North America, United States, Alaska, Mount Crillon, West Ridge

Author: Walter Vennum. Climb Year: 1977. Publication Year: 1978.

image_1

Mount Crillon, West Ridge. Terry Cline, Dave Dahl, Bruce Tickell and I left Lituya Bay in early July and on July 6 after several days of packing loads through the endless moraine of the North Crillon Glacier established Base Camp in the cirque below Mount Crillon’s north face. A reconnaissance of the approaches to the north ridge showed that the 2500-foot wall of loose rock leading to the ridge crest from the cirque was a dangerous avalanche hazard and would require extensive fixed rope. We diverted to the west ridge and by July 12 had a high camp at 8000 feet below a prominent grey tower, one of the main obstacles of the route. A summit attempt on the following day failed at 9000 feet in a storm. Turning the south flank of the tower had consumed most of our time. On July 18 we were back in our 8000-foot camp. That afternoon Tickell and I climbed a crack system (F5) leading directly over the south shoulder of the grey tower, shortening our route considerably. On the following day we moved to our final camp at 9000 feet and on the 20th reached the summit in shirtsleeves in an 18-hour push. We remained on top for two hours and even brewed a pot of tea. Marginal weather delayed our return to Lituya Bay until the 26th. It was the second ascent of this ridge and the third of the mountain.

Walter Vennum



Media Gallery