Backpacking in Death Valley National can be challenging, but the opportunities for experiencing solitude, sweeping vistas, dark night skies and awesome geology abound within the three million acres of designated Wilderness. There are few established trails in the park, but hikers can follow canyon bottoms, open desert washes, alluvial fans and abandoned dirt roads to get around. This is a really great hike! It was so cool to get aerial views of places that I’ve hiked at ground level: Turnagain Arm, Indian Valley, Ship Lake Valley, and Bird Creek. The scenery is incredible and stunning, but boy, you are really going to have to work to get at them. The first 3 miles are very tough. Up and up and up. You see a ridge and think you’re almost there. Then you get to that ridge and there’s another. Most guidebooks break this trail into 2 sections. The first is the initial peak at roughly 3,500 feet. Most people stop here which is fine, because you’re really exhausted by then. But it’s really worth the effort to go the extra miles and walk along the ridge up to the Overlook into the backcountry;

an elevation of roughly 4,700. Most of it is pretty easy except the last part where there is a short ascent. Plus I have to say it’s really cool to walk along the spine of a mountain. My suggestion is to start this hike early and give yourself the entire day. evoc cc backpack 16l reviewBring a lunch, etc and plan on being up there for 6-8 hours. stihl br420 backpack blower partsIf it’s an especially nice day, you’ll be glad you did. timberland backpack 27lPace yourself for the initial haul, then leisurely head to the Overlook. ascent 4700 backpackBring a map so you’ll be able to identify the valleys and peaks you’ll witness.envirotrend backpack

I really want to reiterate what a great hike this is! When I did it, my allergies were miserable and I really suffered while I was up there. Yet, it was one of the coolest hikes I’ve done in Alaska. backpack infusion gw2This is probably one of the best hikes for viewing the Chugach Mountains. There are no water sources, even at the trailhead. Bring an adequate supply. Needless to say, be very careful going down. It is quite steep. Use the the actual ridgeline when heading to the Overlook, then use the trail along the side to get back. You’ll avoid a lot of elevation that way. This is a very popular mountain for racers and you’ll see them on your way up. To this day, I still can’t believe people actually get enjoyment out of doing something like that. One of the first climbers to explore Baffin Island's remote east coast, Mark has been on five trips to the island, and has pioneered

four big wall first ascents on the east coast, including a grade VII on the 4700-foot north face of Polar Sun Spire -- an epic wall that required the team to spend 36 nights in portaledges. National Park, Mark completed the first ski descent of the South Face of Mt. Odin via a 5000' couloir. His book: "Baffin Island: Climbing, Trekking, Skiing" was published in 2007. Karakoram Mountains, Mark established two grade VII big wall first ascents -- The Ship of Fools on Shipton Spire and Parallel Worlds onThe latter, a 6000-foot wall topping out over 20,000 feet is one of the longest rock climbs in the world. home, Mark has climbed Yosemite’s El Capitan 22 times, including When he's not in the mountains, Mark works with The North Face Research, Design and Development team and lectures frequently on his life as a professional climber and explorer. He has done motivational speaking for clients like General Motors, Bank of New York, Vanity

Fair, the X Prize Foundation and the National Geographic Society. has also worked extensively in the film and television industry, both in front of and behind the camera. His credits include work for National Geographic Television, NBC Sports, Warren Miller Entertainment, Teton Gravity Research and Red Bull Media House. accomplished journalist and author, Mark is a regular contributor to National Geographic Magazine, and his work has appeared in many other publications including Men's Journal, Outside, Climbing, Rock & Ice, Skiing, and New York Magazine. Mark is also a certified mountain guide and the owner and director of one of the premier guide services in the east: Synnott MountainSMG offers instruction in rock climbing, ice climbing, mountaineering, backcountry skiing, and avalanche education. also a long time member of the Mountain Rescue Service (MRS) and currently serves on the board of MRS and the Access Fund.

The Great and Secret Show VII 5.11 A4
 WI3 North Face of Polar Sun Spire (first ascent)
 Crossfire VI 5.10 A4 South Face of Great Cross Pillar (first ascent) 
Nuvualik VI 5.10+ A3+ West Face of the Turret (single push: 40 hrs/withfirst ascent) 
Rum and the Lash VI 5.10 A4+ Northwest Face of Sail Peak (first ascent) The Ship of Fools VII 5.11 A2 WI6 Northeast
 Face of Shipton Spire (first ascent)
 Parallel Worlds VII 5.11 A4 Northwest Face of Great Trango Tower (first ascent of NW Face and The Compressor Route 5.10 A1 Cerro Torre
(27 hours from Norwegian camp)
 SCUD 5.11, 7 pitch direct start to Exocet, Cerro Stanhardt (attempt) Attempted first alpine style ascent of Fitzroy's 2200m Slovak Route on west face Attempt on North Face of Jannu (25,294
feet) Shaken Not Stirred, west face of Moose's Tooth Alaska Range, (reached middle summit, 6 hrs. on route)
 The Dream in the Spirit of Mugs V 5.10c, west face of the Eye Tooth (24 hours

The Great Technical Adventure 5.12d
 Rhumsiki Tower (first ascent, 10 pitches, redpointed route) The Shooting Gallery VI 5.10 A2+ West
F ace of North Howser Tower (led every pitch; first
ascent) Beckey-Chouinard V 5.10 Southwest Pillar of South Hower East Face of Mt. Babel IV 5.11 (15 hrs. car to car) East Ridge of Mt. Temple
 East Ridge of Mt. Edith El Capitan: 22 ascents including 2nd ascent of Reticent Wall (A5) and single pushes on Lost in America
 (24:47; 2nd fastest), Tangerine Trip, Lurking Fear (9+ hours), Nose
(13:45), and West Face
 Regular Northwest Face VI 5.10 A2 Half Dome (one day)
 Lost Arrow Spire Direct VI 5.11 A3 Yosemite Falls Wall
 Misty Wall VI 5.10 A3 Yosemite Falls Wall West Face V 5.10 A2 Leaning Tower (single push: 7 hrs.) South Face V 5.10 A1 Washington Column
 Steck-Salathe V 5.9 Sentinel
 Chouinard-Herbert V 5.11+ Sentinel Direct North Buttress V 5.10 Middle Cathedral

Black Canyon of the Gunnison Stratosfear VI 5.11+ R Painted Wall
 The Dragon Route VI 5.10 A4 (first winter ascent of Painted Wall)
 Paint it Black VI 5.11 A3+ North Chasm View Wall (2nd ascent, winter) Air Voyage V 5.12a North Chasm View Wall
 Scenic Cruise V 5.10 + North Chasm View Wall
 Goss-Logan V 5.11 R North Chasm View Wall
 Astro-Dog V 5.11+ South Chasm View Wall
 Southern Arete V 5.10+ Painted Wall The Ball and Chain VI 5.10 A4 North
 Face of Angel's Landing, Zion (3rd ascent, led every pitch)
 The Sundevil Chimney VI 5.9 A4 The Titan, Fisher Towers
 Colorado NE Ridge V 5.9 A2 King Fisher, Fisher Towers
The Kor Route V 5.10 A3 Steamboat Rock, Dinosaur National Monument
(3rd ascent) Approximately 20 desert tower free routes Acid Howl, Canadian Rockies WI 6+ 
The Terminator, Canadian Rockies WI 6+
 Les Miserables, Canadian Rockies WI 6+
 Gramusat Direct, Tete Du Gramusat, France WI6+

Hydnefossen, Hemsedal, Norway WI 6+

 Mixed Routes
Manchurian Refuge M7+ Trollville, NH
(first ascent) Cold, Cold World M8+ Eagle Cliff, NH (2nd ascent) Snake LipM8 Trollville, NH (first
ascent) 
Diaper Rash M7 Trollville, NH (2nd ascent)
 The Mongol M8 Trollville, NH (1st ascent) (first
ascent)

 Free Climbs
Best on-sight: 5.12b
Best redpoint: 5.13b Red Bull Media House/Teton Gravity Research: documentary about career as a big wall climber and explorer 2015
Author of "Sins of the Aral," 2015
 Author of "Impossible Rock," 2012
Warren Miller Films: climb/ski descent from NW summit of Mt. Waddington, Coast
 Range, BC, 2009
Author of "Climbing, Trekking and Skiing," 2007 NBC TV: documentary on climbing Great Trango Tower in Pakistan, 1999
 National Geographic TV: climber/expedition leader for documentary on free climbing in Cameroon, 1999
 National Geographic TV: climber/videographer for documentary on Baffin Island