American Alpine Institute
Porter Program

AAI climber with Denali-sized pack. Photo by Coley Gentzel

Occasionally, AAI works with individuals that require physical assistance on alpine approaches. We have developed a porter program in order to provide those with physical limitations access to the mountains. A porter is a person that a climber hires to assist with his or her approach to base camp. This individual may take a portion of the weight from a climber's pack in order to lighten the load. If you choose to employ a porter on your climb, you should still pack the same way that you would if you were carrying the load yourself. This is important, as you will be responsible for carrying everything out at the end of the trip.