Remick</a>, there's nothing glossy about pushing the human body to its absolute limits. For his new exhibit at the Anchorage Museum, Remick set out to capture the exact moment when a climber finishes Mount McKinley, the highest peak in North America — sunburn, chapped skin, triumphant emotions and all. "The series explores the curious physiological details resulting from the ravages of exhaustion," says Remick, a longtime climber himself. Click through the slideshow below for a selection of gripping portraits from the exhibit, along with behind-the-scenes commentary from the photographer himself.