Denali

Breakfast and dinner are provided on this expedition. Breakfast often consists of granola, cereal, and oatmeal, on move days (moving camps) and at high camp when cooking is difficult. On rest days, meals can include pancakes, breakfast scrambles, breakfast sandwiches, etc. For dinners, we try to avoid dehydrated meals until the upper mountain. Dinner will often consist of a heavy carb (pasta, rice, instant potatoes) and a protein source (chicken, pork, etc.) to help with recovery.

Climbers on this expedition must pack and prepare their own lunch and snack foods. 360 will send you a lunch and snack food guide so you can develop your own meal plan for 21 days. Depending on when you arrive in Anchorage you will have the opportunity to shop on arrival if you do not wish to bring this with you from home

All drinking water will be made from gathering clean snow and then boiling this to produce purified water. It is up to you whether you wish to bring your own personal purification such as iodine or chlorine but normally boiling is the best method of purification.

We use high quality 2 or 3 person tents that will be shared between two people. We recommend tent sharing for Denali. This is a remote route and as mountaineers we need to be self sufficient with our logistics. By sharing tents we keep the weight down of the equipment we need to carry and it will take less time in taking down or setting up camp.

Another important factor in tent sharing is to develop a buddy-buddy system where every team member can keep an eye on one another during the expedition in case one member develops a problem overnight. Their tent ‘buddy’ can then help look after them and notify the 360 Leader. This is especially important at altitude. Teamwork is the key to success.

There are no toilets on Denali. In accordance with Denali National Park guidelines we will take a lightweight container and special human waste disposal bags. The bags are placed in the container and business is done in them. Normally we try to create an improvised toilet by building a wall from snow blocks around the waste container. This allows you to have some privacy and offers protection from the elements.

We advocate self-help on the mountain. Your own first aid kit should be small and light as any unnecessary weight should contain: A basic blister kit, plasters, your own personal medication, basic pain relief (paracetamol and Ibuprofen). We advocate only a very small and light personal first aid kit as weight will become an issue at altitude. Your Leader will be carrying a more comprehensive first aid kit including emergency high altitude medication should you require treatment.

Not only are you in the capable hands of our Leader and local guide but a mountain rescue service is also operated on Denali that includes helicopter evacuation if necessary. However, it is important to bear in mind that the emphasis is on self-rescue as the mountain rescue service is a voluntary rescue service and cannot be expected to help out. Bad weather conditions on Denali can also make it impossible for the helicopter to fly. It’s important to confirm that your travel insurance includes medical cover for evacuations.

Our gradual itinerary allows people to acclimatise properly. Denali is a big mountain though and suffering from Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) is not uncommon. Denali is even more notorious for the altitude due to the position being far from the equator and close to the Arctic Circle. This means that due to a decrease in the atmospheric pressure compared to similar altitudes at the equator, the relative altitude of Denali will feel even greater.

There are different types of altitude sickness. Although our acclimatisation regime ensures that everybody enjoys the best possible chance of getting high on the mountain, altitude related problems can happen. The most common of this is acute mountain sickness (AMS).

The most common symptoms for this are headaches and nausea.

In all this sounds quite dramatic but generally this is just the process your body naturally goes through to adjust to the higher altitudes and the reduced partial pressure of the atmosphere. For some people the acclimatisation process is a little longer and harder than others. For our leaders this is all part and parcel of ascending a mountain as high as Denali.

AMS might sound frightening but our leaders are fully trained (and experienced) in helping to relieve your personal symptoms and provide advice on how to best proceed.

There are some basic measures you can take to help yourself should you start suffering from AMS. As headache is the most common symptom of AMS try taking a simple painkiller such as paracetamol or ibuprofen to relieve the headache. If the headache disappears all well and good.

Please remember to inform your Leader of any altitude symptoms you may have and any medication you have taken as a result so they can keep an eye on you and advise accordingly. Most AMS symptoms will be mild but should AMS develop into a severe form, your team will be versed in dealing with this and will be carrying relevant emergency altitude medications.

Should someone develop severe AMS the only cure is descent and as safety is our priority you will be taken down appropriately.

In most cases AMS can be avoided by the following: drink plenty of water, walk slowly, stay warm and eat well – and listen and talk to your guides.
We recommend that you familiarise yourself with the various effects that altitude can cause. During your pre-climb briefing, we will describe altitude sickness to you in detail, and advise you how to cope with it.

The most important thing is not to fear it, but to respect it and to know how to deal with it and more importantly tell your guides how you feel.

We recommend you come armed with a course of Diamox or other high-altitude drug on this expedition, though we do not recommend that take you these as a prophylactic during the trek or climb. We view Diamox as a treatment drug rather than a preventative medicine. Most adventure medics give similar advice, however we do appreciate this can be confusing, as many GPs (who aren’t necessarily mountaineers) do suggest taking it as a prophylactic.

Here at 360 we pride ourselves on designing all our itineraries with acclimatisation front and centre and this expedition has been carefully designed to allow for your body to adjust to the altitude gradually, safely and comfortably. However, if you find that you are still having problems adjusting to the altitude (see our FAQ on Altitude Sickness) then your expedition leader or medic will recommend the correct course of action regarding taking Diamox.

It is far preferable to take Diamox if and when needed during the course of the expedition. If you are already taking it and then start having altitude related problems you are left with few options but to descend to a more comfortable altitude which sadly often means that the summit is not attainable.

Furthermore, Diamox is a diuretic, meaning you will have to drink a lot of fluid to prevent dehydration. Of course, the upshot of this is you’ll have to pee more which means you’ll probably be having to get up more in the night and take cover behind rocks during the day. Another quite common side-effect is that it can cause your extremities to “buzz and tingle” including your fingers, toes and lips which can feel quite unsettling. Other side-effects can include dizziness and light headedness with loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. Although all these side-effects are manageable when you have symptoms of altitude sickness, we personally believe it is counter-intuitive to take it unless necessary.

Of course, it is totally up to you, this is just our recommendation and we’re not doctors. If you do decide to take Diamox on the advice of your doctor then please do let your leader know in situ so they are aware of this. We also suggest you take the drug for a couple of days a few weeks before travelling so you can experience the symptoms before taking them during the trek.

Denali can be an exceptionally cold mountain and it is essential to protect against hypothermia and frostbite. With your previous mountain experience you will already have an appreciation of how your body reacts to different environments. Every individual can be affected by the cold differently. As an example, those who feel the cold more could be wearing the following on summit night:

Head: Warm hat and underneath a windproof balaclava and neoprene facemask.

Upper torso: Multiple layers of thermal tops followed by a fleece jacket or soft shell, on top of all this a good quality down jacket.

Hands: Inner lining gloves made from polypropylene/ polyester and over these good quality down mittens. Hand warmers can also be very useful.

Lower torso: One or two sets of thermal bottoms or Long Johns. Over these will be the mountain pants followed by a pair of waterproof bottoms.

Feet: One set of thick mountaineering socks (a thin pair of polypropylene/polyester liner socks can be worn underneath). Be careful wearing two pairs of thick socks because if there is not enough air cushion between your foot and the boot you may find your feet getting colder instead of warmer!

All of the above attire can be useful lower down the mountain on exceptionally cold days such as when a bad weather system moves in.

During the day if the sun is out you may find yourself very warm as the snow around you is good in reflecting the radiant heat back onto you. You may even find that you are only climbing wearing just one top but still feel warm.

This is the difficulty with Denali and other big mountains in that you are constantly climbing in extremes of temperature and so need to be prepared for all eventualities.

Waterproofs are optional on Denali. You shouldn’t encounter rain on the mountain as you are above the snowline but you may have sleet or heavy snow. If you have alternative protection such as a water resistant softshell or down jacket with a pertex or similar coating, then this should protect you from becoming damp from the snow.

However, waterproofs can be a useful extra layer on top of both your lower and upper halves so you may wish to bring them with you depending on what other clothing you have for the mountain.

As frostbite poses a risk so please spare no expense on your footwear. You will not need any trekking boots so all you need to focus on is getting the right climbing boot. As Denali can become so cold it is advisable to wear boots normally reserved for climbing 8,000m peaks for this Denali expedition. These are normally triple layered boots and brands that make 8,000m peak boots include Scarpa, La Sportiva and Millet (please do not get confused with ‘Millets’!).

Should you go for something less than an 8,000m peak boot then we suggest go for something like La Sportiva ‘Spantiks’ as a minimum and consider suitable overboots.

You will be carrying all your kit! However, this will be divided between your rucksack and your pulk (sledge), see below.

On top of your personal gear you will be expected to carry two group food bags (12 – 18kg each) and a handful of group gear such as shovels, wands, cooking gear, fuel, etc. On the lower mountain we will split our gear between our backpacks and a pulk or sled that we drag behind us.

Climbers typically put about 60% of their weight in the sled and 40% in their pack on lower-angled slopes. Most climbers start out with between 55 to 75kg of gear and food to manage. Much of a climber’s pack weight is made up of personal clothing and equipment, and so climbers with lighter and more modern clothing and equipment will carry less weight than those with older and more bulky items.

Your sleeping bag should be as warm as possible and at least rated down to minus 40°C comfort rating. Denali can be bitterly cold! Ensure you get a sleeping bag that has this temperature rating at the comfort rating rather than at the extreme rating. Remember that your sleeping bag can be further enhanced by the use of a silk or fleece liner. Sleeping bags work through the air being warmed up by your own body temperature.

Once you have warmed up the bag, the down will retain the heat and tries to ensure that you sleep at a temperature as close as possible to your own body temperature. To start with on the mountain it could be best to wear as little as possible when inside your sleeping bag. Our leaders will often only wear a set of thermals in their bag. It is important for the bag to trap the heat. If this doesn’t work they may added several layers but ensuring the sleeping bag around them isn’t too tight. If all else fails then it may be necessary to wear your down jacket in addition.

It is possible to rent climbing equipment both in the UK from Outdoorhire.co.uk and also once you arrive in country. However, we recommend the use of personal equipment whenever possible. This is so you know your equipment as best as possible and we can’t guarantee the quality of rented equipment. You also may not have much time to rent equipment when in country before heading to the mountain. We strongly recommend to have all your equipment prepared, tried and tested before setting off to Alaska.

Yes, you can leave clean sets of clothes and whatever belongings won’t be needed for the mountain. These are normally left safely in storage with the local flight company prior to flying to the Kahiltna Glacier to start the climb.

Contingency days are strategically placed in the itinerary to maximise the chances of success for our groups. These extra days can be used for added acclimatisation if required by the group or will be valuable for the bad weather that frequents Denali.

The optimal climbing time to climb Denali tends to be May to July. The weather conditions tend to be more favourable during the glacier relatively stable.

You need to be prepared for an extremely wide range of temperatures and conditions on Denali. The Kahiltna Glacier, which the West Buttress route follows, can experience some of the widest temperature swings on the planet. When the wind is calm and the sun is out, it can be extraordinarily hot, upwards of 25C. At the higher camps, or when a northerly system moves in, the temperatures can dip below -35C. It usually does not stay this cold for too long, but climbers can expect to see these kinds of lows for at least a few days during their climb.

Wind is perhaps the biggest danger on Denali, and climbers should be well prepared to fend off storms and protect themselves and their camps from windy conditions. Even when temperatures are mild, wind chill can accelerate the frostbite process and wreak havoc on equipment and camp sites. Winds in excess of 100mph have been recorded at 4,300m. On the other hand, climbers have walked to the summit in t-shirts. Be prepared for everything the mountain has to throw at you and then a little more.

You must carry individual travel insurance to take part in the expedition. We cannot take you on the mountain without proof of insurance.

It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the appropriate insurance for your intended trip. To include medical evacuation and coverage up to the maximum altitude of this trip.

Your insurance details are requested on the booking form, however this can be arranged at a later date. 360 Expeditions will be requesting your insurance details 8 weeks before your departure.

If you are a foreign national (not a US citizen) you will require a visa to enter USA. However, citizens from certain countries (including UK) can enter through a visa waiver program. To facilitate this you will need to apply for authorisation to travel through the Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA).

Obviously the best way to train for any expedition is to recreate the conditions of the climb as closely as possible. This can be difficult depending on where you are based geographically and we appreciate people have busy lives with work and family commitments.

Ideally you would have altitude experience from previous climbs and the more experience the better. Technically, you will need to be able to move competently using crampons on steep snow or ice and be able to perform an ice axe arrest. You should also be familiar with moving together roped up, have knowledge of basic knots and rope-work and have knowledge of crevasse rescue techniques, as well as some knowledge of how to build a snow anchor and set up a basic hauling system. If you are concerned about any lack of knowledge in these areas, we recommend doing a winter skills course with us in the Pyrenees before you attempt Denali.

The main area to focus physically is to build up as much endurance as possible. This can be developed by long hill days with your rucksack on your back carrying your kit. To simulate pulling the pulk some people train by pulling a tyre. The more miles you clock up in the hills prior to Denali, generally the more endurance you’ll have that will give you something in reserve when it counts during a long day on the mountain.

Our local crew work extremely hard to assure that your expedition runs well. Although tipping is not compulsory, once someone sees the hard work the crew provides, tipping will seem the least they can do to say thank you. On Denali there is no average amount, each local guide and the main Leader can be tipped by individuals ranging from a few dollars to a few hundred dollars.

What you wish to bring in personal spending money is entirely up to you. It is normally better to bring more than you think you need as occasionally we have group members asking us to lend them money but we still haven’t had one complaint of anyone taking too much money! The best currency to bring is US Dollars although there will be cash machines to withdraw money prior to the climb. Converting other currency into US Dollars while incountry can be time consuming. In addition to hard currency it is useful to bring a debit or credit card.

An average amount to bring is approximately $500 USD. This amount should incorporate enough money for tipping the local crew and Leader, buying souvenirs and alcoholic beverages. A bank card will be especially useful for purchasing any extra hotel nights needed after the climb.

As we mentioned at the end of the itinerary, the exact day we return from the glacier is often at the mercy of weather conditions, the climbing conditions and how quickly we make our way up the mountain and back down. We may not use all the days allowed for in the itinerary in town, or we may need more. In fact we don’t even make the bookings until we know when we are due to depart from the glacier so we have somebody stationed in Talkeetna to look after this aspect for us and ensure we are duly accommodated. To that end we ask that these nights are paid for locally to simplify the overall trip cost. The same goes for the outward journey if we can’t fly straight out to the glacier and need to spend an night in Talkneetna waiting for a weather window.

The voltage is 120v / 60Hz. Flat two-pin plugs are normally used.

There is no mobile phone reception on Denali. The Leader will be carrying a satellite phone primarily for emergencies but you may use this at a cost of $5 per minute.