The highest Mountain in North America, Denali has always been revered by native Athabascans who inhabit this northern region.
A Denali climb begins deep in the heart of the Alaska Range on the Kahiltna Glacier. From the Southeast Fork of the Kahiltna Glacier we begin the climb of Denali’s West Buttress. Base Camp plus five higher camps are established on the mountain. When necessary, the team makes double carries between all camps, except high camp, to ensure proper acclimatization and reduce loads. In each camp we build snow walls for protection from possible high winds.
Denali is often considered North America’s most classic climb. From base to summit, it rises nearly 18,000ft., an elevation gain unsurpassed anywhere in the world. At a northern latitude of 63 degrees, it is the most northerly of any big mountain over 20,000ft.
Denali is a mountain of extreme conditions where a climber may encounter 100-mph winds and minus 40 degree F temperatures. Alternately, some days are quite hot with sunshine lasting up to 20 hours. These low temperatures and sporadic high winds greatly increase the rigors of the climb. Snowstorms are known to last a week at a time. The unpredictable weather coupled with the high altitude requires not only technical snow and cold weather skills, but also endurance and fortitude.