Denali tips/tricks

The most important piece of equipment for a Denali trip is an electronic kitchen scale. You will enjoy the trip a lot more if you can keep your total weight (pack and sled) under 100 pounds (though I'm not sure how much group gear and food the guides carry). In any case, grams and ounces add up to pounds, and every bit helps. For example, instead of Nalgene bottles, use Gatorade bottles, which are much lighter, much cheaper (and come with free Gatorade), won't break if dropped, hold boiling water just fine -- I've used them on many expeditions with no problem, from Alaska to the Himalayas (just bring an extra cap). Weigh everything you bring, and if possible, use lighter alternatives when you have a choice (beginning with your pack).

Despite the weight tradeoff, be prepared to be comfortable in the tent during bad weather, including cards, plenty of reading material, and a light camp chair, which you can use as a knee pad when cooking and under your feet at night (to supplement your ultralight 3/4-length NeoAir mattress and full-length 1/8" foam pad).

Also, be sure to wear some kind of light sun hat (e.g. OR Sun Runner Cap), and even consider adding a cross piece for covering your mouth -- it's so easy to roast your face (e.g. under your nose, even the roof of your mouth!) on the glacier.

Wear a light, comfortable harness -- not an Alpine Bod -- that won't chafe your hips as you are hauling a sled. Speaking of which, as others have suggested, train hard with a heavy pack, and also train with a sled (which you will doubtlessly find to be a royal pain in the butt): you need to practice dealing with the sled harness and to get your hip flexors used to the additional strain.

Enjoy!

these are all great, thanks guys!

I found a simple deck of cards to be invaluable group entertainment when stormed in.

Oh - and don't forget a small sewing kit, of of my group tore his pants on the snow saw and we were able to repair it. Also used it to repair a sleeping bag that tore when stuck in the zipper.

I'm a former ADK climber as well, Matt. Good Luck.