Technical Alaska Ice Climbing Routes | Guided Expeditions for Experienced Climbers

Alaska Technical Climbs

We love climbing technical routes! Join our guides in the Alaska Range to attempt your dream line, or join us to hone your skills in preparation for bigger, harder routes. A fun trip is to climb Ham and Eggs and/or Shaken Not Stirred on Mooses Tooth, before flying over to the Kahiltna Glacier to climb the Mini Moonflower on Mount Hunter. One of our June favorites is to fly into the Pika Glacier and climb splitter granite rock routes in Little Switzerland.

Mountain Trip, under the guidance of our founder, Gary Bocarde, began guiding technical climbs in the 1970′s off the Ruth Glacier, leading the first ascent of Mount Johnson and literally every peak on the east side of the Ruth Gorge. Over the years, we have led ascents of iconic peaks such as Mooses Tooth, Mount Foraker, Hunter, Huntington, Barrille, Peak 11,300, and Mount Deborah. Mountain Trip has also led numerous technical routes on Denali, including the Northwest Buttress, the Cassin Ridge, the West Rib, the West Buttress Direct, and the South Buttress.

Technical climbs in the Alaska Range are often very committing, so we need to be assured that a proposed climb is an appropriate choice. We’d love to speak with you to help come up with a plan. If you don’t have a specific objective in mind, one of our favorites is to stay flexible and fly into Denali National Park to climb wherever the conditions are best at the time.

Technical climbs are made via private arrangements, so give us a call if you have a high and wild alpine dream that you are ready to pursue. We are climbers who are passionate about being in the mountains and love to share these wild places with other climbers.

If you have questions, would like details on pricing and route options, as well as to book a trip, please contact the Mountain Trip Alaska office at [email protected] or (970) 369-1153.

Just as there are often many routes to a mountain’s summit, so to there can be many ways to pursue a dream of climbing big mountains. After decades of working with all manner of climbers and aspiring climbers, we have learned a thing or two about which routes are most successful. We like to think of climbing and mountaineering within the context of a continuum. We all start somewhere on the continuum and proceed further along, until we reach our goal, get sick of the whole enterprise or can’t go any further.

There are no viable shortcuts to climbing big mountains. Hiring a mountain guide has rich traditions stretching back to the mid-1800’s, and has enabled mountain enthusiasts to pursue their passion for wild places without devoting their lives to the time and energy necessary to mount their own expeditions. Mountain guides allow aspiring climbers to more safely embark on the continuum and to follow it further than they might otherwise have the opportunity to do; however, at the end of the day, it was the personal effort and skill set of the individual climber than got them to the summit, or saw them fall short.

Experienced, technically proficient ice and rock climbers who want to push their limits on big alpine ridges and faces will find many lifetimes worth of challenges in Alaska. Mooses Tooth, Peak 11,300, Mount Huntington, and the most sublime line in the Alaska Range, the Cassin Ridge, are all within the reach of climbers who put in the time to hone their skills, build upon their successive experiences, and train hard to be in peak physical fitness for their climb.

Inclusions and Exclusions for Alaska Technical Climbs

Included in the Trip Fee:

• Unlimited pre-trip access to our office resources.

• Guidance of our experienced Mountain Trip Alaska guides at a ratio appropriate for the route and team.

• Scheduled group transportation between Anchorage and Talkeetna.

• Scheduled flights between Talkeetna and Base Camp.

• All food while on the mountain.

• All group equipment (tents, kitchen, ropes, sleds, snow pickets, shovels, group med kit, satellite phone, GPS tracker, etc.).

• Custom expedition dispatch blog for your climb, complete with audio posts from team members calling from the mountain.

• 15% discount on Arc’teryx clothing and equipment.

• Assistance arranging for post-climb activities in Alaska.

Not Included in the Trip Fee:

• Flights to and from Alaska.

• Personal clothing and equipment, per our equipment list.

• Meals while not on the mountain.

• Accommodation in Alaska.

• Travel and/or rescue insurance.

• Any National Park Entrance and/or Special Use Fees

• Costs incurred due to evacuation or unplanned departure from the mountain due to illness or other problems.

• Costs incurred as a result of delays beyond the control of Mountain Trip Alaska.

• Costs as a result of force majeure.

Refunds and Cancellations

Mountain Trip recognizes how difficult and disappointing it can be for climbers who must cancel expeditions which they have planned for a long time. Team members must also recognize that, due to the nature of planning expeditions and dealing with governmental permits and regulations, Mountain Trip also accrues significant expenses in the months prior to expedition departure dates. We must therefore adhere to a strict refund policy for all climbers. Trip cancellation and travel insurance is generally available for all expeditions. U.S. and Canadian residents should contact us for more information regarding travel insurance. Our refund and cancellation policy is outlined below.

All expeditions require a deposit to secure a spot on the team. Your submission of a deposit constitutes your acceptance of this Fee Schedule, Refund and Cancellation Policy.
All deposits for Denali expeditions include a non-refundable $1,500 administration fee. (We highly recommend you consider Trip Cancellation Insurance to protect the administrative fee, if not the entire cost of your climb.)
Final payments for expeditions must be received 120 days prior to the Team Meeting Day.
Failure to pay expedition fees by the date they are due constitutes cancellation of your spot on the team and forfeiture of your deposit.
Any cancellation 120+ days before your Team Meeting Day will be refunded in full, less the administration fee.
If you cancel 120-90 days before your Team Meeting Day, you are eligible for a refund of 50% of any monies paid, less the deposit.
No refunds will be provided for cancellations occurring within the last 89 days prior to an expedition.
All requests for refunds must be made in writing and received in our Colorado office.
If you register for a climb within 90 days of the Team Meeting Day, expedition fees will be due in full to secure your spot on the team.
Mountain Trip reserves the right to cancel an expedition prior to the departure date for any reason. In the event that the expedition is cancelled based solely on an internal administrative decision by Mountain Trip (Internal Cancellation), all monies, except for nonrefundable administrative fees, collected by Mountain Trip from team members for the canceled expedition shall be refunded within 30 days. That is the extent of our financial liability for such cancellations. This Internal Cancellation provision shall not apply when external factors that force Mountain Trip to cancel an expedition against its will, including, but not limited to international political upheaval, terrorism, drought/famine, epidemics/pandemics, and/or cancellations imposed by foreign or domestic governments or permitting agencies (External Cancellation). All External Cancellations shall not be subject to a refund unless such cancellation occurs prior to the deadlines set forth in the Refund and Cancellation policies stated above.

General Agreement Concerning Services to be Provided and Responsibilities of Team Members

When registering for an expedition with Mountain Trip, we want to help make sure you understand the services we are providing and the services for which you are responsible.

Transportation is Incidental

The main purpose of becoming a team member is to join us on an expedition in the mountains. As such, any transportation we provide or that you may contract for on your own is incidental to the trip. We suggest that you make sure you have time built into your itinerary for delays.

Transportation to and from Your Destination

We will designate a specific Team Meeting Day for your expedition. Transportation to the meeting point on your Team Meeting Day is to be provided by you. You must arrive in time to be ready to participate in a team meeting at the appointed time on the Team Meeting Day for your expedition. This probably means you will need to arrive the day before, as our Team Meetings for Alaska trips are held in the morning. Expedition climbing is very dynamic, and we will provide you with a recommendation as to when you should book your flights to and from your destination. We suggest you book a ticket that allows you to change your flight with little effort or cost.

Lodging off the Mountain

Mountain Trip will provide lodging per the Inclusions and Exclusions section of the “What’s Included?” tab. Any additional lodging is your responsibility. Don’t worry about booking a room after your expedition. We generally don’t know how long we’ll be in the mountains, and we can help arrange lodging when we return to “civilization.”

Responsibilities of Team Members

You are ultimately responsible for your own well-being, including making all necessary preparations to ensure good health and physical conditioning.
You are responsible for understanding the conditions that may exist on the climb and choosing a climb that is appropriate for your abilities and interests.
You are responsible for providing Mountain Trip staff and guides with an accurate representation of your fitness level, climbing ability and the condition of your personal equipment.
You are responsible for having knowledge of all pre-departure information and for assembling the appropriate clothing and equipment for your climb. Climbers joining scheduled expeditions are responsible for carrying his or her portion of group loads, and to contribute to camp construction and the day-to-day team work.

While on the expedition, team members are responsible for maintaining basic levels of hygiene and to conduct themselves respectfully with other team members and members of the local population. If a guide feels that a team member is putting other members’ health or safety at risk, the guide has the discretion to remove a team member from an expedition.

Use our office staff and your lead guide as pre-trip resources to ensure that all your questions are answered. Travel insurance may help recoup expenses if you need to leave an expedition due to an illness.

Airline Responsibility Passenger/Airline contracts are in effect while team members are onboard any aircraft contracted for use in the expedition.

No Guaranteed Outcomes

While it is one of our goals to help every climber on every Mountain Trip expedition reach the summit, Mountain Trip cannot guarantee you will reach the summit. Any number of factors, including weather, conditions encountered on the route, your personal level of fitness or ability, the abilities of your teammate(s) or any number of other circumstances, might result in you and/or your team turning around before reaching the summit. Failure to reach the summit due to any reason associated with mountaineering, such as weather, team dynamics, route conditions, avalanche and rockfall hazard, or due to your lack of fitness or preparation, are not the responsibility of Mountain Trip, and will not result in a refund or a rescheduling of your expedition.

The following is a very general list of gear for climbing technical routes in Alaska with Mountain Trip. Climbers joining us on an expedition will receive an updated, comprehensive equipment list that will be tailored for the route you are climbing.

Your guides will do a thorough gear check in Alaska prior to departure; any gear or clothing that is not determined to be adequate will need to be replaced at the discretion of the guides. Climbing gear needs to be in good condition. If your helmet is cracked it’s time to buy a new one. Only bring good gear that is in very good condition, as it will all get tested, perhaps to the extreme!

Many of the items on the list need to fit you well in order for you to fully enjoy your experience on the mountain. Please plan ahead with equipment purchased for your trip so you can be certain that your gear fits you well. Pitch 4 on Ham and Eggs is not the place to discover that your pack is too small for your torso or that your boots give you blisters. Recommended items reflect the opinions of our guides. We have used and have faith in all of our recommendations, but they may not necessarily fit or work for you.

Please follow this list closely and don’t hesitate to call or email us for clarifications, or to solicit an opinion about anything you are considering. There is a great selection of gear available in Anchorage, but please plan ahead and order any items that are size specific. We want you to be as prepared as possible for your expedition.

Print Equipment

Footwear

Gear	Description	Guide's Pick
Mountaineering Socks	3 - 5 pairs of good wool socks. Try a couple of different weights as that will affect the fit of your boot.	Bridgedale Merino Wool Mountaineering Socks
Trekking Socks	Most trekkers prefer a light to medium weight, wool or wool/synthetic blend sock for use with trekking shoes. For longer treks bring a pair to change into every 2-3 days.	REI Trekking Socks
Mountaineering Boots	Modern Mountaineering Boots fall into two categories, traditional double boots and the newer triple boot systems with integrated gaiters. Either variety works well, however triple boots are lighter and arguably simpler. Whichever you decide to use, the goal is to have warm, comfortable feet! Try on a variety of boots as they all fit differently and get the one that fits well. Consider your future mountaineering objectives when purchasing boots as well. Remember double boots require overboots! With triple boots it is all built in. Recommended Triple Boots: La Sportiva Olympus Mons, Scarpa Phantom 8000 Recommended Double Boots: La Sportiva Spantik or G2 Evo.	La Sportiva G2 Evo La Sportiva Spantik La Sportiva Olympus Mons Cube S Scarpa Phantom 8000

Torso Layers

Gear	Description	Guide's Pick
Expedition Down Parka	This is an important layer so don't skimp! You do not need the heaviest 8000meter parka for peaks like Denali and Aconcagua, but you should have a warm, baffled parka with a hood.	Arcteryx Alpha Parka - Mens Arcteryx Alpha Parka - Womens
Base Layer Top	(1 or 2 sets) of Wool or Capilene light weight base layers. Long sleeve or short sleeve base layers work well.	Base Layer Top - Men's Base Layer Top - Women's
Light Fleece Hoody	Light/mid weight fleece (or wool) top with a hood. You will wear this over your light weight base layer.	BD Coefficient Hybrid Hoody - Mens BD Coefficient Hybrid Hoody - Womens
Puffy Light Insulated Jacket	Size this layer to fit over your light fleece hoody and wind shell, and it is often layered underneath your expedition parka. Synthetic is easier to deal with and not worry about getting compared to a down filled layer. A hood on this layer in mandatory! *** Guides Tip! Use TWO lightweight puffy layers in the early season or if you are worried about being cold. A Micro or Nano Puff jacket with a Ultra Light Down Jacket or Vest allows versatile layering options.	Black Diamond Approach Down Hoody - Men's Black Diamond Approach Down Hoody - Women's Arcteryx Cerium Hoody - Men's Arcteryx Cerium Hoody - Women's
Soft Shell Wind Jacket	Many high alpine peaks are cold and dry. We are huge fans of very lightweight softshell wind jackets for high, dry, cold peaks. Weighing just a few ounces, these can be carried in your pocket or in the lid of your pack for rapid deployment. This layer is used in addition to your more waterproof hard shell jacket.	BD Alpine Start Hoody - Men's BD Alpine Start Hoody - Women's

Leg Layers

Gear	Description	Guide's Pick
Base Layer Bottoms	(1 or 2 sets) of Wool or Capilene light weight base layers.	Arcteryx Rho Bottoms - Women's Arcteryx Rho Bottoms - Men's
Light Fleece Bottoms	As the air thins and the wind picks up, you'll want a bit more insulation on your legs. This should be a slightly warmer layer that can go over your base layer bottoms when it gets cold.	Arcteryx Kyanite Bottoms - Women's Arcteryx Rho Insulated 3/4 Length - Men's
Soft Shell Pants	Soft Shell pants are the workhorse in the mountains and you'll be wearing these day in and day out on most expeditions. On peaks like Denali and Aconcagua, you can wear them in lieu of your hard shell pants for much of the expedition.	Arcteryx Gamma MX Pant - Women's Arcteryx Gamma AR Pant - Men's
Puffy Insulated Expedition Pants	On summit day or on a cold morning, you will need a warm layer that can go over your baselayers and softshell pants. This layer should be down or synthetic (ie. Primaloft) filled and must have fully separating side zippers. Practice putting these puffy pants on and taking them off while wearing your boots before you leave for your expedition.	Mountain Hardwear Compressor Pants
Underwear	Consider synthetic or Merino wool for your underwear. Most longer trips, such as Aconcagua or Denali, typically require 3-4 pair, but choose your quantity based on your personal level of comfort.

Head and Hands

Gear	Description	Guide's Pick
Heavyweight Gloves	Warm, insulated gloves are the day-to-day workhorses on cold peaks or for cold days of ice climbing. We prefer gloves with removable liners for ease of drying.	BD Guide Glove - Men's BD Guide Glove - Women's
Medium Weight Gloves	A mid-weight glove will generally be a softshell type glove with some light synthetic insulation.	BD Cirque Hybrid Gloves
Buff Neck Gaiter	Buff is a brand of light weight neck gaiters that have grown to become a staple of every guide's kit. These are amazingly versatile, and can be worn as a hat, a neck gaiter or pulled over your face for protection from the wind or sun. They come in many thicknesses nowadays, but we prefer the original weight for its versatility.	Buff
Summit Mittens	Thick, warm mittens made from down, synthetic fill, or a combination of insulation are crucial for summit morning on many big, cold mountains. Most come with some form of retention straps, which can help reduce the chance of losing them to a gust of wind or in the event of a fall. Good mittens are expensive, but how much is one finger worth?	Outdoor Research Alti Mitts - Men's Outdoor Research Alti Mitts - Women's
Warm Hat	Bring one warm hat or two hats of different weights. Wool or fleece are fine, but your hat must provide ear protection from the cold.
Face Covering	Cheeks and the tip of your nose are always exposed and easily freeze in a biting wind. Neoprene face masks do a great job of protecting those exposed surfaces. The Outer U FaceGlove can also be used for sun protection!	Seirus Neofleece Mask Outer U FaceGlove
Sun Hat	Baseball type or wide brimmed sun hats are required for protection against the intense sunshine found on many peaks. You can combine a baseball hat with a BUFF for good sun protection or go for a wide brimmed version to protect your face, ears and neck.
Hand Warmers	Bring 4 -6+ sets of these disposable insurance policies, depending on where you are climbing. Make certain that your hand warmers are relatively new, as they do go bad over time.
Glacier Glasses	Good, dark (Category 4) glacier glasses are a must for high altitude climbs. They must have side protection and filter 100% UVA and UVB rays.	Julbo Explorer 2.0 Sunglasses
Expedition Ski Goggles	These are necessary for use while traveling during storms or during really cold and windy weather. These must have double lenses and provide full UV protection. Fogging is a real challenge, so goggles that actively vent are worth the investment. Julbo's Aerospace or Airflux have a slick venting system or Smith makes battery-powered "Turbo Fan" models. Select a general purpose lens that will provide some protection in bright light, but not be so dark as to make them useless on a cloudy or flat-light day.	Julbo AEROSPACE with "Reactiv All Around" or "High Mountain" lens

Sleeping Gear

Gear	Description	Guide's Pick
Inflatable Sleeping Pad	Inflatable pads have improved tremendously in recent years, they are the foundation of a warm and comfortable night!	Exped Ultra 7R - Warmer Option Therm-a-Rest Uberlite - Lightest Option
Foam Sleeping Pad	Bringing two sleeping pads, one closed cell foam and the other an inflatable pad, will provide additional comfort and insulation, as well as a bit of insurance in case you have a catastrophic failure of your inflatable pad.	Z Lite SOL (Reg)
Compression Stuff Sack	Granite Gear, Outdoor Research and others are all making nice, lightweight compression sacks. These are essential for sleeping bags and recommended for your summit clothes, such as your parka, mitts and warmest pants, so you might consider bringing two.	Granite Gear Air Compressor Sack

Packs and Duffels

Gear	Description	Guide's Pick
Large Zippered Duffel	You'll want an XL sized (90 – 100L) duffel for your expedition. Lightweight and inexpensive bags work fine, although water resistant bags like the Patagonia Black Hole Bag 100L are nice for their toughness to weight ratio. A quality duffel bag can work for a sled bag on Denali, a mule bag on Aconcagua and a great all around travel bag.	Patagonia Black Hole Duffel - 100L
Climbing Pack	Suitable climbing packs will be 30 - 45 liters in volume and have the capability of easily attaching crampons, and ice axes if used for a day of ice climbing or if needed for a peak ascent. For a day climbs, any pack in the 30 - 45 liter range will work, but we recommend that you consider the weight of the pack carefully. Overnight, alpine routes require larger (45L) packs that also let you strap your sleeping pad to the outside.	Patagonia Ascensionist Pack 35L

Climbing Gear

Gear	Description	Guide's Pick
Ski / Trekking Poles	Adjustable poles work great and are easier to travel with as they fit better in your duffel bag. The small “trekking” baskets on some poles are not large enough for use on soft snow, so make certain your poles have bigger “snowflake” style baskets for any climb with glacier or snow travel.	Black Diamond Trekking Poles
Ice Axe	A general use, mountaineering axe is sufficient for this climb. Some axes are much lighter than others, so select for weight as well as a size for your height. Most climbers do well with a 60 - 75 cm axe. On less technical routes, a longer axe can act like a walking stick on flatter terrain.	Black Diamond Raven Ice Axe
Carabiners	Bring eight regular (non-locking) carabiners. Please do not bring “bent-gate” carabiners, as these have certain limitations that do not make them appropriate for how we will use them. Mark your 'biners with colored tape for identification.	Black Diamond OZ Carabiners
Locking Carabiners	Bring three locking carabiners. Screwgate or auto-locking 'biners work equally well, although the new magnetic gate versions seem like they might be less prone to freezing closed. Select light weight carabiners.	Black Diamond VaporLock Carabiners
Climbing Helmet	Make certain it fits over your warmest hat and under the hood of your shell. The super-lightweight foam helmets are great, but can get crushed in your duffel bags during travel, so protect your lid!	BD Half Dome Helmet
Climbing Harness	An aspect of technical climbing is hanging in a harness. Having a padded, comfortable harness will make you much happier than will a thinly padded, alpine harness, and, should you find yourself at a semi hanging belay, your legs are less likely to fall asleep from lack of circulation.	Black Diamond Technician Harness
Primary Attachment Locking Carabiner	For your primary attachment to the rope, we will us a "triple action" locking carabiner. Triple Action (TriAct) carabiners will not come unlocked while you are traveling on the glacier. You only need one of these carabiners.	Petzl OK Triact Auto Lock Carabiner

Glacier Travel

Gear	Description	Guide's Pick
Snowshoes	Select lightweight snowshoes for your trip in a 22-28 inch length. The addition of a heel riser is welcome when ascending steeper hills, but is not necessary. You won't need optional, add-on tails, which add length to some models. We rent high quality MSR snowshoes, please contact the office to reserve!	MSR Evo Snowshoes

Other

Gear	Description	Guide's Pick
Stuff Sacks	We are fans of the very light stiff sacks made from Sil Nylon fabric. Bring enough for your clothes and personal items. Light, zippered stuff bags are really nice for toiletries.	Granite Gear Zip Sack
Two (2) One-Liter Water Bottles	You will need two, 1-liter plastic water bottles. Please bring wide-mouth bottles, such as those from Nalgene, as these are much easier to fill than bottles with small openings.	Nalgene Wide Mouth 1-Liter Bottle
Insulated Bottle Cover(s)	Water bottles freeze when it gets cold. Crazy, but true! Extra clothing can help insulate bottles, but dedicated water bottle insulators do a much better job. Bring at least one.	Forty Below Bottle Boot
Large Plastic Bowl	Bowls are much easier to use and are much more versatile than are plates. Bring a 2-4 cup camping bowl or a plastic "Rubbermaid" style container for your mountain dining.	Collapsible Fair Share
Insulated Cup or Mug	A 12 - 16 ounce (350-500 Ml) mug with an attached lid will help keep you hydrated. The Kleen Kanteen Insulated Bottle with the "Cafe Cap" is pretty nifty, as it is a mug and a thermos all in one!	Kleen Kanteen Insulated Bottle
Lexan Spoon	A soup spoon made from Lexan will survive most trips and is more useful and versatile than a fork or even a "spork." Mark your spoon with your initials to keep spoon rustlers at bay.	REI Lexan Soup Spoon
Lip Balm (2 tubes)	Protect your lips! Bring two tubes of high quality lip balm with SPF.
Sunscreen	Smaller tubes work well, as they are easier to keep from freezing than is one big tube. You'll want to bring 3-4 ounces (85 - 110g) for the trip.
P-Bottle	Wide-mouth, collapsible Nalgene Cantenes work great- they make a 96 ounce version, which will come in handy during long storms or if you take Diamox. Ladies- look for an appropriate adapter available at your local outdoors store. These items can both be tough to find in Anchorage so plan ahead!	Nalgene Wide-Mouth Collapsible Cantene
Toiletry Kit	Tooth brush & paste, dental floss, Handi-wipes (1 per day on average), a small bottle of hand sanitizer, perhaps some foot powder… keep it small!!!
Toilet Paper	Depending on your technique, you'll want 1-2 rolls, each packed in a quality zip-lock bag.
Personal Medical Kit	Mountain Trip's guides will have fairly comprehensive medical kits developed by our Medical Director, but we encourage each climber to bring a small, personal kit. Items to consider bringing include: blister treatment and prevention, pain relievers, and antacids. Presctiption medications should be based on consultation with your personal physician. Suggested drugs for altitude expeditions include: Diamox (acetazolomide) 125 mg, Decadron (dexamthazone) 4 mg, Nifedipine XR 30 mg, and a couple of antibiotics for respiratory and gastrointestinal issues.
Camera	Most climbers these days use their phone as a camera, but if you plan to bring a dedicated camera, consider a small, light weight point and shoot camera. If you are a photography buff and really want to bring a DSLR, plan for that extra weight with your training!
Altimeter Watch	An altimeter watch can be fun to have on an expedition to keep track of your ascent and to watch for changes in barometric pressure.	Suunto Core
Small Knife	A small knife or small multi-tool is also handy to have. One per tent is sufficient. There is emphasis on the word small when it comes to multi-tools!
Satellite Tracking/Texting Device	Satellite linked devices such as the Garmin inReach have been increasingly popular, as you can send and receive text messages with it. Again- consider how you will keep it powered over the course of your expedition. These new devices will allow you to send and receive text messages nearly anywhere in the world! It is a fun way to keep in touch with the family and let them follow along on your journey. They are not required, and Mountain Trip guides carry several forms of communication devices including satellite based communications that we can use in case of an emergency situation.	Garmin inReach
Several Good Jokes!	"A Moose walks into a bar..."