Rainier Denali Preparation & Winter Mountaineering

Course Overview

The course was excellent. The guides made a significant effort to compare everything we did to an actual Denali expedition. That really put me at ease and helped me understand expectations for a future Denali trip. —2021 Climber

Our Denali Preparation Course is specifically designed for those who want to embrace the challenges of climbing Denali and/or develop winter mountaineering skills in extreme conditions. It offers unique training to prepare for the challenge of The Great One. We are fortunate to have the best training area in the lower 48 states to simulate the challenging conditions found on Denali. Mount Rainier, known locally as “təqʷuʔməʔ” (Taquoma), provides similar conditions as those found in the Alaska Range during the late winter and early spring months.

This course is best suited for those with some mountaineering experience (i.e. those who have climbed glaciated peaks prior to the course). Those without prior experience are encouraged to consider one of our summer season courses, such as our 9-Day or 10-Day, where conditions are more conducive to teaching foundational skills while also have the chance to make a summit attempt.

Throughout this extremely rigorous Denali Prep course, we encounter challenges closely matching those found on Denali and other 20,000 ft. peaks. Our goal is to develop highly aware, knowledgeable, and competent expedition climbers. Hands-on experience in all aspects of expedition climbing will be covered, including pulling sleds, building wind walls, whiteout navigation, and using fixed lines.

Note: This is not a summit climb of Rainier. Winter and early spring conditions generally present high avalanche danger and/or severe weather which do not allow us to move high on the mountain. The focus is on skill development rather than the summit as a goal. In rare cases, if the weather and snow stability allow, the group may attempt to summit.