How To Climb Mt. McKinley

Mt. McKinley, known also by the Athabaskan name Denali, is the highest mountain in North America. Denali tops out at 20,320 feet and is at approximately 64 degrees north latitude. The combination of the northern latitude and elevation make Denali one of the hardest mountains in the world to climb. There is a process you must go through prior to setting foot on the mountain, as dictated by the National Park Service and Denali National Park officials.

Things You'll Need

  • National Park Service permits
  • Bear-resistant food canisters
  • Full mountaineering kit for each member of the team (a list will be provided by the National Park Service during registration and orientation)
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Instructions

    • 1

      Download the registration form for Denali National Park. Submit the completed form by Oct. 1 in the year prior to your summit bid. For example, if you and your party plan to climb in May 2014, you must submit the application registration no later than Oct. 1, 2013. Filing is done via postal mail or electronically. A registration fee is charged based on the number of people in the party (The fee in 2011 was $200 per person.)

    • 2

      Hire an air taxi to fly you to Ruth Glacier, the base camp for Denali expeditions. Find air charters and taxis in the small village of Talkeetna, Alaska -- the staging town and headquarters of the climbing office for Denali National Park.

    • 3

      Prepare your needed gear, food and emergency equipment. Follow the required gear list as prescribed by the park officials. Modify for your own needs. Basic gear includes winter clothing, any necessary medical kits, crampons, mountaineering boots, harness, helmet, sleeping bag and carabiners. This is not all-inclusive. You need to outfit yourself based on your style of ascent and maintain the minimal amount of gear for survival as required by the Park Service.

    • 4

      Get to Talkeetna at least three days prior to the trip departure date. Attend the required briefing and orientation at Denali National Park headquarters in Talkeetna. Watch the videos and attended the ranger-led safety briefing. Register your team, get your permits and bear canisters for food storage at the lower-altitude camps on the mountain.

    • 5

      Go over the gear and pack it all together as a team in Talkeetna. Shuttle it to the air service offices (most air taxi services provide complimentary ground shuttles to the air port.) Weigh the gear and team at the air taxi offices for the aircraft manifest.

    • 6

      Plan a three-week expedition for most routes up Denali. The standard West Rib route takes up to 14 to 15 days to ascend and two to three for the descent. Be extra careful on the descent as most accidents and fatalities occur on the descent versus the ascent.