Denali Prep Course

RMI's Denali Prep Course is a five-day Level 1 seminar held on Mount Rainier's lower slopes — classroom plus hands-on training in glacier travel, crevasse rescue, fixed-line ascension, sled rigging, snow-anchor construction, cold-weather camp life, and high-altitude physiology. It satisfies the technical-training prerequisite for RMI's West Buttress expeditions and gives you a 3:1 climber-to-guide ratio while testing your gear in real winter conditions. Pair it with a separate altitude-experience climb to fully qualify.

Use the Prep Course to test the gear you'll buy for Denali — and rent the rest for the week. Our Ashford shop stocks double boots, -40°F sleeping bags, expedition parkas, and sleds — exactly what you'll see again at Kahiltna base camp. Renting on the Prep Course is also a smart way to compare two boots or two parkas before committing to a $1,200 purchase.

This collection mirrors RMI's official equipment list for the Denali Prep Course — which closely mirrors the actual Denali list. Every item has been picked to handle sub-freezing camp life, sled hauling under load, and the layering range you'll need from a sunny glacier mid-day to a -20°F dawn.