Mount Fernow, North Face. Bill and Gene Prater, Fred Dunham, and Jim Wickwire climbed the ice finger on the north face of Mount Fernow on September 16 and 17. The approach was by way of Big Creek, upstream on Railroad Creek from the ghost town, Holden. A truck bridge provides a crossing of Railroad Creek, and a miners’ trail was followed up the side of Dumbbell Mountain for about 1000 feet before traversing into Big Creek, which has extensive alder and no trail. Game trails were followed on the Copper Mountain side of Big Creek to where the stream draining the ice finger and the cirque between Copper and Fernow comes in from the east. Camp was located at about 5500 feet in creek debris, since no meadows are present and slide alder predominates. The creek was followed to timberline, though a rock slide to the north of the creek was used on the descent. At this late date the ice was firm and free of snow, so crampons were necessary throughout. The angle of the upper 1000 feet varied from 30° to 45°, but being water ice, pitons were necessary in a number of places for safety and belay points. A crevassed section 500 feet above the last rock island provided better belay positions, and near here a traverse to the right brought the party to a prominent buttress on the rock wall of the mountain. This proved to be well fractured, and was followed the last500 feet to the summit ridge. This class 3 buttress offered no problems other than loose rock. The ridge led east to the summit in five rope lengths. Descent was via the rock bordering the ice finger to the west, the only problem being the descending traverse across 40° ice to the highest rock island. Below this the gradient eases. Game trails were followed the entire distance out the Copper Mountain (east) side of Big Creek. An earlier climb would present easier snow slopes on the ice finger.

Gene Prater, Sherpa Climbing Club