Trip Dates

May 13th-June 4th 2012

Price

$5950 + HST

Group Size

max of 4 guests per guide

Skill Level

advanced

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Mount Logan

Mount Logan, 5960m above see level, is located in the remote St. Elias Range of North Western Canada in the Yukon Territory. It is the crown jewel of Kluane National Park and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Logan is the highest peak in Canada, and though second in North America only to Mount McKinley, is a more spectacular mountain without the crowds. This 20day ski mountaineering expedition is serious and rewarding, it is best done in late May and early June.

The Ski Mountaineering route of choice up Mount Logan is the famous King’s trench. This route features generally straightforward ski touring terrain on large broken glaciers and involves winter camping at high altitude. The ascent gradually climbs 3500m over 23kms, from base camp to summit, and offers a fantastic panorama on some of the biggest glaciers in the world.

Itinerary

The weather and conditions will have a significant effect on our exact itinerary. Below is a sample itinerary from Anchorage, Alaska. Flying-in from Alaska provides the most reliable and timely access to the mountain. There are almost never any weather delays or other groups waiting in a queue when flying in or out from Alaska. We also offer this trip from the Canadian side via Whitehorse and Kluane Lake, contact us for more details on this option.

The ascent of mount Logan via the King’s Trench is a high altitude ski tour with no technical climbing. It gradually climbs 3500m over 23kms, from base camp to summit, and offers a fantastic panorama of some of the biggest glaciers in the world. From our Base-camp at 2800m, our ski ascent will gradually take us up the King’ Trench to King Col (4000m). The lower angle nature of this section will allow us to pull a lot of our supplies with sleds right up to King col (camp 2). From King Col to our high camp near Prospector Col (5500m), we will be carrying supplies and equipment with our back packs. On this section we will ascend no more than 600m per days using the “carry high-sleep low” method. This method combined with some strategic rest days will help the team acclimatize properly to higher elevation. From our high camp, we will wait for the best weather window to make an attempt to the main summit (5960m/19560’). If the team acclimatize well and the weather cooperates with our progress, we should have a full week worth of supplies and time at high camp for our summit bid.

Here is a sample itinerary:

Day 1 (Pre-trip meeting): We will meet at 4pm on the first day of the trip at a predetermine location in Anchorage, Alaska. We will share a relaxing dinner followed by a final gear check. We will go over last minute changes (weather & avalanche conditions) and logistic for the following day(s). We will also sign a liability waiver
Day 2: We will take a 4 hour shuttle east to Chitna and fly to the beautiful Ultima Thule lodge where we will spend one last civilized night before heading into the mountains for 20days. We will likely camp out in our tents here but will benefit from the Lodge generous cuisine. This will also provide one last opportunity to pack and review our gear before setting off
Day 3: After an early breakfast, we will fly to the Alaska-Yukon border and ski 9kms across a flat glacier to the King Trench Base-camp. This will give us an opportunity to familiarize ourselves with our equipment while enjoying some fine views of Mount Logan

Day 4-20: These days will be spent ascending the mountain. Here is the strategy we will use on the mountain: From our Base-camp at 2800m, our ski ascent will gradually take us up the King’ Trench to King Col (4000m). The lower angle nature of this section will allow us to pull a lot of our supplies with sleds right up to King col (camp 2). From King Col to our high camp near Prospector Col (5500m), we will be carrying supplies and equipment with our back packs. On this section we will ascend no more than 600m per days using the “carry high-sleep low” method. This method combined with some strategic rest days will help the team acclimatize properly to higher elevation. From our high camp, we will wait for the best weather window to make an attempt to the main summit (5960m/19560’). If the team acclimatize well and the weather cooperates with our progress, we should have a full week worth of supplies and time at our high camp for our summit bid.
Day 21-22: The descent down the mountain, back across to our pick-up location at the Alaska-Yukon border and flight out to Chitna will take about 2 days. From the Chitna air strip, we will drive 45minutes to the beautiful Copper River Princess Lodge for a well deserved shower, group Dinner and celebratory evening.
Day 23: Shuttle back to Anchorage by 11am.*Program could end 1 to 2 days earlier.

A successful ascent up mount Logan is not guarantied. Whether we successfully climb to the summit or not depends on many factor including: the weather, avalanche & snow conditions along with individual participants fitness level. We are experienced guides & passionate mountain climbers. While keeping safety as a top priority, we will do our best to reach the summit with as many participants as possible. In our mind, a successful expedition is one which you safely return from to tell the tales.

Prerequisites

This is an advance ski mountaineering program. You must have previous overnight winter camping experience and be an advanced intermediate downhill skier. Previous high altitude mountaineering experience is an important asset. Guests are responsible to self evaluate their skills as groups need to be matched together based on prior experience and ability.

Prior experience with Summit Mountain Guides is not required however it is highly recommended. This helps you anticipate the difficulty and style of our programs. It also contribute to building a better relationship with the guide before heading out on a long remote trip. Please contact us to discuss your goals & background.

Equipment

Click here for the Equipment List

Weather

The weather on Mount Logan generally comes from the Gulf of Alaska, 90km away, to the Southwest. Due to its close proximity to the ocean and high latitude, the weather on Logan is a mix of moist maritime pattern with cold arctic temperatures.

It is not uncommon to have big snow storms with very high winds, even in the Spring. The temperatures can vary widely in the springtime. They usually range from –15C overnight to 0C during the day. At higher elevation, temperatures will be colder and often drop below -30C overnight.

Location

The Mount Logan massif is located in the Southwest corner of the Yukon Territory in Western Canada, just above the 60th parallel. The massif is inside Kluane National Park and is the crown-jewel of the St-Elias Mountains. Logan is difficult to reach by foot as it is surrounded by some of the largest glaciers in the world and that it is 140km from the nearest road. Due to the remoteness of this expedition, the higher altitude and latitudes encountered, careful preparation is required.

The starting point of this expedition will be Anchorage, Alaska. From Anchorage we will take a 4 hour shuttle Eastward to the small village of Chitna. From the Chitna airstrip, we will fly to the mountain by ski plane. The King Trench base camp is only 9km from the Alaska-Yukon border. Flying-in from the Alaska provides the most reliable and timely access to the mountain. There are almost never any weather delays or other groups waiting in a queue when flying in or out from this side.

Services Included

Pre-trip planning support
Fully certified IFMGA guide service
Shuttle from Anchorage to Chitna, return
Ski plane access fees from Chitna, return
Winter camping equipment (tents, stoves and cooking supplies)
All Breakfast and Dinners while on trip
2 hotel nights (1 before & 1 after the trip)
Park Permits and Liability Insurance
Group safety equipment (satellite phone, ropes, rescue kit, high altitude 1st aid kit, GPS, maps)
Alternative plan based on current conditions

Not included in price:

Lunch, alcohol & snacks
Personal ski and technical equipment
Air travel to/from Anchorage
Any additional costs related to itinerary changes
Trip cancellation insurance, adventure travel/rescue insurance, medical insurance

FAQ

Alpine Ski-touring or Telemark gear? Which should you use?

If you are a downhill skier then you should use Alpine touring gear. Only if you are already an advanced Telemark skier should you use Telemark gear.

Spring skiing the high alpine environment offers variable snow conditions. On one particular run things may go from perfect powder to challenging breakable crust and or variable wind affected snow. When compounded, the variable snow conditions, the long ski touring days and the large day packs all call towards the use of an easier skiing set up like alpine touring.

Mount Logan provide a fantastic mountain travel experience. The skis become a traveling medium in the greater goal of getting from A to B. Alpine touring makes for fast and efficient travel hence contributing to a safer and more successful experience.