McGinnis Peak, Whole Northeast Ridge and Traverse. In October Bill Kitsen, Geoff Radford and I climbed the northeast ridge of McGinnis Peak (11,400 feet) and descended via the north peak (10,720 feet). We began the climb by traversing P 9010. Between this and P 9280 feet we intersected the Brady-Garson Route. In the east col (8600 feet) we were delayed a day while four feet of snow fell. In a day we climbed 1800 feet of steep, knife-edged ridge and camped in the notch (10,400 feet). Two mixed pitches out of the notch led to an early bivouac only 400 feet above our previous camp. For three days the wind blew and avalanches poured over and into our cave in a bergschrund. Finally we started up the 600 feet of 45° ice in good wind. On top we camped immediately in a serious storm. That night our tent threatened to rip apart and had to be dug out regularly. We attempted to find the north ridge the next day but dug in only a few hundred feet horizontally from our previous camp. We had only three days of food and fuel. At ten o’clock the morning after, we started down the north ridge. A short rappel around an ice cliff brought us to a knife-edged ridge and a few large cornices. Then we traversed the incredibly sharp north peak and continued to follow the ridge until it blended into a low-angle face. Immediately it steepened and we began to front-point. At sunset we rappelled over a rock band and made three more rappels in the dark. A rare flat spot provided a place for the tent. The next day 1000 feet primarily of ice brought us to the Trident Glacier. We continued down through 500 feet of the 2500-foot icefall. The rest of the icefall went quickly the next morning. We continued 11 miles to the cabin where we had flown in with John Datoli 13 days before. The following day we continued out and crossed the Delta River to the Richardson Highway.

James Jennings, Alaska Alpine Club