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Gnome Ofthe Diabase
climber
Out Of Bed
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Jan 31, 2015 - 06:39pm PT
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thanx for the supreme Climbing content, great , inspiring, and needed tonight!
Thank you Avery
Rock in' it as always stay away from Trolls girl rap or whom ever !
that should have read Gilcrest or whom . . . .
cheers!!
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Reeotch
climber
4 Corners Area
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Jan 31, 2015 - 06:49pm PT
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Avery
climber
NZ
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Jan 31, 2015 - 06:59pm PT
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Thanks Gnome
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Reeotch
climber
4 Corners Area
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Jan 31, 2015 - 07:00pm PT
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The east face of Mt. Nevermore, showing (1) Call of the Raven (VI 5.9 A2+, 760m, Houston-Workman-Workman, 1998). (2) Perfect Storm (VI 5.11d A1, 1000m, Lampard-McAleese-Turner, 2004). The east face of Mt. Nevermore can only be seen in its entirety from the west face of Middle Triple Peak. Neither the 2004 nor the 1998 team knew there were two distinct summits to the mountain. The climber in the foreground is Kitty Calhoun, on the first ascent of Ride the Lightning (VI 5.10 A4 WI3, 4,000', Calhoun-Gerberding-Osman-Smith, 1997) on the west face of Middle Triple Peak. [Photo] Jay Smith
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Avery
climber
NZ
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Jan 31, 2015 - 07:02pm PT
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Thanks hoobie and Reeotch, you guys are mind-readers! I still need a good pic of the East Face. It's a real shame Andy Embick is no longer with us.
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Reeotch
climber
4 Corners Area
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Jan 31, 2015 - 07:37pm PT
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Crickets . . . Guess gossip is more interesting.
For big wall FA potential it is hard to beat the Kichatnas.
I'm definitely keen for a route on Mt. Nevermore.
It's just dreamy . . .
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Avery
climber
NZ
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American Alpine Journal 1982
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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hey there say, avery and all...
thanks ...wow, neat stuff!!!
:)
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Gnome Ofthe Diabase
climber
Out Of Bed
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,
how these Overly coddled,'given it on a silver platter', undeserving, man-scaped, young punks deserve All this information is beyond my grasp.(Edited after some consideration, )
They will find this, and use it I hope.
I am climbing in the spires just looking right now!!
I made my choices and stand by them,
but If iI could have the time and money I spent in my youth chasing Live Dead
and other semi pro transient life styles,
Back ...
I would be Gratefully Fred ... Dead. . . Greet fooley dead.
Sitting here in the dust bin of age I morn that, that is not how the broom of history swept me.
great shares by men who have the climbers soul
that I share
thanx for all of the posts so far . . .
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Gnome Ofthe Diabase
climber
Out Of Bed
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If I had had this much stoke and information when I was younger. . .
I would be Grateful Fred,... funny, Dead... Grateful dead
Man this auto correct and Avery's threads. . .
Now it must be said that I made choices.
If I had all the money and time that I spent Following that party around, Back ...
But that is not how the broom of history swept
so now in the dust bin of age I strive to climb to the rim of the ditch.
I hope I do ten times over before it is the Via Ferrata it can and maybe should be.
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Avery
climber
NZ
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American Alpine Journal 1980
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Avery
climber
NZ
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American Alpine Journal 1983
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Reeotch
climber
4 Corners Area
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Bump
Climbing Content!
Thanks Avery, I'm getting all inspired
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Avery
climber
NZ
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American Alpine Journal 1983
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Gnome Ofthe Diabase
climber
Out Of Bed
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Good morning, DMT
Oops that was a big phooy up I was not venting at or insulting any one,
Least of all you !
Please understand the use of the entire statement, when I opened my wrtten missive with that
derogatory declaration that was directed against youth, it was, and is meant only to preface
the reader as to my frustration that more climbers have still not seen this great thread!
I am sorry that I crossed the line of civil discourse, into the vulgar ranting of a bitter old man.
I am glad but not surprised to see that you found your way here too!
While I can understand your taking offense at my Milktoast comment it was an innocent use of an adjective, mfm , you tried to tell me, hung again by my own pitard,
Dingus, my rants and babble, my Age And Lameness, are my condition.Why pick on the infirm? I have enjoyed everything of yours that I can remember reading. If my words are not to your liking stop reading them!
I joined the Soviet Republic of Super Topo After the great purges had ceased,
out of need and wanting to bring some thing new to this clusterphuk!
Give me some slack, slack. . .please
Slack!
SLACK!!
SLACK!!
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Avery
climber
NZ
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Thanks Steve. Interesting stuff.
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Gnome Ofthe Diabase
climber
Out Of Bed
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BUMP Hey It is our own private Viewing
Thats kinda cool
but youth is so wasted on the young
I want to go climbing and I just moved a football field 's worth of snow
.for goodness sake are they that . . . !!! what the duce do you say uninformed
some one face-boook Vitaly!!
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Larry Nelson
Social climber
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Outstanding thread, TFPU to all. Great photos, articles and info.
Anyone know of a formation, or spire, called "The Fin"? I think it's in Lake Clark National Park, maybe in the vicinity of Chakachamna Lake. Couldn't find on an internet search or Google Earth, but a friend told me about it years ago.
Anyhow, thanks for all the great posts.
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Risk
Mountain climber
Olympia, WA
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Excellent in every way. Thanks! Food for the soul.
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cavemonkey
Ice climber
ak
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Larry
You are thinking of the tusk
skirted by Another River
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Avery
climber
NZ
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American Alpine Journal 1993
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NutAgain!
Trad climber
South Pasadena, CA
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What's a word that means something like "gnarly" but is actually a lot gnarlier than that?
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Avery
climber
NZ
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American Alpine Journal 2002
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Gregory Crouch
Social climber
Walnut Creek, California
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Donini and I failed to get to the top of anything from the Cold Sac Glacier through the course of two trips (98 and 2001, I believe).
We actually did some climbing on the second trip. The first one was three weeks of snow camping. But a seriously spectacular place.
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Avery
climber
NZ
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Kichatna Spire: East Face
Thanks to Jed Brown
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Don Paul
Big Wall climber
Denver, Colorado
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What's a word that means something like "gnarly" but is actually a lot gnarlier than that?
heinous /ˈhānəs/ utterly odious or wicked.
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Reeotch
climber
4 Corners Area
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This place gets a crap-load of precip., doesn't it . . . Heinous!
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Larry Nelson
Social climber
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Cavemonkey
Yes, the Tusk is the formation. Thanks for that. Thanks to all for great posts, info and another chance to bump to the top.
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Avery
climber
NZ
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American Alpine Journal 2004
Thanks to Jed Brown
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Avery
climber
NZ
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American Alpine Journal 2006.
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Avery
climber
NZ
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American Alpine Journal 2006
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Gnome Ofthe Diabase
climber
Out Of Bed
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Thank you for a strong content thread!!
it might need to have a warning attached;
HIGH OCTANE, MAY CAUSE STOKE,TRAVEL & SUFFERING !
still, only ten or so individual replying posts?
Must be strained tendons or raw tips from pebble wrestling, that is keeping others from responding!
The whole thread is an adventure in the making!
I!!😎🌟💎
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Flip Flop
Trad climber
Truckee, CA
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Bump for the Rad.
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Avery
climber
NZ
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American Alpine Journal 2009
"Message or the Money" in yellow. "Voice of Unreason" in red.
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Avery
climber
NZ
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American Alpine Journal 1977
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Avery
climber
NZ
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American Alpine Journal 2003
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Sierra Ledge Rat
Mountain climber
Old and Broken Down in Appalachia
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Big walls in that area DA SH#T.
Testosterone is flowing now!
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nah000
climber
no/w/here
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thanks Avery!
thorough and inspiring as always!
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melski
Trad climber
bytheriver
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hey d2,,a good friend of mine would have info from that area if you may be going there,,,Samuel Johnson,Anchorage area,,later season,drier sometimes,,good luck,,
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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hey there say, Avery... wow, wow and more wow...
this thread is growing like (as my mom would say) 'the oxalis all over the back yard' ...
wow, so many 'shades of great stuff here'...
the pics, the routes, the info, etc...
thank you so much!!!
covering everything,thought-wise, and keeping our attention, :)
very nice!
plant example of said oxalia, :))
https://images.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search;_ylt=A0LEVixqvNdUR7oAOQAnnIlQ;_ylu=X3oDMTB0N25ndmVnBHNlYwNzYwRjb2xvA2JmMQR2dGlkA1lIUzAwNF8x?_adv_prop=image&fr=yhs-mozilla-001&va=oxalis+plant&hspart=mozilla&hsimp=yhs-001
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Avery
climber
NZ
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American Alpine Journal 2004
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Avery
climber
NZ
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American Alpine Journal 2003
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Avery
climber
NZ
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Kichatna Spires: Alaska Range trip report.
This is an account of an Alaskan trip to the Middle Triple Area by Kevin Thaw and Calder Stratford in 1996. They managed to do two new routes, naming them the Alaskan Rose and Dreams of Sea, both 5.10+ A4-ish.
Alaska's climbing scene revolves around a small strip of tarmac in Talkeetna. Denali aspirants and steep seekers alike share the row of Bush Plane laden hangers. Talkeetna is a minimal township, geared around adventure tourism and always with a bush plane in its skies. Most Alaskan endeavors begin here.
Our pilot J flew a couple of parties in to McKinley's base camp, yet firmly remained negative about our chances of seeing the Cathedral Spires anytime soon. The Cathedral Spires (often called Kichatna Spires) are located approximately 70 miles southwest of the McKinley massif amid the Kichatna Mountains. This precipitous granite region is famed for fickle weather and broken dreams. Many laughed at our optimism in expecting prompt travel to the region. It never hurt to hope.
Tensions eased with the arrival of some familiar faces. Noel Craine, Strappo, Jimmy Surette and Steve Quinlan now pulled onto the airstrip. Strappo and I am ex-patriot Brits, loving to call ourselves English but would not necessarily want to live there. Noel Craine, a braver soul, still resides on the pestered isle. We caught up on trash talk as they prepared for the Great Gorge of the Ruth. If our chosen region was visible while J flew this crew, travel would get the green light.
On returning J had not viewed the Spires, but was willing to give it a try. Packing our sizable racks, portaledges, food and fuel seemed to cause Mr. Hudson great amusement. The load amounted to four big haul bags and four smaller packs. Calder, his father Lynn Stratford and I crammed everything into the small red Cessna. Bush pilots usually allow 850lbs per aircraft, but luckily their method was less than scientific when evaluating the sum: J eyeballed and guesstimated the total.
Easing forward the throttle we quickly became part of the Alaskan sky. J switched into the mode of an enthused guide, pointing out the features and history of the tundra as it swept beneath, and always joking on his plane's capabilities.
The Tatina Glacier Valley was our intended locale. We now careened towards one of its more sizable alpine hunks and banked hard upping the G force on the air mobile. Wearing an ear to ear grin, our pilot conveyed true love for this work. During Alaska's dark months J heads to the Southwest deserts, combing for lost treasure, artifacts, and trinkets. He thinks strangely of our adventuring, but has his own at heart.
The Cessna's snow skis have to be hand pumped into position, eventually digging into glacial snow. Quickly unloading J departed with a final, "Yeah, we'll come get you if the weathers good", "see you in a month". At 9:30 p.m. daylight does not diminish, in fact the term "daylight" isn't very applicable during northern summer time. Using this late light we ferried loads up to the Tatina's widest point, avoiding encampment below one of the many sloughing gullies. Alone, climbing or eating is just about the only way to pass time. With camp established, choosing an objective is left until the following day; certainly no shortage of fresh pickings in this stark grey/white land. The Tatina's carved valley will remind some of Chamonix, French alpine towns whittling away many youthful years. The summits around us share many characteristics with the Aiguilles.
After a day of snow shoeing and scoping potential lines, both Calder and I felt a little spoiled by El Cap's right side. After arriving in the Kichatnas with ideals of finding a northern "Sea of Dreams", a touch of disappointment crossed us on not finding a huge protected, continuously overhanging wall. Still, no point in worry; steep surfaces to soak up our energy abound. We chose a Half Dome size spire & ridge as an initial objective: A camp side attraction and load ferrying ensued. Our route followed a weakness in a steep buttress leading into a long ridge; the initial section could be climbed via a long diagonal gash, but instead we opted for a path through a series of roofs, to attain the hanging headwall. A free pitch cleared us of the glacier and recently exposed choss. Under the main roof's centre and out of rope Calder plugged in the second anchor. Belays were drilled single bolts, enabling easy rapping without leaving precious rack. Steep, precarious hooking through two tiers of overhangs, finally relinquishing to easier terrain, with some slabby free climbing into the headwall's main crack-line. Ropes were left fixed at the headwall's base.
On returning to camp we found Lynn, our site engineer, had filled the day with construction projects. Walls and ditches now fortified the humble abode: Everything perfectly set up. Lynn was not accompanying us for the whole ride, choosing only a week of sparse living. He brought much relief to tent life, and was by far the best card dealer.
We awoke to snow beating upon the nylon canopy. Alarm clocks were left to sound, ignored; by mid-afternoon we were able to exit the tent as clouds parted relinquishing perfect conditions. Tomorrow would be THE day. Lounging and baking passed the remainder of a much needed lazy day.
Our climbing day brought a little more wind than ideal. Everything set and ready, procrastination was far outweighed by motivation. Speedy snow-shoeing and a jumar, deposit us atop the fixed lines. Calder took the lead while I engaged in belay aerobics. Shadow boxing and deep knee bends kept me warm as Calder nailed the rope to the next station. Cleaning the pitch warmed me considerably, but new found warmth did not help convince of the next pitch's free climb-able nature. Staying in the aiders for the entire pitch would be too easy, and time consuming. Free climbing shoes were decided upon; during the next debate, whether or not to tote aiders, Calder interjected "Take 'em & you'll use them", so true. Into the bag they went, along with hammer and pins.
Twenty feet later with only a badly tipped Camelot; I would have happily pounded pins and bounced in aiders. Upwards is all that really counts, I just continued laybacking the smooth flare. An unexpected 'sinker' hand jam offered respite and protection, keeping the pitch from getting too scary. The steep groove/crack eventually faded at a small ledge. The pitch's second half encompassed many loose and exfoliating flakes. It had my interest. Running out of rope with hands on a small shelf; only the cords elasticity allowed placement of a meager seven piece belay. I say meager because no single piece was very good, their combination seemed to work. A snowflake drifted by, absorbed by the prior lead I'd been oblivious to the sky. Engulfing clouds crept from behind our peak's ridge. Without enough rope to fix, and no desire to repeat lower pitches, we quickly free climbed onwards, forever eying changing clouds. Trading pitches successively eased moving us toward the summit ridge. Its extensive lichen crust guarded the rock against direct touch which make for very interesting climbing. The summit was finally gained, hollow glory was ours to behold. As we reveled in achievement the snow began falling in earnest. The endless abseil ensued; towards safety and the comforts of our pokey yellow home.
Upon return, without major epic: The following morning brought frenzy, Lynn's bush plane was due to arrive, and he wasn't eager to stay. We hoped to hitch a ride over to Middle Triples East Buttress, but were informed there's no landing site on that side of the peak, Rats! Dejected we gazed up to the col, glowering from a steep snowy four thousand feet above. Dividing loads between pack and sled bolstered dwindling psyches and tramped towards the obscured goal. Note: plans were for traveling light with a sub 24 hour ascent in mind. The col was guarded by yawning crevasses and very steep snow; gravity favored the sleds weight over any forward motion. Hours of toil passed, & with the main approach hazards gone we finally gazed beyond the col. Tell-tale streaks whisked the sky far to the South thus capping effort, & motivation. A storm was approaching. We turned tail and scuttled back to sanctuary. Night fell (only measured by chronology with no relation to light) the clouds drew around; leaving four feet of snow by the next day. Ten days in the hole ensued, our saving grace was the clouds reflective properties, pertaining to radio waves. On clear nights no signal, but in the thick of storms four channels loud & clear.
Day nine under nylon showed signs of a stutter in weather, short sunny spells late in the day & slow barometric rise. Day Ten was our first time outside in many days, straight to the next project we went. Short approach, but brutal, with many feet of fresh snow, snowshoes punching through deeply. With only a few days left before mandatory extraction, a sense of urgency was decidedly felt. The first clear day allowed us to complete two semi-dry, and quite run-out slabby pitches free pitches. The small gear bag hung high atop the fixed lines. Taunting us the next morning; at times barely visible through the many swirling clouds. Bad went to worse with rain being the new torment. Snow seemed preferable at this point because it takes longer to soak the rock and feed abundant black lichen. Everything was saturated. Hopefully enough days remained to send this route; we'd have to go even if it meant climbing in bad weather the day before our extraction.
One more rainy day thwarted us, dowsing everything including my free climbing psyche. Contemplating suiting up and aiding, no matter what the sky's state, but instead we waited. Resolve was rewarded with the best day I believe the Kichatnas can offer. In almost warm sunshine, fixed lines hung loosely and above concerns of skating on wet lichen were no longer a problem. At the line's high point moving off the belay to a thin, crispy flare had me jamming and laybacking, wishing for better pro. Leading using a long thin lost arrow to scrub clean the various foot holds and thin jams. This was the key. Our plan was to moan up the right most headwall crack. Instead the cliff steered us left, towards the prouder of the two fissures, but a perfect ledge stance below it could not be ignored. On this route we added single bolt belays with a nice deep rivet for back-up (1").
From the cliff's base the soaring golden headwall appeared to have a "Harding slot" type feature. Once upon it, this was hardly the case; instead, a shallow bottoming groove. Initially easily tamed by hand jams, then tapering and thinning to a mere trough. The slot allowed reasonably good pro, yet the rock was always crystalline, its teeth claimed much skin. Halfway out my next lead, with a string of junk pro behind, a similar trough got steeper and generally worse. I couldn't aid. Besides, the new trough was minus a thin crack in the back, where pro had been possible before. Placing two marginal pieces at the point of no return, I searched for options. A quick glimpse of some face holds appearing to the right with some tenuous traversing to what looked like a flake. Leaving my high pro, (it is hard to consider your follower in moments like these) the face traverse did indeed link to an easy layback. I ran it out avoiding an awkward follow, thus redeeming any previously unvoiced inconsideration for Calder. These flakes lead directly to a point above the belay then leftwards to an easy chimney. Calder stepped into the chimney and later deemed it "hardly climbing" after cruising an easy boulder hop pitch. A final 5.8 off-width pitch & we stood atop the spire. Built a cairn, to mark passing, trundled some good size chunks, then rapped back down the route. Elongated shadows stretched eastward across us, caused by the sun's shallow elliptical path. We dubbed the route "Alaskan Rose," named after the abundant, sharp lichen. It shares appearances akin to the garden bloom yet when slightly damp it's sturdy enough to grab for a move or two.
One thing we learned; Alaska seems to require a relaxed approach, at least 50% of our time was spent storm-bound. Just when cabin fever began building the weather almost always broke, sometimes it was only long enough to step outside. During o month days of glacial life the only human encounter was the occasional aircraft drifting far overhead. On exiting our brief glacial home, it's hard not to remain inspired by the plethora of steep looking walls in surrounding valleys. Alpine route potential remains just as vast...
Photo's and text by Kevin Thaw©
Special thanks to Kevin Thaw
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Avery
climber
NZ
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American Alpine Journal 1985
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Larry Nelson
Social climber
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Feb 10, 2015 - 09:49am PT
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Avery,
Thanks for all of your posts and efforts, as well as those of others.
What a fascinating and little known region of Alaska.
I've flown over the area South of there near Mt Hesperus, and while it looks equally wild and big, it doesn't have the steepness of the Kichatna's.
A worthy bump to the front.
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bringmedeath
climber
la la land
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Feb 10, 2015 - 10:38am PT
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Bauman several years ago.
The guy that took that photo (RIP), said Tom would write letters instead of emails sometimes. I know my friend loved getting those letters, I always meant to send a snail mail letter to him (my friend) but never got around to it, just cause that is so rare these days. I know getting to climb with Bauman meant a lot to my friend. He was so excited to meet Tom, he always brought it up.
I am pretty sure Jack Lewis was pretty hardcore also... well duh! I remember looking down on one of his climbs, in the same cragging area as the above photo, looked hard. I think at the time it had never been repeated. Of course I could be totally wrong. That day was great, we repeated a bunch of the "old" dudes routes. It was also the day one of the old dudes lost his life at Smith. His voice echoed though the hills that day... still maybe the weirdest experience of my life. I didn't know him, my friend knew him well.
I also remember searching for some crags Bauman had done some routes at. I stopped looking as I found this incredibly weird hole filled with odd colored water. It was a windy day and the area was filled with this odd noise/music. Well I found some tree with this odd "hole" the wind was funneling through. I'm sure my friend ended up going back to those crags after meeting Bauman, but I remember thinking... no wonder Tom named the place with some water themed name. The elk trail was impressive too.
Sure I will edit this as I'm in a hurry.
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Avery
climber
NZ
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Feb 10, 2015 - 04:25pm PT
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American Alpine Journal 1988
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Avery
climber
NZ
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Feb 12, 2015 - 12:06am PT
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American Alpine Journal 1978
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Larry Nelson
Social climber
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Feb 12, 2015 - 06:08pm PT
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Nothing to add, just want to bump this great forum topic to the top
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Avery
climber
NZ
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Feb 13, 2015 - 01:36am PT
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American alpine Journal 1977
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marty(r)
climber
beneath the valley of ultravegans
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Feb 13, 2015 - 09:17am PT
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Frosty bump for the writings of Twid Turner!
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Avery
climber
NZ
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Feb 14, 2015 - 04:55pm PT
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American Alpine Journal 1979
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hobo_dan
Social climber
Minnesota
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Feb 14, 2015 - 06:09pm PT
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Embicks trip into the Kichatnas has to go down as the most successful climbing trip ever!
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Avery
climber
NZ
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Feb 14, 2015 - 10:37pm PT
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I agree with you, hobo_dan.
I always thought Embick was a somewhat under appreciated climber. I think he made five separate trips to the Kichatnas. His tragic death was climbing's loss.
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Avery
climber
NZ
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Feb 16, 2015 - 06:28pm PT
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American Alpine Journal 1981
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Feb 17, 2015 - 10:38pm PT
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In one of last summer's great coups, Kitty Calhoun, Jay Smith, Steve Gerberding, and Dan Osman put up a new route on the West Face of Middle Triple Peak. Their’s was the second ascent of the West Face, the biggest wall in the Kichatnas of Alaska.
The sustained Ride the Lightning (VI 5.10 A4) involved mostly aid climbing, with a few easy ice pitches near the top. From an advanced basecamp an hour from the 3800-foot wall, the four fixed eight pitches over five days, climbing in teams of two. A typical day lasted 17 to 19 hours, beginning with a hike to the base, jugging the fixed lines, then leading a pitch or two, the harder ones taking up to nine hours. The team launched into capsule mode atop pitch eight, with one team leading and the other hauling, but was quickly chased back to basecamp by an 11-day storm. Once it cleared, they spent six more days camped on the wall. After 20 total rope-stretching pitches, they summitted on July 24.
The climbers rappelled the route in a grueling 24 hours, only to find that the glacier was too soft for their pick-up plane to land. They spent the next seven days boot-packing a landing strip on the Tatina Glacier, before the bush pilot Cliff Hudson could pluck them off.
Charlie Porter and Russell Mclean climbed the West Face and made the first ascent of Middle Triple Peak in 1976. Their climb took 10 days and was also a storm-plagued ordeal. (Prior to the Middle Triple ascent, Porter had made an impressive and quick solo of the Cassin Ridge on Denali - 36 hours from the top of the Japanese Couloir.)
Climbing 172
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Avery
climber
NZ
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Feb 17, 2015 - 11:44pm PT
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Thanks Ed
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Avery
climber
NZ
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Feb 18, 2015 - 04:58pm PT
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American Alpine Journal 1998
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Avery
climber
NZ
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Feb 21, 2015 - 03:40pm PT
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Kichatna Spire: "Voice of Unreason", 2005. (Sean Isaak, Rob Owens and Roger Strong). Cont...
Thanks to Roger Strong
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Gnome Ofthe Diabase
climber
Out Of Bed
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Feb 21, 2015 - 03:56pm PT
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WOOHA Woot Woot!,
CA- CHING!!
thanx for posting it is the one TRIP that got away in my minds delusions of Grandeur!
edit , I am awake any way!
https://vimeo.com/115852227
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Bldrjac
Ice climber
Boulder
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Feb 22, 2015 - 04:31pm PT
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I know Jack (Roberts) climbed a bit here.....with Rick Reider maybe? Here's a picture that I'm pretty sure is from there. Wilderness Experience used one of his pictures as an ad for a time....I have the posters, but not the originals......if anyone has a decent picture, would love to see it for my collection!
Pam Roberts
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Avery
climber
NZ
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Feb 23, 2015 - 10:24am PT
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Great pic of Jack, Pam.
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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Feb 23, 2015 - 02:32pm PT
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hey there say, man oh man! i LOVE this thread...
glad i learned of this place... thanks sooo much Avery... and saw ed's new post here, of recent...
wow, most special ,too--to see that pam has a 'jack was here'
new post and hopefully MIGHT get more pics...
thank you pam, for sharing your memory post, too...
hope you get some contacts with more pics...
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Avery
climber
NZ
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Feb 24, 2015 - 09:39pm PT
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American Alpine Journal 1999
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Feb 25, 2015 - 10:42pm PT
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There's an earlier account of the 1966 FA:
Cathedral Spires 1966
by RICHARD G. C. MILLIKAN
THERE we were: at 28,000 feet, the wind howling mercilessly.
Art had the last lead into the unknown. An A4 pitch here
would be disastrous. Even Leigh would need a super effort for
such in this weather. But there was no turning back now.
Setting: interior of an igloo in the heart of the Kichatna Mountains,
Alaska. Four bearded and rather ragged young men lean
expectantly over a chessboard scattered with small pieces of
cardboard. Another reads on his snowy bed. The game is "Everest,"
a meager attempt at alleviating the boredom of being
cooped up in our ice houses. For ten days now the storm has
been blowing, never ferociously, but always hard enough to discourage
any climbing.
Our pilot, Eric Barnes, of Anchorage, had left us on this "Glacier
of the Shadows" some 100 miles S.W. of Mt. McKinley two
and a half weeks earlier, eager, expectant, but mainly awed at
the fantastic profusion of huge granite walls surrounding our
forlorn camp. "The Spires" were discovered in 1899 when Joseph
Herron, catching a glimpse of these jagged peaks from a low pass
twenty miles to the south, officially named the three he
could see: Mts. Augustin, Gurney and Lewis. Unnamed was the
highest peak of the group, designated on the map only as "8985."
We called it Kichatna Spire. Its summit towering 3500 feet above
our basecamp was our primary objective. The first climbers came
to the Spires in 1965 (AAJ 1966). In a month of stormy weather
they managed to climb three of the lower peaks.
Dave Roberts and Dave Johnston spent our first afternoon
in the Spires reconnoitering an approach to the steep north
ridge of Kichatna Spire. "How many RURPs do we have?" was
their comment on close-up view of the rock walls. We let that
pass! Instead, the next clay Pete Meisler, Dave Johnston and I
found ourselves tromping up a long steep snow couloir in swirling
mists. Cut off from our companions by the fog, and from the sky
by the near vertical walls of the gully, we felt alone, yet alive to
every new sound in the wind as we explored where no man had
been before. The couloir ran all the way to the north ridge of the
mountain, 2000 feet above the glacier and less than 1500 feet below
the summit. We were elated; this was our "Secret Passage."
Above we could see one steep rock pitch, requiring no doubt some
aid, then only fog.
The next day, September 5 (late for Alaskan climbing), while
the two Daves struggled up one pitch on Kichatna Spire, Art
Davidson and I climbed the icefall behind basecamp to have a
look at Mt. Gurney. As we broke through a small cornice at the
top oŁ the icefall and came out on a smooth and brilliantly sunlit
pass, we could only gaze about us in awe. To the south we got
our first view of the massive Triple Peaks still shrouded in cloud
and glimpses of more granite walls behind. The east ridge of
Kichatna Spire, like a flying buttress, curved smoothly down to
where we stood. Behind us, nearly masked by the bulk of Gurney,
Augustin's 4100 foot snow fluted north face stood serene in the
sun.
A thousand feet higher, Art broke through another cornice at
the top of a difficult ice pitch to new splendours. On the southwest
ridge of Gurney now, we could look down on Lewis Peak and its
surrounding glaciers. It was late so we had to return. Above, a
short vertical rock step was followed by steep snow and then as
the most obvious route turned a corner, we could see no more.
Leaving a rope over the ice, we hurried down to base camp
losing only one glove to the greedy bergschrund.
Two days later in the tail end of a short storm, Art finished
nailing the first steep wall on Kichatna Spire while Pete, Dave
Johnston and Jerry Bernass (who was with us for the first two
weeks primarily to do some photography) belayed from mounds
of down jackets. Meanwhile Dave Roberts and I made the first
ascent of the expedition. Climbing a long but generally easy snow
slope off the west side of the glacier we reached a col between
two 7300' peaks. Above, several pitches of delightful mixed rock
and snow climbing and then a short snow ridge led to the summit
of "Vertex" Peak, the northernmost of the two. All day it had been
snowing, but now as we approached the summit, the weather
suddenly cleared. Augustin's huge face lay directly in front of us
and way off to the north we could pick out Mt. Russell crouched
under the bulk of Foraker, with McKinley behind. It was a perfect
day's climb.
It was nearly two weeks later as we sprawled about our chessboard
bemoaning the weather in our now palatial snow home.
Before the storm had really settled in, Dave R. and I had managed
to push the route another 200 feet on Kichatna Spire and in a
break Art and Pete put in two steep ice pitches reaching a narrow
platform at 8000 feet. For the next twelve days it snowed almost
continually. Eric made a remarkable landing during a lull to
bring in some much needed gas and to take out Jerry, who had
heroically and almost single handedly built our igloo, but unfortunately
had had little weather suitable for movie taking. The
following clay, tired of waiting for the weather, Dave J. and
Pete climbed a small snow peak clown glacier while Dave R. and
I explored for a route to the high glacier to our west. Climbing
up to the northeast shoulder of peak 8520 we contoured around,
then dropped clown a steep snow chute to the new glacier. As it
was early in the clay, we decided to climb a small snow peak lying
between this glacier and the Glacier of the Shadows. Twenty
feet from the summit there was a loud crack- we were off! Dave
shouted something and then started a feeble clog paddle; I sat up
to enjoy the ride. 400 feet lower and undamaged except for the loss
of an ice axe, we came quite gradually to a halt. Shaken we
returned to basecamp by a different route which avoided all steep
snow slopes. In between our few excursions we added extensions
to our igloo and played football on snowshoes. Inside we tried
chess, "Botticelli," reading and that timeless pastime, eating.
On September 21, we could wait no longer. In two weeks we
had to be back in Anchorage. Though it was still snowing, Art
and I started slowly up the Secret Passage armed with tents,
sleeping bags, elephant feet and three days' food. We were to
make an all out push for the summit of Kichatna Spire. Dave
Roberts came with us as far as the base of the couloir. He would
like to have been with us, but this had to be a two-man operation,
and since he could not, he worried for us. Snow conditions were
far from ideal and our experience on "Avalanche Peak" the week
before had made us wary. We climbed very slowly upwards in
deep fresh snow trying to stay close to the rock in case of an
avalanche. Near the top of the couloir in near darkness we pitched
the two-man tent under a prong of rock. All night long, fresh
snow slid by our front door, but here we were safe.
The first clay of autumn looked much like the last of summer.
Leaving our tent and sleeping bags, we worked up the fixed
ropes above in wind and snow. We could not make good time;
ice had to be cleared from the ropes and some of them had to be
dug out where they were buried. Still, we reached the previous
high point by 2:00 p.m. Above, two long ice chimneys split a
vertical wall of rock, but leaving our packs we traversed left on
a downsloping snow ledge. The snow lay thin on the smooth
rock slabs, all too ready to slide over the brink to the glacier
2000 feet below. Treading softly and placing pitons in the underlying
rock whenever possible, we put in four pitches before having
to return to our bivouac site. We were optimistic about our
chances the next day. The route ahead looked straightforward
as far as we could see, but most important, the weather was
rapidly clearing. In the soft evening light across the way, Gurney
now stood completely clear of clouds high above those little
dark spots down on the glacier that marked our base camp.
Next morning we were off early. Part of our stove had fallen
off our ledge the night before, so there was no question of breakfast.
Quickly we crossed the four pitches of the previous evening.
The weather was perfect; not a cloud to be seen. Our only worry
was that in the hot sun, the snow would become less and less
stable. Diagonaling up and left for several pitches, the going was
easy. Mostly we were on snow lying thin over rock slabs. Then
Art led straight up a more difficult pitch of mixed snow and rock
beneath some ominous overhangs. After I had led left, Art
tackled what turned out to be the crux of the climb; a short aid
crack followed by 80 feet of difficult fifth class. Above here rime ice
covered every piece of exposed rock. Protection was impossible on
the next pitch, but fortunately crampons held in the crumbly rock.
Then we were on the summit ridge. For several rope lengths we
could climb continuously, then the ridge turned into a narrow double
corniced affair 200 feet long and culminating in a giant snow
covered boulder delicately balanced. This was the summit block.
Art inched up this last tricky pitch while I uncomfortably gave
him a psychological belay. Then he was up!
For 20 minutes we gazed at the view. Everywhere around us
were jagged peaks still laden with snow from the storm. In the
distance Foraker and McKinley stood out clear. Then we had to
hurry down. We reached our bivouac just after dark and signalled
to basecamp that we were safe. The next day we met the
others at the head of the Secret Passage. They were elated at our
success, but decided rather than trying to send another party to
the summit, to use our remaining time trying another major peak
Pete and Dave Johnston continued up to retrieve hardware and
fixed ropes; the rest of us returned to basecamp and delicious
water.
We still had nearly two weeks before we had to return, but we
had decided that rather than spending all this time climbing, we
would spend a week exploring the rest of the range and then
walking out to Rainy Pass hunting lodge 30 miles to the south. In
the remaining six days then, we decided to have a crack at Peak
8520. Two days later we moved our camp to the high glacier
Dave and I had previously explored, in good position for an
attempt on the North Ridge of the mountain. The weather had
turned foul again. For four days we waited for a break, but it
never came. In the meantime the two Daves climbed "Avalanche
Peak," this time without misadventure, and several of us explored
down glacier climbing another rather unimpressive peak along
the way. But now it was time for our exploratory traverse, so we
returned to base.
Eric flew in and took off with all our now unnecessary climbing
hardware and the next day we started our "October Traverse."
Shouldering our 55 pound packs we snowshoed down
our now familiar glacier. Then crossing the bare, rock-strewn ice
near the foot of the glacier, we climbed back up to a windswept
pass and then, breaking through a cornice, struggled
down through waist deep snow in the gathering dusk. The next
day we crossed the Cool Sac glacier (where the '65 party had
sat out its month of storms), then hiked by two yet unfrozen
lakes. We saw our first life in more than a month: a few ducks
and some scattered bushes. Leaving the lowlands we headed up
the Tatina Glacier weaving back and forth between open
crevasses.
The next day as we slogged up the upper Tatina, the clouds
began to break giving us gorgeous views of the countless unnamed
peaks bordering this white highway. By evening we had
crossed the pass at the head of the glacier. Descending the
"Monolith Glacier" beneath the gigantic west faces of the Triple
Peaks was eerie in the approaching dusk. We camped between
two giant walls; throughout the night huge chunks of ice broke
loose above our heads to come crashing down with a tremendous
roar. Though we thought we were well clear of the cliffs, we
couldn't help but shiver a little in our bags.
We frolicked on a huge glacial table the next morning, then
descended to the Kichatna River. Life! Alder bushes, red and
green mosses, rushing water, hear tracks. Two Dahl sheep looked
down on us from the golden grassy slopes above. At dark as it
started to rain, we camped in a small cottonwood grove and
had a wood fire.
Two days later we reached the luxuries of Rainy Pass Lodge.
We had fought through alder, waded knee deep in slimy moose
trails, hip deep in marshy swamps and finally waist deep crossing
the roaring Happy River. We had slept in a warm hunting cabin,
run into countless moose, and knelt in the fresh snow to pick
blueberries. We returned to Scotch whisky from tall glasses standing
barefoot on a bearskin rug in front of a blazing fire.
Our feelings were mixed as we hiked those last twenty miles.
We thrilled at sight and sound of living things after so long
where there were no living things, yet even now we could wish
to be back clinging to a wall of ice and rock with the wind in our
faces. While we looked forward to civilization and all its comforts,
we were already making plans for new journeys into the
wilderness. Says Dave Roberts: "What if we had climbed a certain
mountain? It is still there, surrounded by summits no man
has ever visited, offering, as only the wilderness can, this world's
last illusion of paradise."
AREA: Kichatna Mountains, Alaska Range, Alaska
PERSONNEL: Art Davidson, Dave Johnston, Pete Meisler, Rick
Millikan, Dave Roberts and Jerry Bernass (first 2
weeks)
ASCENTS: 7300 (Vertex Pk.) Sept. 7, first ascent
6500 ( Manila Pk. ) Sept. 17, first ascent
8985 ( Kichatna Spire) Sept. 23, first ascent
6900 (Avalanche Pk. ) Sept. 26, first ascent
6500 (September Point) Sept. 27, first ascent
[photos posted]
from Harvard Mountaineering 19 – May 1967
http://www.harvardmountaineering.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/1967.pdf
p.51-58
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Avery
climber
NZ
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Feb 26, 2015 - 01:27am PT
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Thanks Clint, for a very real contribution.
By all means post some pics, there always welcome on this thread.
I was just 3 years old when these climbs were completed!
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Feb 26, 2015 - 02:21am PT
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Thanks, Avery. I added the photos.
By the way, the photo below is flipped left to right:
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Sierra Ledge Rat
Mountain climber
Old and Broken Down in Appalachia
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Feb 26, 2015 - 04:04am PT
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Manly stuff
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Larry Nelson
Social climber
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Feb 26, 2015 - 08:03am PT
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Avery,
Thanks for all of your effort in bringing one of the great climbing threads to the forum. I have been fascinated by this thread from day one. This area would be a National Park if it was in any other state.
Thanks to all others, and sorry my contribution is only a bump.
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Avery
climber
NZ
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Feb 26, 2015 - 04:23pm PT
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Thanks a lot, Larry.
With any luck, there should be some really good stuff on the way. I've contacted some of the Kichatna's main players and had a very favorable response. It's all just a matter of them finding the time.
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Avery
climber
NZ
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Feb 26, 2015 - 04:28pm PT
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Does anyone know who took this wonderful pic?
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Avery
climber
NZ
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Feb 28, 2015 - 05:52pm PT
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American Alpine Journal 2005
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Bldrjac
Ice climber
Boulder
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Avery,
Wow, thanks for the link to Rik Reider's post from so many years ago! What a pleasure to meander through that, and see postings from Jack. Such a gift for me, you can't imagine! I had only read the article in Climbing that he wrote, and he spoke of it occasionally, although he wasn't one to dwell long in his exploits of the past unless pressed. He lived in the present better than most people I've ever known......damn, I miss him!
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Avery
climber
NZ
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May 25, 2015 - 10:22pm PT
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Here it is, Brandon!!
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Avery
climber
NZ
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May 29, 2015 - 06:53pm PT
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Kichatna Spires in winter.
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KristofferSzilas
Mountain climber
Denmark
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Jul 20, 2015 - 07:39am PT
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Not Kitchatna Spire but close enough for me.
FA of a nice line of the Citadel:
[Click to View YouTube Video]
(Choose the HD-version in the settings)
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Avery
climber
NZ
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Aug 23, 2015 - 03:03am PT
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