Slideshow

Itinerary

Equipment List

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Climber Testimonials from AAI's 2008 Alaska Range Programs.

Stephen Karney stands on the summit of Explorer's Peak while on our Alaska Range Mountaineering
Course. The Moose's Tooth is in the background. Photo by Seth Hobby

This is a scenic and action packed seven-day program that provides complete training in all the skills of snow and ice climbing used in alpine and expedition climbing. While developing a solid and complete set of climbing skills, you will also learn glacier travel and crevasse rescue procedures as well as techniques for route finding and hazard assessment. We use skis for ease of movement on the glacier, and anyone with basic ski skills will feel at home on this easy terrain. At the end of the program, you should be technically qualified to make intermediate level ascents in any of the world’s glaciated ranges and to join us on a Denali expedition.

We do our training and climbs above either the Kahiltna Glacier or the Ruth Glacier. We have some very advantageous flexibility in this program and are able to use our 24 years of guiding experience in the Alaska Range to choose our area based on very current climbing conditions. We typically fly to the Ruth in the early season and the Kahiltna in the late season as we seek out suitable temperatures and good snow and ice conditions. For both areas the approach flight by ski plane is an impressive one, with views of immense glaciers, sheer walls reaching thousands of feet above the ice, and the most famous summits in North America. Above the Kahiltna, the peaks we climb are unnamed, and above the Ruth they are from among Mt. Barrille, Mt. Dickey, Mt. Dan Beard, and Explorer’s Peak.

Practicing self arrest on the Ruth Glacier,
Alaska Range. Seth Hobby

In this program we will help you develop a complete repertoire of alpine mountaineering, rescue, and expedition climbing skills. In addition, you will have been exposed to a variety of climbing conditions and will have begun to develop the ability to respond to those various conditions precisely, choosing to apply different skills or making adjustment in technique to give yourself the greatest security in your climbing. Long routes, hard routes, and climbs at altitude all require a high level of efficiency in the climber. With this mountaineering program we aim not only to convey a large body of knowledge but also to develop the ability to use that knowledge so effectively that you will be capable of climbing safely and successfully either with a guide or one your own in ranges throughout the world.

This trip includes substantial practice climbing, spectacular scenery, the chance to make the top of beautiful summits, and a lot of fun. We hope you will join us! For similar expeditionary programs in other areas see the six-day Expedition Training Program offered in Washington’s Cascades and the fourteen-day St. Elias First Ascents program in Alaska.

Group instruction and snow skills in the Ruth Glacier Amphitheater, Alaska Range. Seth Hobby

Climbing Skills

• selection and use of personal equipment, ropes, knots, and harnesses
• design concepts and selection of ice axes and ice tools
• proper choice and application of the primary ice axe positions; piolet canne, panne, manche, poignard, ramasse, rampe, ancre, and traction
• choice between and application of French, German, and American cramponing techniques
• belays on snow and ice
• selection and placement of snow flukes and pickets, ice screws for belays and protection
• the uses of mechanical belaying devices in alpine climbing
• free climbing technique on steep snow and ice
• the integration of specific skills with the goals of efficient and safe climbing

Glacier Travel, Rescue, and Living Skills

• an introduction to glacial structures and movement: how to use large external land forms to predict inner glacial structures and hence the difficulties and hazards of a potential route
• principles of glacier travel while climbing and skiing
• individual and team crevasse rescue
• route finding and marking in low visibility
• snow cave and igloo construction and living
• Leave No Trace climbing, travel, & living in the alpine environment

Expedition and Skiing Skills

• discussion of Himalayan and Alpine expedition climbing styles with a comparison of their inherent advantages, limitations, and requirements
• expedition processes in icefalls and the establishment and ascension of fixed lines
• techniques for roped glacier skiing and the use of sleds for transporting gear
• intro. to intermediate & more advanced ski techniques

Physics, Physiology, and Medicine of Cold Weather and Altitude

• an introduction to human physiology in cold weather
• preventing and treating cold weather injuries
• an introduction to human physiology at high altitude
• preventing and treating high altitude illnesses

A climber preparing a snow seat belay while descending Mt. Barrill. Coley Gentzel

You will need to arrange your travel schedule so that you can attend the mandatory expedition orientation and gear check with guides at our Anchorage hotel at 2pm, the day BEFORE the scheduled start date of the trip.

All trips begin with a meeting and orientation in Anchorage. We spend one night there, then travel by van the next morning to the small town of Talkeetna. There we repack our equipment, meet our ski plane pilots, and as soon as possible, make the beautiful flight to the glacier.

Inclusions: Ski plane flights to and from the glacier; guide fees and instruction; meals while in the mountains; tentage and group cooking equipment; group climbing equipment; mechanical ascenders; custom mountain sleds.

Exclusions: Transportation between Anchorage and Talkeetna (about $55 each way); food and lodging except on the glacier; rescue and evacuation costs; national park fees; baggage, accident, rescue, and trip cancellation insurances; gratuities to guides; personal equipment.

Ice climbing instruction below Mount Dan Beard, Alaska Range. Seth Hobby

We offer two additional Denali Prep programs in different locations. See the six-day Expedition Training Program offered in Washington's Cascades and the four-day Winter Comprehensive - Denali Prep held in Colorado's San Juan Mountains and California's Sierra.

1. Trip Report: Climbing and Mountaineering in the Alaska Range. May 2003 (slide show!)

2. Trip Report: An ascent of Mount Hunter's West Ridge. May 2004 (slide show!)

3. Trip Report: Mount Huntington's Harvard Route. April 2005 (slide show!)

4. Trip Report: Mountaineering above the Kahiltna Glacier in the Alaska Range.

5. Trip Report: Climbing Mount Huntington's West Face Couloir.

6. Trip Report: An ascent of Mount Foraker's Sultana Ridge.

"I have never seen a more spectacular spot than the Ruth Gorge. It was an amazing first glacier to be on!"
Ron Goodman, Brainard, NY

"It was an awesome trip and very, very valuable. I am sooooo glad I decided to invest the money and go on the trip. My guide is a super, super person, lots of experience, lots of patience and I feel better prepared for the daunting task, expect and know it is going to be hard, but also know I will not be so overwhelmed with all the other stuff like roping up, building snow walls etc when we start with the Denali climb."

"Weather conditions were very realistic, wind and snow, I was glad about that. I feel better about my gear and about what to take, what to leave, and what works. It was really really good to experience all the rope work, to travel roped up, and I was very glad I was introduced to it in a small group. All in all .. YES, an incredible experience, and I am looking forward to get back on to the plane in two weeks time. First night I got into my sleeping bag and thought to myself that I did not have it in me to take on Denali, but got up next morning sticking to my motto .. take it step by step."

"Please thank my guide again on my behalf for everything he taught us, for all his patience .. and for the great cooking, we ate like kings and a queen."

"The course was definitely a must for me!! A huge thank you for your part in all the arrangements, and a huge thank you to everyone involved in the planning, preparation and logistics. A special thank you to the person that planned and packed the food .. it helps to be well fed when you are active in such a cold environment."
Elsie B, South Africa

"Both guides were fantastic mentors of mountaineering - passing along the tricks of the trade to promote safety in glacial navigation."
Tom Martins, San Jose, CA

"Our guide knew how and when to lead, set the pace, and push us just up to our limits with great compassion and awareness. He thoroughly explained technical aspects of the expedition and always demonstrated how it is done."
Kyle Beckstead, Phoenix, AZ