For centuries now, ambitious mountaineers have been making their way to Alaska’s snow-capped wilderness, seeking to test their skills on Denali—North America’s tallest peak. While conquering Denali is no small feat, those fit and brave enough to achieve it are rewarded with beautiful untouched wilderness, phenomenal panoramic views, and bragging rights that will last a lifetime! For anyone looking to get into mountaineering and one day overcome this legendary challenge, there is no better learning environment than Denali’s very own Alaska Range. Jump on the opportunity to master advanced skills and techniques in this one-of-a-kind setting. And if the weather allows it, you get to climb a glacier and overcome one of Denali’s neighboring peaks, with grandiose views of the mountain itself! Head to Alaska’s pale outback and grow into your mountaineering boots.
Head to Alaska’s breathtaking wilderness for a week-long mountaineering course of a lifetime! This course is a great way to up your mountaineering game with a solid foundation for glacial mountaineering pursuits over a relatively short period of time. Learn the requisite skills for a scenic guided ascent of Denali, Aconcagua, Mount Vinson, or 6000-meter Himalayan peaks!
Meet your guides at the Lakefront Anchorage Hotel. Go through an expedition orientation and equipment check. After the gear check, you and your guides will load up the van and make the two-hour drive north to the remote town of Talkeetna. After a quick registration with the National Park Service, board ski-equipped airplanes and take the flight into the Alaska Range. Help your guides and fellow participants establish a base camp, and spend the night here.
Cover the numerous skills needed for a successful mountaineering trip. You will learn glacier camping techniques and other aspects of efficient campcraft, such as cooking and water production. Review the knots you’ve been practicing and build upon them to learn proper rope techniques for belaying and rappelling. Go over snow climbing skills such as self-arrest, glissading, and the use of crampons and ice axes. Learn how to properly travel on a glacier, how to read glaciers to identify potential hazards such as crevasses, and how to get out of them if you happen to misread the terrain.
From your base camp, choose between several climbing objectives that put your mountaineering skills to the test. Pt. 8,670, also known as Radio Control Tower, and the East ridge of Mt. Frances both provide some great climbing opportunities right out of camp. Experience the stunning views of the three big peaks—Denali, Foraker, and Mt. Hunter—from the top of Mt. Frances. Your guides will help you find a route that provides the perfect balance of challenging but achievable climbing objectives.
If you’re on the 7-day course, enjoy your final day in the Alaska range. Depending on the conditions and how tired you are, spend part of this day climbing or practicing crevasse rescue in the giant crevasses near the base camp. In the afternoon, pack up your camp and catch your flight back to Talkeetna, ready for the drive back to Anchorage.
For those on the 12-day course, the fun is just getting started. Depart your base camp and drop down the infamous Heartbreak Hill and onto the broad Kahiltna glacier. Your goal is to move camp to a site at 7,800 feet, near the junction with the NE Fork of the Kahiltna Glacier. This moderate 5-mile carry is a good shake-down for the days to come. Pass by numerous crevasses and beneath some of the prettiest peaks in Alaska en route to camp. Depending on the conditions, you may camp closer to the East Fork of the Kahiltna for an attempt on West Kahiltna Peak
If the conditions allow it, break camp and head up Ski Hill to Kahiltna Pass. This is where you’ll establish High Camp for your attempt at Kahiltna Dome. Gaze at the stunning evening views down the Kahiltna from this camp at a height of 10,000 feet. This may be a tough day, as you’ll gain altitude as well as travel about three and a half miles along the Kahiltna. Conditions on peaks like Kahiltna Dome vary, so your objective might be another peak in the area.
Keep your fingers crossed for good weather! If you’re lucky, you get to climb Kahiltna Dome, West Kahiltna Peak, or any of Kahiltna Glacier’s other climbing options. You and your guides will pick a route that provides really fun climbing and the views as you gain elevation will be truly breathtaking.
Break camp and descend to Kahiltna Base Camp. De-rig on the glacier and fly out to Talkeetna for the drive back to Anchorage.
Seven days in Alaska’s peaks isn’t enough, you say? This 12-Day Alaska Mountaineering Course is very comprehensive and is designed to take climbers farther than just the basic skills addressed in a 7-Day Course. Spend an additional 4 days ascending the magnificent Kahiltna Glacier, getting a real taste of what it takes to ascend North America’s highest peak!
Meet your guides at the Lakefront Anchorage Hotel. Go through an expedition orientation and equipment check. After the gear check, you and your guides will load up the van and make the two-hour drive north to the remote town of Talkeetna. After a quick registration with the National Park Service, board ski-equipped airplanes and take the flight into the Alaska Range. Help your guides and fellow participants establish a base camp, and spend the night here.
Cover the numerous skills needed for a successful mountaineering trip. You will learn glacier camping techniques and other aspects of efficient campcraft, such as cooking and water production. Review the knots you’ve been practicing and build upon them to learn proper rope techniques for belaying and rappelling. Go over snow climbing skills such as self-arrest, glissading, and the use of crampons and ice axes. Learn how to properly travel on a glacier, how to read glaciers to identify potential hazards such as crevasses, and how to get out of them if you happen to misread the terrain.
From your base camp, choose between several climbing objectives that put your mountaineering skills to the test. Pt. 8,670, also known as Radio Control Tower, and the East ridge of Mt. Frances both provide some great climbing opportunities right out of camp. Experience the stunning views of the three big peaks—Denali, Foraker, and Mt. Hunter—from the top of Mt. Frances. Your guides will help you find a route that provides the perfect balance of challenging but achievable climbing objectives.
If you’re on the 7-day course, enjoy your final day in the Alaska range. Depending on the conditions and how tired you are, spend part of this day climbing or practicing crevasse rescue in the giant crevasses near the base camp. In the afternoon, pack up your camp and catch your flight back to Talkeetna, ready for the drive back to Anchorage.
For those on the 12-day course, the fun is just getting started. Depart your base camp and drop down the infamous Heartbreak Hill and onto the broad Kahiltna glacier. Your goal is to move camp to a site at 7,800 feet, near the junction with the NE Fork of the Kahiltna Glacier. This moderate 5-mile carry is a good shake-down for the days to come. Pass by numerous crevasses and beneath some of the prettiest peaks in Alaska en route to camp. Depending on the conditions, you may camp closer to the East Fork of the Kahiltna for an attempt on West Kahiltna Peak
If the conditions allow it, break camp and head up Ski Hill to Kahiltna Pass. This is where you’ll establish High Camp for your attempt at Kahiltna Dome. Gaze at the stunning evening views down the Kahiltna from this camp at a height of 10,000 feet. This may be a tough day, as you’ll gain altitude as well as travel about three and a half miles along the Kahiltna. Conditions on peaks like Kahiltna Dome vary, so your objective might be another peak in the area.
Keep your fingers crossed for good weather! If you’re lucky, you get to climb Kahiltna Dome, West Kahiltna Peak, or any of Kahiltna Glacier’s other climbing options. You and your guides will pick a route that provides really fun climbing and the views as you gain elevation will be truly breathtaking.
Break camp and descend to Kahiltna Base Camp. De-rig on the glacier and fly out to Talkeetna for the drive back to Anchorage.
57hours is committed to providing safe outdoor adventure experiences. We require all guides using our platform to have a COVID-19 safety plan and to make the details of that plan accessible to travelers. In most cases, group sizes will be reduced, guides will avoid overcrowded locations, and other safety measures will be met depending on the location and activity.
We also expect clients to respect local regulations and take measures to protect themselves, their guides, and the communities they’re traveling to. For more information on COVID-19 measures in Alaska, please refer to Alaska’s official travel guidelines.
Please contact us if you have any questions or require further information. We are happy to provide you with the most up-to-date information!
What you get on this adventure:
What’s not included:
This is a very demanding mountaineering course that requires participants to be in excellent physical condition. Invest the time to train well beforehand and you will not only enjoy the course more, but you will also gain the satisfaction of being a solid member of the team as you climb. Be prepared to carry a 50-60 lb pack and pull a 20-30 lb sled for up to five miles at a stretch. Be prepared for temperatures well below freezing at night, with daytime temperatures very comfortable and sometimes hot!
Here’s a list of the equipment you need to bring:
Dress comfortably and for the weather in clothes you can move in. We suggest bringing clothing appropriate for the season.
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Group sizes and prices:
Mountaineering in Alaska can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.
Min. age requirements:
If your group has mountaineers under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.
All Courses require a deposit to secure a spot on the team. Your submission of a deposit constitutes your acceptance of this Fee Schedule, Refund and Cancellation Policy.
All deposits for Courses include a non-refundable $750 administration fee (we highly recommend that you consider Trip Cancellation insurance to protect the administrative fee, if not the entire cost of your climb).
Final payments for expeditions must be received 120 days prior to the Team Meeting Day.
Failure to pay expedition fees by the date they are due constitutes cancellation of your spot on the team and forfeiture of your deposit.
If you register for a climb within 90 days of the Team Meeting Day, expedition fees will be due in full to secure your spot on the team.
To get to Anchorage, AK, most people fly into Ted Stevens International Airport 5 miles away from Anchorage. From there, you can take a bus, shuttle, or taxi to Anchorage.
Once you and your guide agree on the details of your itinerary, your guide will suggest the best place to meet, whether that’s at the Lakefront Hotel in Anchorage or a predetermined location. The guide will choose the appropriate terrain dependent on conditions and the ability of the group.
No refunds will be provided for cancellations occurring within the last 89 days prior to an expedition. All requests for refunds must be made in writing.
Your guide reserves the right to cancel an expedition prior to the departure date for any reason. In the event that the expedition is cancelled based solely on an internal administrative decision by Mountain Trip, all monies, except for nonrefundable administrative fees, collected by Mountain Trip from team members for the canceled expedition shall be refunded within 30 days. That is the extent of their financial liability for such cancellations. This Cancellation provision shall not apply when external factors that force Mountain Trip to cancel an expedition against its will, including, but not limited to, international political upheaval, terrorism, drought/famine, epidemics/pandemics, and/or cancellations imposed by foreign or domestic governments or permitting agencies. All External Cancellations shall not be subject to a refund unless such cancellation occurs prior to the deadlines set forth in the Refund and Cancellation policies, above.
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I highly recommend this activity and company! They were extremely flexible and wonderful to work with! I got the days of activities mixed up and they were able and willing to push back the start time. They also took amazing photos so I could enjoy the activity and not worry about snapping photos along the way. I can’t say enough good things! Also, request Jason as your guide if possible! He was great!