Kahiltna Dome, East Ridge Expedition
The Kahiltna Dome Expedition is designed for climbers who wish to climb to a spectacular location, gain some altitude experience, and summit a demanding intermediate mountaineering objective. You will access the mountains by ski plane and begin reviewing mountaineering and winter camping basics. At first, you’ll focus on reviewing building camp, sleeping warm, roping up for glacier travel, and learning crevasse rescue skills. You will progress to glacier travel and practicing crevasse rescue in a nearby crevasse. The following day, you will move camp to the base of Ski Hill. As you progress, you’ll fine-tune essential mountaineering skills: rope coiling and knots, dividing into 3 and 4-person rope teams, breaking down camp, load sleds, and travel up-glacier. You will move to new camps, and learn how to quarry saw snow blocks to build protective walls. Once you reach 10,000’, you will build a high camp and review snow climbing, crampon use, and additional belay techniques in preparation for summit day. When conditions permit, you will climb Kahiltna Dome. In addition, when you return to base camp for the flight out, you will have an excellent idea of what it takes to climb Denali’s West Buttress as a member of an AMS-guided expedition.
History: Bradford Washburn made the first ascent of Kahiltna Dome in 1951 as part of his effort to make a topographical map of Denali. During his first ascent of the West Buttress route, he and Robert Bates carried a large wooden tripod to the summit of Kahiltna Dome and accurately measured its summit at 12,525 feet.
Schedule
May 10-19, 2025
What's Included
- AMS professional mountain guides
- Roundtrip glacier flight
- Expedition food, including lunches
- Group camping and climbing equipment (tents, ropes, snow/ice protection, kitchens)
- Emergency supplies (maps/ GPS, radios, satellite phone; repair, trauma and drug kits)
- Pre-rigged custom sleds
- 24/7 support during the expedition from AMS headquarters
- Knowledgeable advice for training, equipment, and travel
- Regular updates on social media during the expedition
- Copy of the book Glacier Mountaineering by Tyson & Clelland
The Kahiltna Dome Expedition’s day-to-day itinerary is designed to maximize the chance to summit this unique mountain and give you the experience required to climb Denali’s West Buttress Route. Your guides teach and model wilderness ethic, leadership, and expedition climbing skills in a progression that develops competent and self-reliant climbers and team members.
Guide Briefing and Packing Days
Your Guides dedicate two days before the start date to prepare by briefing, checking equipment, and packing food. Stoves are fired up, tents are set up, radios are checked, and ropes are inspected. We adhere to the motto, “Prior planning prevents poor performance.”
Day 1: Talkeetna- Kahiltna Glacier, SE Fork
8:00 am: Meet at AMS for course orientation and overview of the day. Check equipment and issue gear. Pack lunches. Calculate weights. This is a busy day, so please be on time. Noon: A hot and hearty lunch is provided at AMS.
1:00 pm: Fixed line ascension at AMS’ crevasse rescue classroom. Classes: Knots, waist and chest harness and helmet use, rope ascending techniques.
3:30 pm: Load van. 3-minute drive to the airport. Organize loads for fixed-wing flights.
4:00 pm: Fly onto the Kahiltna Glacier. Travel a short distance and establish camp: probe and wand the perimeter, build walls, make sleeping platforms, set up a group kitchen, and establish the bathroom.
7:00 pm: Dinner.
Practice: Site selection, tent spacing, shovel and snow saw use, wall building, tent pitching, hygiene and sanitation, group kitchen basics, stove use and care, cooking basics, bomb proong the camp, and staying warm at night. Evening discussion: Course Goals.
Day 2: Kahiltna Glacier SE Fork, 7,200′
9:00 am–12:00 pm: Practice more knots, rope identication and care, rope handling and coiling, snow protection and anchor systems, and belaying.
1:00 pm–6:00 pm: Discuss roping up for glacier travel, rope travel techniques, simple crevasse fall scenarios, transferring a load, snow climbing techniques, use of ice axe, and self-arrest. Group heads to crevasse for self-rescue practice: the site is secured, and anchors are built for lowering and raising systems. Practice: Lowering systems, raising systems, crevasse fall scenarios. Evening discussion: Expedition Behavior (EB).
Day 3: SE Fork – 7,800′ Camp
Pack up camp and move to 7,800 ft, Camp 2, at the base of Ski Hill; the distance is 5 miles, and the elevation gain is 600 ft. Practice: Breaking down camp, caches, sled rigging, navigation techniques, choosing a safe camp, and building a latrine. Evening discussion: Altitude-related Illnesses and Cold Injuries.
Day 4: 7,800′ camp – 10,000′: carry
Carry to 10,000′, probe out area, and cache supplies. Return to camp. Crevasse-fall scenarios. Evening discussion: Mountain Weather and Forecasting.
Day 5: 7,800′ camp – 10,000′ Camp: move
Climb to the Upper Kahiltna Glacier, up Ski Hill to Kahiltna Pass near 10,000 ft., and retrieve the cache. Set up a high camp. Evening discussion: Quarries and Building Walls.
Day 6: 10,000′ Camp
Meet with daypacks ready for a full day away from camp. Climb to slopes on Mt Capps for steep snow climbing and crampon use. Practice fixed lines on the headwall for up-and-down practice and running belays, snow climbing, and self-arrest techniques. Eat a big meal and rest for the upcoming climb. Evening discussion: Summit Day Planning.
Day 7: Summit Day: Kahiltna Dome: 12,525′
Climbing Kahiltna Dome from our high camp involves a 3,200-foot elevation gain and three miles of climbing a glaciated ridge with crevasses. We will assess snow conditions to reach the ridge on Kahiltna Dome. Snow conditions and weather need to be favorable for this climb. Alternative objectives may be chosen if required, such as Mt Capps, 10,752′ or Motorcycle Hill, 11,500′ on the West Buttress route of Denali. Evening discussion: Debrief the day.
Day 8: Possible Summit Day
Depending on weather and conditions, climb Kahiltna Dome, Mt. Capps, or to 11,500′ on the West Buttress route.
Day 9: 10,000′ camp – 7,800′ camp
Pack up camp and move back to 7,800 ft. at the base of Ski Hill. Probe a safe zone and set up camp. Eat a big dinner and rest for an early start the following day. Evening discussion: Expedition Planning.
Day 10: 7,800′ camp – SE Fork – Talkeetna
Alpine Start. Pack camp and travel back to the 7,200-foot Kahiltna airstrip. Fly back to Talkeetna, enjoy green grass, welcome back fruit platter, and de-issue equipment.
This expedition requires excellent mental and physical condition. You must be able to carry a 40-50 pound pack while pulling a 30-40 pound sled for 5 hours with breaks and be comfortable living and tent camping in a remote mountain environment without road access. This expedition requires having a basic understanding of the material covered in the Illustrated Guide to Crevasse Rescue, which will be sent to you upon enrollment.
“The East Ridge of Kahiltna Dome is an excellent training climb in preparation for Denali’s West Buttress route. In many ways the Kahiltna Dome climb mirrors a Denali climb: it is outfitted the same, flies to the same landing strip, and shares the lower portion of the West Buttress route.”
—Colby Coombs
