North America, United States, Alaska, Alaska Range, Peak 8,920', East Face, First Ascent

Publication Year: 2001.

Peak 8,920', East Face, First Ascent. Smith Curry and I landed on the Thunder Glacier with few plans and knowledge of the area. On the flight in, we scoped out the West Buttress of Hunter, but an active serac thwarted our desire to do the route. Still lacking a plan, we proceeded to climb the highest peak along the ridge leading up to the west buttress of Mt. Hunter. Two thousand feet of snow climbing from the south and 1,000 feet of ever-steepening ice brought us to the summit of Peak 8,920' via the east face. We narcissistically assumed the peak was unclimbed and named it “Sugar Mountain” after the snow conditions of the summit ridge.

Jeff apple Benowitz