Denali Expedition (20,310 ft / 6200m) 2 girls, unassisted: my wildest project yet!

Fitness / Hot / Motivation / 6 June 2021

My dream to climb the Seven Summits — the 7 highest peaks of the world per continent — is slowly but surely becoming a reality as I get ready to scale Denali!

Here’s the rundown: Elbrus (Europe – climbed!), Everest (Asia), Kilimanjaro (Africa – climbed!), Aconcagua (South America – climbed!), Denali (North America – attempted in 2019), Carstensz Pyramid (Oceania), and Vinson (Antarctica).

After attempting Denali in 2019 and stopping at 17199 ft / 5242m due to a very high fever (over 39°C / 102.2°F), here I am again!

This time: no guide, no assistance. Just Ksenia, my mountain partner, my climbing sister, the one I trust completely—and me. Our team name? POWER GIRLZ, which says it all!

Ksenia, the only person in whom I have absolute trust on a mountain

Denali is…

20,310 ft / 6200 meters
the 3rd most isolated mountain in the world
located in Alaska
unpredictable storms and very low temperatures, -122°F / -50°C (!) at the top is a possibility
24-hour long days in summer (sleep masks are vital 😉
no base camp with massages or amenities like on Everest
no logistics, we head out alone without guides/assistants
no porters like on Everest or Aconcagua

That said, of course we are well-trained and very well equipped! Following my prep for the South Pole ski tour scheduled for December 2021, I decided to modify our Denali sleds to make them more practical. Big budget but I’m proud of the result!

Logistics

one sled per person, which can weigh up to 220 lb / 100 kg (the smaller the team, the heavier the sled because we’ve got less people to share the load with!)
a backpack that can weigh up to 62 lb / 28 kg, but I keep mine at 49 lb / 22 kg maximum
3 stoves. Fire at these altitudes is vital to melt snow for drinking and cooking, so we always prepare for the unforeseeable by having emergency versions: 2 with liquid fuel and 1 with gas
a sleeping bag resistant to -40°C, the warmest from North Face
crampons, special snowshoes, and special cold weather boots that withstand extreme temperatures
a snow shovel and an ice/snow saw to build an igloo if the tent is destroyed by a storm
Food other than freeze-dried. Freeze-dried is fine for a 5-day hike, but 3 weeks on such a diet and I’ll go crazy! Nothing like a little tortilla at 4400m! So yes, it means a little more weight but since our mind is the most powerful muscle in the body, we definitely need to keep it at its maximum happiness to overcome the daily challenges of this trek!

Training

of the mind! Affirmations that the main thing is not to get to the top but to come back in good health
more mental training: affirmations to self that just because last time was not successful, does not mean that this climb will be failure
and yet more mental training with my very own mantra (which I keep secret at each mountain 😉
intense fitness: my own programs like Bikini Body, “Sèche Bikini” etc., to which I added climbing 100-150 floors per day in buildings while in Honolulu (up 25 floors, back down and back up), 1-2km of whitewater swimming per day, stretching, etc…)
plenty of cardio

Health

As you know, I was born with Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and thus suffer from joint issues and other related problems. I have to admit that an MRI I took last week did give me a little scare. But in my classic style, I bend, but don’t break…I integrate the facts and transcend them!

And I get help for my joints from the best kinesiotherapist/osteopath, Véronique Schilliger, who is based in Paris.

If you’re out there and want more info, check her out at KINE OSTEO COACHING (PS. Tell her I sent you! A big thank you to Sophie Godard who once introduced me to this bone angel).

My mantra: “mind over matter, the spirit is stronger than anything.”

Itinerary

It all starts in Talkeetna where we will take a small plane to be dropped off on a glacier.
Then 5 camps: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (also called High Camp)
The average to climb this summit is 15-18 days but it really depends on the conditions of nature and the climbers. Some teams find themselves stuck for several days in the middle of a storm…you just can’t know!
June 4th departure from San Francisco, an interview with the rangers on June 7^th, and then we’re off!

Connectivity & How to Follow Us

I won’t personally have much in the way of connectivity, only via satellite for emergencies and potentially send one or two photos that I will have my team post on my Instagram account @valerieorsoni.

However, you can follow me live via my GPS tracker by clicking on this link: TRACKER

This year, so far only 6 people have made it to the top. No pressure 🙂

Here we go…I leave my babies LeBootCamp and LiliWarrior (have you seen our new hot models?) and other projects in the capable hands of my awesome team, and off to Denali!

It’s going to be intense…there’ll be great moments of joy and very difficult times, too. We’re going to be cold throughout the expedition. But we’re going to celebrate every moment!