North America, United States, Alaska, Mount Huntington, West Face, P 11,300 Traverse, and McKinley, Reality Ridge

Publication Year: 1985.

Mount Huntington, West Face, P 11,300 Traverse, and McKinley, Reality Ridge. Rob Rohn and I flew to the west fork of the Ruth Glacier on May 16 with the intention of alpine climbing and skiing in the area from a central base. On May 17 and 18 we ascended the southwest ridge of P 11,300, descending the following day via the southeast ridge. We found the route challenging and it gave us a good indication of conditions. (Grade V, F7, A1.) On May 21 we moved over to the Tokositna Glacier by the French Icefall, but a substantial storm forced us back to Base the next day. Not until June 1 did the weather allow us to return to our cache on the Tokositna and begin our climb of a new line on Huntington’s west face to the left of previous ascents. Our approach to the Tokositna was by the northwest face of P 9680. Because the French Icefall was holding the snow of an eight-day storm, our new approach was safer. The route on Huntington was climbed in three days, two days on the west face. We joined the intricate northwest ridge and climbed to just 200 feet short of the summit. We were on the face, climbing for 30 hours on varied and technical terrain. The complex crux was low. Sustained, rotten ice, comparable to Grade V water-ice, provided trying moments. We bivouacked twice on the face. Since there were no decent bivouac sites, hard-earned ice platforms had to suffice. Descent from the peak on June 5 by the northwest (French) ridge was completed in one long day; the complicated steps in the French ridge were the trickiest sections (NCCS VI, F7, A1.) After another storm-enforced rest of four days in our Ruth Glacier Base Camp, Rob and I headed out for our final climb, McKinley’s Reality Ridge, which we ascended in five long days. Snow conditions were horrendous, making the delicate climbing on the sustained, knife-edged, scary, double-corniced portions of the ridge very tenuous. The bivouacs on the route are excellent, reasonably spaced and comfortably located between some quite difficult ridge climbing. (NCCS VI, F5, A2.) Deep snow along the southeast spur and the fact that we were already five days overdue spurred our decision to descend the South Buttress; an attempt on the summit was unrealistic. Going down the South Buttress had the usual problems of a long and tiring descent, but eventually we made it. By now, there was concern in Talkeetna and unfortunately a search was being initiated just a few hours before our safe arrival at the Kahiltna airstrip. Once again I want to thank the rangers and Talkeetna Air Taxi and tell them we are sorry we were so late!

James Haberl, Alpine Club of Canada