Bastion and Other Peaks, Cumberland Peninsula, Baffin Island. In May and June Sam Crymble, Alan Kimber, Terry Smith and I were west of the head of Kingnait Fiord in the Cumberland Peninsula, based on what is unofficially called “South America Lake.” We had only eight good days out of 35, and this at the end of a very hard winter. Numerous peaks were attempted and reconnoitered and the following new peaks were climbed: Bastion, Reference 168663; Odlid, 200662; Gyr, 150660; Tomes, 145673; Ognob, 143675. All were done by easy ridges. The 3500-foot north face of Bastion was also unsuccessfully attempted with a bivouac in a cave at the top of the icefield, 1000 feet up. The great dihedral rising another 2000 feet from the icefield would be a spectacular line, overhanging and ice-filled in places; a crack system exists on the pillar to the right. Cold and bad weather halted the attempt. Kimber and Smith climbed a 3000-foot rock ridge to the north of South America Lake and a devious line on the “South Face of South Faces” above Base Camp. Aside from the great line on Bastion, the area seemed to us to have a frustrating combination of blank, featureless walls and rather scrappy alternatives.

Roger O’Donovan, Alpine Club