P 9650 and Attempt on Mount Hesperus, Revelation Mountains. The Revelations are located in the Lime Hills area of south-central Alaska, some 120 miles west of Anchorage. Though incredibly scenic, they lack the uniform appearance and sound rock found in the Kichatnas several miles to the northeast, although some good granite can be found. Janet Smalley and I spent an ideal weekend in these hills when we were dropped off on tiny Wild Goose Glacier eight miles east of Mount Hesperus on April 24. The following day brought superb climbing to the virgin summit of P 9650 by an elegant snow couloir and a short, steep ridge walk. The descent followed that same couloir on the mountain’s southeast side. On May 7 Ernie Borjon, Dave Staeheli and I flew back to the Revelations, hoping to attempt the east spur of still unclimbed Hesperus, the highest peak. Due to deteriorating snow conditions on that side, a safe landing on the west side was chosen instead. Borjon and Staeheli spent one day exploring the west face for a route, only to find rotten, unsafe rock and rapidly melting snow higher up. So did Fred Beckey just around the corner on the south face three weeks later.

Peter Sennhauser, Mountaineering Club of Alaska