Cascades, Washington, 9 Day Denali Prep Course

For the first day of the classroom session we will cover the following items.

• Introductions

• Run through of experience of participants in cold weather mountain environments

• The Denali packing list

• Reserving your climbing permit

• Choosing a flight service to Kahiltna

• Detailed day to day of the route

• How do do food shopping and food packing

• Boot fitting, socks and lacing

• Crampon fitting with overboots

• Skis versus snowshoes

• Backpack and sled rigging

• Prussic cutting and trying for rescue and travel systems

On the second day of the classroom session we will cover the following items.

• Introduction to Kahiltna base camp

• Packing an expedition backpack

• Packing an expedition sled

• Rope management and storage to prevent freezing

• Attaching to the rope/prussic systems

• Rope-team travel in a glacial environment

• Attaching to fixed lines

• Ascending fixed lines

• Clipping past an anchor

• Descending fixed lines

• High altitude concerns

• High altitude eating hydration

For the first day of the application session on a glaciated peak, we will cover the following items.

• Travel to a mountain environment

• Review/practice packing backpacks and sleds

• Uphill walking techniques with a weighted sled

• Downhill walking techniques with a weighted sled

• Lower glacier navigation and travel

• Belaying and probing for a good campsite

• Work hardening snow for camping

• Wind wall building

• Tent set up and anchoring

• Cooking shelter area construction

• Pee hole area construction

• Cooking and snow melting

• Weather reports and forecasting

On the second day of the application session on a glaciated peak, we will cover the following items.

• Self arrest with packs and sleds on a rope team

• Snow anchors specific to Alaska powder

• Attaching the rope to anchors

• Clipping past running protection

• Self rescue with a pack and sled in actual crevasse

• Probing a campsite and food cache

• Camp selection and set-up

• Cooking and snow melting

• Tent organization

• Keeping hands and feet warm

For the third day of the application session on a glaciated peak, we will focus primarily on crevasse rescue in an actual crevasse. We will use video to record the lesson for future reference.

On the first day of the expedition we will perform the following tasks.

• Briefing by participant leaders

• Travel to mountain location

• Stop for lunch if needed

• Pack backpacks and sled

• Rope-up for glacier travel

• Progress toward camp 1

• white-out navigation scenario

• Camp set up, including kitchen, tents and toilet crevasse

In the morning, we will pack up camp, load pack and sleds and make our way to camp 2. At camp 2, we may use fixed lines depending upon route chosen, deal with winds scenario and set-up camp with wind walls and reinforced kitchen.

On the final day, we will make our way to the summit of the selected mountain. The summit ascent may include the use of fixed lines depending on route chosen. Afterward we descend back to camp 2, we will pack up the camp, make our way down to base camp and return home.