Watching sled antics is a popular pastime at Denali’s base camp. As teams depart for higher elevations they are roped together, lugging crushing packs and pulling monster sleds packed high with gear and supplies. They’ve rehearsed this system all winter – laying out the ropes, rigging a (hopefully) fault-less sled, and finalizing details only to realize the sled is a pain in the arse when they begin. Weeks later, the climbers return from the summit. They lean into the sled haul traces like Antarctic explorers, exhausted and sweating, swearing to never sledge again.

Also known as pulks, expedition sleds are pulled behind skiers and snowshoers allowing teams to haul weeks of supplies in single loads. Sleds place the weight on the ground, saving your back and joints. Sleds are ideal for long trips on low-angle snow, such as the lower portion of Denali’s West Buttress, traversing Antarctica, winter camping in Yellowstone National Park, or sledging into a backcountry hut. While torturous, sleds make many trips possible.

Expedition sleds are available, ready for use, for a small fortune. Alternatively you can rig a kiddie sled for expedition use. Either way, simplicity is crucial – complicate your sled and you’ll complicate your trip.

Available Expedition Sleds
The Armadillo sled made by Kifaru (formerly made by Mountainsmith) has long been the standard, ready-to-use sled available in the US. The 10-pound Armadillo has rigid traces (aka stays or poles), a zippered enclosure, 12,000-cubic inches (197-liter) of capacity; all for $500. Granite Gear sells their 17-pound, 15,000-cubic inch (245-liter) Pulk Sled for $600. These sleds make hauling smooth, but their cost generally negates the benefit. On the other hand, if you hunt in winter, have kids, or make regular winter tours then purchasing a manufactured sled may be worth the cost.

DIY Sled
The best option for most trips is rigging your own sled. On Denali’s West Buttress, where everyone is sledging, about 95-percent of 1,000-plus people (annually) are using home-rigged sleds to transport expedition duffels. Here’s the technique.

Purchase a Paris kiddie sled or a Paris Expedition from an outdoor dealer. The Expedition is readily available, weighs 4.5-pounds and is made from burly 0.125 poly construction. Collect the following Nylon cord to rig your Paris Expedition:
15-feet of 6-mm cord (tie-down loops)
15-feet of 3-mm cord (tie-down cord)
10-feet of 6-mm cord (haul trace)
5-feet of 10-mm scrap climbing rope (brake)
Double shoulder-length sling (pack attachment point)

To tie the expedition duffel to the sled, create a series of attachment loops along the sled flange. Drill holes one foot apart around the sled, including two in the front and two in the back. Thread the 15-foot 6-mm cord around the sled, making overhand knots under the flanges to fix the rope's position. Leave a one-foot loop at the front of the sled for a haul loop. Fix the haul trace to the haul loop with enough length so your ski or snowshoe tails won’t bang the sled. Tie the 3-mm cord somewhere at the rear of the sled to zig-zag back and forth over the duffel. To rig a brake for steep downhills, tie the ends of the fat 10-mm rope (climbing rope) to the front edges of the sled. Add friction on downhills by flipping this loop under the sled.

Use a huge, waterproof coated nylon duffel with your sled. Popular duffels include The North Face Base Camp Duffel (XL), Mountain Hardware Expedition Duffel (L) or the Long Haul Duffel by Gregory (L). When tying the duffel to the sled, don’t pull too hard or the sled will bow, making the sled prone to tipping over.

The best hauling harness is your pack. Girth-hitch a double-shoulder length sling around your pack and clip this to the haul trace with a non-locking biner. For glacier travel attach the rear of the sled to the rope with a prussic hitch so the rope will hold the sled in a crevasse fall. Clip the climbing rope through a biner on top of the sled to keep the sled from running over the rope. You’re ready to haul.

The one problem with this system is that it jerks on every step. You will get used to this tugging pattern and fall in sync with the tugs. You can rig the traces with PVC pipe to keep the sled from jerking, but this adds weight and complicates the simple beauty of this system. Adding features to your home-built sled it asking for trouble – what seems foolproof at home is guaranteed to frustrate in the backcountry.

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