Denali is a big mountain with big mountain weather, geography and acclimatization issues. The following itinerary represents a very basic outline of what could happen on a given day during the course of a Denali expedition. Many factors can, and probably will, contribute to cause the following schedule to change. Ultimately, where to camp and when to travel is the decision of the guides.
. Team Meeting at 10 A.M. for an Expedition Orientation and Equipment check. You must be at this meeting! Be sure to arrive in Anchorage early enough to make the meeting; this may require arriving a day early.
. We will drive several hours to Talkeetna, where everyone will register with the National Park Service. Weather permitting, we will fly into the Kahiltna Glacier with the Air Taxi. There will be an on-glacier Expedition Orientation that will cover the following topics: Glacier Travel, Crevasse Rescue, Sled rigging, Rope Management and Camp Site Procedures. Establish Base Camp at 7,000 feet.
, near the junction with the NE Fork of the Kahiltna Glacier. This is a moderate carry of about 9 miles round-trip and is a good shake-down for the upcoming days. Depending on the team and weather we may or may not return to Base Camp. Throughout the Expedition we will follow the climb high, sleep low technique, for better acclimatization, however the altitude difference between Base Camp and Camp 1 is minimal enough to permit us to occasionally single-carry this stretch. On the late May and June Expeditions, we may be doing our climbing at night to avoid the excessive heat and soft snow conditions on the Lower Glacier.
: MOVE REMAINING SUPPLIES AND ESTABLISH CAMP 1. (If the team double carries to Camp 1.)
: HAUL LOADS UP TO KAHILTNA PASS. Several options exist for camp sites between 9,500 & 11,000 feet, depending upon weather, snow conditions and team strength. This is a moderately difficult carry; 7-9 miles round-trip, with 2-3,000 feet of elevation gain and a return to Camp 1 for the night.
: MOVE EVERYTHING TO CAMP 2 NEAR KAHILTNA PASS. Camp is often in the beautiful 11,200' basin at the bas of Motorcycle Hill.
. This is an active rest day during which we drop back down and pick up the cache.
. Steep snow climbing up Motorcycle Hill rewards you with spectacular views. Distance is about 4 miles round trip. Sleds are getting lighter air is getting thinner.
. This is usually a long, hard day. Weather and team strength will determine the placement of Camp 3 however the goal is the well equipped 14,200' camp. Fun climbing with crampons and ice axe gets you around Windy Corner where the upper Mountain comes into view.
. The team will descend from 14,300' to the Windy Corner cache and bring everything up to 14,300 feet.
. Cache supplies and return to 14,300 feet. Climbing up the Headwall (Fixed Line is from 15,500 to 16,100 feet) with a heavy pack is one of the most strenuous days of the trip, because of the steep terrain, heavy pack and thinning air.
. It is often prudent to take a rest/acclimatization day prior to moving up to High Camp.
. Weather and team strength will again determine this decision. While there is a camp site at 16,100', it is very exposed, so we usually push for the 17,200 ' site which is more secure and the better choice for High Camp.
. Moving to 17,200' and getting High Camp established can be a huge day, so we usually take a Rest Day before attempting the summit.
: If the weather is favorable, we'll push for the summit. However if the weather is not good it is important to be patient! We will only try for the Summit when the weather is good, meaning mostly clear and calm. The round trip climb will take eight to twelve hours or more. Usually you will depart camp early (7-9 a.m.), climb up to Denali Pass (18,000') and follow the route past Arch Deacon's Tower and the Football Field to the slopes leading to the Summit Ridge. On this spectacular ridge you can often see down into the Ruth Glacier and view peaks such as the Moose's Tooth, Mt Huntington and more. If the weather is still good, you will always remember this view!!!
. The weather needs to be good and everyone attempting the summit needs to have demonstrated that they can safely give it a shot. This is by far the most grueling day of the expedition. The guides have the ultimate decision as to when the team will make a summit bid. The guides also have the discretion to decide that a team member has not shown that he or she is capable to safely negotiate the Upper Mountain. Such occurrences are rare; but remember- safety is our primary concern.
: The descent from High Camp will take from one to two days, depending on the team's strength and motivation to get home. Weather dictates when we will fly out to Talkeetna for food and showers. Not much beats a steak and salad at the West Rib Tavern after working hard on Denali!
