The Mountain House is perched on a rock outcrop and surrounded by glacier ice. Sitting below Denali, it is the most alpine cabin in Alaska. The Mountain House is on the bucket list of every Alaskan backcountry adventurer. Cindy and Dave Schraerer are not the type to let their bucket list collect dust.

Cindy and Dave are Raena's parents. Raena, and her steed Andy, are great friends of ours from Anchorage.

Dave proving to Ranger Rob he knows how to use a Clean Mountain Can.

Andy concerned about food. We planned on 25,000 calories per person per day. After that we'd draw lots for who to eat first.

Talkeetna Air Taxi left us on the Ruth Glacier below the Mountain House. It's a short schlep up to the hut.

The Mountain House is built on a rock outcrop by legendary bush pilot Don Sheldon. Raena, Andy and I slept outside in Petra, a six-person Atlas Hilleberg.

View from the Mountain House to Denali.

Cindy and Dave Schraerer are retired doctors. They met in Barrow and spent many years working in bush Alaska. Cindy is finishing a geology degree. She grew up in Pullman, Washington, where I also grew up.

Our first tour was through the Gateway into the Great Gorge of the Ruth Glacier. See the icefall avalanche falling off Dickey? We stopped before that.

Climbers descending from the Root Canal below the Moose's Tooth.

Our second tour was up the West Fork of the Ruth Glacier to the north face of Mount Huntington.

Lapping Ski Hill by the hut. Raena showing off to her parents, who are very interested in upgrading to this new AT ski gear thing.

Andy claiming the first Abenaki ascent of the Abenaki Couloir on Mount Barrill.

Braving the elements during a storm day.

Chef Dave.

Buffing out the hut trail.

On the Dehavilland Turbo Otter flight out. Thanks for a great trip Cindy, Dave, Raena and Andy! I can't imagine a better crew to work on the bucket list!