Denali
Alaska, North America
20,310 feet 6,190 meters
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Alan Arnette is an Alzheimer's advocate for individuals, their families and anyone impacted by this disease through his professional speaking, climbing and website.

His objectives for the Memories are Everything® climbs are:
  • Educate the public, especially youth, on the early warning signs and how to prepare
  • Increase awareness that Alzheimer's Disease has no cure
  • Raise research money for Alzheimer's non-profits
He has completed two major projects:
Donate to Alzheimer's • NO CURE, always Fatal
• No easy, inexpensive method of early detection
• 3rd leading cause of death in the US
• New case every 68 seconds, 4 seconds worldwide
• Impacts more than 5+m in US, 25m+ worldwide
• Devastating financial burden on families
• Depression higher for caregivers
• Issues are increasing rapidly as population ages

7 Summits Climb for Alzheimers

The Alzheimer's Immunotherapy Program of Janssen Alzheimer Immunotherapy and Pfizer Inc. funded my climbs for the 7 Summits campaign and ongoing efforts between November 2010 and November 2012. All money I raised then and now from donations goes directly to the organizations I have selected. During the campaign, content posted here was my own but subject to certain limitations in conjunction with the support of the AIP.
Donate for Alzheimers

Climbed June/July 2011 (reached 17,500' stopped by hurricane winds on summit)

North America: Denali (20,320'/6194m)

DenaliDenali is the native American name for the mountain but it was changed to Mt. McKinley in honor of President McKinley and the surrounding park was named Denali National Park by the National Park Service in 1980. In 2015, the name of the mountain was officially changed to Denali. It is in central Alaska - 300 miles South of the Arctic Circle and 200 miles East of the Bearing Sea. Denali offers some the the largest vertical gain of any mountain on Earth. With base camp at 7,200' and the summit at 20,310', this 13,110' of gain over twelve miles is larger than Cho Oyu (8,407) or even Everest (10,535). The biggest threat on Denali is the weather. It is well known for socking you in for days with high winds and snow. 45,411 climbers have attempted Denali with 23,426 summiting, a 52% success rate . Almost 100 have died including 11 in 1992.

The second highest mountain in North America is Mt. Logan in Canada's Yukon at 19,551'/5959m and is 385 miles southeast of Denali. Similar to Denali it is a huge massif but with eleven peaks. Logan is believed to have the largest base circumference of any mountain. The normal route is consider straightforward but weather is a huge problem for Logan like it is for Denali in addition to being so remote.

Here's a look at the summit stats for the popular West Buttress route from 2000 to 2019 along with the most popular summit day:

Denali West Buttress Route

source: National Park Service
Year Total Summits % Top Summit Date #
2023      
2022 745 70  
2021 490 52  
2020 CLOSED FOR COVID    
2019 793 65  
2018 463 44 June 8 67
2017 461 41 May 31 54
2016 647 60 June 16 83
2015 589 57 June 15 87
2014 404 35 June 4 99
2013 729 68 May 27 56
2012 460 40 May 27 56
2011 623 55 May 27 & 30 45
2010 630 56 June 21 54
2009 649 60 June 7 77
2008 652 58 May 30 91
2007 513 47 June 12 77
2006 545 52 May 29 50
2005 716 59 June 15 101
2004 628 54 June 4 71
2003 556 58 June 12 115
2002 575 53 June 13 56
2001 670 60 June 4 69
2000 556 53 June 3 71

Denali Resources

I have climb on Denali three times. You can read about my climbs thru these links: