Denali Traverse

Extras you are responsible for: These include transportation to and from Talkeetna, optional lodging outside of AMS in Talkeetna, personal equipment and clothing, rental items from the Mountain Shop, travel and medical insurance, and gratuities.

The Traverse starts with climbing the West Buttress in traditional expedition style: relaying loads, establishing camps and climbing slowly enough for proper acclimatization. The first nine miles of the route are up the Kahiltna Glacier. We often arrive at 14,200 feet on the eighth day. The views of Mt. Hunter and Mt. Foraker from here are amazing. After 4–5 days acclimatizing, resting, and making a carry to 16,200 feet, we depart for the upper mountain. Between 15,500 feet and 16,200 feet are 40-45° slopes, so we climb clipped to a fixed rope to safeguard our movements. We often place a camp at the top of the fixed ropes at 16,200 feet to break up the climb or, as needed, to wait for better weather. The stretch to high camp at 17,200 feet is a scenic part of the route and climbs a narrow ridge to 17,200 feet. Here, when the weather is suitable, we begin our move up and over the mountain via Denali Pass to 18,000 feet on the Harper Glacier. Summit day is somewhere between the fifteenth and twentieth day of climbing. Descent is via the Harper Glacier to Browne Tower (14,600′) on the northeast side of Denali, down the snow crest of Karstens Ridge to the Muldrow Glacier and on to McGonagall Pass (5,720′), leaving the ice behind. We then enter the green of summer, tundra hiking and river wading to Wonder Lake and then the road back to Talkeetna.

This itinerary is a rough guide. Our style on the mountain is flexible and will fluctuate on a 24 hour basis depending on conditions. With lucky weather, most expeditions return a day or two early. Un-flyable weather and/or storms at high camp may result in delays. It is possible at high camp for us to extend the length of the expedition and allow more time for those who wish to tough it out and who have a flexible schedule.

Day 1
1:00 p.m., meet at AMS: Orientation and gear check, with time to rent or purchase gear from the AMS store and to select and pack mountain lunches. 4:00 p.m. team NPS registration and orientation. You are free at 6:00 p.m. to enjoy the evening in Talkeetna.

Day 2
8:00 a.m., meet at AMS: Denali skills review, lunch at AMS; final packing, weighing, and loading gear for a 2:00 p.m. flight to 7,200 ft, Base Camp; distance: 60 miles, elevation gain: 6,850 ft.

Day 3
Base Camp to 7,800 ft: Glacier travel and crevasse rescue drill, pack and single to 7,800 ft, Camp 1; distance: 5.5 miles, elevation gain: 600 ft.

Day 4
Carry to 9,700 ft, Kahiltna Pass; distance: 5 miles (RT), elevation gain: 1,900 ft.

Day 5
Move to 11,000 ft, Camp 2; distance: 4 miles, elevation gain: 3,200 ft.

Day 6
Back carry to 9,700 ft.; distance: 2 miles (RT). Acclimatization / weather contingency day at 11,000 ft, Camp 2.

Day 7
Carry to 13,500 ft, around Windy Corner; distance: 3.5 miles (RT), elevation gain: 2,500 ft.

Day 8
Move to 14,200 ft, Camp 3; distance: 2.75 miles, elevation gain: 3,200 ft.

Day 9
Back carry 13,500 ft cache; distance: 2 miles (RT), elevation gain: 700 ft.

Day 10
Carry to 16,200 ft; distance: 2 miles (RT), elevation gain: 2,000 ft.

Day 11
Acclimatization / weather contingency day at 14,200 ft camp, Camp 3.

Day 12
Move to 17,200 ft, Camp 4; distance: 1.75 miles, elevation gain: 3,000 ft.

Day 13
Carry to 18,000 ft, distance: 2 miles (RT), elevation gain: 1,000 ft up and over Denali Pass, 18,200 ft.

Day 14:
Move to 18,000 ft, Camp 5, distance 1 mile: elevation gain: 1,000 ft. Option to summit.

Days 15, 16, 17, 18, 19
Summit day / weather contingency days, 20,310 ft; distance: 3.5 miles (RT), elevation gain: 2,120 ft; descent to Upper Harper, 18,000 ft.

Day 20
Descend to Browne Tower, distance: 3 miles.
Day 21
Descend Karstens Ridge and Muldrow Glacier, distance: 6 miles.

Day 22
Hike out via McGonagall Pass, distance: 12 miles.

Day 23
Hike across the tundra and cross the McKinley River, distance: 15 miles.

Day 24
Take NPS bus to park entrance, 70 miles, and AMS van pickup to return to Talkeetna.

Denali’s Traverse requires a significant amount of prior climbing experience and training. The better condition you are in, the more you will enjoy the climb, the safer it will be for you, and the better chance for reaching the summit. This mountain is too severe to be learning some skills for the first time. Applicants should be in excellent physical condition and should have the following experience:

• Mountaineering climbs that required roped glacier travel, winter snow camping, and the use of an ice axe and crampons.
Winter camping and travel experience for extended periods of time. This is essential training, since cold on Denali is a daily challenge.
• Familiarity with the figure-eight knot series, rope coiling, and belaying with a munter hitch
• Ability to arrest a fall on a steep snow slope
• Ability to use crampons with a 65-plus pound pack on slopes up to 30–35°. Some sections of the route require you to bend down and clip through running belays.
• Experience on smaller climbs such as smaller peaks in the Alaska Range, winter climbs of Mt. Washington, Colorado 14’ers, Mt. Rainier, the Tetons, or Mount Blanc.

Acclimatization is key to high-altitude mountaineering success. AMS’ expedition-style climbing strategy gives everyone the best chance to acclimate to a lower oxygen environment. However, a non-technical, high-altitude climb is a great way to train for the altitude as is day climbing, hiking, and sleeping at altitude in the weeks before you arrive. Our best prepared expedition members have taken a mountaineering course and trained for a year or more before joining an expedition.

The traverse was really a once in a lifetime experience. I was up for a challenge and I certainly got it!
—Jeff Leigh

AMS is a top-notch guiding company and the best in the field. This was an absolutely perfect trip!
—Bob Gilman

I liked how they treated everyone fairly, as individuals. This fostered team unity throughout the trip.
— Jim Nelson

A first class operation, run locally by people who know the mountain.
—Si Matthies