Mount Denali is the highest mountain in North America and one of the most amazing mountains to climb. It’s a massive peak that can only be accessed via an 8-mile hike from the 10,000-foot level of Talkeetna, Alaska. Denali is 6,190 m tall from sea level. Although SummitClimb does not offer Denali climb, it offers Ama Dablam, Everest, K2, Manaslu, Mera Peak, Island Peak, Lobuche, Aconcagua, and many more trips.
The mountain is made up of three glaciers: the Kahiltna Glacier, Muldrow Glacier, and Traleika Glacier. These glaciers are fed by snowfall in a 7-mile radius around their base. The snowfall accumulates over a period of 4 years before it drops as snow on the glacier below. To reach Mount Denali, climbers must go through several different camps on their way to the top—each camp has a different climate and terrain depending on which route they choose to take up Mount Denali’s many faces. First, we need to fly to Kahiltna base camp and then to the base of the Ski hill. From there we need to move to 10,200 caches. Our next destination is 11k camp and 14k camp. 17k camp is where we start heading towards and finally climb the summit from 17k camp.
Mount Denali’s climbing season runs from May through June each year, however, some climbers will attempt to make it up the mountain in mid-winter if weather conditions are favorable for travel (the last successful mountaineering expedition was in 1996).
The volcano’s five-season climbing season is not open to the public, but it is accessible to experienced climbers who have been issued a permit by Park Service staff. The mountaineering season begins in late May and ends in early June. The climbing period is split into two segments: a short “peak” season when temperatures are warm (between 40°F and 60°F) and an extended “off-peak” period when temperatures are cooler (between 30°F and 45°F).
Visitors must submit their application for a permit to climb Mount McKinley (Mount Denali) by April 15 of each year. The application fee for adults is $395, with additional fees for youth groups and organizations.
