North America, Canada, Canadian Coast Range, Mount Raleigh, Gilbert Region

Publication Year: 1969.

Mount Raleigh, Gilbert Region. Icewall Lake, a small tarn lying south of the Southgate River, provided Dallas Kloke, Harry Hibler, Bill Eubank, his 13 year old son Chris, and me an excellent approach to the surrounding peaks with only a minimum of exposure to the bush. After flying into the lake on August 1, we spent the next fifteen days making first ascents of the peaks lying east and south of the lake, unless otherwise noted, under generally fair weather. Base Camp was set up on Filer Glacier from which the entire group on August 3 climbed Mount Filer (8900 feet) by a gully splitting the southwest face. Kloke and Hibler next climbed the ridge forming the eastern border of the southeast arm of Filer Glacier on August 4 and easily ascended "South (7800 feet) and North (7700 feet) Thunderbird Peaks.” They then advanced farther along the ridge up snow and rock on the south side to the top of "Skagit Peak" (7750 feet). While the same pair on August 5 made a second ascent of P 8650 at the southern end of the ridge, Bill Eubank and I plodded up "Squaw Peak" (8400 feet) located directly above Base Camp by way of a steep snow couloir leading to the gentle east summit ridge. On August 7, Kloke, both Eubanks and I set out from Base Camp and climbed the "Northeast Chieftain" (9100 feet), a huge granite spire. We discovered a route up the sheer east face by ascending the east rib to the base of the cliff where a difficult chimney led to the easy summit ridge. August 8 proved to be another busy day. We ascended the ridge to the north of Base Camp, crossed it west of Mount Filer and descended into a huge snow basin. After contouring across it, by snow slopes on the north we first climbed "Castellani Peak" (8300 feet) at the northeast end of the basin. Heading eastward on a broad snow-covered ridge, we next ascended Mount Tavistock (8700 feet) from the north through crevasses and by a final rock pitch. Kloke and Hibler hurried westward across a long snow basin and after ascending easy snow slopes and traversing below the east ridge of "Anacortes Peak" (8900 feet), rapidly climbed a slab to the top. The next day Kloke, Hibler and Bill Eubank made second ascents of the "Southwest and Middle Chieftains," just west of Base Camp. Kloke and Hibler also climbed a 75-foot pinnacle, "Little Chief Tower" (8700 feet), between the two peaks that required seven pitons for protection. The Eubanks and I made an easy ascent of the southeast summit of Mount Filer on August 10, while Kloke and Hibler set up a high camp below P 8,650. An August 11, Kloke and Hibler in 50 minutes from camp reached the summit of Tahumming Mountain (8400 feet)up snow slopes on the north side. They then continued south toward a sharp rock spire. After traversing onto its east face, they ascended class 3 to 4 rock to the summit of "The Fang" (8650 feet). The last peak of the day and trip was "Perseverance Peak" (8500 feet), lying to the west of "The Fang," which they ascended on snow slopes on the north side of the summit.

James Petroske, M.D.