#100 Climbing Denali: Tactics And Best Practices With Sam Hennessey

Join Evoke coach Mark Postle for a discussion with Sam Hennessey about all things Denali. Sam is a professional guide with extensive experience guiding and climbing on Denali, and in the Alaska Range. Learn more about Sam Hennessey here: www.sunwolfadventures.com 0:00:00 Introduction 0:02:20 Sam’s experience in the Alaska Range 0:04:41 The remoteness of the Alaska Range and existing there 0:08:44 Factors that create uncertainty during an expedition 0:10:49 Alaska Range has unreliable weather forecasting 0:15:39 Being flexible with day-to-day planning 0:20:24 Summit attempts from 14k ft vs. 17k ft 0:22:58 Underestimating cold and altitude 0:24:36 Greater levels of energy expenditure unique to climbing in the Alaska Range 0:26:11 Common scenarios resulting in failure to summit 0:36:23 The necessity of training and practice on technical terrain 0:41:03 A multi-year approach for success on Denali 0:42:07 Limited bandwidth for skill instruction while on the mountain 0:50:45 Logistical challenges on Denali 0:52:45 Ways to reduce weight on Denali 0:59:41 Heat exposure on Denali 1:02:13 Best practices for descending after summiting 1:04:17 Observations of unguided parties on Denali 1:09:07 Efficient strategies for meal prep 1:14:01 Thoughts on decision-making high on Denali 1:23:48 Sam’s final thoughts about climbing Denali