Custom Denali Expedition

MSA is founded based on the power of relationships forged through life-changing experiences. When owner, Jordan Cargill got a taste for the connections and opportunities for personal growth hidden in the mountains he dedicated his professional life to helping others make the same discoveries. He found time spent in the mountains of the Alaska Range to be particularly potent and has committed nearly a decade towards honing his knowledge and skill set to best curate experiences in this harsh environment. His tenure as a Denali guide along with a diverse and globally tested set of mountain and expedition skills allows us to curate programs to fit a diverse array of goals and backgrounds.

When you climb with us, you become a member of the MSA family. From first contact onward, we are dedicated to your success. That dedication does not end after standing on top. We care deeply about creating the holistic experience you are seeking and all that comes with it. The overwhelming majority of our clients are return clients and the remainder are typically direct referrals. Folks sign-up and return for different reasons, some to push their physical boundaries others to learn new skills and explore new places. Some come purely to soak in the journey and revel in the camaraderie. All are welcome in the MSA family. We look forward to adding you to our list of pitstops around the US and the world to grab a bite, share life updates, reminisce, and plan new adventures!

The highly custom nature of our programs means that every program will have a custom price. We will discuss pricing with you early in our conversations to ensure you are fully aware of the value proposition and to ensure that we have a viable partnership.

The following are just a few examples of the many customizations available. The amount of choice may feel overwhelming. Early in our conversations we will quickly get a sense of what customizations will help achieve your goals most effectively and guide your through the choices.

• Guide ratios (max of 2:1 (clients : guides) – 1:2 required for individual private expeditions)
• Guide team
• Start date
• Length (shorter than 15 days on the mountain requires a pre-acclimatization program)
• Team size
• Meal plan
• Mode of travel (ski or on foot/snowshoe)
• Pre-expedition preparations including field experiences
• Fitness and training plans
• Many more!

Listed by expedition day.

1. Arrive in Anchorage
2. Meet for expedition orientation
3. Travel to Talkeetna, fly into Kahiltna Basecamp
4. Move to Camp 1
5. Carry to Kahiltna Pass to cache gear
6. Move to Camp 2
7. Back carry to Kahiltna Pass
8. Carry to Windy Corner
9. Move to Camp 3 (14,000′ camp)
10. Back carry to Windy Corner
11. Carry to 16,000′
12. Rest
13. Move to Camp 4 (17,000′ camp)
14. Rest
15. Summit and return to Camp 4
16. Begin descent
17. Finish Descent to Kahiltna Base Camp
18. Return to Anchorage and celebrate!
19. Fly Home
20. Contingency day
21. Contingency day
22. Contingency day
23. Contingency day
24. Contingency day
25. Contingency day
26. Contingency day

Denali requires a high level of fitness and prior experience with high altitude, multi-day expeditions, and glacier travel. We understand that everyone’s mountain journey is unique and that is why we work directly with any prospects to determine if Denali is the correct next step in their mountaineering career, rather than prescribing a specific formula.

If we determine that some intermediary steps need to be taken before tackling Denali we offering consulting services to design a comprehensive plan and get you where you need to be. This includes field experiences, fitness plans, technical and expedition skills development, and more.

For the best chances of summit success our default option is the standard West Buttress route. Although certainly no cake-walk this route offers a direct path to the summit with enjoyable and varied climbing that does not require technical climbing skills beyond fixed-line use.

There are many different routes up Denali with varying levels of technicality and methods of travel. Some options include the West Rib, Cassin Ridge, and the Muldrow Glacier route. All of these routes require more advanced technical skills and/or longer expedition timelines than the West Buttress. We are happy to discuss options outside of the West Buttress and determine if they are a good fit for your expedition.

What is included will vary based on how we customize your program. At a minimum the the following is included:

• Guides
• All group gear: four season tents, cooking gear, group duffels, stoves, etc.
• Transportation:
  • Group transportation to/from Anchorage and Talkeetna
  • Glacier flights from Talkeetna to Denali and back
• Up to two nights of lodging at the Lakefront Hotel in Anchorage at the front end of the Expedition
• Mountain food
• Satellite phone

Not Included

• Flights to and from Alaska
• Lodging:
  • In Talkeetna in the event of a weather hold or other delay flying onto the glacier
  • Any lodging required enroute to Alaska or additional lodging in Anchorage
• In town meals
• Personal gear
• Excess expenses above and beyond our normal trip costs including but not limited to rescue, evacuation, transport, hotels, flight changes, gear shipping, and any additonal MSA labor associated with these expenses.
• Guide Gratuity (10-20% is customary)
• Costs incurred as a result of events beyond the control of MSA above and beyond the normal expedition costs
• Required Trip Insurance policy (for trip cancellation, interruption, rescue & evacuation, medical treatment, repatriation, etc.)

Our Partners at Mountain Trip have created a comprehensive Gear list Resource. This is an excellent place to get started. From here we will work directly with you to curate your kit to fit your specific needs.