Option #2: Denali (Mount Mc Kinley) - 6194m

Let's be clear, the only 6000m peak I could name when this project started was Mount Mc Kinley. With its 6194m of elevation, highest peak in North America, one of the seven Summits, this mountain carries its lot of myth. You can read on the internet that Mc Kinley is the official but commercial name, and that like every major peak it also has a local native name meaning "big mountain" or something similarly inventive. So alpinists and mountaineers call it Denali.

It is a challenging climb, not for beginners. My high-mountain guide from Chamonix, who climbed a fair bit in Alaska, called it one of the "commercial" summits. Meaning a lot of people attempt it, few succeed, and a fair few have problems when they realise (often too late) that this climb is beyond their ability. It is tough because it is high, and because it is so close to the arctic circle. Meaning it can get ridiculously cold up there.

On my Chamonix holidays last year, I lost the feeling in a slight bit of my left big toe. By chance 7 months later I just start feeling stuff again. Could never determine when it happened, and whether it was due to a shock or to the cold. But this certainly makes me think twice about Mc Kinley. I would love to climb it one day, so the thinking is: "why could this not be the time to climb Denali?"...

Photo from Mountainmadness.com

+ This mountain is a legend
+ This mountain is beautiful, and the surroundings are amazing too. When you're in the high camps you're looking at spectacular mountain scenery
+ English speaking country! Wherever I choose to go on expedition, I'll be with people who will speak english to me, but the thought of being in an english speaking country is somehow reassuring.
- Weather will be one of two things: very cold, or even colder
- Even if the weather was acceptable, it's a very challenging climb, which can get technical depending on conditions. Sometimes in the Mont Blanc range I am absolutely crapping myself. The same stuff after 2 weeks in Alaska and above 5000m, sounds like trouble
- The season lasts only 2 months and is in the spring, it seems July is already too late. I don't think I can fit that in my job as it currently is. Climbing outside the season is, here again, unthinkable.
- Even if I could afford a month off work in June, that doesn't give the time to train, prepare, get the equipment and plan this. There is a specificity of the Denali park: you need to register 60 days before entering. So this will most probably stay on the wishlist for later!

summit description (french): http://www.camptocamp.org/summits/107211/fr/mont-mckinley-denali
Mountain madness expedition: http://www.mountainmadness.com/adventures/expeditions/north-america/denali#trip-overview/description
Adventurepeak expedition: http://www.adventurepeaks.com/expeditions/denali.htm