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- Jun 12, 2017
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Two Weeks on Alaska Peaks
Alex and I climbed in Peru together in 2014. We managed to summit Yannapacha in difficult conditions, and Chopakalki in friendly conditions. On our trek out, Alex asked me my favorite place to climb. “The Alaska range!” was my answer. I went on to explain the ski plane access, huge alpine features, and short approaches. Alex was intrigued to say the least.
The trip started just as a monster high pressure was ending. But, we managed to fly on the first day and climb the Ham and Eggs very quickly the following day (11 hours camp to camp). The route provided good ice and neve for us. We took the rock option in the crux, which was fun and well-protected climbing with only a move or two of 5.9; maybe even a bit easier. The skies stayed clear for us all day, up to the summit and back to camp. The following day the clouds rolled in, making us glad we caught the tail end of the high pressure.
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fhamandeggs_FB.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=141695d4442434839f847f09b7b23102 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fhamandeggs_FB.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=2413b3be042bbec900d2b055a23a449d 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fhamandeggs_FB.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=5df75a80ed5d120a475096b651832670 700w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fhamandeggs_FB.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=f953e681161ab386bac59e33d1e63139 800w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fhamandeggs_FB.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=df733c17d3b6080cfc1dc6823fa5fa94 1000w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fhamandeggs_FB.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=fca4b8c93a030df49c4ece4828310a69 1200w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fhamandeggs_FB.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=d2d0cbe6cf89ccde30b4634d1cfa73e9 1400w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fhamandeggs_FB.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=caa710f124b5517ed7bd7aeb8d2c69f9 1536w)
Alex climbing Ham and Eggs. Alan Rousseau photo
At the end of our fourth day on the glacier, a plane was able to bring us to the West Fork airstrip, about 20 minutes from the start of the southwest ridge of Peak 11,300.
The forecast showed 50% chance of precipitation for the next seven days. We spent one day in camp, then decided we might as well give it a shot. The next morning we woke to clear skies and started into the route. We moved quickly for a few hours before being overtaken by clouds. Fortunately, the precip rates were never very high. Ten hours of climbing brought us to the grey rock bivy, a well-protected spot a little over halfway through the route. We spent the night there and got some good rest.
The next morning we got started in a cloud with light snow, but we could tell it wasn’t very thick. The clouds would rise and fall, giving us glimpses of the difficulties ahead, then putting us back in the white. We passed through a major point of commitment: The second col. This would require some hard mixed climbing to reverse.
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F2ndcol113_FB.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=07e22a188b6daaa58db666bb50f3a19a 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F2ndcol113_FB.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=affd94bb10bbb6a83c244306b2315219 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F2ndcol113_FB.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=7c2e17bc293f08f6bc676754cdd2d20b 700w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F2ndcol113_FB.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=b6d5888a142fd3bad359919a2f7e7703 800w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F2ndcol113_FB.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=88775e902d2bc1a6fdb423eb08e681d0 1000w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F2ndcol113_FB.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=8b905db5799fa0c1b23b5ef1926b4486 1200w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F2ndcol113_FB.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=a7f116bdb610e1dfa7bb596d3aab7cd0 1400w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F2ndcol113_FB.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=c7e2439a9c4228aa1323a6b8a9ff4253 1600w)
The second col on 11,300. Alan Rousseau photo
We continued to move well with a mix of pitched climbing and simul climbing. Seven more hours of effort landed us on the summit (in a whiteout). After summit photos that could have been anywhere on earth given our featureless background, we began a difficult descent to the east. Watching our progress on the GPS as we navigated crevasses, I tried every trick I know to mitigate whiteouts and we eventually found ourselves on the steep, defined ridge where a series of ten awkward traversing rappels begin. A mix of v‑thread anchors and bollards brought us to our second bivy at 10,100′, just above the rock rappels of the south ridge.
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F11300upperslopes_FB.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=30b66da80c75d548b85a08f7f8b41ee0 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F11300upperslopes_FB.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=bbb8f6445b783167cf127cebffcfe392 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F11300upperslopes_FB.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=073952b3fb331a994faaff47a549decf 700w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F11300upperslopes_FB.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=d760d569856c62703f7f50846e4a9a15 800w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F11300upperslopes_FB.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=36a936eb8716ef3c6d68efcf97e341b7 1000w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F11300upperslopes_FB.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=9f5ab984a03cc5b33cb4cfd53fe44686 1200w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F11300upperslopes_FB.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=2d116be102f77f218b8b7dc178978663 1400w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F11300upperslopes_FB.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=8fa44605021d4b711d751137860ff3d5 1600w)
On the upper slopes of 11,300.
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F113cornice_FB.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=34197cc5324776a5837fc62dc4b8d900 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F113cornice_FB.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=dfec1d7dfe85a6299afc42273a2b8a3e 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F113cornice_FB.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=006667878ed964ddf761a864bc05d601 700w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F113cornice_FB.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=1e55e93615d50f067a561e6426e546cc 800w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F113cornice_FB.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=49b8753aab9b1e9d251c9cdf227678fe 1000w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F113cornice_FB.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=9ef7d8aca566506d87082fc24e457eaf 1200w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F113cornice_FB.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=978368efea8f94a71efbdcf3d0f19887 1400w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F113cornice_FB.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=015d9f65c755539e1bebdb02e51057a8 1600w)
11,300 cornice. Alan Rousseau photos
After a cold and clear second night, we started the final installment of our 11,300 adventure by descending to the glacier. It was a time-consuming descent, as we were the second team to climb the route this year and all the new snow buried the existing rappel line. This forced us to leave some cord and gear behind, but other than one stuck rope, progress was steady. It felt great to hit the glacier, and we made short work of the walk back to camp.
The next day was a well-deserved rest day in camp. We ate a bunch of food, enjoyed some bourbon, watched a movie, and let the excitement to climb rebuild.
The following day, we loaded up sleds and started walking towards “Mount Dan Beard,” an additional objective Alex and I had planned in case we finished the first two. It was nice to be walking slightly downhill; even with snowshoes the trail break down the west fork was thigh deep.
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FWforkRuth113behind_FB.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=43764d0a49075b4abd50814bebcf0049 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FWforkRuth113behind_FB.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=16947cf1ebce1b2c612b625be0827f1a 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FWforkRuth113behind_FB.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=c89a2517fc333762b05f5eb922c257ec 700w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FWforkRuth113behind_FB.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=b6961107758377f28e4ef19eee6b65b5 800w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FWforkRuth113behind_FB.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=2f751dc183560ce88c16b90a87cc5aab 1000w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FWforkRuth113behind_FB.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=3a94a730d26d783fd233c67e141a5431 1200w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FWforkRuth113behind_FB.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=810e1d88df0292ce8b51d7d743d3a178 1400w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FWforkRuth113behind_FB.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=02404edd885ec08c803f3fc91c872098 1600w)
Camp at the West Fork; Ruth and Peak 11,300 in the distance. Alan Rousseau photo
I woke at midnight to heavy snowfall. By 3am, we had a few inches of new snow. In addition to avalanche concerns, the cloud cover and new snow insulated the warm mush and prevented a solid refreeze. We decided quickly to descend early that morning. The weather cleared by mid-morning and as we were hauling sleds across the West Fork, the indefatigable Alex asked if we could climb the Japanese Couloir on Mount Barille the following day. The forecast showed low pressure moving in, so we settled on taking a walk into the lower gorge. After staring at the impressive feature that is the east face of Mount Dickey for a while, we walked back, picked up our sleds, and moved to the Mountain House airstrip. We were picked up that evening, and made it to Talkeetna in time for pizza and beers.
Thanks for a great trip Alex. I hope to share a rope again soon.
~MM Guide Alan Rousseau