Climbing a high mountain is a
serious undertaking, demanding a lot from your
body. This demanding experience can only
be fully enjoyed if you have prepared for it.
Physical fitness is one of the subjective factors
of mountaineering over which we can exert a
great deal of control. It is especially
important for the occasional mountaineer to
realize that being fit can make dealing with
objective hazards less dangerous. Your
physical capacity for mountaineering is determined
primarily by your level of aerobic power and
physical strength. You must begin training well
in advance of your expedition. Plan your
training a minimum three months and preferably
six months before your trip. Make
up a realistic training schedule for yourself,
and stick to it!
Mountaineering is a physically demanding sport
and going on an expedition should be the last
place to go get into shape. Seasoned mountaineers
understand this and try to maintain a continual
state of fitness. An unfit climber on
an expedition can be a potentially dangerous
liability to himself and to the safety and success
of the rest of the team members. The fitness
level of individual members of an expedition
can make or break a climb. Your
fitness level can also dictate just how much
one will enjoy the experience.
Aerobic conditioning for mountaineering should
involve long term, sub-maximum heart rate (65-85%
of max HR) endurance type activities that stress
and develop the cardiovascular system.
Endurance activities that fall into this category
include cycling, running, Nordic skiing, brisk
walking, swimming, hiking and mountaineering.
To be effective, these endurance activities
must be done at a constant heart rate (above
65% of max HR) for at least 30-60+ minutes,
three to five days a week. At least one
day should include a multi hour effort.
Your maximum heart rate (HR) is roughly 220
less your age, however
you should discuss your level of performance and heart rate goals with your personal physician to determine at what level you should be exercising Your mountaineering endurance
program must eventually reflect the long, continuous
hours spent climbing a high mountain.
Running a few miles a few miles a week will
be of little benefit.
In preparing to climb a high mountain like Denali;
you should be able to run 6 to 8 miles in under
1 hour or cycle 60 miles in well under 4 hours.
This provides a fitness safety margin you will
need to have for mountaineering. The level of
cardiovascular fitness to handle a 60 minute
run requires a minimum of 10 to 12 weeks of
training, provided you are not overweight, don't
smoke and have been reasonably fit within the
last year. If you are over 30 years old
and have been living a sedentary life for more
than a year, you should have a complete physical
before beginning your training program and you
should begin your training program 5-6 months
in advance of your expedition.
Climbing a high mountain is serious and one
must be serious about being prepared. Begin
your training program with low key exercise
and then gradually build up both distance and
intensity. Do not over-train at the start,
but give your body and mind time to adjust to
the training stress. LSD (long, slow distance)
is one of the safest ways to train and it will
produce the fastest results. After you
have trained yourself so you can climb, hike,
cycle, ski or whatever for several hours with
minimum of fatigue, you will have the self confidence
and body awareness for mountaineering.
Besides aerobic conditioning, strength training
is important to prepare your body for climbing
steep terrain, carrying a heavy pack and dragging
a sled. Strength training can entail working
out with weights, or climbing up things (hills,
mountains, stairs, stair-climbers...) with a
pack. Do not run with a pack as this puts
too much impact on your joints.
Getting used to carrying
a heavy pack is essential for success Denali.
Begin with a light pack and build up to 40 -50
% of your body weight. Expedition loads
may be between 50-80lb. and you must be prepared
for this. Too often we have seen team
members who could run for hours, but could not
carry a 40 pound pack. Spend at least one day
a week carrying a pack. This will allow
you to get used to your pack and fit it to your
body. A comfortable fitting pack is essential.
Before the Expedition, pack it with all of your
personal gear. Does it all fit? You will need
strong legs and a strong back to carry a heavy
pack so take your preparations seriously! This
could be the most important part of your preparation!
Come up with a realistic training program that
you can actually do. Write up a schedule
for a few weeks at a time and change it as your
body begins to respond to the exercise.
Once you have gotten a good fitness base and
you can work out without too much stress, you
should increase to 4-6 days a week. Do not try
to work out 7 days a week, as your body needs
at least one day of rest. The
harder you train before a climb, the more you
will be able to enjoy the experience and the
greater will be your chances for success!
So begin your training now: take
it seriously and enjoy yourself on the mountain!
So get that pack out and go for a hike!
SUNDAY: Long endurance activity
1-4 hours with light pack (increase pack weight
as your strength improves)
MONDAY: Rest Day
TUESDAY: Endurance activity of your
choice 30-60 minutes. Cycle, ski, run,
stair climber...
WEDNESDAY: Rest with some stretching
or strength training for 30-60 minutes.
THURSDAY: Activity for 40-60+ minutes
Strength and stretching
FRIDAY:
Activity for 30+ minutes or Rest day
SATURDAY: Activity for 40-90+ minutes,
Strength and stretching.
The following
is a list of required gear for climbing the
West Buttress with Mountain Trip. Many of the
items on the list need to fit you well in order
for you to fully enjoy your experience on the
mountain. Please plan ahead with equipment purchased
for your trip so you can be certain that your
gear fits you well. The Kahiltna Glacier is
not the place to discover that your pack is
too small for your torso, or that your boots
give you blisters.
Recommended
items reflect the opinions of our guides, but
they may not necessarily fit you. They are also weighted toward a couple companies that are industry leaders in exhibiting environmental and social consciousness. Call or email
us with any gear questions. We want you
to be as prepared as possible for your expedition.
FOOTWEAR
: Acceptable boots for Denali fall into two categories,
traditional double boots and boot systems with
integrated gaiters. Either variety works well, however the latter versions are lighter and arguably simpler. The goal is to have warm,
comfortable feet! Try on a variety of boots
as they all fit differently and get the one
that fits well.
Recommended System Boots: SCARPA
“PHANTOM 8000”, LA SPORTIVA
“OLYMPUS MONS EVO ”
Recommended Double Boots: SCARPA
“INVERNO” with High Altitude
Liners, KOFLACH “ARCTIS EXPEDITION”, LA SPORTIVA "NUPTSE" OR "SPANTIK".
A great upgrade to any plastic boot are the
Denali Liners by Intuition. These are lighter and warmer than almost any stock liners. They are heat molded to fit your feet and are worth every penny.
*** All double boots need Overboots and Gaiters
:
Neoprene overboots such as 40
Below Purple Haze are best. O.R. and Wild
Country insulated Overboots work well if they
fit with your crampons. Supergaiters alone are not warm enough for Denali.
:
Full height, such as Black
Diamond GTX Frontpoint Gaiter or Outdoor
Research “Crocodiles.” Full coverage
“Supergaiters” work great as well.
:
Synthetic or down fill booties. These are great
for camp and tent comfort and allow you extra
opportunity to dry out your mountain boots.
GLACIER TRAVEL
:
Atlas Summit Series or the basic MSR Denali both work well. Select snowshoes for your
body weight, plus the weight of your pack.
:
Select a proper length for hiking. Almost any ski pole
will do, although adjustable poles work best!
Black
Diamond Flick Lock poles are recommended as they are less prone to spontaneously collapsing.
CLOTHING
You will need a total of five (5) layers for your torso and four (4) for your legs:
(1 or 2 sets) Synthetic Top and Bottoms such as Light or Mid-Weight Capilene from PatagoniaThere are some really nice Merino wool options on the market as well. Patagonia has a nice entry called Wool 2. Top and Bottoms made from 100 weight or Powerstretch fleece. A zip t-neck is important for ventilating.Patagonia R1 Flash Top or the R1 Flash Hoody.We used to consider this layer optional, but this “Soft Shell” layer is becoming indispensible, due to the broad comfort range it provides. Often pants made of Schoeller Dynamic or similar fabrics can be worn all the way to High Camp in lieu of less breathable "hard-shell" pants.Patagonia Super Guide Pants
: This layer must have side zippers! The best options for this layer are thick, “puffy” synthetic or down pants like the Patagonia Micro Puff Pants or Feathered Friends Volant Pants. These can be layered over your shell pants for easier and quicker layer changes.
: Size fleece to fit under your shell jacket and size Primaloft to fit over your shell. We are fans of the puffy, Primaloft jackets because they are lighter and warmer than fleece and compress down much smaller. Guides' Pick: Patagonia Micro Puff Jacket or the Wild Things EP Jacket.
: They should be large enough to go over your pile clothing layers and the pants must have side zippers. These do not need to be the burliest Gore-Tex pieces you can find! Many people are climbing Denali using lightweight, windproof, water resistant shells. Look for function and quality as this is a very important layer.
: Marmot, Mountain Hardwear
and The North Face all make good parkas, but
our Guides' Pick is
the Feathered
Friends Volant Jacket with Hood. There are
some synthetic options such as the Patagonia
D.A.S. Parka and the Wild Things Belay Jacket,
however; down is recommended as it is lighter
and less bulky.
: Fleece or down vest adds warmth to a light Expedition Parka. (OPTIONAL)
:
Synthetic long sleeve shirt for the lower glacier.
Synthetics dry faster than cotton!
:
One or two changes. Look for synthetics such
as Patagonia Capilene.
:
2 - 4 sets of wool or synthetic medium/heavy
weight socks. Make certain your socks fit with
your boots!
:
Vapor Barrier Liners for your feet add warmth
and help keep boots dry. While not for everyone,
these can be invaluable for use on the upper
Mountain in early season; however new boot designs have all but eliminated the need for these. (Optional)
:
Light or medium weight bunting, polypro, Windstopper
or even better: Schoeller fabric (one or two pairs.) Guides' Pick: Outdoor Research Vert Gloves
:
Warm, insulated gloves are the workhorse on
Denali. Black
Diamond Guide Gloves have removable liners
for ease of drying. It's hard to stress how much you'll be wearing these, so do not skimp on this item.
:
Thick, warm, non-constricting mittens made of
pile, Primaloft or down. Guides'
Pick: Outdoor Research Alti Mitts.
They aren’t cheap, but are extremely warm.
Divide the cost by 10 digits and they're a bargain!
:
One warm hat or two hats of different weights.
Wool or pile is fine. Your hat must provide
ear protection.
:
Neoprene or Windstopper work equally well; however you might consider the
Psolar X facemask or balaclava, which have integrated
heat exchangers that warm the air you breathe.
These may look a bit strange, but THEY WORK
GREAT! Check ‘em out! They do restrict airflow a little bit when you're pushing into the anaerobic, but the rest of the time they are really slick.
:
Baseball type or wide brimmed sun hat for the
intense sunshine of the lower mountain. You
can combine a baseball hat with a bandana for
good sun protection
:
Bring 8+ sets of these disposable insurance policies.
:
They must have side protection and filter 100%
UVA and UVB rays.
:
For use while traveling during storms or during
really cold spells.These must have double lenses and provide 100%UV protection.
PACKS
:
Unfortunately, it is getting harder to find a good expedition-sized back pack. Denali requires a 6000+ cu in. or 90+ liter pack to carry your gear, plus
group food & equipment. The Dana Designs Terra
Plane, Gregory Denali Pro and Osprey Aether
90 all fit the bill. BE CERTAIN THAT YOUR PACK
FITS YOU! Get used to your pack; train with
it!
: (36-48") for use as a sled
bag. Lightweight and inexpensive bags work fine, although the Patagonia Stellar Black Hole Bag is lightweight and darn near water proof. It is the ideal sled bag!
SLEEPING GEAR
: Rated to 30 below. Marmot Cwm, Col and Mt
Hardwear Ghost are all great bags. Which to choose, down or
synthetic? We prefer down bags because they are lighter, more compact, and have a longer lifespan than synthetics, but the new synthetics are getting a lot better. Guides' Pick: Feathered
Friends Peregrine
: Granite Gear and Outdoor Research are both making nice, lightweight compression sacks. These are essential
for sleeping bags and recommended for
your summit clothes, such as your parka, mitts
and warmest pants, so you might consider bringing two.
:
You need two pads, with one being a
closed cell pad such as a Ridge Rest or a Karrimat.
Therm-a-Rest inflatable pads are among the warmest
and most comfortable. Guides' Pick:
Therm-a-rest Pro-Lite 4 Regular length paired
with a Ridge Rest
TECHNICAL
CLIMBING EQUIPMENT
:
(with leash) 70-80 cm length works well for
the West Buttress and go 10-20 cm shorter for
technical climbs. Guides' Pick:
Black
Diamond Raven Pro
:
10 or 12 point crampons that FIT YOUR BOOTS!
Step in or “New-matic” work equally
well, just make sure they fit with
your mountain boots and overboots. Fit is especially important with overboots! Black Diamond Guides' Pick: Sabretooth Clip with ABS
:
Your harness needs to have adjustable leg loops. Black Diamond
Blizzard or Alpine Bod harnesses are both lightweight
and functional.
:
You need at least one full-sized ascender such as the Petzl Ascension. This can be paired with a second, handled ascender or with a lighter weight version such as
a Petzl Tibloc, a Wild
Country Ropeman or simply bring a prussik cord for your feet. If you opt
for only one full sized ascender, consider bringing a left-handed one for ease of use on the
fixed lines.
:
Bring two large locking carabiners and eight
regular carabiners. Please do not bring "bent-gate" carabiners. These have certain limitations that do not make them appropriate for how we will use them. Mark them with colored tape
for identification. Guides' Pick:
Black
Diamond Neutrinos are very lightweight.
:
50 feet of 5 or 6 mm for sled and pack tie offs.
___: Unfortunately, even Alaska is not beyond the reach of Global Warming and there is now a stretch of the West Buttress route that necessitates the wearing of a climbing helmet. Get the lightest one you can find and make certain it fits over your warmest hat and under the hood of your shell. Guides' Pick: Black Diamond Tracer
ESSENTIAL
PERSONAL ITEMS
(for your own items plus one large one for a cache bag)
(optional, but if you bring one, also bring an insulated tube and mouthpiece) This DOES NOT replace your Water Bottles!
: Please bring metal bottles or small mouth bottles.
(1or 2 for your water bottles).
for eating (2-4 cup measuring bowl
or Rubbermaid storage bowl work fine)
12 or 16 ounce plastic cup for hot drinks
Two small tubes are easier to keep from freezing than one big tube.
3-4 OUNCES- two to four small tubes work better than one large tube
1 or 2 rolls, depending on your technique (Tooth brush & paste,
floss, Handi-wipes,... keep it small) Wide-mouth, collapsible
Nalgene Cantenes work great- they make a 96 ounce version!
Ladies- look for an appropriate adapter available
at your local outdoors store. These items are both tough to find in Anchorage so plan ahead!
(Blister kit, aspirin, antacids,
lozenges, Ibuprofen)
.
TRAVERSE
CLIMB ONLY
(For river crossings and the walk out to Wonder
Lake)
RENTAL ITEMS
.
Check out their Web site: alaskamountaineering.com
or call .
Feathered Friends in Seattle will also give you a 10% discount if you tell them you are joining one of our expeditions.
