Tips for Denali

Kitchen and hangout tent

You dig out the bottom with snow bench's but leave a center island for a table and the center support.

Don't stay at 17.

I dig it. I have a megamid I was going to pack for BC, as its pretty darn light. That and the 2man little mountain tent is the plan.

I was also planning on bringing two sleeping bags.

Keenan, you say not to sleep at 17. You're suggesting head up there for an acclimatization trip but not sleep there, eh? I can imagine why light and fast from 14 would be a big advantage over lugging gear that high. I am hoping for good snow conditions that will allow quick descents from the heights.

Especially if you're skiing, do everything from 14. If you're in reasonable shape I don't think it makes summit day much harder, and that place is so cold, blasted by wind, and exposed that any time there feels desperate.

Also, the west rib is cool. Similar to the ridge between the top of the fixed lines and 17 camp, but with no people and for longer.

Bring leather work gloves and arm wrap the fixed lines for the way down. On the way up you'll have to touch the lines to move them out of the stairs kicked into the ice. No harness needed above 14.

Agreed with the recommendation to skip the 17k camp if you're in reasonable shape. But you're going fairly early in the season and the fixed lines above 14k might not be in place yet. If you have to belay and/or rappel that section then doing the summit in a day from 14k may not be so easy.

Stiles wrote:Marlin: No headlamp?! How did yall acquire an outside weather forecast while on the hill? That does sound like a great benefit. The plan is to rent a FRS radio from TAT, which will be the only radio.

It is only dark enough for a headlamp between 1:30am and 3:30am (roughly). We never moved anywhere before 8am (even going to the summit).

The biggest place where a weather forecast helps is at 14k. You really need to get the best forecast possible to know when your window is for a summit bid. The nice thing is you can hang out and talk on your cell phone all day at 14K camp.....provided you have Verizon. Kind of weird to be able to connect with the outside world so well but it sure makes it easy to get a second opinion on weather. We also had a Delorme Inreach that we used when we weren't at 14K camp.

I see you said you were going to take 2 sleeping bags. I did the same thing and it worked well for me. I took a 25F and a 0F bag. Low on the mountain I used the 25F or the separately. Higher on the mountain I nested the 25F inside of the 0F and it worked well. I actually liked it better as I could put a ton of stuff in the outer bag but keep it out of the inner bag. I go the idea from here, and I definitely liked it. blog.omcgear.com/two-sleepi…

I've got a slightly used but in excellent shape
Marmot CWM -40 below bag - $400

Oh man, didn't read your dates. If you're trying to ski April and May is too early. The upper mountain will be all ice. It isn't until June that it actually gets warm enough up high for snow to fall. Orient and messner will be 5000 ft of blue ice in May.

which duffel bags did yall bring? i've heard that TNF base camp duffels don't travel as well in the sleds compared to more length-wise duffels like the Wild Things Mule, so a method is to bring 2 duffel bags; 1 that flies well like the basecamp duffel, and 1 that sleds well like an EMS bag or something, does that sound like something people do? Also, does anyone have any experience with the Eddie Bauer Maximus duffel up there?

I did this little write up on Summitpost a while back.

summitpost.org/guide-to-cli…

I think you might like it. It is literally everything you need to know before you go.

AND. Bring a log of chewing tobacco to 14 for bartering!

neverlostMatt wrote:which duffel bags did yall bring?

I brought a Fish Behemoth Duffle. It is huge, pretty much indestructible, and water proof (except for the zipper, but there is Velcro that covers the zipper too). And you could pull it along the snow when your sled flips over if you wanted without much resistance.

fishproducts.com/catalog/lu…

A couple of blue ikea bags are awesome for getting snow and moving gear around. They are super light and tough.
I have been up there several times and have never needed a steel spade. Good Voile shovels are awesome and a good snow saw for cutting blocks. SMC makes a good light one. But there are plenty out there. Designate one or two shovels for snow(drinking water) collection. Hot dogs are great and travel well. We took one meals worth per week. A small light frying pan is nice. The outback oven is great. I baked quite a bit. But I love to cook. The hood for the oven works great when melting snow, helps speed things up. A stove board that fits in the bottom of your sled and travel duffles works well. It doesn't have to be elaborate, but it sure beats trying to balance your stoves on shovel blades etc. I use one XGK and one dragonfly they use a lot of the same parts and gives you some adjustablity. I carry an expedition kit for the stoves and one extra pump. MSR stoves are easy to maintain in the Field. I use small snow pickets and snow stakes for tents they work well. Take extras and extra cord for building more tie outs. I carry a closed cell foam pad as part of my sleep system. It works great as a chair and good for standing on.
I have been up there in early May with great snow conditions. It just depends on the year.
It is so amazing up there. Be very friendly and make new friends. Also wake up a couple of nights and take pictures. They will be some of the best that you take based on the lighting.

Keenan Waeschle wrote:Oh man, didn't read your dates. If you're trying to ski April and May is too early. The upper mountain will be all ice. It isn't until June that it actually gets warm enough up high for snow to fall. Orient and messner will be 5000 ft of blue ice in May.

Sweet Baby Jesus! Too cold to snow; I didn't know that was a thing! The motivation for this trip is skiing, and the dates are set by work restrictions, mainly.

No skiing to be had in early May? For real!?

If the goal is great skiing it isn't a great objective. But... You never know until you go... Chances are the upper mountain will be less than desirable. Is your goal to ski off the summit? Or down from 17 to 14? If so I can't help you but I encourage you to find some specific info/beta from those who have to help your planning. You'll be able to get some turns down low and at 14 (most likely). A nice way to pass rest or marginal weather days but probably not a focus of the trip.

There are other places in the Alaska range that are suitable for skiing. Marginal ice rink on Denali or dropping huge steep couloirs with good snow anywhere else in the range. Denali is a cool thing to have skied, but it's really not the most enjoyable when you're actually doing it.

You never really know until you are there. With the strange stuff going on with the climate, who knows, you get end up having the best conditions of all time. Research it with pilots when you get there. If it looks bad, fly into the Pika glacier( little Swiss) or for a grand skiing adventure fly into the revelations. Get some huge first descents. Massive Coolies

I flew in May 12 and the snow was good around 14 camp, but the messner was ice and upper orient was not skiable but the lower 2/3 was. The head wall was ice where the fixed lines are. Maybe rescue gully was skiable

For those who have been there, what do you recommend for socks? I'm pretty set on using Sportiva G2 SM boots. I have used medium-thickness Costco wool socks in the past, which have worked well. I've never tried VBL systems. Any recommendations? I'd like to return home with all of my toes.

Personally I found a thin pair of smartwool liners and "hiker" weight pair of wool REI socks to work for me. That was in a Phantom 6k, so pretty similar boot. Partner used the same system with a little bit thicker wool sock. I've also never tried a VBL. Honestly I feel like very few people go that route and if you don't get it figured out, do foot antiperspirant, etc. it might backfire.

I never had any issue keeping socks or liners (or anything else) dry on Denali. I had 2 pairs of socks and never even had to resort to switching them out to dry.

If you want to come back with toes bring overboots. The 40 belows were awesome. Wore them to the summit. Would have been fine without but my feet were legitimately toasty with them on. Keep your legs warm too. Doesn't really matter how much is on your feet if your legs are getting cold.