Mount Wrangell. Bob Hurley, Bob Sutherland and I reached the summit of Mount Wrangell (14,163 feet) on September 4. We had been flown to a glacial bench northwest of the mountain at 8000 feet on August 30. We camped at 9800 feet the first night, moving on crosscountry skis to 11,400 feet at the base of Mount Zanetti the second day. On September 1 to 3 we rode out a storm; since our tent threatened to collapse, we had to dig a snow cave. On the 4th it dawned clear and we skied to 12,000 feet, traversing three miles to the base of a pass leading to the summit crater. From there we put on boots and crampons and climbed the northwest “ridge.” We witnessed steam venting from a fumarole in the mile-wide crater.

Steve Kruse