Travel Consultant

RMI has partnered with Erin Rountree to provide our clients with comprehensive travel support. As an independent agent of the Travel Society, she has booked countless miles for adventure traveler's across the globe. We have been working with Erin for the last 8 years, and she is very knowledgeable about the travel needs of our programs. Please call (208) 788-2870 or email at etravel@cox.net.

Air Travel

RMI guides arrive in Anchorage the afternoon a trip is scheduled to begin. The guides and climbers form up at 4:00 p.m., Alaska Airlines domestic baggage claim, carousel #1. When arranging transportation, if your flight cannot arrive in Alaska before 3:30 p.m. it will be necessary to arrive a day earlier, and go to the airport to meet the team.

Airfare should be booked to depart Anchorage one month after your arrival date. When you return to Anchorage, you can reschedule your return flight at the ticket counter or over the phone. Depending on the airline, a change of date penalty is usually charged at this time. We have found scheduling a future date usually works better than an open-ended ticket or missing an early return date.

Travel Insurance

We strongly encourage everyone to consider purchasing travel insurance. Travel insurance offers the best possible protection if you have a sudden, unexpected illness or injury prior to or when traveling. Check with the insurance provider for specific coverage details. If you have not yet purchased travel insurance, you may do so prior to commencement of the program. For more information please visit one of the websites below, or contact your local travel agent.
AIG Travel Guard
International Health Insurance
Erin Rountree

Personal Medical Insurance

We recommend that you purchase medical insurance for your expedition as most standard insurance does not cover mountaineering. International Health Insurance (IHI) provides coverage for annual travel or a single trip. For additional information including coverage, benefits and premiums or to book online visit International Health Insurance.

Getting to Talkeetna

Talkeetna is a three-hour drive from Anchorage. We will arrange a transfer from Anchorage to Talkeetna at 4:30 p.m. the day your program begins. If you wish to join this transfer, please arrive in Anchorage no later than 3:30 p.m. The shuttle price is $140 per person round-trip and is payable directly to Denali Overland Transport at boarding time, cash or personal check only. If you are traveling to Talkeetna on your own, please let RMI know in advance that you will not require transportation.

Lodging

Participants will need overnight accommodations in Talkeetna. Programs usually require a total of three nights in Talkeetna: two nights before flying onto the glacier, and one night after you return from the mountain. Weather and flying conditions can change the number of days spent in Talkeetna. Advanced reservations for lodging are recommended, and we suggest reserving rooms three months prior to your expedition. There are several different options for lodging in Talkeetna with something to fit every comfort level. The Talkeetna Motel is where all of our guides stay while in town, and there is a discount for RMI climbers. Their phone is (907) 733-2323. In the event bad weather prevents us flying to the mountain on schedule, you should have extra money for meals and lodging in Talkeetna. It is not necessary to book a room in advance for our return to Talkeetna at the end of the climb.

Resources

Bass, D., Wells, F., Ridgeway, R.  Seven Summits 1986

Beckey, Fred  Mount McKinley: Icy Crown of North America 1993

Bezruhka, Stephen  Altitude Illness – Prevention & Treatment 2001

Cole, Terence  The Sourdough Expedition: Stories of the Pioneer Alaskans Who Climbed Mount McKinley in  l910 1985

Davidson, Art  Minus 148: The Winter Ascent of Mount McKinley 1986

Houston, Charles  Going Higher: The Story of Man and Altitude 1987

Mason, Gene  Minus Three 1970

Michener, James A.  Alaska 1988

Moore, Terris   Mount McKinley: The Pioneer Climbs 1981

Randall, Francis  Denali Diary: Letters from McKinley 1987

Selters, Andy  Glacier Travel & Crevasse Rescue 1990

Sherwonit, Bill  To The Top of Denali 1990

 Sherwonit, Bill  Denali: The Complete Guide 2002

Snyder, Howard  The Hall of the Mountain King 1973

 Stuck, Hudson  The Ascent of Denali 1914

 Washburn, B., Roberts, D.  Mount McKinley – The Conquest of Denali 1991

 Waterman, Jon  High Alaska 1989

 Waterman, Jon  Surviving Denali: Accidents 1910 – 1990