Climbing in the Icefield Ranges of Kluane National Park Reserve. The 1993 season was characterized by relatively mild weather during June and July. Many expeditions reported unusually warm temperatures, higher than normal firn lines and unstable snow packs. Snow accumulations were similar to previous years. There were substantially fewer people climbing than in 1992. Of the 68 attempting a peak, 41 reached a summit. Forty people attempted Mount Logan on three routes and 22 managed to reach either the main or east summit. One person was killed and another injured his ankle in an avalanche on the Early Bird Buttress of Logan in late May. Warm temperatures and deteriorating snow conditions on a previously traveled slope probably contributed to this accident. All three members of this expedition were evacuated by the warden service by helicopter. There were no other search-and-rescue operations. Regulations have been relaxed and there is no longer a requirement for a minimum party size. However, it is still mandatory to register with the warden service prior to the trip. The following summarizes the mountaineering activity for the 1993 season. Mount Logan: The King Trench Route was successfully climbed by the following: Italians Consuelo Bonaldi, Antonio Maganoni, Alfio Riva, Alessandro Calderoli from May 8 to 20; Norwegians Paul Klute, Knut Erik Langehaug from May 22 to June 1; Americans John Swenson, Tom Krebs, Claude Seeman from May 27 to June 20; Canadians Tirandaj Naud, Rayto Robinson, Daniel Gomez and Ecuadorian Christian Munchmeyer Castro from June 21 to July 10; Americans Ed Darack, Ryan Boyer, Aaron Martin from June 23 to July 15. Canadians in late April Americans in late May and early June and Austrians in July failed to reach the summit. Canadian women climbed the east ridge to the east summit. (See below.) Canadians Rich Prohaska, Jim Condon and John Chilton climbed the east ridge to the main summit and made what they believe is the first ascent of “Mount Logbard” (3609 meters), a peak just east of McArthur Peak. They were in the region from May 19 to June 9. Germans Stefan Winter, Stefan Vorderhuber and Ludwig Stitzinger climbed the southeast ridge of Mount Baird and reached the summit on May 10, making the mountain’s first ascent. They next attempted the north buttress of Mount Augusta but deep, unstable snow forced their retreat. They finally crossed the Seward Glacier to attempt Logan by the Early Bird Buttress. Tragically, on May 24 Vorderhuber died in an avalanche at 3000 meters, as noted above. Americans climbed a new route on the south face of McArthur Peak. (See below.) Britons climbed Mount Augusta via the north ridge. (See below.) Canadians Matt MacEachern and Alastair Foreman successfully climbed Mount Newton but were forced off Augusta by deep snow. They were in the region from May 17 to 25. From May 7 to 19, Canadians Pat Egan, Arno Springer and Cindy Breitkreutz successfully climbed Steele via the south ridge. From May 8 to June 4, “Atlantic Peak” (4879 meters, 16,008), which lies at the head of the Atlantic Glacier 1.25 kms southwest of Lucania, was attempted by Canadians Peter Aitchison, Rafael Munoz, Richard Tilley and Martin Roos. Due to poor snow conditions, they failed. They skied out via the Kaskawulsh Glacier and the Slims River valley. Pinnacle Peak was ascended from April 30 to May 14 via the north ridge by Canadians Larry Stanier and Rodden Mcgowan (see below) and from May 7 to 13 via the northwest ridge by Canadian Troy Kirwan and Swiss Kurt Müller. Canadians Paul Henstridge and Yves Martin attempted both Pinnacle Peak and the north ridge of Kennedy from April 15 to May 2, but bad weather prevented success.

Lloyd Freese and Andrew Lawrence, Kluane National Park Reserve