Canadian Wickersham Wall Ascent of Mount McKinley

Hans Gmoser, Alpine Club of Canada

The Wickersham Wall or the north face of the North Peak of Mount McKinley is one of the world’s highest faces, rising in one sweep from 5600 feet to the 19,470-foot summit, a vertical rise of nearly 14,000 feet. It was the first route by which Mount McKinley was ever attempted. Just sixty years before our successful first ascent of it, in 1903, Judge James Wickersham reached a point just over 8000 feet on the wall before turning back, discouraged. Archdeacon Hudson Stuck, who made the first ascent of Mount McKinley, was also equally gloomy when he wrote on page 160 of his Ascent of Denali, "Judge Wickersham used to say that only by a balloon or a flying-machine could the summit be reached; and, indeed, by no other means can the summit be reached from the north face.”

Since we knew the Wickersham Wall only from pictures and reports, we had two tentative routes planned and wanted to make the final decision after observing the wall and its activity. The routes were the one proposed by Bradford Washburn on the western edge of the wall (A.A.J., 1962, 13:1, pp. 49-50 and Plate 26) and one almost directly in the center of the wall. After a brief observation of the wall, we chose the western route and were even unhappy about this one, as it is by no means a safe way up the mountain.

Our party, Hans Schwarz, Gunti Prinz, Pat Boswell, Dieter Raubach, Leo Grillmair, Hank Kaufmann, Tom Spencer and I, left the Denali Highway at Eielson on May 28. We arrived at the junction of the Jeffery and Peters glaciers on June 1 and the next day pushed our camp up onto the Jeffery Spur at an altitude of 7000 feet. Here we awaited our airdrop, which we received in the late evening of June 3. We sat out a two-day storm, which dumped a foot and a half of new snow. When it cleared, our decision about the route was confirmed since there was a fabulous display of avalanches sweeping most of the Wickersham Wall. We decided right then and there that we should spend as little time as possible on the wall and push ahead with all the speed we could muster.

In the next two days we moved all our supplies and camp first to 9000 feet and then to another camp at 10,000 feet. At this point we had all the technical difficulties behind us and ahead lay a long stretch of 6600 vertical feet with only one reasonably safe camping spot. So, on June 8 we each moved a good load to 13,000 feet, hacked platforms for our tents out of the frozen scree and ice and then returned to camp at 10,000 feet. On the next day, after moving camp to 13,000 feet we carried loads up to 15,500 feet before returning again to the camp we had just established. During the night four inches of snow fell and when in the morning it was still snowing, we were rather worried. Consequently, we simply broke camp and in one long, grueling day moved our camp to 16,600 feet and out of avalanche danger. From here the way to the North Peak was only a matter of time.

On June 11 five of our group went back down to 13,000 feet to pick up the supplies which had been left behind, while two of us carried loads up to 18,100 feet. Our plan was to push a camp to there, try to climb both peaks on consecutive days, return to 16,600 feet and from there cross over to descend the West Buttress route. The following day all of us moved to 18,100 feet to establish our highest camp. As it turned out, our advance had been much too fast and most were suffering from altitude sickness. In particular, Tom Spencer and Hank Kaufmann were extremely sick and in rather serious condition.

On June 13 we hurried to climb the North Peak before a threatening storm broke. Gunti Prinz, Hans Schwarz and I arrived at its summit just as the storm began, but the other three who had started for the peak gave up along the way and returned to camp. Hank and Tom had stayed there, too sick to move.

On June 14 the storm was in full swing and visibility outside was zero. Nevertheless, I thought that we should make an attempt to get our sick people down to 16,600 feet and thus give them a chance to recuperate. After struggling for about 200 yards, we had to stop and pitch the tents in the lee of the ridge. Only three hours after the tents were up, they were completely covered with snow; when we awoke the next morning, seven feet of snow were piled on top of them. As they threatened to collapse any minute, we decided to build a snow cave. However, while we were digging, the weather improved somewhat and immediately Hans Schwarz left with Tom Spencer on his rope. Half an hour later I took off with Hank Kaufmann. After the rest had dug out the tents, they were supposed to bring them down as fast as possible. After Hank and I had been going for half an hour, the storm broke loose in full force again and only by a miracle did we finally reach our cache at 16,600 feet. Hans had already dug a snow cave big enough for two, into which we put Hank and Tom. We dug another for ourselves. We spent an uncomfortable night worrying about our four friends at 18,100 feet. Early next morning we dug a bigger snow cave, which easily held the four of us. Though comfortable ourselves, we still had no idea about the fate of our friends. The storm was now in its fourth day and as fierce as ever.

Finally, on June 17, it cleared and by ten in the morning we could see two people coming down the ridge. They were Pat Boswell and Gunti Prinz, who told us that they too had dug a big snow cave at 18,000 feet; Leo Grillmair had been very sick and Dieter Raubach had stayed behind with him. Immediately Hans and I went back up and while I belayed Leo down, Hans and Dieter descended with the camp equipment. Although once more we were all together, several were still very sick — Dieter was lame on one side and had lost his speech, Hank had acute diarrhea, and Leo and Tom were still suffering severely. We decided to try to descend next morning as far as we could. It was clear in the morning but we had barely made it down from the West Ridge and up to the West Buttress before a new storm broke loose. However, once on the buttress, we were following a route well marked by the tracks and flags of other people. Our skis were of tremendous advantage. We put them on at 15,000 feet and in no time were at Windy Corner, some 2000 feet lower. Apart from the time saved, it was fun, especially in the twelve feet of new snow which had fallen in the past four days. However, below Windy Corner, the terrain flattened so much that we could no longer slide but had to walk and break trail. It was there that we caught up with a party from Seattle led by Dick McGowan. Having cached their snow-shoes on the way up, they now found themselves in a terrible predicament, wallowing on foot through this very deep snow. We traveled together down to Kahiltna Pass, where we finally pitched our tents at ten in the evening. The sick recovered at the lower altitude. Here McGowan received a tremendous airdrop from Don Sheldon, a very good thing because neither party had much food left and it took another seven days and a trip down to 7000 feet on the Kahiltna Glacier before we were finally flown out to Talkeetna.

In retrospect I should like to say that our route is technically easy. However, I do not consider it safe and I have no desire whatsoever to repeat the climb, fully aware that it was only due to lucky circumstances that we were able successfully to complete our trip. As for skis, a better than average skier will find them immensely superior to snowshoes. We used them not only on the descent but also on the way up. Between our camps at 9000 and 10,000 feet it was only because of skis that we were able to move all the gear in one day. We had to make three relays; while the trip up took us as long as it would have taken on snowshoes, we descended much faster, using our skis on moderate slopes in very good snow. Where we had to carry our skis, they were no more handicap than snowshoes, perhaps less so. On the descent the skis not only added speed but also great enjoyment.

Summary of Statistics

Area : Alaska Range.

Ascent: First ascent of Wickersham Wall to the North Peak of Mount McKinley, 19,470 feet, summit reached on June 13, 1963 (Gmoser, Prinz, Schwarz).

Personnel: Hans Gmoser, leader; Patrick Boswell, Leopold Grillmair, Gunther Prinz, Dietrich Raubach, Hans Schwarz, Canadians; Henry Kaufmann, Thomas Spencer, Americans.