“You can't win if you don't play” is dubious advice often doled out by lottery agencies and the like, but it is solid counsel in the world of alpine climbing: Even in the face of slim weather odds, you've got to at least put yourself into position for success and be ready to maximize it should the slim odds work in your favor. And besides—what's the use in having high-quality alpine gear if you don't occasionally put it to the test? With those two bits of logic in place, I sat in the Newark Airport and stared grimly at the weather forecast for my destination, Washington State, where I was headed for the American Mountain Guide Association Alpine Guide Exam and steeled myself for the fates that awaited me. Fortunately, time and time again that alpine logic held true during my recent American Mountain Guide Association (AMGA) Alpine Guide Exam (AGE).

From the Moose's Tooth on the Ruth Glacier to The Throne in “Little Switzerland,” the Central Alaskan Range is peppered with prime alpine objectives, making it an excellent location for Rainier Mountaineering's first-ever AlaskanAlpine Seminar, and the perfect place to put Mammut's 45+ liter TrionGuide pack through the paces.

Our crew of climbers set up a base camp in the shadow of Denali's massive girth, training and testing skills on all of the alpine options that the Southeast Fork of the Kahiltna Glacier offers. Not burdened by carrying around heavy loads, the Trion Guide was the perfect size for day-long alpine objectives in cold climates (daytime temps hovered in the teens and plunged below zero at night), amply accommodating climbing gear, first aid equipment, extra clothing, food and water, and spare rope when traveling on the glacier.