North America, United States, Alaska, Chigmit Mountains

Publication Year: 1978.

Chigmit Mountains. Flying by float-plane to Chakachamna Lake on August 10 gave Mark Moderow, Margit Breski, my wife Rowi and me breath-taking views of the previously unexplored peaks of the northern Chigmit Range. Rain and alders spiced our approach to the glacier on the southeast corner of the lake. After climbing wet granite slabs and moraine, we were at 61° 10' North and 152° 20' West on the glacier. Our first day found us traversing a gray spire, P 5550, in clouds and mist. We climbed one pitch of F7 mossy rock to the summit. The descent was down a long glacier to the south. Margit walked into the one exposed crevasse in the area, all of five feet deep! Other days were spent doing short ice climbs, waiting in the rain and trekking to the upper snowfields of our glacier. We explored to the east and climbed P 4356 on August 16. The area is beautiful but rotten rock limits technical climbing. We flew from the lake to Anchorage on August 17.

James Hale, Mountaineering Club of Alaska