Guided climbs · Denali, 20,310 ft

Guided Denali climbs, compared

Seven companies hold the Park Service concession to guide Denali, and nobody else may legally take you up it. Three weeks on the Kahiltna, $12,000 to $14,000, and refund windows that close 120 days before you fly.

7companies compared, 15 programs

$12,250cheapest published price, per person

5–26 daystrip length

May–Junthe season; teams run roughly 21–26 days on the mountain

Programs Before you book Without a guide Companies Get an email when bookings open

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Alpine Ascents InternationalDenali West Buttress ExpeditionWest Buttress

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$12,250

Experience neededAdequate basic mountaineering skills, including crevasse rescue and roped glacier travel, and climbing in the seasons leading up to the expedition. Alpine Ascents' own Denali Prep course is the usual route in.Charged as a $1,500 non-refundable registration payment plus a $10,750 balance 120 days out. The $475 NPS fee and trip insurance are on top. Every application is reviewed before you are accepted.

See dates ↗

NOLSDenali Mountaineering (NOLS graduates only)West Buttress · 26 days

$12,050 (old listing, ask)

Experience neededQualified NOLS graduate. NOLS calls it one of the most demanding courses it runs, physically and mentally.Open only to qualified NOLS graduates — unlike almost every other NOLS course, which takes beginners. The figure is from a June 2025 session listed at $12,050–$12,500; a 2023 session was $9,600, so expect the current price to be higher. 18 and over.

See dates ↗

Alaska Mountaineering SchoolDenali West Buttress ExpeditionWest Buttress · 22 days

$13,200

Experience neededExcellent physical and mental fitness. You should be comfortable climbing in crampons carrying a 60 lb pack, able to self-arrest with an ice axe, and know basic rope skills such as a figure-8. AMS recommends its own Denali Prep course first.AMS is the only one of the seven based in Talkeetna, where the bush flights leave from. Acceptance comes before your deposit is processed.

See dates ↗

International Mountain Guides (IMG Denali)Denali West Buttress ExpeditionWest Buttress · 2027 price · 22 days

$13,400

Experience neededPrevious mountaineering experience is required.Two teams in 2027: May 12–Jun 2 and May 16–Jun 6. Airfare and the travel insurance IMG requires are extra.

See dates ↗

Rainier Mountaineering, Inc. (RMI)Mt. McKinley — West Buttress ExpeditionWest Buttress · 21 days

$13,500

Experience neededNot published on the pages we could read. RMI runs a five-day Denali Prep course on Rainier for climbers who need the skills first.Scheduled over 21 days with the last held as a weather buffer; RMI says most teams average 18 days base camp to base camp and it never fixes an end date. Plan on 5–7 weather days. Train for a 12–14 hour summit day. The ratio for this open team is not published — RMI's custom and women's trips state 2:1.

See dates ↗

Mountain Trip AlaskaDenali West Buttress ExpeditionWest Buttress · 2027 price · 22 days

$13,600

Experience neededThe West Buttress is not technical but you need the basics: crampons, ice axe, winter camping, glacier travel and rope work, learned on a course or through mentorship, and practised before you fly to the Kahiltna.Includes two nights' lodging, the round-trip shuttle to Talkeetna and all food on the mountain. Flights to Alaska, personal gear, insurance and guide gratuity (Mountain Trip suggests 10–20% of trip cost) are extra. Allow 24–25 days in Alaska in total.

See dates ↗

American Alpine InstituteDenali Expedition — West ButtressWest Buttress

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Not published, ask

Experience neededIntermediate technical snow and ice ability, glacier travel skills, cold-weather backcountry camping experience, excellent cardiovascular condition and preferably previous time at altitude. AAI says it rarely accepts climbers who only just meet the minimum unless they have climbed with AAI before.AAI's own pages carry $12,650, $13,250 (2027 and 2028 departures) and $12,250 for the first four places on a team, without saying clearly which applies to which season, so we are not printing a figure. AAI says the rate rises annually and that depositing before September 1 holds the current one.

See dates ↗

Rainier Mountaineering, Inc. (RMI)Denali Custom ClimbWest Buttress

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Not published, ask

Experience neededNot published on the pages we could read.RMI builds custom Mt. McKinley climbs on request but no longer lists a Denali custom program or price.

See dates ↗

Mountain Trip AlaskaDenali West RibWest Rib · 24 days

Not published, ask

Experience neededNot published on the pages we could read.Booked on a private basis only, so there is no list price. Up to 24 days in the field.

See dates ↗

American Alpine InstituteDenali Expedition — West RibWest Rib · 21 days

Not published, ask

Experience neededNot published on the pages we could read. Expect more than the West Buttress requires.Private programs only; AAI prices it by number of participants and number of days.

See dates ↗

Alaska Mountaineering SchoolDenali West Rib ExpeditionWest Rib · 22 days

Not published, ask

Experience neededNot published on the pages we could read.Listed at custom pricing — contact AMS.

See dates ↗

Rainier Mountaineering, Inc. (RMI)Expedition Skills Seminar — Ruth GlacierGreat Gorge, Ruth Glacier; Mt. Dickey (9,545 ft) via the West Face · 11 days

$7,200

Experience neededNot stated. Ask the operator.Nine days in the Great Gorge on the Ruth Glacier, 3:1 ratio, with a summit attempt on Mt. Dickey. Shuttle from Anchorage to Talkeetna included. $1,250 deposit. RMI's old Kahiltna seminar page now points here.

See dates ↗

Alaska Mountaineering SchoolDenali Prep Course — Kahiltna GlacierDenali base camp, 7,200 ft (no summit) · 10 days

$5,400

Experience neededNot stated. Ask the operator.Runs from the West Buttress base camp at 7,200 ft on the Kahiltna, so you learn on the glacier you will climb from. Nine students to three instructors. The listing we read was around 430 days old — confirm the price.

See dates ↗

American Alpine InstituteDenali Prep CourseMount Baker, Washington (no summit) · Jan–Mar price · 6 days

$2,535

Experience neededNot stated. Ask the operator.Held on Mount Baker, not in Alaska — the cheapest way to meet AAI's prerequisites, and runs in winter so it fits before a May departure. Price depends on party size and number of days.

See dates ↗

Rainier Mountaineering, Inc. (RMI)Mt. Rainier Denali Prep CourseParadise, Mount Rainier (no summit) · Winter price · 5 days

$2,050

Experience neededNot stated. Ask the operator.Winter training seminar at Paradise on Rainier rather than in Alaska. $500 deposit.

See dates ↗

Copied from each company’s own pages on Oct 20, 2026. Every “See dates” button opens the page we used. Where a page says which season a price is for, we show it. Prices change; the operator’s page wins if it disagrees with this one.

Free · no guide

Climb Denali yourself

Everything above is for hiring a guide. If you have the skills, this is what you need to do it on your own, free. Facts come from the summit’s own page on PeakSeeker, with sources.

Normal route: West Buttress Route
Grade: Alaska Grade 2+
How long: 17-21 days on average
Best season: Late April - early July
Permits: NPS mountaineering special use permit required; climbers must register with the Talkeetna Ranger Station at least 60 days before departure ($450 special use fee for climbers 25 and older, reduced for under-25, plus a park entrance fee).
Start from: Kahiltna Base Camp (Southeast Fork, Kahiltna Glacier) — staged from Talkeetna, 7,200 ft (2,195 m)
Climb from there: 13,110 ft (3,996 m) of ascent over 16 mi one way
Getting there: Most expeditions fly by small ski-plane from Talkeetna onto the Kahiltna Glacier to reach base camp at roughly 7,200 ft. Nearest airport: Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC); climbers then continue to Talkeetna by road or air taxi.
Hazards: Extreme cold and wind chill, crevasses, high-altitude illness, whiteout storms.
Gear: Extreme cold-weather gear is essential (wind chill can exceed -40°F/C); NPS requires use of a Clean Mountain Can for human waste; a plastic sled for hauling gear over the glacier is standard kit.

Full route, map and live conditions →What to bring Avalanche & glacier courses

Sources: nps.gov ↗

Read this before you pay a deposit

Seven companies and about $1,350 separates the cheapest published West Buttress from the dearest. That is under 11% on a trip where the guide-to-climber ratio, how many weather days the schedule carries and whether the team is willing to turn around matter far more. Pick on the ratio and the itinerary, not the price.

Every single one of these deposits is non-refundable, and five of the seven close their refund window 120 days — four months — before you fly. Alpine Ascents is the only operator here publishing a partial refund (50%) inside that window, between 90 and 119 days. Buy trip-cancellation insurance when you pay the deposit, not later: RMI and IMG both require or strongly push it, and cover for pre-existing conditions generally has to be bought within about two weeks of the first payment.

Almost nobody is accepted onto Denali without prior glacier mountaineering. Budget for a prep course on top: $2,050–$2,535 on Rainier or Baker, or $5,400 (AMS, on the Kahiltna) to $7,200 (RMI, on the Ruth Glacier) to do it in the Alaska Range. AAI says outright that it rarely takes climbers who only just meet its minimum.

The NPS fee is yours to pay either way, and the only part of this trip with a generous refund rule: cancel before February 15 of your climbing year and you lose $100 rather than the $475. Guided climbers file through the guide company, so your operator's paperwork deadline lands well before the park's 60-day cut-off.

Only seven guide services hold a National Park Service concession to guide on Denali: Alaska Mountaineering School, Alpine Ascents International, American Alpine Institute, IMG Denali, Mountain Trip Alaska, Rainier Mountaineering and NOLS. No other company may legally guide you on the mountain. nps.gov ↗
The current concession contracts were awarded in 2018 and run 2019–2028. The six companies named in that award, plus NOLS on a historic-usage contract, make seven. nps.gov ↗
Every climber pays a mountaineering special use fee: $475 for the 2027 season, or $375 if you are 24 or younger. It was $450 in 2026 and the NPS raises it with the Consumer Price Index. The park entrance fee ($15) is separate. nps.gov ↗
Cancel before February 15 of your climbing year and the NPS refunds all but $100 of the mountaineering fee. After that, nothing. nps.gov ↗
Registration closes 60 days before departure and the NPS says the rule is strictly enforced. Guided climbers file through their guide company rather than with the park directly, so your operator's own deadline comes earlier. nps.gov ↗
A seven-day exception to the 60-day rule exists only for people who have physically climbed Denali or Mount Foraker since 1995. nps.gov ↗

The companies

Rainier Mountaineering, Inc. (RMI)

Based: Ashford, WA
Programs: 4
Deposit: $2,500 deposit, non-refundable and non-transferable. Balance due 120 days before the start; miss it and the reservation is cancelled and everything paid is forfeited.
Refunds: Cancel 120 or more days out and you forfeit the deposit. Cancel inside 120 days and there is no refund or credit at all. RMI says it makes no exceptions on this program. Moving your dates costs $500 per person and must be asked for 90+ days ahead. If RMI cancels and cannot reschedule you, it refunds program fees less non-refundable land costs. Once the trip starts there is no refund for weather.
Private: RMI builds custom Mt. McKinley climbs on request but no longer lists a Denali custom program or price.

Visit RMI ↗

Policy from: rmiguides.com, rmiguides.com, rmiguides.com, rmiguides.com

Alpine Ascents International

Based: Seattle, WA
Programs: 1
Deposit: $1,500 non-refundable at registration, $10,750 balance due 120 days before departure. The $475 NPS permit fee is extra, as is trip-cancellation insurance.
Refunds: 120+ days out: everything back except the deposit. 90–119 days: 50% back. Inside 89 days: nothing. Requests must be in writing. Miss the 120-day balance deadline and you risk losing the place.

Visit Alpine Ascents ↗

Policy from: alpineascents.com, alpineascents.com, alpineascents.com

Mountain Trip Alaska

Based: Ophir, CO / Talkeetna, AK
Programs: 2
Deposit: Deposit includes a non-refundable $1,500 administration fee. Balance due 120 days before Team Meeting Day; miss it and the place is cancelled and the deposit forfeited.
Refunds: 120+ days out: full refund less the administration fee. 90–120 days: 50% of monies paid, less the deposit. Inside 89 days: nothing. Requests must be in writing to the Colorado office. If Mountain Trip cancels for its own reasons it refunds less administrative fees; cancellations forced by government or permit action are generally not refundable.
Private: Private Denali expeditions and the West Rib are quoted individually.

Visit Mountain Trip ↗

Policy from: mountaintrip.com, mountaintrip.com, mountaintrip.com, mountaintrip.com

American Alpine Institute

Based: Bellingham, WA
Programs: 3
Deposit: Deposits are non-refundable. AAI says Denali tuition rises every year and that booking before September 1 holds the current year's rate.
Refunds: No Denali-specific cancellation schedule was published on the pages we could read; AAI's Denali pages point at its general Terms and Conditions, which we could not retrieve. Get the schedule in writing before you pay.
Private: The West Rib runs as a private program only, priced by party size and number of days.

Visit AAI ↗

Policy from: alpineinstitute.com, alpineinstitute.com, alpineinstitute.com, alpineinstitute.com

Alaska Mountaineering School

Based: Talkeetna, AK
Programs: 3
Deposit: $50 non-refundable application fee plus a $3,000 expedition deposit that counts toward tuition. Deposits are only processed once AMS has accepted you onto the program.
Refunds: Expeditions: cancel 121 days or more out and you get back everything above the deposit, less an administrative fee. Cancel inside 120 days and there is no refund. Courses use 61 days and 60 days instead. If AMS cancels for reasons beyond its control, the balance is refunded or transferred.
Private: The West Rib expedition is quoted on request.

Visit AMS ↗

Policy from: climbalaska.org, climbalaska.org, climbalaska.org, climbalaska.org

International Mountain Guides (IMG Denali)

Based: Ashford, WA
Programs: 1
Deposit: A 2025 fee sheet lists a $2,000 non-refundable application fee credited against the program fee, a further $2,000 due 180 days out and the balance at 120 days. Confirm the current figures: that sheet predates the 2027 price.
Refunds: All fees and payments are non-refundable and non-transferable. IMG does not refund if you withdraw for illness, injury or any other personal reason, and strongly recommends trip-cancellation insurance.

Visit IMG ↗

Policy from: mountainguides.com, mountainguides.com, mountainguides.com

NOLS

Based: Lander, WY
Programs: 1
Age: 18 and over.

Cancellation terms not published where we looked. Get them in writing before you pay.

Visit NOLS ↗

Policy from: nols.edu, nols.edu

Get an email when bookings open

Denali teams fill a year ahead and prices move every season. Get an email when we see new dates or price changes.

Before and after the trip

Most programs start in Talkeetna, Alaska. Lodging is extra on nearly all of them.

Places to stay in Talkeetna ↗

Denali on PeakSeeker → routes, live summit weather and permits.

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