North America, United States, Alaska, Marcus Baker, Chugach Mountains

Publication Year: 1976.

Marcus Baker, Chugach Mountains. In August, Kate Allen, John Wittmayer, Randall Jones and I spent twelve days relaying equipment up to the headwall of the Matanuska Glacier to our Base Camp. During this time we made two superb first ascents. From the base of the Matanuska tributary feeding from the great ice wall on the southeast shoulder of Mount Sergeant Robinson a solo climber ascended the mountain-sheep pastures to the east ridge of P 8380 and followed this ridge above the glacier. Traversing the snow subsummit, he climbed the glacial east face of the 600-foot summit pyramid. On the east side of the Matanuska Glacier, a few miles below the main headwall, stands a group of four sublime alpine spires. The fine 9000-foot northernmost horn was climbed by two of the party by the north arm of its cascading glacier above the steep icefall and over the firn shoulders to and up the west ridge. From Base Camp we worked our way up the northeast ridge of Marcus Baker, two members reaching the summit at dusk on the sixth day. The remainder of the party joined them on top the following day.

Dennis Schmitt, Unaffiliated