North America, United States, Alaska, Talkeetna Range

Publication Year: 1969.

Talkeetna Range. The year’s noteworthy climbs in this accessible range began on March 3 when my wife Grace and I with Dub Bludworth made the first ascent of Eska Mountain (5680 feet) by its southwest ridge. On July 6 Bob Spurr did better than on two previous attempts on "Lower Tower” (6129 feet) and made its first ascent with Jack Miller and Bill Burnett, climbing the west ridge. Curt and Gretchen Wagner spent nearly two weeks of bad July weather in the Mint Glacier area at the head of the Little Susitna River. They compared the granite towers they named "Spearmint,” "Doublemint,” "Troublemint” and "Bubblemint” to the Bugaboos; they were unable to reach any of these major summits, though they attempted some of them and did climb minor spires. On July 20, Don N. Anderson and Don W. Anderson climbed "Outpost” (5750 feet), two miles northeast of Snowbird Mine; the next day, accompanied by Mary Wilson, they climbed the three highest "Goodhope Towers” (5750 feet) and the Andersons alone went on to climb "Turnkey” (5538 feet) from the south. Grace and I made the second ascent of Turnkey by a new route with John Hudson on September 8 when we traversed it from northwest to southwest. Gayle and Helen Nienhueser made the first ascent of "Monarch Peak” (7108 feet), the highest on the Anchorage D-3 quad, on August 12 by its southeast ridge and the following day they climbed the more difficult P 6869, two miles east. Granite Peak (6729 feet) had its second ascent on October 20 from Bill Babcock and Hans Van der Laan, but six years should not lapse between ascents of such a fine and easily reached mountain.

J. Vincent Hoeman