Trip

Intermediate Alpine Climb - Mount Denali/Mount McKinley via the West Buttress

This expedition is the culmination of several years of planning by a team of four climbers from the Seattle, Evertte, and Foothills Mountaineers branches. The team will depart Seattle on May 16 and return no later than June 12. All members have participated in prior expedition training seminars, winter mountaineering, and crevasse rescue instruction, with multiple years of experience as instructors and leaders in Mountaineers courses. At this time, the expedition is not accepting applications or letters of interest. Aspiring climbers interested in similar objectives are encouraged to engage with local branch activities, volunteer in climbing programs, and participate in Mountaineers courses to build relevant skills. Similar expeditions in the future are often organized through volunteer leadership within local branches. After June 12, detailed trip reports and expedition updates will be shared on this page. This is a mentored climb for Garrit Erickson. Please direct any emails to Kelsey Hoffman and Garrit Erickson. Please remember, we are not accepting applications or considering adding climbers at this time. We will respond to questions about our trip and future trips when we are able or after June 12th.

Contacts

Kelsey Hoffman

Primary Leader

Garrit Erickson

Mentored Leader

Sat, May 16, 2026 — Fri, Jun 12, 2026
Committee: Seattle Climbing Committee
Activity Type: Climbing
Climbing Category: Intermediate Alpine
Audience: Adults, All Who Qualify

Difficulty: Intermediate Mountaineering Climb
Leader Rating: Challenging
Mileage: 28.0 mi
Elevation Gain: 13,000 ft
High Point Elevation: 20,310 ft

Leadership Permission Required
Availability: FULL (0 capacity)
Assistant Leader Availability: FULL (4 capacity)
Registration Open: Fri, May 15, 2026 at 12:00 AM
Registration Closed: Fri, May 15, 2026 at 12:00 AM
Cancellation & Refund Policy
Add to Calendar: iCal Google

Leader's notes

Team Members:

Kelsey Hoffman: Climb Leader: Seattle Climbing Committee, Intermediate Climb Course Graduate, Seattle Branch Chair 2025-Present. Kelsey enjoys teaching and instructing with the Winter Mountaineering and Advanced Crevasse Rescue course, Trad courses, and helping with the Basic Alpine Climbing Course. She spends much of her free time catching up on Branch Chair responsibilities. https://www.mountaineers.org/members/kelsey-hoffman

Garrit Erickson: Mentored Leader: Seattle Climbing Committee. Garrit is an eager instructor with the Winter Mountaineering and Advanced Crevasse Rescue course, where he has been volunteering his time for the past three years. He has participated in countless Mountaineers climbing trips and can often be found in the basement of the Program Center teaching efficient rope systems to students of all levels. https://www.mountaineers.org/members/garrit-erickson

Erica Healy: Foothills Climbing Committee. Erica enjoys instructing with the Winter Mountaineering and Advanced Crevasse Rescue course, Glacier Travel Course, Off-Trail Navigation course, and has been a leader for the Foothills and Seattle Basic Alpine Climb Courses and the Foothills Scrambling course. https://www.mountaineers.org/members/erica-healy

Alex Whitlow: Evertte Climbing Committee. Alex was recognized as one of the Mountaineers’ 2025 Super Volunteer and Key Leader. This year, he has been volunteering as an instructor with the Seattle Basic Backpacking course and Wilderness Navigation course, as well as the Everett Intermediate Glacier Travel and Basic Alpine Climbing course. https://www.mountaineers.org/members/alexander-whitlow

Jessica Hewitt: Guest Member. Jessica is joining us from outside the Mountaineers and comes with years of experience through other outdoor organizations and independent climbs. We hope to convince her to join the Mounties by the end of the trip.