Brit New Routes in Alaska Roundup

Over the spring this year several British teams have had considerable success climbing new routes in Alaska. Using excellent weather and ice conditions  a succesion of new lines have been climbed by these BMC supported teams..

Jon Bracy and Matt Helliker had a successful two weeks in the Ruth Gorge putting up two new routes. The first of these on the North face of Mount Grosvenor involved a 20 hour round trip and resulted in Meltdown (1,300m, ED3, V, M6). Seven days later the pair climbed the North face of Mount Church giving For Whom the Bell Tolls (1,150m, ED2 V WI6/mixed). In between climbing these two routes they also summated Mt Barrill via the Japanese Couloir whilst looking for a team of climbers that were unaccounted for. This team was later found to have descended safely to the glacier via the northwest face. For a more detailed version of thier trip read The BMC Report.

Prior to Helliker and Bracy, Gavin Pike and James Clapham had also been in the Ruth Gorge. Conditions were unusually warm for the time of year and early on they had to abandon plans to climb the East Face of Mount Dickey and the East Face of Peak 11,300. This change in plans resulted in a repeat of Shaken, Not Stirred (Crouch/Donini, 1997: 750m: WI 5) on the Moose’s Tooth and led the pair to believe that an ascent of the previously discounted East Face of Peak 11,300 might be justifiable if done at night. Night of the Raging Goose (1,400, ED) was the result. Next up was an ascent of the North Face of Mt Church (an ascent that Bracy and Helliker were unaware of) and produced Amazing Grace (c1,100m, ED). For a more in depth look at what Gavin and James got up to read The BMC Report.

Simon Yates and Paul Schweizer also made the first ascent of the South West Spur of Good Neighbour Peak (3000m, Scottish VI, ED) on the Alaska-Yukon border. They had intended to climb a route on Mt Hubbard near by but found just before leaving that it had already been climbed. They climbed thier route on Good Neighbour Peak over five days with two days for the descent. Go to Climber Magazine or the BMC for more detailed reports on this ascent.

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