North America, United States, Alaska, Mount Kimball

Publication Year: 1975.

Mount Kimball. Mount Kimball (10,350 feet) was climbed for the second time in June via its north ridge, a new route, which had been attempted by Grace and Vin Hoeman and Fred Beckey in 1969. Doug Buchanan, Jerry Johnson and Ken Irving flew to Slate Creek on June 9. They worked their way to the north ridge via the West Ridge Pass and Pitfall Glacier. On the 11th, with bivouac gear the three left camp on the north col at 9000 feet and 13½ hours later made the summit. The sharp, corniced ridge rising to 9500 feet was very icy and steep in places. It took them ten hours to climb it, chopping steps and fixing 600 feet of rope. In deteriorating weather, they traversed on the northwest face to a break in the band of ice cliffs and climbed to the top. In bad weather they descended to 9800 feet for a forced bivouac. A day and a half later they got back to their north col camp. On the 14th they climbed the north summit of Kimball, a second ascent, via its south ridge. They walked out to Summit Lake reaching it on the 17th.

Daniel L. Osborne