Peaks Above the Matanuska Valley. Greg Higgins, Tom Choate and I made several climbs from the Matanuska Glacier from July 15 to 20. On July 16, we climbed Mount Wickersham (7415 feet) from the southeast, finding only two entries in the summit jar: Grace Hoeman solo on July 5, 1969 and an ascent from the west on August 8, 1978. We traversed the ridge over rotten rock to P 7000+, where we found evidence of a previous ascent. On the 17th we climbed P 8400+ via the east ridge for a second ascent. (This was mistakenly called P 8380 in A.A.J, 1976, page 437.) On the 19th we made the first ascent of P 8555 via the western side. If one follows the long ribbons of rock-covered ice, most of the glacier can be traveled without using crampons.

Willy Hersman