navigate_next navigate_next navigate_before 14,000' Camp Welcome to 14,000' Camp! Reaching 14,200’ on the route is a milestone. You have the sense that you are truly “on the mountain.” Often, strong inversions sweep through the Alaska Range, giving you the sensation here of being above the clouds.

Camp is situated in Genet Basin, named for Ray Genet, who became Denali's first guide after participating in the harrowing first winter ascent of the mountain in January 1967. Every prospective Denali climber should read Art Davidson's account of that climb in his iconic book, "Minus 48 Degrees." But, and trust us on this one ... it's best read while NOT on Denali. navigate_next navigate_before 14,000' Camp Craft 14,000' Camp is often referred to as the Advanced Base Camp for the West Buttress. The elevation is a good one at which to spend some extra time acclimatizing, as it's high enough to give you tangible benefits, but not so high that your body is deteriorating over time, as seems to happen at the 17,200' Camp. Plan to spend at least four nights at this elevation:

1) Arrive at 14,000'.
2) Back-carry your cache from Windy Corner.
3) Carry loads up the Headwall.
4) Rest/acclimatization day.
5) Upward and onward! navigate_next navigate_before 14,000' Camp IMPORTANT! Not all 14,000' elevations are alike. 14,000' on Denali feels a lot higher than 14,000' in the lower 48 states or in Europe. Your brain thinks it's higher and will start compensating accordingly. If you've been skiing 14ers all spring, don't count on that giving you a hall pass to boogie on up to 14,000' in 23 days and assume you'll not get a helicopter ride out with HAPE.

The barometric pressure at 14,000' on Denali is lower than the barometric pressure on a Colorado 14er. Your brain thinks it's higher than what you see on your map or GPS. If a big low pressure system rolls in from the Bering Sea, suddenly your brain might feel like it's at 17,000' and guess what? You could meet AMS. navigate_next navigate_before 14,000' Camp Craft It's important to organize your camp so that you can find what you need when the weather gets rocking. Caching your extra food in a hole covered by a sled is a good way to avoid digging out your food bags when the snow is blowing.

We are HUGE fans of a dedicated kitchen tent. This can be a relatively lightweight pyramid tent like the Black Diamond Megamid or something more elaborate. Here we are using the fly of a Hilleberg Keron 4 Tent. We've dug a pit deep enough for standing, with benches along the sides, and a kitchen area at the far end tall enough to cook comfortably. navigate_before 14,000' Camp
Genet Basin can see good sized avalanches come right to the edge of camp off the icy slopes to the climber's left of the Headwall, as well as from the Messner Couloir/Orient Express. There's plenty of space to camp away from these overhead hazards, yet not encroach on the NPS camp. The rangers work incredibly hard and appreciate a bit of space. Plus, you don't want to be near the landing zone when the helicopters land!

In this image, the NPS camp is the small cluster to the left of the larger camp.

During the peak of the climbing season, if weather has held up climbers, this camp can get pretty busy. Often, camps might share snow walls with neighbors. The more you work with your neighbors, the happier the neighborhood.