Mount Bear, North Ridge. In early June, 1993, Bruce Blatchley and I made the fourth ascent of Mount Bear, via a new route on the north ridge. Our ascent occurred approximately one week after the third ascent party (Doug Barlow and Kaj Bune) reached the summit, and 42 years after the first ascent by the Stanford Klutlan Expedition (See AAJ, 1994, regarding third ascent; and AAJ, 1952, regarding the first ascent). On June 3, Pilot Paul Claus landed us at 9,100 feet on the southeastern extension of the upper Klutlan Glacier. We established two camps at approximately 10,000 and 12,500 feet, from which Blatchley soloed to the summit with poor visibility and intermittent snow on June 7. Upon return to the cabin of Ultima Thule Outfitters, we had the good fortune of comparing notes with Bune and Barlow about our respective climbs, from different sides, of this great — and often overlooked — jewel of the Wrangell-St. Elias Range.

Channing M. Hall, III