Climbs in the Franklin Mountains. During the first week of August, Bill Dougherty and I made a traverse and four ascents in the Chamberlin Spur. Our initial ascent was of Mount Chamberlin itself, which in a recent survey has regained its status as the highest in the Brooks Range. Ascending from South Neruokpuk Lake, we proceeded up Chamberlin Creek onto the Peters Glacier. The eastern rim of this steep glacier afforded a less exposed route and we ascended to rock buttresses leading to the summit ridge. We then followed the corniced ridge overhanging the Chamberlin Glacier to the summit with the full moon circling in the southeast just after midnight. Ascending Carnivore Creek, we headed east into the third drainage south of Chamberlin Creek and camped on the glacier at the foot of P 7600. The ice wall on the north face is the prime feeder for this glacier and we climbed the peak by departing from its upper trunk onto a chute to the north ridge following its west-leaning icecap to the rock summit. We camped on the eastern glacier below. From there, we did not descend into Patuk but instead climbed to the col north of P 8540 and on to the south summit of P 8000 and thence south in snow and fog to the summit of P 8540 via steep chutes in the west face. The clouds swept away on the summit at midnight. The following day, we descended the col onto the large glacier which descends to the east toward the lowland at the end of our traverse.

Dennis Schmitt