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On the starting day of your expedition, team members and guides will meet at 8:00 a.m. at AMS. This is a busy day, so please be on time and take care of all personal business beforehand. Guides will present an orientation, and you will have a chance to meet everyone on your expedition and at the AMS headquarters.
Each climber will pack lunches and go through the gear check in the morning. The team will split into two groups. Half will pack their lunch/trail foods for the climb in our food room while the other half will spread out their personal gear and equipment for the guides to check. Guides will also issue any items needed to ensure you are properly outfitted.
All rentals are issued on the first day because we are busy briefing and packing group gear and food prior to this day. After guides inspect your equipment and issue any rental items you need, we will make a trip to the AMS Mountain Shop for any last minute purchases. At 12 p.m., lunch is provided at AMS. After lunch, we cover fixed line ascension and visit the NPS ranger station in Talkeetna.
Next, we pack, dress, and fly onto the glacier in a ski-equipped, fixed-wing Cessna 185, DeHaviland Beaver or DHC Otter. The 30-45 minute flight into Denali National Park is the quickest way to access the snowy, glaciated peaks of the Alaska Range; the flight is a spectacular and memorable highlight. Once you arrive at the glacier, the rest of the evening will consist of campsite selection, tent spacing, group kitchen set up, and of course, dinner.