A Climb of Denali’s West Buttress

The vast majority of climbers access Denali via single-engine aircraft fitted with skis from the Alaskan town of Talkeetna – a 40-minute flight away. Alternatively, it is possible to walk directly to the mountain. However, expect to spend at 5-7 days walking with huge loads across mosquito-infested tundra and large glacial river crossings before you reach the mountain. The Alaskan adage of “fly an hour or walk a week” certainly applies here. Talkeetna is a 2.5-hour drive north of Anchorage. Please refer to:

• NPS website for available aviation and support services https://www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/support-services.htm 

• Anchorage to Talkeetna shuttles: https://denalioverland.com/
• Those who prefer train travel may also ride a bus or the Alaska Railroad from Anchorage to Talkeetna. However, train times are not always convenient and it can cost considerably more than a shuttle.
  https://www.alaskatravel.com/transportation/anchorage-talkeetna/

Since most international flights arrive late at night in Alaska, most expeditions spend at least one night in Anchorage. Once in Talkeetna, you’ll need to repack and load your equipment onto the ski plane. Most air taxi operators will allow 50 – 60 kg of gear per person. The plane will drop you at 2,200 m, so wear clothing suitable for glacial travel (including boots). If your flight reservation and appropriate weather window coincide, you’ll soon be on your way. However, climbers may need to wait several days if the weather does not cooperate. But eventually you’ll be airborne, enjoying the beautiful views over the Kahiltna Glacier, before landing in Base Camp (2,200m)

On Denali, as well as many other Alaskan mountains, sledges are the only effective way to reduce the weight of your pack and ease the huge burden of moving your expedition supplies across the glacier. Some climbers utilize expensive, specially made metal sledges, but plastic “kiddie” sleds available from your air taxi operator will work fine, provided one remembers some basic points about their use:

1) Pack heavy items on the bottom, lighter items on top. Use one or more duffel bags that are securely attached to the sled with accessory cord.
2) Do not put all food, fuel, tents or other group gear in one sled – divide such items among the group. If a sledge is lost down a crevasse, your expedition will come to a very premature end if you haven’t divided up your gear.
3) It is recommended that a least the lead person on a rope team hitches their sled to the climbing rope behind them – this may prevent the sledge from dropping on top of you in the event of a crevasse fall.

Managing both a sledge and backpack, whilst wearing skis or snowshoes and being roped together, takes a bit of getting used to. However, you will get plenty of practice since it’s best to travel in roped, glacier-travel mode as far as Basin Camp at 4,300m. At this point the sledges can be cached until your descent. Whilst the crevasse danger lessens above this point, most parties elect to stay roped together for the duration of the climb.

Camp 1 is established at 2,375 m at the confluence of the main Kahiltna Glacier and the heavily crevassed Northeast Fork (3-6 hours from the Kahiltna Glacier airstrip). Many climbers start to “ferry” loads between camps at this point so as to reduce the weight they are moving at one go. Importantly, this process also slows down the rate of ascent and allows for a more gradual acclimatization to the altitude. In addition, the repeated load carries are especially enjoyable for those wearing skis. The downhill skiing is especially good between Camp 1, the Camp at Kahiltna Pass (2,950 m) (climb from Camp 1 to Kahiltna Pass is 2-5 hours) and Motorcycle Hill Camp (3,350 m) (climb from Kahiltna Pass to Motorcycle Hill Camp is 2-4 hours). Downhill skiing while roped up is difficult but is highly recommended in heavily crevassed areas.

Above Motorcycle Hill Camp at 3,350 m, the climbing steepens as the route takes you past the terminal walls of the West Buttress. Many will opt to cache skis or snowshoes at 3,350 m and continue the climb with crampons and a single ice axe (with perhaps a ski pole in the other hand for additional support) since the route steepens here and the snowpack hardens. You’ll then have to climb steeply out of a basin in order to reach Windy Corner at 4,115m, and then make an ascending traverse through seracs and heavily crevassed terrain to approach the head of the Kahiltna Glacier and Basin Camp at ~4,300 m (climb from Motorcycle Hill Camp to Basin Camp is 4-8 hours) . As you look down to the lower Kahiltna Glacier and out to 5,300 m Mt. Foraker the views are spectacular. In the opposite direction the impressive summit bulk of Denali rises above you, and the details of the upper West Rib and Messner Couloir are clear, as is the steep headwall of the West Buttress that you’ll soon be climbing. At Basin Camp (4,300 m), most groups take a rest day, since time is needed to make final preparations for your summit bid and the load carrying that you’ll need to do in order to be ready for high camp and beyond.

At this point you’re about to embark upon the most demanding part of the climb – with higher, colder territory combined with steeper and more exposed ground providing a fierce test of skills and stamina. From Basin Camp, you ascend approximately 300 m up a gentle snow slope to the bergschrund at the base of the West Buttress. The bergschrund is at times quite steep but it is short and, with steps established in the ice, not difficult to surmount. The ascent of the West Buttress now begins via the 300m headwall that lies in front of you. The angle of this slope is 45 to 50 degrees and care needs to be taken. Typically, the pitches are hard ice with some overlying snow. It is possible to protect this section with jumars since a fixed rope is placed every season with the assistance of the NPS and local guides. Because of the steepness of the route and the amount of altitude gained, most parties make a double carry to establish Ridge Camp at just over 5,000 m (climb from Basin Camp to Ridge Camp is 2-3 hrs).

Emerging from the headwall onto the top of the Buttress, the atmosphere of the climb changes dramatically. The exposure is considerable. As you begin to move along the crest of the Buttress, views spread north across the Peters Glacier to the Alaskan tundra and south to the scores of other peaks in the Alaska Range. These vistas are spectacular in clear weather. Initially the ridge is fairly broad, but gradually it narrows, with steep drop-offs to both sides.

The traverse to High Camp (at 5,245 m) follows a steadily narrowing crest and at times moves between and around a series of magnificent, pointed granite gendarmes up to 20 m high. The climbing is never steeper than 35 degrees, but the exposure is significant and requires caution, especially in high winds, as you move up a route that in some sections is reduced to ledges just one or two metres wide. Close to High Camp the ridge finally begins to merge with the main part of the Denali massif, and soon you’ll establish camp in a basin just below Denali Pass, the low point between Denali’s higher south summit and the slightly lower north peak (climb from Ridge Camp to High Camp is 2-5 hours). From here you will climb to the summit in a single day.

On summit day you’ll make an ascending traverse to Denali Pass, and en route overcome a fairly steep section between 5,360 and 5,490 m. From there you’ll climb gentle slopes to a plateau at 5,910 m, from which you get impressive views down onto the Harper and Muldrow Glaciers and across to Denali’s North Peak. The final approach to the summit climbs moderately steep slopes to the crest of the ridge between Kahiltna Horn (6,130 m) and the main summit. At the crest you can peer down the 2,400 m drop of the precipitous South Face, looking between the Cassin Ridge to your right and the South Buttress to your left. From here you’ll ascend the summit ridge on its exposed south side, before switching to north side for approximately 200 mostly horizontal meters to the clearly defined 6,194 m summit of the highest mountain in North America. Plan on 8-12 hours from High Camp to the summit. Keep an eye on the weather and abort the climb if bad weather is approaching. You do not want the highlight of your climb to be getting caught in a storm near the top of Denali – it has on many occasions been a deadly experience for those who ignore changing weather high on this peak. Bad weather above 5,000 m on this mountain is a serious proposition. Whiteouts are common and wind chill factors can often be extreme.

See an essay titled “Thoughts from a Retired Mountaineering Ranger” that drives home this point
https://www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/survival.htm

The time from Kahiltna base to the summit and return is usually accomplished in 14-21 days. The decision when and where to make double carries between camps and take rest days for acclimatisation are up to you. However, “storm days”, when you are confined to your tent, are beyond your control. Ensure that you have incorporated some extra days into your schedule to allow enough time to sit out a multiple-day storm (or two).