Peaks on the Eastern Side of the Ruth Gorge. After four weeks in the Yosemite, Helmut Neswadba and I felt we had sufficient preparation for our Alaskan climbing. We were flown to the Ruth Glacier on June 30. Taking advantage of good weather, we attempted the 1200-meter-high east buttress of Mount Johnson, but after we had been climbing for 24 hours, we rappelled off because of rotten rock and deteriorating weather. After a week of bad weather, on July 14 we climbed the 1300-meter-high southwest face of P 7979 on the eastern side of the Ruth Gorge, 1½ miles northwest of Glacier Point. We climbed a gully to a snow basin and snowfield and thence onto a ridge where there was good rock with some UIAA V+ and some mixed climbing. We descended the north side where we had eight rappels until we could descend the glacier to the Ruth. Because of continuing good weather we chose a 1000-meter-high rock buttress of P 7500 (“Tower of London South”), which lies 1¼ miles northwest of P 7979. On July 17, we started up to do the climb alpine-style. We got to the summit after 20 difficult pitches at 8:30 A.M. the next day. (UIAA VIII+, A2 or 5.11d, A2.) The weather was perfect. That same day, we descended rappelling and down-climbing. We were flown out on July 22.

Hannes Arch, Ösierreichischer Alpenverein