I plan to visit this range for several years to come, attempting a different peak or route each time. It is larger than the entire country of Costa Rica. Of its 13.2 million acres, five million are permanently covered with snow and ice. This region has the greatest concentration of mountain peaks over 14,500 feet in North America and very few visitors.
Access is surprisingly easy from Anchorage.
The first night is spent at our bush pilot's lodge on the Chitina River and the next morning we fly in to a base camp at the foot of our route. This will be a great next step for those who want to move up from climbing in the lower 48, or a refreshing change for those who have already climbed some of the more popular high peaks. Elias National Park. The Northwest Ridge is similar in difficulty to Liberty Ridge on Mt. Rainier. The crux of the climbing will be sustained for almost 4,000 feet and will involve fixed ropes and running belays.