Mount McKinley: A Summit Unbagged

'On March 11, 2011, two inexperienced Fairbanksans set off to walk from their car to the summit of Mount McKinley. Packed light to travel fast & far, the team snowshoed to 17 Camp at the base of the West Ridge, where they battled overflow & high winds. A depleted Nalgene-bottled oxygen supply and unconsolidated sugar-snow conditions forced the team to retreat without the glory of the summit.'

Brett Parks & I are just now going public with an attempt at the summit of Mount McKinley without a permit, flight in to the glacier, climbing registration, talking with rangers, etc.
I have to say our plan has possibly never before been attempted in winter: to snowshoe from the road to the summit & back in three days, sleeping at 17 Camp both nights. While we weren't able to make the summit due to the snow conditions, we did sleep at 17 Camp and had an awesome time, learning a lot in the process.

Here are the photos...

 

 

 

 









Did we fool you?!?!
We attempted the 4,000 ft Mount McKinley off the Steese Highway, northeast of Fairbanks!
Hence, the reason Alaskans call the real one Denali.  HA!!!