Why AMS

Education is at Our Core: As a guiding company, AMS is a means to summit challenging peaks, but what makes us different is that, at heart, we are a school. We divide our offerings into guided climbs and instructional courses, but whether you’re on an AMS hiking course in the Talkeetnas or a guided Denali expedition, you will gain a greater understanding of every aspect of your trip. We believe that knowledge instills the confidence and foundation for applying skills to any potential climbing situation in the world. With over 35 years of experience teaching and leading more than 3500 clients, we have witnessed the rewards of our dual approach in how our clients develop and achieve and their mountaineering goals.

Safety: Safety is at the heart of everything we practice and preach, and the safety of our teams is our number one priority. Our backcountry medical protocols were developed by our medical director, Dr. Peter Hackett, and medical training supervisor, Lance Taysom, RN, WMT-P. An emergency-room physician, Peter is also a world-renowned researcher on altitude-related illnesses while Lance is the chief Life Flight nurse out of Pocatello, Idaho and often participates on Denali National Park Service ranger patrols. Buck Tilton, author of over 50 books and articles on wilderness medicine, certifies many of our AMS staff. All three help keep AMS up to date on current issues in wilderness medicine. Together we constantly review, update, and monitor all safety and hazard protocols. Our experienced and certified staff has one of the highest student/climber to teacher/guide ratios in the business. AMS programs are insured, carry all necessary permits, and leave for the field with medical kits, radios, cell phones, and emergency procedures for all areas of operation.
Read more about how AMS maintains its record of safety

Proximity to the Mountains: No other Alaska-based guide service enjoys the proximity AMS does. Denali National Park and Preserve is 50 miles north of us. Being based in Talkeetna allows our clients to stay on the premises if the weather becomes unflyable. While other companies will send you back to your hotel to wait for the skies to clear, AMS has a campground set up with tents and pads ready for everyone to sleep. With anchor points on the ceiling and floors, a climbing wall, and a huge field, we are able to use the time to cover a lot of the safety systems we will be using on the mountain. Kicking back in the evenings we can enjoy a big screen theater with a database of a thousand photos. Our base is two blocks from the airport, so the moment we get word, we can mobilize and be there in minutes.
Read more about our facilities

Food: This is not a small thing! The food you eat while you exert yourself at altitude and in harsh weather can mean the difference between having the energy to continue or to put yourself and others in a dangerous situation. We believe that eating enough hearty, nutritious foods is one of the most important components of a successful expedition. Proper nutrition also allows people to better acclimatize and to relax a little bit more without worrying about being hungry. AMS contracts with specialized organic food wholesalers, and our menu boasts the finest quality, lightweight, and tasty foods available. Since 1983, we’ve taken great care to prioritize our food program. According to plenty of satisfied customers, it makes a difference.
Read more about the food at AMS