Why Denali is famous
Denali is the roof of North America and one of the Seven Summits. Its height was revised in 2015, when a survey with modern GPS and surveying equipment gave 20,310 ft (6,190 m) instead of the 20,320 ft (6,194 m) measured in 1952. Its prominence is 6,144 m, and the next higher summit in any direction is more than 7,400 km away.
What makes Denali look so enormous is the base. The mountain rises straight out of lowland tundra and glaciers, so the vertical relief of about 5,500 m (18,000 ft) from its foot to the summit is often cited as the largest of any mountain lying entirely above sea level. Everest is higher, but it stands on the Tibetan Plateau. The cold is the other part of Denali's reputation: it lies far north, close to the Arctic Circle, and a weather station at 19,000 ft (5,800 m) recorded −59.7 °C on 1 December 2003 and a wind chill of −83.4 °C the day before, a North American record.
Where it is and how to get there
The mountain is the centre of Denali National Park and Preserve in interior Alaska, about 210 km north of Anchorage and 275 km south-west of Fairbanks. Climbers almost all start in Talkeetna, a village of about 1,000 people roughly two hours' drive north of Anchorage, also served by the Alaska Railroad. Here the National Park Service runs the Walter Harper Talkeetna Ranger Station, and several air taxi companies fly ski-equipped planes to the Kahiltna Glacier base camp at 7,200 ft (2,195 m), a flight of about 45 minutes. The Kahiltna, 71 km long, is the longest glacier in the Alaska Range. Bad weather often grounds the planes for days, both on the way in and on the way out.
For non-climbers, Talkeetna is the main base for flightseeing tours around the mountain, and the national park road on the north side offers views of the massif on clear days, which are rarer than visitors hope: the summit is often hidden in its own cloud.
Routes
West Buttress. Pioneered in 1951 by Bradford Washburn and seven companions, it is described by the Park Service as the least technical route on the mountain, and over 90% of climbers choose it (96% in 2025). The difficulties are crevasses, steep ice and exposed ridges, plus weight: climbers haul sleds and carry 18–36 kg packs, and most teams double-carry, ferrying a cache up and returning to sleep lower. From Kahiltna base camp the route descends to the main glacier and climbs gently past camps at about 7,800 ft (2,380 m) at the foot of Ski Hill and 9,600 ft (2,930 m) to the 11,200 ft camp (3,414 m). Above it come Motorcycle Hill and the notoriously gusty Windy Corner at about 13,300 ft (4,050 m) before the large 14,200 ft camp (4,328 m) in a basin below the West Buttress, where Park Service rangers run a patrol camp and a medical tent during the season.
From 14,200 ft a steep snow and ice headwall, equipped with fixed lines maintained by rangers, leads to the crest of the buttress at about 16,200 ft (4,940 m). An exposed ridge climb past Washburn's Thumb reaches the High Camp at 17,200 ft (5,243 m). On summit day climbers traverse the steep slope called the Autobahn, protected by fixed snow pickets about every 27 m, to Denali Pass (18,200 ft, 5,547 m), then climb broad slopes to the Football Field plateau (about 19,500 ft, 5,940 m), up Pig Hill and along the narrow summit ridge to the top. Summit day usually takes 12–14 hours. Expeditions last 17–21 days round trip; a fast, well-acclimatised team may summit on day 12 or 13, but most allow 15–18 days with rest and storm days.
Other routes. The Muldrow Glacier on the north side, the line of the first ascent, is a long, remote expedition. Harder classics include the West Rib, the Cassin Ridge on the south face and routes from the Ruth Glacier. These are serious alpine climbs for experienced teams. A neighbouring giant, Mount Foraker, uses the same permit system.
Permits, costs and rules
Every climber on Denali (Mount McKinley in the permit documents) and Mount Foraker must register with the National Park Service at least 60 days before the start date and pay a special use fee. For the 2026 season the fee was USD 450 per adult and USD 350 for climbers aged 24 or younger, plus the park entrance fee of USD 15 per person. Registration opens on 1 January, and USD 100 is retained if a climber cancels before 15 February. Experienced climbers who meet the Park Service criteria can register on 7 days' notice, and teams can add members up to 30 days before departure. Before flying in, every climber must attend an in-person orientation at the Talkeetna ranger station with photo identification.
- Teams may not exceed 12 members; the average is 5–6 climbers.
- Only seven authorised guide services may guide on the mountain, and unauthorised guiding is illegal. A guided West Buttress expedition costs around USD 13,500 for 21 days with one of them.
- Clean Mountain Cans (portable toilets) are issued free at check-in and are mandatory on the West Buttress. Below 14,200 ft all human waste must be carried off the mountain; above it, it can be carried out or dropped into a single crevasse marked by rangers at the 14,200 ft camp. A lost can costs USD 150.
- All trash must be carried out; caches must be labelled with team name, permit number and return date and buried at least one metre deep.
When to go and weather
The climbing season runs from late April to mid-July. Late in the season the lower glacier softens and crevasses open up. The busiest time is from mid-May to mid-June, when several hundred climbers are on the mountain at once (513 on 1 June 2026, for example). On the upper mountain −30 to −40 °F (−34 to −40 °C) is common even in summer, while on the lower glacier the sun reflected off snow can make the heat oppressive. Winds over 100 mph (160 km/h) have been recorded at the 14,200 ft camp, and storms can pin teams in their tents for days. Rangers broadcast the forecast nightly at 7 pm on FRS radio channel 1.
Water
There is no liquid water on the route: all water comes from melted snow. The Park Service advises drinking at least 4 litres a day, and stoves run for hours each day. For a three-week West Buttress expedition most groups plan one US gallon (3.8 litres) of white gas per person, plus one extra gallon for the team. Keep bottles in insulated covers or inside your sleeping bag at night so they do not freeze. Take snow for drinking from clean areas away from latrines and established "pee spots": rangers warn that contaminated snow causes vomiting and diarrhoea, which can end an expedition. Boiling melted snow is the safe habit.
Mobile coverage and internet
Plan for no mobile phone signal. The Park Service answers "no" to the question of cell coverage on the mountain, though it notes that Alaskan networks are occasionally reachable high up; do not rely on it. Rangers monitor FRS/GMRS radio channel 1, and almost all teams carry a satellite phone or a satellite messenger such as an inReach for emergencies and weather updates. In Talkeetna normal mobile service and internet are available. The emergency number in the United States is 911; on the mountain, contact the rangers by radio or satellite phone.
Altitude, dangers and safety
Denali combines high altitude with polar cold. The Park Service recommends gaining no more than 500 m (1,600 ft) of sleeping altitude per day and taking a rest day every 3–4 days. Altitude sickness, pulmonary and cerebral oedema, frostbite, falls on the Autobahn and crevasse falls on the lower glacier are the main hazards. Between 1947 and 2018 the mountain accounted for about 11% of mountaineering accidents in the United States. In 2025, 943 climbers attempted it: 36% summited, rangers treated 37 patients, 16 of whom had to be evacuated, and 2 climbers died. In 2024 there were 1,001 climbers and 3 deaths. Climbers must be self-sufficient: rescue flights depend on the weather, which can keep aircraft away for days.
History and name
The Koyukon Athabascans call the mountain Deenaalee, "the high one" or "the tall one"; in the days of Russian America it was known as Bolshaya Gora, "the big mountain". In 1896 the gold prospector William Dickey named it Mount McKinley to support the presidential candidate William McKinley of Ohio, and the name became official; in 1917 the area became Mount McKinley National Park. Alaska's state board changed the name to Denali in 1975, and in 1980 the park was renamed Denali National Park and Preserve, but Ohio's congressional delegation blocked a federal change for decades. On 28 August 2015 Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell made Denali the federal name. On 20 January 2025 President Trump signed Executive Order 14172, and the Department of the Interior restored Mount McKinley as the official federal name a few days later. The park keeps the name Denali National Park and Preserve, the State of Alaska still recognises Denali, and Alaska's senators introduced a bill in February 2025 to restore it federally.
The early climbing story is full of controversy. In 1906 Frederick Cook claimed the summit, but it was never verified and is widely discredited. In 1910 the four Alaskan miners of the Sourdough Expedition climbed the lower North Peak by the Muldrow Glacier and planted a spruce pole near its top. On 7 June 1913 Archdeacon Hudson Stuck, Harry Karstens, Walter Harper and Robert Tatum reached the true south summit by the same glacier; Harper, an Alaska Native, was the first to stand on top, and the Talkeetna ranger station now bears his name. Barbara Washburn became the first woman on the summit in 1947, Art Davidson, Dave Johnston and Ray Genet made the first winter ascent in 1967, and the Japanese climber Naomi Uemura made the first solo ascent in 1970 and the first winter solo in 1984.
Interesting facts
- The weather station at 19,000 ft is one of the highest in the world.
- The Kahiltna base camp has had a seasonal camp manager for decades; one of them began her 23rd season there in 2022.
- Talkeetna, the climbers' village, became famous for its honorary cat mayor, Stubbs, who held the title from 1997 to 2017.
- Climbers fly onto a glacier at 2,195 m and walk the rest; nobody hikes in from a road on the West Buttress.
FAQ
How high is Denali? 20,310 ft (6,190 m) since the 2015 survey; the older figure was 20,320 ft (6,194 m). It is the highest mountain in North America.
Is it called Denali or Mount McKinley? Both. Since January 2025 the official US federal name is Mount McKinley; Alaska officially uses Denali, the name of the national park is unchanged and most climbers and Alaskans say Denali.
How long does it take to climb Denali? Usually 17–21 days round trip on the West Buttress, including weather and rest days; summit day from High Camp takes 12–14 hours.
How difficult is Denali? The West Buttress is not technical climbing, but it needs glacier travel and crevasse rescue skills, crampon and ice axe work on fixed lines and exposed ridges, and the ability to haul heavy loads in extreme cold. Summit rates vary with the weather; in 2025 it was 36%.
How much does a Denali permit cost? For 2026, USD 450 per adult (USD 350 for those 24 or younger) plus a USD 15 park entrance fee. Register at least 60 days in advance.
Is there water on the route? No. All water is melted snow; plan at least 4 litres a day and about one gallon of white gas per person for three weeks.
Is there mobile coverage on Denali? Not reliably. Carry a satellite phone or messenger; rangers monitor FRS radio channel 1. The US emergency number is 911.
When is the best time to climb Denali? From May to early July; the season runs from late April to mid-July, with the busiest period from mid-May to mid-June.