Must Have Denali Gear

[aksimon]

A good book is always hard to beat when climbing the West Buttress (although the megamid is a close second.....). Try to avoid caching (sp?) any of your expensive items as there has been an increasing frequency of 'ol cache thievery as of late.

[jonmf76]

- cell phone (some spots get perfect reception 16,200, decent at 14k, etc..)

 

- FM radio for the hours stuck in tent.

 

- crazy creek chair

 

- stove board (1/4" plywood sheet w/ or w/o metal on one side)

 

- -40 down gore-tex bag. no point in being cold if you don't have to.

 

- down pants if you can spare the weight and space. saves calories and misery.

 

- down jacket goes without saying

 

- book? trade with others en route?

 

1 qt nalgene's with insulated covers for putting in your sleeping bag at night filled with boiling water. one at your ankles, one at your gut.

 

there's plenty more...

[genepires]

double carries are a good way to ensure that you are NOT climbing too fast. We did double carries while a dad and son blew past us on single carries. We met up again with them at 14K camp. Dad had been sick for something like 5 days. We eventually moved on. He eventually went home without going any higher than 14K.

 

Vernan Tejas brings LOTS of food when he guides it. Something like 6 pounds per person per day. Insane amounts but he has one of the better success records going.

[Jens]

Bring a carton of cigarettes to trade and barter with all the European climbers. You won't need to carry hardly any food or fuel as a result. I've seen some crazy stuff on that mountain.

[ivan]

Bring a carton of cigarettes to trade and barter with all the European climbers. You won't need to carry hardly any food or fuel as a result. I've seen some crazy stuff on that mountain.

ANYTHING smokable is worth 30 times it's weight up there

[Bug]

When I was up there two girls from Taco Bell were there with a huge stash of hot sauce etc.

Very tasty.

[skeletor]

The girls or the sauce?

[Kraken]

Hahahaha. That Fire sauce is hot hot hot so bring a towel! I don't know about T-Bell girls though.

[Kalama]

I want to try rigid stays instead of rope on the sleds next time. Does anybody have any experience/opinions on this?

 

Oh...Cholula Hot Sauce :-)

[wfinley]

I dislike ridged stays; I prefer to zip downhill while holding my sled in one hand to the side of me. Ridged stays are a pain if you're going around tight corners - plus they are extra weight and in reality you'll only be using your sled for 3 or 4 days. most people don't take a sled above 11.

 

 

[Bug]

The girls or the sauce?

They were hot.

I was married and did not stray.

[Bug]

I do like rigid stays.

I run a thin cord through 1"pvc tubing and tie the sled ends on the front on each side and the me end to the hip belt on each side.

I have skied without them and had a few issues on hardpack.

 

[96avs01]

I dislike ridged stays; I prefer to zip downhill while holding my sled in one hand to the side of me. Ridged stays are a pain if you're going around tight corners - plus they are extra weight and in reality you'll only be using your sled for 3 or 4 days. most people don't take a sled above 11.

 

 

I completely disagree. Two of the three members of our rope team used a rigid connection, and the third wishes he would have. Because he had so many problems with his sled he was forced to leave it at 11, while the two rigid sleds easily traveled and tracked to and from 14. Check out the hardware from Skipulk.com, I will never tow another sled without this setup.

[96avs01]

Any experience with $80 BD Mercury Mitts vs the $160 OR Alti Mitts?

 

BD Mercury Mitts worked great on summit day. Like mine so much I replaced them immediately after they were stolen from my truck.

[Kalama]

Anybody have an opinion on the best softshell pant for Denali in early May? Do I still need a hardshell if the wind is blowing hard? Looks like some brands are not using Schoeller anymore.

Edited June 23, 2007 by Kalama

[Jedi]

I have the softshell patagonia pants that are insulated. I used them on denali inlate may and early june this year. I made a trip to the top of the fixed lines with a steady 45 mph wind (my partner and i were the only ones to do this on this day). Temps were cool and the pants were fantastic. When i go back to try foraker, i wll take these pants again.

With these pants, we did not take gaitors and found no reason for the extra weight. The Spantiks worked well and we took no super gaitors. No problems but our summit day was nice.

The Outback stove was awesome. we had several muffin mixes that make great cakes in the morning. Brownies at night. Garlic bread from time to time, etc....

 

Mega light was great as usual.

 

EV3 turned out to be a good tent.

 

Smoked samlon was great!!!!!

 

My sony w90 only needed one battery and 4G card was plenty for me.

 

BD Guide glove froze like every other waterproof Pittards leather palmed gloves I ever used. The King Pin gloves were my all around glove i used to 17K on the WB. Great on the lower Cassin but were frozen balls of leather by summit day.

 

Grivel snow shoes lasted 1 hour before the binding broke. Wire ties allowed me to keep using the shoes up the valley of death. Skis still rule for getting you to and from 11K (unless you ski like Evan or Collin, then 14K). Slow shoes suck for this application. Bring skin wax.

 

We took poles to the summit. At least one on summit day.

 

Cards for games with other teams. We played hearts until weee hours of the night at 14K.

 

Hydration system up to 16K makes sure you hydrate and recovery better.

 

Hammer Heed and Perpetuem during long days and 1st Endurance Ultragen for recovery on big days. My partner thought it was bs but after out trip, has a new outlook. Part of our sstem on the WB and our 59 hour ascent of the Cassin.

 

Diner time...later

 

jedi

[Kraken]

So what's your thought on a pack?

 

I have an Osprey Aether 85 that I know is big enough, but it doesn't leave much room for extra stuff. Anyone have any thoughts on this as opposed to going for the mega dumptruck pack, like a Denali Pro or Crescent 110?

 

 

 

[denalidave]

I'll tell you what I wish I'd had. A gun. We saw so many bears in the lower valley. Scary. But hey, have fun.

Most people fly into the west but so unlikely bears will be that high. Guns are also illegal in the national park if you are doing the north side. I'm surprised we did not see any bears but we had a very early start in April. We didn't see any on our slog out in late May either though.

 

I would be sure to bring a -40 down sleeping bag for sure. Mine was only -20 and I froze my ass off a few nights. Even with poly pro bag liner, bivy sack and all my down/fleece clothing on.

 

Have fun and be safe.

[Bigtree]

So what's your thought on a pack?...

 

Haven't climbed it, but am planning to do so. My buddy who has via W. But cautioned against making the common mistake of some who bring a mega pack and get crushed. He further advised that the rule of thumb he used based on a 3-man team with each member having a total of 100 lbs gear etc. is a 60:40 ratio of weight distribution between sled and pack. In other words: a) plan on hauling 60 lbs in the sled and 40 lbs in your pack; and, b) your Osprey with a 5200 in3 capacity is probably fine.

[Zoran]

I will probably have Love Alpine Cerro Torre 75.

Thanks bigtree for your comment.

It's big challenge to not go overboard and keep total weight around 100lb. Whoever going there soon, how you managing this challenge? Where you see the major cut you can accomplish?

Z

 

[salbrecher]

I think the best way to lighten gear is not to take more fuel or food than you need, and possibly even less... Easier said than done though. Take only what your sure you can eat of the highest cal food you can find and no more. If your not a huge eater at home don't assume you'll be able to eat an extra 3000 Cal a day when on the mountain, especially at altitude. By taking 200g less food per day you'll save over 6kg on a 30 day trip, and thats only cutting 200g. Both times i've been on the mountain my friend and I got food and fuel from people leaving basecamp and the 14K camp. If/when I go again i'd carry up essentials and plan to get food and fuel from people leaving the 14K camp. Almost every day at 14K people would come around and give food and fuel away.

[Zoran]

Thanks, What do you think about this:

 

Total time on the mountain planned is 24 days;

 

We will have first food cashe below the ski hill or near the air strip (three days of food and drink, no fuel)

 

Will continue with food for 18 days.

 

Second cashe will be on 11K with gear and one day of food/hot drinks, optimal fuel

 

Two days of food and fuel cut. Comment ...

Conservative?

 

 

[Zoran]

For one person daily is needed 1.5 cups of fuel.

Total is 3 cups for two of us, which makes 72 cups for 24 days. That is 4.5 gallons.

 

We will go with 4 and leave bare minimum on 11K. One gallon will be reserved for upper mountain camp for total of 6 days, for two people.

 

Do you think 4 is too much?

 

I know people hesitate to give advice but what you will do?

Thanks a lot.

 

 

Edited April 20, 2008 by Zoran

[denalidave]

mini whisk broom and dust (snow) pan

And a small sponge to soak up what the dust pan does not get.

[denalidave]

So what's your thought on a pack?

Dana Design Astro Plane, it can fit everything and the kitchen sink.