New climbs in Alaska

The combination of stable weather, good ice and strong British teams has resulted in a series of impressive new routes in Alaska this spring. In May British climbers Gavin Pike and James Clapham travelled to Ruth Gorge in the Denali National Park and after a warm up climb they turned their attention to the hitherto unclimbed East Face of Peak 11,300. An initial attempt on the right hand side of the face resulted in failure and they then opted for the obvious central colouir. Climbing at night to reduce the risk of the dangerous serac high above, they produced Night of the Raging Goose (V WI5 1500m) in a 25 hour round push.

A week later they focussed their efforts on the N Face of Mt Church (2509m), where they chose a central coloir to the left of last year's first climb up the face, Memorial Gate (AI 4 R/X) by the Japanese Fumitaka Ichimura, Yusuke Sato and Tatsuro Yamada. Good quality ice on their Amazing Grace (V AI4 1200m) is followed by unconsolidated 65 degree snow and then continues up the corniced East Ridge to the summit. Clapham collapsed through the cornice but thankfully remained unharmed and the two then bivvied below the summit. They descended the next day via the safer north ridge and reached camp at Ruth Gorge after 24 hours without food or water, describing the experience, with typical British understatement, as "A slightly more exciting ascent than we had planned for."

A few days later, on on May 17, another British duo comprised of Jon Bracey and Matt Helliker, added a third route to the N Face of Mt Church, "For Whom The Bell Tolls" (1,150m, ED2 V WI6 and mixed). A week earlier they had forged their Meltdown (1,300m, ED3 V M6 R) on the NE Face of Mt. Grosvenor in a 20 hour round push. The two climbed a series of ice runnels and steep granite slabs and reached the top after 12 hours climbing and a M6 R crux.

Last but by no means least, in the St. Elias Mountain Range Brits Paul Schweizer and Simon Yates carried out the first ascent of the South West Spur of Good Neighbor Peak (4,850m), Mt Vancouver's South Summit. The two ascended the 3000m route in five days and negotiated Scottish V ice and Scottish 6 mixed, ED, before requiring a further 2 days to descend to base camp.