Routes
Root Canal
Starting at $675
Moose’s Tooth - 10,300ft (3,139m)
Routes: Ham and Eggs, Shaken, Not Stirred, and Tooth Traverse
Bear Tooth - 10,070ft (3,069m)
Routes: The Useless Emotion, House of the Rising Sun, and Beastiality
Broken Tooth - 9,050ft (2,758m)
Routes: West Ridge
Eye Tooth - 6,733ft (2,052m)
Routes: Talkeetna Standard, and Dream in the Spirit of Mugs
Sugar Tooth - 8,000ft (2,438m)
Routes: Southeast Buttress
Eldridge Glacier
Starting at $725
Mt Eldridge - 10,456ft (3,186m)
Routes: NPS report
Eldridge Spires - 7,000ft (2,133m)
Routes: NPS report
Northeast Fork of Tok
Starting at $750
Huntington - 12,241ft (3,731m)
Routes: North Face, The Technicolour Superdream, and Heart of Stone , Harvard, French Ridge, and West Couloir
Ruth Gorge
Starting at $650
Mt. Dickey - 9,545ft (2,909m)
Routes: West Face, Wine Bottle, and Snowpatrol
Mt. Barrille - 7,650ft (2,331m)
Routes: Japanese Couloir, Cobra Pillar, King Cobra, and Baked Alaska
Mt. Wake - 9,101ft (2,773m)
Routes: The Cook Inlet, Northeast Buttress, and East Face
Mt. Johnson - 8,400ft (2,560m)
Routes: The Elevator Shaft, Twisted Stair, and Fire Escape
Mt. Church - 7,621ft (2,323m)
Routes: Les Demons de Minuit and For Whom the Bell Tolls
Ruth Glacier
Starting at $650
Denali - 20,310ft (6190m)
Routes: South Buttress, Reality Ridge, and Ridge of No Return
Explorer’s Peak - 8,540ft (2602m)
Routes: West Ridge
Mt. Dickey - 9,545ft (2,909m)
Routes: West Face, Wine Bottle, and Snowpatrol
Mt. Johnson - 8,400ft (2,560m)
Routes: The Elevator Shaft, Twisted Stair, and Fire Escape
Dan Beard - 10,082ft (3,072m)
Routes: Sideburn Rib, South Face
Rooster Comb - 10,180ft (3,102m)
Routes: North Buttress
Pika Glacier
Starting at $650
Little Switzerland - 5,200ft (1584m)
Routes: The Throne, Troll Traverse, Lost Marsupial, Middle Troll, and Royal Tower
Epic skiing!
Glacier 1
West Fork of Ruth
Starting at $750
Denali - 20,310ft (6190m)
Routes: South Buttress, Reality Ridge, and Ridge of No Return
Huntington - 12,241ft (3,731m)
Routes: Harvard, French Ridge, and West Couloir
Peak 11,300 - 11,300ft (3,444m)
Routes: Wasabi Concerto
Kahiltna Basecamp
Photo by Ben Luedtke
West Buttress
Starting at $650
The West Buttress route on Denali is the most popular and accessible route to the summit of North America's highest peak. Known for its relatively straightforward climbing compared to other routes on the mountain, it still presents significant challenges due to the extreme altitude, harsh weather, and technical glacier travel required.
Climbers typically start from the Kahiltna Glacier after flying into Kahiltna Base Camp at 7,200ft. From there, the route ascends gradually, passing through several key camps: Camp 1 (7,800ft), Camp 2 (11,000ft), Camp 3 (14,200ft), and High Camp (17,200ft). The final push to the 20,310-foot summit offers spectacular views but requires endurance and acclimatization to withstand the thin air and potential subzero temperatures.
Despite its relative popularity, the West Buttress demands rigorous preparation, physical fitness, and mountaineering skills, with climbers often spending two to three weeks on the mountain to acclimate and wait for favorable weather conditions.