Isolation Peak 1, first ascent; Mt. Shiverick, West Ridge. Mike King flew Pat Callis, Dan Davis, Mickey Schurr, and me into a camp between Isolation Peak 7 and Peak 2,488m on the Isola- tion-Malamute Glacier Divide on July 23. We climbed these peaks that afternoon. There were no signs of visitors since Glen Cannon and I climbed them in July 1998. Then we approached from the Sunrise Glacier, the same camp Steve Harng, Jordan Peters, and Ben Stanton used in 2005 to climb the South Buttress on Isolation Peak 2 (AAJ 2006, p. 207).

On the 24th we made the first ascent of Isolation Peak 1 via snow slopes, then scrambling, from the north. We dropped south, circling Isolation Peaks 1 through 7 back to camp. On the 25th Mickey and I climbed the south ridge of “Map Sepia” of Don Seri’s Waddington Guide. This bump is a topographic control point, with remnants of a ranging mast, probably brought in by helicopter, near its summit. The peak named Sepia by Jim Bullard, Sterling Hendricks, Don Hubbard, Ken Karcher, and Jane Showacre in 1953 is Isolation Peak 6, not the Sepia Mountain of the map. The photographs of the 2005 and 2006 parties let Seri nail down the numbering of these peaks for future editions of his guidebook.

On the 26th we climbed Mt. Shiverick (2,625m) by its west ridge (right-hand ridge in the photo; moderate fifth class and a new route). Bill Putnam and Charlie Shiverick made the first ascent of Shiverick on July 17,1947 by the north (left-hand) ridge. They were in their early 20s; we are in our late 60s. Ours was probably the second ascent. Seri’s Guide suggested that the south side of Shiverick might offer a nice route. Snow gullies beckoned, and we descended them to the Malamute Glacier, then plodded up to camp. It was kicking steps down, rather than the glissading we had hoped for, but scenic. Shiverick is hardly a big climb, but it’s a rather nice area for recreational climbing, and the fact that it can be done by geezers might inspire those who are not supermen.

Rest days, a climb of McCowan, and a ramble along the Isolation Peaks ridge rounded out the trip, until July 30. This is an area with ideal camping, routes at many levels, and unrealized possibilities. We recommend it highly.

Peter Renz, AAC