Upper West Rib climbing in Denali – 20 days

Meeting at Anchorage International Airport. Transfer to Talkeetna (included), leaving at 4:30PM. Possibility to buy fresh food to complete your lunches on the mountain. Overnight at Latitude 62.
Altitude: 106m

We get ready to fly to the mountain. We will attend a National Park Service presentation. We check the equipment and give final recommendations. Overnight at Latitude 62.
Altitude: 106m

We meet at K2 Aviation and take the bush plane to Kahiltna Base Camp. The views during the flight are outstanding. We review some mountaineering skills at base camp.
Altitude: 2225m

We leave the Base Camp and descend to the Kahiltna glacier. We head then towards Denali travelling up the glacial rolls. We set camp at the base of Ski Hill.
Altitude: 2377m

We ascend towards Kahiltna pass, climbing up the glacier. We set camp just below the Pass.
Altitude: 2926m

We continue up and towards the east, on a glacial valley, setting camp at the pase of Motorcycle Hill.
Altitude: 3414m

Today we rest, review technical skills and prepare for the days ahead.
Altitude: 3414m

We climb Motorcycle Hill up to a point with outstanding views. Then we climb up Squirrel Hill to the Polo Field. It is a wide glacial bench at the foot of West Buttress. We go up to 4115 meters. We leave food, fuel and personal items in our cache site and return to 11K Camp.
Max altitude: 4115m

Altitude: 3414m

We ascend to 14K Camp, climbing around Windy Corner, passing our cache site. We reach out camp in Genet Basin.
Altitude: 4328m

We go down to our cache site to retrieve our gear, and return to 14K Camp.
Altitude: 4328m

We practice some climbing skills and spend the day resting to acclimatize.
Altitude: 4328m

We go up to the west side of Genet Basin. We climb a series of glaciated rolls, gaining the Upper West Rib. Then we continue through rock bands to Balcony Camp. We cache some gear at Balcony Camp.  We return to 14K Camp.
Max altitude: 4968

The day might include some walks if the weather allows.
Altitude: 4328m

We go up the West side of Genet Basin again. We make our way to Balcony Camp. There we retrieve our gear, set camp and stay for the night. The views over the Alaska Range are outstanding.
Altitude: 4968m

We will ascend through snow bands and granite rocks on the Upper West Rib. The views over the South Face of Denali are outstanding. There is a steep technical climbing portion, and then we reach the Football Field at 5852m. Then we continue climbing to the top of Pig Hill and the summit ridge, and traverse the ridge to the top of the South Peak. We take some time at the summit before descending the West Buttress route back to 17K Camp.

We descend from 17K camp to 11K Camp down the West Buttress, stopping at 14K Camp to get our belongings.
Altitude: 3414m

We continue our descent down to Kahiltna Base Camp.
Altitude: 2225m

We return to Talkeetna by plane. Overnight at Latitude 62.

Travel to Anchorage International Aiport to fly back home.