— Mt. Bear Expedition —

The Details

Elevation: 14,829′
Expedition Length: 10 days climbing, 13 days in Alaska
Total Mileage: 18mi
Total Elevation Gain/Loss: 6,300’
Max Group Size: 8
Difficulty: Alaska Grade 2
Rates:
- Private Solo – $31,675
- Private 2 Participants – $13,450/person
- Private 3-6 Participants – $9,280/person
- Group – $7,525/person
Group Expedition Dates:
May 20-29, 2023
Private Trips with custom dates may be available.
Trip Itinerary / Download PDF
Equipment List
Photo Gallery

In a mountaineering trip the journey is more important then the destination - choose the St. Elias Guides for leadership through service.

Yuri L Mountaineering

Exceptional guides, exceptional team, exceptional guide company. Exceeded my expectations. Would recommend to anyone.

Andrew L Mountaineering

Matt was amazing in helping to coordinate and assist in me finally getting out. I received everything I needed to make a informed decision on which trip to take. Matt responded to my inquiries in a timely manner. I had everything I needed to have Read More >

Sean L Mountaineering

The food was great. Full-blown breakfasts and dinners every day, and many of them better than what I eat at home (at least when I am doing the cooking). In my short climbing career, this was the first time I ate real bacon and eggs Read More >

Richard Doren Mountaineering Expedition Course

Mt. Blackburn is a spectacular climb. After staring at it from the Kennicott Valley for so many years, to stand on top of it was an incredible experience. Blackburn has everything you could ask for in a climb. Altitude, route-finding through crazy seracs, cool ridge Read More >

Matt Vial Mountaineering GM, St. Elias Alpine Guides

St. Elias Alpine Guides is a community of caring guides that want to show you the place they love, the Wrangell - St. Elias National Park... It is an amazing place to explore and it is great to have experienced and caring guides who truly Read More >

Sean L Mountaineering Mountaineering Trip

The Nizina trip was magical. It was so worth all of the effort it takes to get in there. And it's somewhere I'd never get to see on my own. From the bush planes to and from the river and all of the people who Read More >

Robin P Mountaineering First Ascents 2014

For a 1st Ascent this is a superb climbing company to use. They know their business. They do not simply take you to an existing ridge and climb a supposedly new route - if you want the real McCoy - a true 1st ascent, a Read More >

James W Mountaineering First Ascents 2014

This was an absolutely awesome learning experience for us. Each day offered new, exciting challenges and our comfort zones in the mountains expanded super-fast! For us, this was the ideal preparation to now start climbing mountains on our own, covering many basic mountaineering/climbing skills. Combined Read More >

Astrid and Roman Mountaineering Intro to Mountaineering 2016

Deep Wilderness Mountaineering in Alaska’s St. Elias Mountains

“This is NOT a Colorado 14er…”

Towering above a wild landscape of snow and ice, Mt. Bear (14,831’) lies nestled deep in the St. Elias Range and only 5 mi from the Canadian border. A formidable wilderness climb requiring mental and physical fortitude but no technical climbing, Mt. Bear is the ideal first Alaskan expedition for budding mountaineers and also experienced ski-mountaineers. Unlike the crowded slopes of Rainer or the trails to the top of CO 14ers, the St. Elias Range is completely undeveloped and your grit will be put to the test on this self-supported wilderness epic. Due to its extremely remote nature, this peak is rarely climbed with only a handful of attempts in the last few years so you could be one of less than 100 people to stand on the summit of this Alaskan majesty!

Trip Highlights:

Perfect 1st Alaska big mountain
Non-technical, high-altitude peak
Excellent ski-mountaineering objective
Spectacular views of remote snowy wilderness
9th tallest peak in the US!

What’s Included?

Customized trip planning
Van transportation to and from Anchorage*
Lodging in our historic bunkrooms*
Two 45min scenic bush flights to and from the St. Elias Mountains
An orientation day at headquarters and group packing
Your professional guide(s)
All the food on the expedition and in McCarthy
Group gear (ropes, cookware, fuel, tents, etc)

*Upgrades to more comfortable lodging or bush plane transport may be available.
We highly recommend you bring as much of your own technical equipment as possible so you can learn how to use it and become more familiar with it.

What’s not Included?

Gratuities
Personal camping and technical gear (see Equipment List)
Lodging and logistics in Anchorage
Trip insurance (required)

Requirements

The more climbing experience you have prior to climbing Mt. Blackburn, the more comfortable and safe you will be, and the better chance you will have of summiting. This is an advanced climb that requires a dedicated training regime. The mountain is too severe to be learning some skills for the first time. The following is required of every climber:

Excellent fitness, core strength, and endurance – you may be required to carry as much as 60-70lbs distributed between sled and backpack for full days
All climbers are required to submit a climbing resume
Several mountaineering climbs that required roped glacier travel, winter snow camping, and the use of an ice axe and crampons
- Some examples include: Mt. Rainier, Mt. Shasta, Mt. Hood, Mt. Baker, Mt. Shuksan, Mt. Adams, Mt. Whitney or Pico de Orizaba
Skiers and splitboarders must:
- be very comfortable with off-piste terrain and black diamond-level resort runs
- comfortably ski/ride down 30-degree slopes with a 40lb pack
- have a minimum of 30 days of backcountry skiing/splitboarding, but more is highly recommended
Graduates of our Introduction to Alaska Mountaineering Course are perfectly set up for this expedition

Logistics

Easy peasy! This trip is run as a Trip Package so logistics are included and taken care of! You’ll get picked up in Anchorage and brought to McCarthy where you can stay at our historic HQ bunkrooms, sleeping on the same bunks that held many of the first explorers of this Park! Food is included and provided by your guides while in McCarthy and out in the backcountry. Upon return, your guide will stoke up the sauna for you and tuck you into bed in the bunkrooms again, providing a ride back to Anchorage the next morning. Upgrades to more comfortable lodging or transport logistics are available.

Itinerary

The following is a sample itinerary for this trip. Due to individual abilities and goals, as well as the strong environment swings of Alaska, all of our trips are customized as they unfold. Your guide will fluidly make decisions based on weather, conditions, logistics, safety, and group dynamics to maximize each day’s experience. There can be quite a bit of variation, but we always strive to make every trip your best ever!

Wed, May 17th: Arrive in Anchorage and spend the night. (You will arrange this part)

Thurs, May 18th: Our van picks you up in Anchorage and drives you 8hrs East to McCarthy. Meet your guides and enjoy dinner together. Complimentary lodging in the rustic bunkrooms of our historic Powerhouse building. (Upgrades to flights or more comfortable accommodations may be available.)

Fri, May 19th: This day is devoted to packing, planning and training in our indoor facilities. This is the time to go over all your gear with your guide and do some last-minute training on crevasse rescue and other skills.

Sat, May 20th: Fly out to the south fork of the Klutlan Glacier and begin your approach to the magnificent Mt. Bear! Feast your eyes on the stunning sights of this remote and seldom-visited area. Landing at about 8,000′ you’ll start your ascent, wrapping around the massif to set up your base camp.

From here, you’ll progress up the massive mountain – long, steep slopes interrupted by vast plateaus making for obvious camping and phenomenal skiing opportunities. Navigating crevasse fields and icefalls, and shuttling gear will provide time for acclimatization as you gain serious elevation so you are ready for the big summit day push. After the summit bid is made, you’ll reverse your route and make your way back to the landing zone. If you’re on skis, we cannot emphasize enough the glory of this ~6,000′ descent!

Mon, May 29th: Ten days later, you’ll load back into a bush plane and fly away from the land of snow and ice and experience “green shock” as you approach McCarthy. Enjoy a hot sauna, a cold beverage, and warm bed up in the bunkroom. (Upgrades to more comfortable lodging may be available)

Tues, May 30th: Load into the van in the morning and begin the drive back to Anchorage. We recommend planning to spend this night in Anchorage before flying out the next morning – this gives you a buffer in your itinerary for any unexpected delays.

Get in Touch!

Want to book a Private Trip or not sure if this is the right trip for you? Schedule a call with our Expedition Coordinator – she’ll help you narrow down which trip is best for you and answer any questions you have about our trips, the local area, or surrounding logistics!
CLICK HERE to schedule a call at a time that works well for you.