Denali FAQ

Here are some common questions about climbing Denali. I am focusing on the West Buttress route since it is the most common route and the one I took in 2001 and 2007 as one of my Memories are Everything: The Road Back to Mt. Everest expeditions. Since I am not a guide nor a professional climber, this information is based on my experience and are my opinions so always consult with a professional before making any serious climbing decisions!

About Denali

Training, Gear & Communication

Expedition Basics

My Experience

About Denali

Q: Where is Denali
A: It is located in Alaska. It is the highest mountain in North America at 20,320' and one of the 7 Summits. It is famous for extremely cold weather but is very popular as a guided or self-guided climb. As you drive North from Anchorage, you see the huge massif looming above all the other mountains. You fly into Anchorage and drive about 2 hours North to Talkeetna. Then you take a bush plane to the Kahiltna Glacier.

Q: When is it usually climbed?
A: May through July however June and July are the primary months. Earlier finds very cold temps and later brings increased crevasse danger. I was there in late June and early July and the temperature was acceptable as was the crevasse danger. An advantage of going later is that many of the snow camps are already built so you do not have to build snow walls at every camp plus it is warmer.

Q: I understand that Denali's West Buttress is just a long slog. How hard is it?
A: It is not 'easy' but It depends on what you have done. I did not find it very difficult after Mont Blanc, Everest, Ama Dablam and some technical climbs like The Grand Teton. The biggest issue with Denali is the weather and a very short section above the high camp that is fixed with ropes. Some people have trouble with pulling the sleds. I did not find this a problem. All this said however, on my 2007 climb I was stopped cold at 17,000' with a mysterious stomach illness and was helicoptered off the mountain to an area hospital. I never did fund out what the root problem was after undergoing extensive tests once I got home. It could have been altitude illness or food poisoning - I just don't know.

Q: How does Denali compare with Rainier or Aconcagua?
A: Primarily it is a more physical climb involving heavy loads. It is a much longer climb but similar to Rainier in that you climb on steep snow slopes most of the time but obviously at a significantly higher altitude. You are using fixed ropes on the headwall above the Ranger camp at 14,200' and you are pulling a sled with personal and group gear. Finally the weather can be extreme with brutal winds and cold temperatures.

Q: How does Denali compare with Everest or other 8,000m peaks?
A: It is a great training climb for aspiring Everest climbers to learn about winter camping and experience high altitude climbing. There are no features like Everest's Lhotse Face or Hillary Step on Denali's West Buttress route.

Q: Is a Denali climb dangerous?
A: Absolutely. You should only attempt Denali if you have the proper experience and logistics for emergency situations. Almost every year climbers die as a result of a fall or weather.

Q: How many people had summited and how many people had died trying?
A: An estimated 32,000 climbers have attempted Denali with about a 40% success rate. 98 have died including 11 in 1992.

Training, Gear & Communication:

Q: How did you train for this climb?
A: I did a lot of running for aerobic conditioning plus weight training for the heavy loads.

Q: Was altitude a problem on this climb?
A: Yes, it is always a challenge on these big mountain climbs. As I mentioned before, I experienced some kind of problem in 2007 which could have been altitude related.

Q: Can you prepare for the altitude?
A: Not really. The common approach is to move slowly up the mountain (1000' a day maximum) spending your days at a higher altitude than where you sleep up until your summit bid. The human body simply does not function well at high altitudes and especially above 8000m (26,300'). As you go higher, the barometric pressure decreases, although the air still contains 21% oxygen, every breath contains less molecules of oxygen.

Once exposed to high altitude the watery part of our blood (plasma) decreases to increase the density of the red blood cells thus making our blood thicker and harder for the heart to pump. The heart pumps faster and we breath harder to compensate and over time, this is corrected with more red blood cells. Red blood cells carry oxygen to our muscles. By climbing higher than the previous day then returning to a lower altitude, your body creates these red blood cells. Without sufficient oxygen our muscles get tired quickly and you eventually may suffer from cerebral edema (the brain swells) or pulmonary edema (fluid build-up in the lungs). The only cure is to get lower fast (1000' minimum) but if you are high up on the mountain this is often impossible and death is the result.

You cannot do much to acclimatize while at a low altitude but there are companies that claim to help the acclimatization process through specially designed tents that simulate the reduced oxygen levels at higher elevations. I have no personal experience with these systems but you can find more details at the Hypoxico website. A friend used this system prior to an Aconcagua and Lhotse climb with great success. Brian Oestrike is the contact and now works for the company. They cost about $7,000 or can be rented for about $170 a week.

Q: What about Diamox or other drugs to help adjust to high altitude?
A: Some people take Diamox a few days before starting the ascent. There is no downside other than some annoying tingling in your fingers and more peeing (by design) but I have used it occasionally and found it helps. If you want to go the 'natural' route you can take Ginkgo Balboa starting 5 days before climbing. I have used it once and if I use drugs, I use Diamox now. According to Dr. Peter Hacket's (renowned high altitude Physician) website, sleep medication such as zolpidem (Ambien®) and eszopiclone (Lunesta®) are safe at altitude and seem to work well without affecting the breathing drive. Finally proper hydration is critical to acclimatization - urine needs to be almost clear in color.

Q: What kind of equipment did you use?

Click for a larger view of my Everest gear.

A: Mostly I use the same gear I used on Everest. Lot's of layers. My personal technical equipment included a long handle ice axe, harness, carabineers and crampons. It is always critical to protect my toes, fingers and face since these were most susceptible to frost bite. As for warmth, I always wear a knit cap and at least liner gloves when I get the least bit cool - regardless of the outside temp. I use a 3 layer system of Merino wool base layer (top and bottom), heavier fleece as in the Mountain Hardware Power Stretch (a Farmer's John kind of suit) or just my Patagonia Guide Pants depending on how cold it is that day then my top wind or warmth layer e.g. Patagonia Micro Puff and/or JetStream Shell. When the winds pick up and the temps hover near 0F, I add my Feather Friends 850 Fill down jacket plus my mitts. I have a gear page for reference. I am very pleased with all my gear but had a few standouts that I note on my gear page.

Q: Anything special in your gear for Denali?
A: I used everything on my gear page under Denali including the full down suit. It can be extremely cold and windy so multiple down layers are required. My boots were the Koflachs in 2007 and Everest One Sports in 2001. The Koflachs were warm enough.

Q: Did you use a satellite phone?
A: I used an Iridium phone in 2007 and a GlobalStar in 2001. Some cell phones now get spotty reception at the Ranger camp at 14K'.

Expedition Basics

Q: Which route is most popular?
A: The West Buttress is the most popular. The other routes including Cassin Ridge, West Rib & South Buttress are extremely technical and subject to avalanches. 95% of all Denali climbers use the West Buttress route.

Q: How long will it take?
A: 2 weeks on the mountain plus another few days to get onto and out of the mountain so allow at least 3 weeks. However, it is very common to be stuck for another week somewhere on Denali with bad weather.

Q: How much does a standard climb cost with and without a guide?
A: The costs can range from $5000 to $6000 depending on who you use. If you do everything yourself cut the highest cost in half or more. See my Guide page for more details.

Q: Do I need a permit to climb?
A: Yes. All climbers must register and pay a $200 fee to the National Park Service at the park headquarters in Talkeetna. This can be done online. There is a limit of 1500 climbers, guided or unguided, each season.

Q: Do I really need a guide for Denali?
A: It all depends on your skills and experience. Denali is a serious high-altitude climb. Many people go to Denali without a formal guide. There are usually a lot of climbers on Denali so you would probably not be alone but easily could be. In harsh weather (white-outs) or in a medical emergency, you will be on your own so consider your skill level carefully. Also crevasse danger is real and always present on the lower glacier area so crevasse rescue skills must be second nature to everyone on the team. Climbing alone or in too small of a team is never a good idea.

Q: Are there local guides for Denali?
A: The NPS has approved 6 companies to guide e.g. (charge a fee) on Denali: Alaska Mountaineering School, Alpine Ascents International, American Alpine Institute, Mountain Trip International, N.O.L.S. and Rainier Mountaineering Inc. Anyone caught 'guiding' are removed and fined according to Rangers. Due these regulations almost all the companies charge the same price.

Q: How do you get on an expedition to climb Denali?
A: Most reputable guides ask for your climbing resume and require some climbing experience. Ideally they want to see climbs of Rainier or Colorado or California 14ers. But most anyone can get on a Denali commercial expedition these days without many questions. The guide services all run the same basic formula on the West Butt route and are very conservative with weather, safety and risks.

Q: What is involved if I plan my own climb?
A: Basically everything: permits, travel, hotels, food, gear, routes, communications, emergency contentions - everything. You can save a lot of money this way but as I said before, consider your skills in the event that something goes wrong - are you 100% self sufficient? What are your medical skills? HAPE and HACE are really possibilities on Denali - do you have the proper medicine and training to deal with it? And a hundred more questions. See my guide page for more

My 2001 and 2007 Experiences

Q: Did you summit?
A: No - either time! In 2001 I reached Denali Pass around 18,000' when high winds stopped our summit climb. In 2007, a mysterious stomach illness hit me on the 17K ridge near Washburn's Thumb. I was helicopter off the mountain to an area hospital. I never did find out what the root problem was after undergoing extensive tests once I got home. It could have been altitude illness or food poisoning - I just don't know.

Q: Why did you choose Mountain trip in 2001 and Alaska Mountaineering School in 2007 as guide services?
A: Both trips were done on short notice and these were my only options. Spaces fill up quickly on Denali's short climbing season. I wanted to go with a guided team since I did not have suitable partners to organize my own climb at the time.

Q: How did they perform?
A: I preferred Mountain Trip over AMS due to their overall attitude and guiding style. They treated everyone more like adults and less as students. I observed them again in 2007 while with AMS and saw the same type of attitude. I would highly recommend them today.

Q: Which route did you take?
A: The standard West Buttress ridge. We had camps at 7.2K, 7.8K, 11.2K, 14.2K, 17.2K to the summit at 20.3K. While it is a bit of a slog, especially on the lower part of the glacier, it is a fun climb. The views are some of the best on the planet overlooking the vast Alaskan ranges. Once above the Ranger camp, the climbing becomes much more interesting with some nice exposure along the ridge plus the extra challenge of altitude, high winds and even colder temperatures.

Q: What kind of weather conditions did you have?
A: It was cold - very cold especially when the wind picked up. I believe Denali has been the coldest climb I have ever experienced.

Q: Did you use bottled oxygen?
A: No, supplemental oxygen is usually only used above 26,300'.

Q: Would you climb Denali again?
A: I am not that excited about another West Buttress climb given I have been there twice. But I would go with good friends or preferably on a small team. Also if I ever go for the 7 Summits, I will have to go back!!

Bottom Line

Denali is a beautiful climb in an awesome area. It offers many of the same challenges as the 8000m mountains and even more if the weather turns bad. The lower part of the West Buttress climb is kind of boring with long nights of pulling a sled but once above the Ranger camp at 14,000' it becomes an exciting and satisfying experience.