navigate_nextnavigate_nextnavigate_beforeSUMMIT DAY!
It's game day! Drink some hot coffee or tea, steady those nerves, and prepare for a cold start to a long day ahead. If you’re lucky, this will be the start of your final push to the summit of Denali.
A good rule of thumb is to leave 17,200' between 8 a.m. and noon. That should give you time to summit and descend before the infamous Autobahn goes back into the shade. If the weather looks even barely OK, wake up, eat, drink, and start getting ready!
navigate_nextnavigate_beforeThe Autobahn
Summit day begins with traversing the notorious “Autobahn” section of the route to Denali Pass. Especially if you’re on an early season trip, it might be wise to don your overboots before heading out from camp. You’ll be in the shade of the mountain as you and your team carefully make your way through running protection—pickets placed to prevent a team fall on this section of the climb.
It can be tricky or even dangerous to pass teams on this stretch, so be conscientious of other climbers. If you think your team will be faster than others, wake up and start earlier.
navigate_nextnavigate_beforeThe Autobahn
The Autobahn is a spectacular traverse with huge views on a clear day. It's also the stretch of the West Buttress that has seen the most accidents and needs to be respected.
When conditions are firm, a slip can easily pull an entire rope team off the trail. Keep this in mind if choosing to skip clipping into protection. A tragic accident occurred immediately below Denali Pass some years ago when an entire unprotected rope team fell down to the Peters Glacier, 1,500' below.
navigate_beforeDenali Pass
On a good summit day, you'll pull into the pass separating Denali's lower north summit from it's taller south summit just after the sun has hit Denali Pass. It's nice to warm yourself a bit after two-plus hours in the shade. If it's windy, there is a little protection provided by rock outcrops, but not much.
This is the first time today that you'll be able to see the summit. It's a good checkpoint to assess the well-being of your team and to see if there's a lenticular over the summit. While it's a tough call, turning around from Denali Pass often leaves teams with reserves for a second attempt.
