Howdy,
I've got plans to attempt the West Rib of Denali June 2011 and I'm psyched!! My questions center on boot selection. Our plan is to climb the West Buttress to ~14k for acclimatization and to leave a cache for our descent off the Rib. Then head down, get a little rest and hit the Rib per weather. My partner is a split-boarder and he is using the Baruntse for everything. I'm a skier and I'm not sure about boot selection for this trip. If I had my choice, I'd take my Garmont Mega-Rides with Intuition Liners and a pair of overboots from 40Below. Does this sound like a decent option to AK veterans? I feel the ski boots are warm enough with the Intuitions, dry well, and I will only need one boot set for the trip.
I have done some winter alpine climbing in ski boots (NE Butt-Chair Peak, Whitehorse) and in my reading on the West Rib, it doesn't sound too technical that I'll be crying for different boots, but I haven't been there so I don't know for sure. I've been reading Dane's blog and his posts on here reviewing boots (great stuff for sure :tup:), but I'd love to use ski boots. Any info from West Rib climbers and AK vets will be much appreciated!!
Thanks a bunch,
Aaron