Logistics

10:00 A.M. GEAR CHECK DAY BEFORE CLIMB BEGINS

Meet at the Alpine Ascents Office at 9:45 a.m. for a mandatory gear check beginning at 10:00 a.m. the day before your climb is scheduled to begin. This gear check will last about 1-1.5 hours. You are required to attend this meeting. Please review the Gear Check information and come prepared.  Please note transportation is not provided on this climb.

Getting to Seattle

If you are flying into Seattle, SeaTac is the closest airport to our office.  You are responsible for transportation between the airport and your hotel.

Getting from the Airport to the Office

Our office is 30-50 minutes from the airport (depending on traffic). Because you will drive yourself to the mountain, most climbers coming from out of town will rent a car at the airport. If you are not renting a car, you can take a Lyft, Uber, or taxi directly from the airport to our office.

Another option is taking the Light Rail (public transit) from the airport station to Westlake Station, followed by a Lyft/Uber/taxi the last 1.8 miles to the office. The Light Rail is $3 for this one-way trip and is easy to navigate from the airport.

Parking for Gear Check

Due to our location in the heart of Seattle, free parking can be difficult to locate in the vicinity of Alpine Ascents. Most parking is 2-hour metered street parking, and you may need to find a spot several blocks from our office. Please allow sufficient time before your gear check to park your vehicle.

8:00 AM Day 1 of Climb – Meet at Hoh Rainforest Ranger Station

The team will meet at 8:00 a.m. at the Hoh Rainforest Ranger Station on the Olympic Peninsula. Climbers are responsible for their own transportation. This is a 4+ hour drive from our Seattle office.

We strongly recommend staying close to the trailhead the night before the climb rather than staying in Seattle. The closest town to the trailhead with hotel options is Forks, WA.

Day 5 of Climb

You will return to the trailhead usually between 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. on the last day of the climb. The team will de-issue gear at the trailhead at the conclusion of the climb. Climbers do not need to return to the Alpine Ascents Office after the climb.

Air travelers are strongly advised against booking flights out until the day after your climb concludes. Trip schedules will not be adjusted to accommodate return flights booked on the same day your climb concludes.

Menu Planning

You are required to bring your own lunches. On-mountain breakfasts and dinners are provided on the climb.  If you have any food allergies or requirements, please notify us in advance. Your climber application features a place to input this information, or we are always happy to speak with you directly.

Overview

Food is one of the basic pleasures of wilderness travel. There are countless options for putting together healthy and delicious meals for your trip. For most climbs in the alpine environment, we eat approximately every hour during brief rest breaks. This constant intake is the most efficient way to fuel our bodies and meter our energy output as we climb. We do not stop for long “lunch breaks.” Your lunches should not require the use of a stove while on the mountain.

Basic Principles

A climbing or backpacking outing in the wilderness requires higher energy expenditure on a daily basis than what you may be used to. Eating well and frequently not only sustains energy levels but also boosts morale and attitude. In addition, mountains often challenge climbers with inclement weather. It is important that caloric intake be high and regular to help avoid hypothermia and other cold weather or altitude-related problems.

• Your food should consist of a well-balanced selection of food groups. It is best to plan most meals with high levels of complex carbohydrates to provide the most efficient long-term energy production.
• Refined sugars and simple carbohydrates, found in candy and other items, provide quick, short-term energy.
• Proteins are necessary for good health, but not in the quantities that most eat. On a short trip (3–4 days) lower protein intake levels do not cause problems.
• Fats require much more oxygen and time to metabolize (especially at high altitudes) which can be an important consideration.

Consider foods which are light and compact. Balance this consideration with nutritional needs and packing foods which taste good to you. Packaging should be minimal, but without sacrificing good organization and weather-protection.

Alpine Ascents provides breakfasts, dinners, soups, and hot drinks for summit climbs. All team members will help carry a portion of the group food up to camps on the climb. You will be responsible for providing your own lunches for 5 days. Listed below are sample lunch menus and a packing list for your climb. It is extremely important to bring the listed calorie amounts, though the exact items you bring may vary according to your preferences.

5 Day Climb Daily Menu Sample

Here is a sample of the types of things people bring with them for their daily lunches.

Day 1: Hoh Ranger Station – Olympic Guard Station – 9 miles, 370′ gain
Plan to bring approximately 1000 calories of lunch food for this day.
• Cold pizza or fresh sandwich
• Bagel with meat & cheese
• Your favorite candy bar
• Piece of fresh fruit
• Cold drink mix for your water

Day 2: Olympic Guard Station – Glacier Meadows – 8.2 miles, 3,252′ gain
Plan to bring 600-800 calories of lunch food for this day.
• Bagel with meat & cheese
• Your favorite candy bar
• Some hard candies or chocolates

Day 3: Summit Day! – 8-10 hours round trip, 3,765′ gain,
Plan to bring approximately 1200 calories of lunch food for this day.
• 4 energy bars
• 2 energy gels
• Your favorite candy bar
• Canister of Pringles

Day 4: Glacier Meadows – Olympic Guard Station – 8.2 miles, 3,252′ loss
Plan to bring approximately 500 calories of lunch food for this day.
• Bagel with meat & cheese
• 2 energy gels
• Your favorite candy bar

Day 5: Olympic Guard Station – Hoh Ranger Station – 9 miles, 370′ loss
Plan to bring approximately 500 calories of lunch food for this day.
• Bagel with meat & cheese
• 2 energy gels
• Your favorite candy bar

Sample Lunch Packing List

This list is intended as a sample packing/shopping list to create a complete “lunch bag” suitable for a 5-day climb. These items can be used in conjunction or as a substitute for the above menu sample.

Jerky (Beef, Turkey, or Soy) 8–10 oz Bag
Trail Mix 3 cup
Salty Snack Mix 1 qt
Energy Bars 3 Bars
Corn Nuts 2 Packets
Large Cookies 3 Packs
Candy Bars 3 Bars
Granola Bars 3 Bars
Crackers (Peanut butter or Cheese 3 Packages
Bagels (1 per day) 5 Bagels
String Cheese 4 sticks
Cheddar Cheese Squares 3 Squares
Mini Cheese Rounds 3 Rounds
Mixed Dried Fruit 1/2 qt Bag
Hard Candy 1/2 qt Bag
Cold Drink Mix (w/ electrolytes) 5 Packets
Energy Gel 4 Packet
Gallon Zip-lock Bag 2 Bags

Caloric info: www.whatscookingamerica.net/NutritionalChart.htm

On the Mountain

All Nights of Climb

Sleeping arrangements: 2 per tent.
Bathroom: Go Anywhere Waste Kits (pack it out).
Cell coverage: Sporadic service with various providers. Clear days offer better cellular reception.

Leave No Trace

Alpine Ascents International practices Leave No Trace principles on all expeditions. We believe that given the proper information most people will do all they can to help protect and maintain the environment. Before your climb, please become familiar with Leave No Trace:

7 Principles of Leave No Trace

As guides, we spend time teaching the environmentally appropriate Leave No Trace principles and practices. There is nothing more rewarding than working hard to get high into the mountains, reaching a pristine campsite, witnessing incredible views, and having the feeling that no one has been there before.

Conversely, there is nothing more disheartening than working hard to climb a mountain, reaching a site and encountering trash, food waste, and toilet paper. Please read the seven LNT principles, and call the office if you have any questions about what you can do to plan ahead.

Tipping

Guides are permitted to accept and greatly appreciate tips. Your guide team is composed of three guides. They will pool all tips received. An average tip for the full guide team is $150-200.

Please be aware that we are unable to process tips by card. You are welcome to tip your guides with cash or via mobile payment such as Venmo or PayPal.