Alaska Range: Denali

0 ft

Elevation

U.S

Country

Days

3D

Difficulty

Early May

Start

Mid July

End

About the Mountain

WHY CLIMB IT?

If you dream of exploring the great Alaskan wilderness and have experience with glacier travel, Denali (20,320 ft) might be your mountain. It’s the highest mountain in North America and a big step up in difficulty from mountains like Kilimanjaro and Aconcagua – requiring more self-sufficiency and use of crampons and ropes – but if you’re fit and take time to train properly, the summit should be well within reach. The views from the peak alone are worth the journey. From there, you can look out to Mount Hunter (14,573 ft), Mount Huntington (12,241 ft), and Mount Foraker (17,400 ft), knowing you’re at the highest vantage point in all of North America.

“We had to battle true blizzards, cold, whiteouts, physical and mentals challenges in order to reach the summit.”

- Amy Price

While there are a range of options for routes up Denali, the West Buttress route is far and away the most popular one. The journey starts at Denali Base Camp on the Kahiltna Glacier (7,300 ft), where you’ll likely arrive via ski plane from Anchorage. It then progresses through 5 higher camps, over open glaciers, and along thin ridgelines to reach the summit. The main variable to success – besides your fitness and preparation – is Denali’s famously extreme weather. Winds can be as high as 100 mph and temperatures range from hot and sunny to well below freezing.