Climbing a big peak in Alaska is a serious undertaking that demands a lot from ones body and mind. This challenging experience can only be enjoyed if one is prepared. Training your body to be as physical fit as possible is one of the subjective hazards of mountaineering which you can wield a great deal of control. Dealing with the psychological aspect is a matter of personal character but being fit can help deal with the mind too.
It is important for the occasional mountaineer to realize that being fit can make dealing with objective hazards less dangerous. The easier you move up the hill the more rest you can obtain at night. The more rested and quicker the body recovers from exertion the easier it will be to deal with building camp, hauling loads and crevasse rescue.
There is no such thing as a walk up route on McKinley. Most of those who say this have never actually set foot on the hill. You will be carrying heavy loads and dragging massive sleds daily. Sleeping and eating conditions will not always be ideal and severe storms may keep you tent bound for days. You must prepare yourself physically and mentally for the many challenges of the climb. For most, the days stuck in a tent are the most difficult days of the climb.
Ones physical capacity for mountaineering is determined primarily by ones level of aerobic power and physical strength. Long hikes in the mountains while carrying a heavy pack will train the legs, back and lungs. The long hikes will also train the mind to deal with the stress of long boring physical work. If you do not have mountains near your home, climbing countless flights of stairs with a heavy pack is the next best thing. Miles on a bicycle simulate the short pushing strokes of walking up hill with hill climbing the optimum training regiment for the legs. Lifting weights alternating daily between pushing and pulling exercises performing 20 - 30 repetitions with moderate weight will train the arms, shoulders and chest to deal will shoveling, crevasse rescue and moving heavy packs and sleds.
Winter camping skills can make camp life easier. Building proper winds walls will help sooth the mind when the wind decides to howl. An appropriate latrine is a must outside the West Buttress of McKinley. But the most important thing is smooth operation of daily camp life in the cold; cooking, eating, dishes, personal care, etc.
You must possess excellent glacier travel and crevasse rescue skills. Time is a factor if your partner is deep in a slot and the last thing the team needs is working out the details of extracting a slot victim.
A good attitude to deal with the weather storm-bound inside a tent, the stress of altitude and psychical work, and the rigors of tent life can not be pointed enough. We have seen some of the most conditioned climbers around have a miserable time. Their body is honed to a sharp edge but their mind is dull and weak. To have fun and enjoy the experience during daily suffering should be your character. | 
