Denali Trip May 2016

[JasonT]

Hi all,

I just wanted to ask those that have climbed Denali if it appropriate to climb with just 2 members? And also that there are 2 of us from Australia looking at climbing through May if anyone about wants to join our team?

Safe climbing
Jason

[OPHIRTODD]

Plenty of folks climb Denali as a team of two. Assuming that you're looking at the W Buttress, just keep in mind that the way in which crevasses form on that glacier is somewhat different than in many parts of the world. They can be HUGE and the bridges can overhang the sides a LOT. So, have your plan for glacier travel and crevasse rescue (much harder with just two on a rope) well sorted, ask plenty of questions of the Rangers, guides, and climbers coming off the mountain as to where areas of high hazard might be, and have at it!

In May the lower glacier is generally in good shape, although that is a gross generalization and will be wrong every few years. You can get good beta ahead of time and use that information to adjust your travel plan. As you get higher, the crevasse issue tends to lessen (with a few areas of exception), and you'll find a team of two to be a bit more nimble than the larger teams, which could be advantageous.

Have fun - it is an amazing place in which to climb and travel!!

[ExcitableBoy]

Hi all,

I just wanted to ask those that have climbed Denali if it appropriate to climb with just 2 members? And also that there are 2 of us from Australia looking at climbing through May if anyone about wants to join our team?

Safe climbing
Jason

All of my AK Range trips have been with a single partner. One strategy we used was to tie butterfly knots in between climbers. In a crevasse fall the knot jams in the crevasse lip and the weight may not ever be transferred to the other climber. I know this from first hand experience. You will need to make sure your rescue coils include enough rope to reach the climber because the interstitial rope' knot will be firmly entrenched and not able to function in the rescue.

As for two party teams in AK in general, if I were ever to do an AK trip again (I won't, intentionally sold all of my AK kit), I would go with a party of three or four. Keeping one's self entertained on the trip is key and doing so is easier with more folks.

[radson]

Our trip started with 4 but ended up with 2. Basically we hit some bad weather and 2 of the guys had to go back to work from 14k camp. I found May very, very cold and the crevasses were either obvious or sealed shut from the cold. I wrote down some notes previosuly

http://www.summitpost.org/denali-for-antipodeans/731846