Denali Alaska June

[Evan Brodfuehrer]

I am going to Denali National Park in June. I have a few items I'd like to list and get your feedback with. I know it can rain and be humid there a lot.

mountain hardwear phantom 32 down bag
tarptent moment
golite pinnacle pack
OR pack liner
EMS gortex paclite jacket
arcteryx paclite pants
montbell thermawrap jacket
smartwool socks
Asolo gortex boots
Trangia Alcohol stove with windscreen
Neoair short sleeping pad
Titanium Goat AGP trekking poles
capilene 1 long sleeve shirt and pants

I have multiple stoves. Are alcohol stoves good in humid/rainy climates?

I guess as long as I keep my down bag dry it should be ok…If needed I have a 6 oz. pertex bivy?

Gaitors or not since I have rain pants?

Thats not everything but the main things i'm bringing. Any other suggestions would be helpful!

[Miles Barger]

I've worked in Denali as a guide for the last two summers and spent nearly every weekend backpacking.

Alcohol stoves work just fine—that's what I've used.

I've also used a down bag, which has worked fine for me. You can get stuck in days of 50F temps and rain, in which case nothing that gets wet will dry, so take care to keep things that have to be dry dry and make peace with the fact that when you're hiking, you'll be wet.

Of course, you can also hit long stretches of clear, sunny, dry weather, too.

I've never used gaiters in the summer up there, but I don't wear waterproof shoes, so I just give in to being wet from the knees down most of the time. If you've got the waterproof shoes and want to keep them from getting soaked from the dew that'll inevitably stream down your legs as you walk through willows, alders, dwarf birch, etc., gaiters might work, although I think rain pants (which you should definitely carry) would do just as well.

[Bob Gross]

One ranger said, "When you start hiking in the tundra, find the first puddle and jump in, because your feet are going to get wet anyway."

–B.G.–

[Evan Brodfuehrer]

Thanks a lot guys. Ah, I hate having wet feet lol

[Author]

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