Denali - South Face

The steepest and largest face of the highest mountain of North America, the south face of Denali (formerly known as Mt McKinley) is home to one the most sought after prizes in world mountaineering, the Cassin Ridge (lines 17 and 18 for the original 1961 start), as well as some of the hardest and most committing routes in Alaska, the Slovak Direct (19) and the Denali Diamond (13), which are now seeing incomprehensibly fast ascents by world class climbers.

This poster is unique in that it doesn't use one of my own photos, instead relying on the incredible work of climbing and photography pioneer Bradford Washburn, who discovered the West Buttress (line 2, now the normal route on the mountain) and spent a lifetime photographing the Alaska Range from small planes. This particular photo was shot in 1979 and was licensed from Washburn's archives currently held by the University of Alaska Fairbanks. It is also the first fully black and white Mont Blanc Lines poster!

 

Free download - medium resolution, personal use only (no printing allowed)

Route List

1: Northwest Buttress, Alaska Grade 4, 65°, Beckey, Hackett, McClean, Meybohm, Wilson, 1954

2: West Buttress, Alaska Grade 2, 50°, Ambler, Bishop, Buchtel, Gale, Griffiths, Hackett, More, Washburn, 1951/Ueki, 1970 

        A: Fixed Lines

        B: Ridge Camp

        C: 17k Camp

3: Rescue Gully

4: McClod’s Rib, McKeith, 1977

5: Messner Couloir, 48°, Messner, elz, 1976/Saudan, 1972

6: Smid Route, 5.8 70°, Smid, 1991

7: Infinity Direct, Alaska Grade 5, 5.7 WI4 M4, Babanov, Slawinski, 2005

8: West Rib, Alaska Grade 4, 60°, Breitenbach, Buckingham, Corbet, Sinclair, 1959

9: Wickwire 1972, Bertulis, Patterson, Raymond, Schaller, Stewart, Wickwire, 1972

10: Clod Face, Alaska Grade 4, Derbyshire, Grassman, Jones, McKeith, 1977

11: Duperier-Langestein Ski Descent, Duperier, Langestein, 2022

12: Roberts-McCartney, Alaska Grade 6, WI5 5.9 A3, McCartney, Roberts, 1980

13: Denali Diamond, Alaska Grade 6+, WI5+ M6 A1, Becker, Graage, 1983

14: Light Traveler, Alaska Grade 6, M7+ WI6, Koch, Prezelj, 2001

15: Slovak Variation, 5.9 60°, Demján, Nezerka, 1991

16: Henrich-Volkman, Henrich, Volkman, 1983

17: Cassin Ridge via Japanese Couloir, Alaska Grade 5, 65° 5.8, Kawagoe, Ujiie, 1967

        A: Japanese Couloir

        B: Cassin Ledge

        C: Cowboy Arête

        D: Hanging Glacier

        E: First Rock Band

        F: Second Rock Band

        G: Third Rock Band

18: Cassin, 1961 Start, Alaska Grade 5, 5.8, Airoldi, Alippi, Canali, Cassin, Perego, Zucchi, 1961

19: Slovak Direct, Alaska Grade 6, WI6 5.9, Adam, Korl, Krizo, 1984

20: Japanese Direct, Alaska Grade 6, Kimura, Tsuneto, Senda, Watanabe, Yamaura, 1977

21: Canadian Direct, Alaska Grade 6, 5.9 M6 AI4, Ménard, Turgeon, 2006

22: Fransson Ski Descent, 5.4 E5, Fransson, 2011

23: Haston-Scott, Alaska Grade 5, Haston, Scott, 1976

24: American Direct, Alaska Grade 6, 65° 5.7 A2, Eberl, Laba, Seidman, Thompson, 1967

        A: Grassy Ledge Camp

        B: Unspeakable Camp

        C: Spiral Camp

        D: Spiral Couloir

        E: Camp IV

        F: Camp V

        G: The Cleft

        H: First Buttress

        I: Second Buttress

        J: Camp VI

        K: Third Buttress

25: Milan Krissak Memorial, Alaska Grade 5, 65°, Bakos, Johnson, Orolin, Petrik, 1980 

26: Mascioli’s Pillar, Alaska Grade 6, 5.10 A0 WI6, House, Swenson, 1997

27: Ramp Route, Alaska Grade 3, 55°, Kajiura, Nakamura, Nishimae, 1965

28: 1954 South Buttress, Alaska Grade 3, 60°, Argus, Thayer, Viereck, Wood, 1955

29: Ridge of No Return, Alaska Grade 6, WI5, Casarotto, 1985

30: Isis Face, Alaska Grade 5+, WI5 5.8 A1, Stutzman, Tackle, 1982

31: Anubis, WI5 M6, Gardner, Hennessey, 2021

32: Southeast Spur, Alaska Grade 4, 65°, Cochrane, Everett, 1962