SummitPost.org

attimount wrote:Reading this topic I found lots of good info from those who already been there.

Regarding the training, I'm already tired from my job but I do my best to get in shape for the "big one" and since we still have lots of snow in the mountains we even tried the sled with one bag of cement and one box of tiles (I'm a tile setter), about 40kg, for a couple of hours...it was hard work.

Now I have a dilema too. Have enybody use a D90 or similar cameras on the mountain?
How many batteries did you bring? There is any possibility to recharge them at ABC?

Thanks.

I take a DSLR on the mountain every time I go. Here is an article I wrote on my blog about it. You can get away with two batteries. I bring a battery grip and put lithium AA batteries in it and it lasts the entire trip and then months after the trips. here is the link to the full article.

http://alasdairturner.blogspot.com/2009 ... s-ago.html

Alpinist wrote:A good test to see if your batteries will last is to fully charge them and then put them in the freezer for 3 weeks. I'll be surprised if you can get more than couple of shots out of them.

One thing that helps to extend battery life is to disable the LCD screen. Look through the viewfinder to take pictures instead of using the screen. Also, don't review your photos until after your trip. Usig the LCD screen will kill your batteries quicker than anything.

You should consider bringing a disposable camera along for summit day, as I did. It was quite valuable when the batteries on my digital camera died.

If you put batteries in the freezer for 12 hours it is no different than 3 weeks. If they are cold you will not get as much use out of them, but you can still get 70 percent or so depending on the battery. As soon as they warm up you then get that energy.

Alasdair wrote:

Alpinist wrote:A good test to see if your batteries will last is to fully charge them and then put them in the freezer for 3 weeks. I'll be surprised if you can get more than couple of shots out of them.

One thing that helps to extend battery life is to disable the LCD screen. Look through the viewfinder to take pictures instead of using the screen. Also, don't review your photos until after your trip. Usig the LCD screen will kill your batteries quicker than anything.

You should consider bringing a disposable camera along for summit day, as I did. It was quite valuable when the batteries on my digital camera died.

If you put batteries in the freezer for 12 hours it is no different than 3 weeks. If they are cold you will not get as much use out of them, but you can still get 70 percent or so depending on the battery. As soon as they warm up you then get that energy.

Batteries also lose their charge over time. You'll get less use from batteries that were in the freezer for 3 weeks than you will for batteries that were in the freezer for only 3 hours. It's a more accurate simulation of the conditions on Denali...

My first battery lasted for 2 weeks, taking around 70 photos per day and not using the LCD screen at all. My 2nd battery died on summit day after only a couple of days of use. I kept them both in my sleeping bag at night but 2 weeks is a long time to hold a charge... Thankfully, I brought a disposable camera with me.

Alpinist wrote:

Alasdair wrote:

Alpinist wrote:A good test to see if your batteries will last is to fully charge them and then put them in the freezer for 3 weeks. I'll be surprised if you can get more than couple of shots out of them.

One thing that helps to extend battery life is to disable the LCD screen. Look through the viewfinder to take pictures instead of using the screen. Also, don't review your photos until after your trip. Usig the LCD screen will kill your batteries quicker than anything.

You should consider bringing a disposable camera along for summit day, as I did. It was quite valuable when the batteries on my digital camera died.

If you put batteries in the freezer for 12 hours it is no different than 3 weeks. If they are cold you will not get as much use out of them, but you can still get 70 percent or so depending on the battery. As soon as they warm up you then get that energy.

Batteries also lose their charge over time. You'll get less use from batteries that were in the freezer for 3 weeks than you will for batteries that were in the freezer for only 3 hours. It's a more accurate simulation of the conditions on Denali...

My first battery lasted for 2 weeks, taking around 70 photos per day and not using the LCD screen at all. My 2nd battery died on summit day after only a couple of days of use. I kept them both in my sleeping bag at night but 2 weeks is a long time to hold a charge... Thankfully, I brought a disposable camera with me.

2 weeks is not a long time to hold a charge, and batteries do not loose their charge over 3 weeks. The worst thing you probably did up there was keep the batteries in your sleeping bag. Its moist in there and you probably discharged them due to moisture contact.

When batteries get cold the stored energy in them looses its potential and the battery is not able to give up as much stored energy. That energy does not just disappear. Its still there. As soon as you warm the battery it is able to release that energy again.

Either that or you have a bad battery. I have been in the Alaska range seven times and never had a battery failure. I never keep my batteries or my camera warm. I use brand new ones on cold mornings and I use the older ones on warm days so I use up all the energy in them.

Thanks for all the input guys, lots of great tips to take on
Board. I'm two weeks out now , just want to go, I'm sick of training , between having doubts of wondering if I've done enough that is ! Thanks again

Thanks for all the input guys, lots of great tips to take on
Board. I'm two weeks out now , just want to go, I'm sick of training , between having doubts of wondering if I've done enough that is ! Thanks again

Back in DC after a great time in AK/Talkeetna and on Denali.

I ended up not even going through 1 out of my 3 lithium batteries for my D5000. Best to be safe than sorry though I guess.

Good luck to those still on the mountain and those yet to climb!

Andy

Congrats on your successful summit!

And here's a real snow saw:
http://snowsaw.com/

From experience? My partner brought this to Denali and I can't emphasize how bad it sucked. My cheesy snow-shovel saw beat this thing hands down...thank god I brought it as a backup.

There are 4 of us going up in May. Anyone have any updated tips or trips? Thanks

Hi Guys,

Looks like I will be there as well. Arriving Anchorage May 6th to have a crack at the Upper West Rib.

Thanks for all the hints and tips.

I have a updated tip. Head into the Denali Images gallery in Talkeetna. Buy one of my Denali prints.

They have the black and white up on the wall in the 30x40. Nothing wrong with a little shameless self promotion, right?

http://fineartamerica.com/featured/dena ... urner.html

http://fineartamerica.com/featured/dena ... urner.html

Archm wrote:Hey ,

Thanks for the input guys , cool trip report splattski esp the photos of the route, the best I've seen .

One big question is the pack weight , I'm currently training with 22KG ( 48lbs. ) , and trying to push it up to 30kg ( 66 ) , but l tried 27kg this week and suffered.
I don't plan on bringing 30 kg but I'm trying to get it up to that here at sea level. Any thoughts ?

What gear can you get away without , helmet ? Two poles or will one do ?

Cheers

The heaviest pack I carried on Denali was no more than 50 lbs. We pulled sleds to 11k, doubled carried to 14k and again to 17k. This seemed to be effecient. Most people bring about 100 pounds of food, fuel, and gear.

Although I have brought skis on every Alaskan Range trip, if I went back to Denali I would bring MSR plastic snowshoes (not likely, I'm selling my Denali gear. Need a nice parka and some warm mitts?). We used skis only two days on the entire trip. Airline luggage fees are expensive and small light snow shoes will easily fit in a duffel instead of needed an extra bag for skis. Skiing with a big pack and a sled in mountaineering boots is challenging.

Either do your grocery shopping in Anchorage or mail your non pershible foods (along with your stoves and fuel bottles) to your air taxi service at least a month in advance. You can pick up the remaining fresh foods in Wasilia - most Anch-Talk shuttle services will stop at Carr's (Safeway).

You don't need a helmet. Two poles are nice and depending on conditions can get you up to 14k without an axe. I saw some Eastern Euros with ONLY trekking poles, no axe. Scary.

As far as food, I prepacked my own meals at home. I find many commerically made dehydrated meals to be too sweet or otherwise unpaletable, not to mention expensive. Consider adding a small backpacking frypan to the kit and if you are really a gourmet a backpacking stove type oven. Cooking was an enjoyable way to spend rest/weather days. I found that I needed far fewer calories on Denali than other trips I have done in the range. We climbed for no more than 5 hours on any given day (except summit day) and had many rest days. I ate maybe 2,500 -3,000 calories a day and lost no weight. On the other hand, Mark Westman told me he was stuck in a storm on Denali and lost weight eating 6,000 calories a day sitting still.