Mountaineering

Double Glacier

Glenn, James, Paul and I needed an adventure. A place with no information. Where we could just go and see what happens. We asked our man Steve Gruhn for trip ideas. From a list of options, we picked a remote corner of the Neacola Mountains, a sub-range of the Aleutian Range. A region I'd neglected since 2011. 

We didn't go to the Neacolas. 

Getting to remote is Alaska is the first obstacle. At Sportsman's Air Service at Lake Hood we checked the FAA weather cameras with Joe Schuster. Marginal weather, but we decided to get in the Super Cub and give the flight a shot. The problem was Sch…

Getting to remote is Alaska is the first obstacle. At Sportsman's Air Service at Lake Hood we checked the FAA weather cameras with Joe Schuster. Marginal weather, but we decided to get in the Super Cub and give the flight a shot. The problem was Schuster said, "It's your call." That means I would pay the bill for a botched flight. Flights to the middle of nowhere Alaska are not cheap.

We found out mountaineers are not priority at Sportsman's. This flight was taking wine-tasting caterers out to the Tordrillo Mountain Lodge. What's just out of sight in this photo are two pallets of skinned beaver carcasses, waiting to be transporte…

We found out mountaineers are not priority at Sportsman's. This flight was taking wine-tasting caterers out to the Tordrillo Mountain Lodge. What's just out of sight in this photo are two pallets of skinned beaver carcasses, waiting to be transported to hunting lodges for bear-baiting.

Entering the Neacolas, above the Blockade Glacier and the McArthur River, riding the Super Cub like a bucking bronc in pounding wind. Our first choice landing zone wasn't happening. Pilot Ben Knapp and I turned east toward Cook Inlet. Looking for an…

Entering the Neacolas, above the Blockade Glacier and the McArthur River, riding the Super Cub like a bucking bronc in pounding wind. Our first choice landing zone wasn't happening. Pilot Ben Knapp and I turned east toward Cook Inlet. Looking for another zone. Recently, I've grown to enjoy picking base camp locations on the fly. Just looking out the window, then pointing over the pilot's shoulder and saying into the headset, "Right there!" And anyway, trips are not supposed to go as planned in Alaska. If they went as planned, it wouldn't be an adventure.

Ben landed the Cub on a broad glacial ridge surrounded by numerous peaks and extruded himself from the plane. Fortunately, back at Lake Hood in Anchorage, minutes before getting on the plane, I downloaded a low-res map of the entire Neacola and Chig…

Ben landed the Cub on a broad glacial ridge surrounded by numerous peaks and extruded himself from the plane. Fortunately, back at Lake Hood in Anchorage, minutes before getting on the plane, I downloaded a low-res map of the entire Neacola and Chigmit region onto my phone. When I located myself on the phone, I learned our location: Double Glacier in the Chigmit Mountains. Oh yeah!

The Boys, as my wife calls us. I've been going on trips with Glenn Wilson (blue jacket) for 20 years, James Kesterson for 15 years and Paul Muscat (right) for 10 years. These trips include: Mount Baker, Denali, Mount Marcus Baker, Mount Bona, Iliamn…

The Boys, as my wife calls us. I've been going on trips with Glenn Wilson (blue jacket) for 20 years, James Kesterson for 15 years and Paul Muscat (right) for 10 years. These trips include: Mount Baker, Denali, Mount Marcus Baker, Mount Bona, Iliamna Volcano, Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, Mount Logan, Mount Chamberlin, Mount Isto and now the Double Glacier. Many memories.

On this trip we climbed peaks every day. All of them with no sign of humans. I didn't even get a chance to knock down cairns. On this trip we had a lot of rain and snow. That’s the weather necessary for 4,000-foot mountains to be draped in thick gla…

On this trip we climbed peaks every day. All of them with no sign of humans. I didn't even get a chance to knock down cairns. On this trip we had a lot of rain and snow. That’s the weather necessary for 4,000-foot mountains to be draped in thick glaciers.

We managed the marginal weather with hours and hours and hours of BSing. Like only long-time friends can do. Here's Glenn, James and Paul having the twentieth impassioned BS session of the day. Beyond is Cook Inlet with the oil and gas platforms bar…

We managed the marginal weather with hours and hours and hours of BSing. Like only long-time friends can do. Here's Glenn, James and Paul having the twentieth impassioned BS session of the day. Beyond is Cook Inlet with the oil and gas platforms barely visible.

Our most significant peak was the first known ascent of Peak 6,402. Remote, wild and waaay out there.

Our most significant peak was the first known ascent of Peak 6,402. Remote, wild and waaay out there.

This peak we turned around on due to avalanche conditions.

This peak we turned around on due to avalanche conditions.

On our last day we woke at 11:30pm for a crack at Double Peak. At 6,818 feet Double Peak looks down on the entire zone. We made it to a few hundred feet from the summit, but were denied by steepness and avalanche conditions.

On our last day we woke at 11:30pm for a crack at Double Peak. At 6,818 feet Double Peak looks down on the entire zone. We made it to a few hundred feet from the summit, but were denied by steepness and avalanche conditions.

After a week of climbing many summits, and hours of fascinating conversation, we flew back to Anchorage over the Cook Inlet tidal wetlands and duck-hunting shacks.Yet another trip of 100% success with best friends. I can't wait until our next instal…

After a week of climbing many summits, and hours of fascinating conversation, we flew back to Anchorage over the Cook Inlet tidal wetlands and duck-hunting shacks.

Yet another trip of 100% success with best friends. I can't wait until our next installment James, Glenn and Paul!

212th Rescue Squadron

If you need a rescue in remote Alaska, you hope it's the 212th Rescue Squadron who shows up. These are the para jumpers in the Air Force, also known as PJs. They have the skills and the gear to pluck you from anywhere. A famous example of their work was the rescue of Jack Tackle from Mount Augusta by Dave Shuman.

Anchorage PJs are often in my avalanche classes. They are the unassuming students sitting in the back. The ones that are attentive and quiet, until it's go time.  

Bobby Schnell—one of the PJs—and I discussed training together for several years. This spring it happened. With two separate groups, we first practiced rock and ski mountaineering skills near Anchorage, then flew into the Alaska Range to apply those skills. Except for the second trip, where the Alaska Range wasn't happening, so we shifted to plan B. 

Brock Roden on day one at Emendorf Air Force Base, making plans and sorting systems. The PJs have more training than any 10 Mountain Guides combined, but their training is different than guides'. They wanted more lightweight mountain travel techniques to add to their arsenal of skills. 

Multi-pitch climbing on the Seward Highway. Although the Seward Highway ranks among the worst climbing in the US, the views are great and climbing starts at fun, and just gets better from there. 

Ted Sieroncinski, belayed by Bobby Schnell, climbing ChugachChoss above Anchorage. 

Near the top of Sunshine Buttress, a multi pitch 5.7. Standing is Matt Komatsu, the head honcho PJ, who is working on a degree in creative writing at University of Alaska in Anchorage. 

ShaneHargis (pointing) and I instructed together on the first trip. Shane has tons of experience from years of training Marines in Bridgeport California and from LOTS of personal climbing in California. His hands are like meat hooks from years of being crammed in California cracks. Although our training is different, it was very easy to work withShane. Shane and the PJs converted me to the 5:1 up crevasse rescue haul system, which puts less force on the anchor and uses less space.  

The Sterling Hollow Block is a standard autoblock backup for rappelling. One drawback to the Hollow Block is that it gets slurped into an BDATC Guide if used for progress capture, whereas standard six or seven millimeter cord doesn't get sucked in. For ski mountaineering, where skinnier ropes are used, a better belay device would be an Edelrid Micro Jul (if you can figure out the confusing thing) or PetzlReversino, which are designed for skinnier ropes. 

After a couple days of climbing and ski practice around Anchorage, we flew into the Pika Glacier in the Alaska Range. A one-hour flight direct from Lake Hood in Anchorage.

Camp on the Pika Glacier.

Base camp living.  

Christian Braunlich at a hanging belay above the Pika Glacier.

Sonny Carlos rapping back to base.

Winding through an icefall below Italy's Boot.

An early morning crust tour near Italy's boot.  

Brock likes training. 

On the last morning, before flying back to Anchorage, Christian, Shane and I pumped a four-hour lap around a bunch of mountains. 

On the second trip, fifteen hours after reading a horrendous Alaska Range forecast, we were way south, where the rock is dry and Ted and Bear had to make difficult breakfast choices. 

Chris Bailey leading pitch two. A few days earlier he'd never rock climbed. PJs learn fast.

Sieging the crux, PJ style. Bear leading, Matt Kirby cheering from above, while Chris Bailey waits his turn. 

Thanks for an incredible three weeks you guys!