Begguya – Mount hunter – at 14,537 feet tall – a massif that is dominated in scale by its neighbors Sultana and Denali – but a mountain that dominates the minds and hearts of many a mountaineer.

And this was the case for Alaskan alpinist Clint Helander in the spring of 2021 when on a hunch, he called August Franzen – a young Alaskan climber who’d been making a name for himself on the frozen waterfalls of Valdez – with a proposition.  To attempt a monolithic line on the unclimbed West Buttress of Mount Hunter.  

Franzen agreed instantly, and in May of 2021, the duo flew into Denali Basecamp.  The route, which starts with a 9 mile ski from Denali basecamp, weaves its way up and through the broken labyrinth of the Ramen Icefall, up to a dicey corniced ridge, then through a plum line up the golden granite buttress, before finally topping out on a plateau below the south summit.

But on that first trip, many lessons had to be learned.  First, Helander took a 30 foot crevasse fall in the icefall.  Able to extract himself, the team was shaken, but continued on.  19 hours later, they shivered through a miserable night a few pitches up the crux buttress – a lone soggy sleeping bag shared between them.  Mentally and physically exhausted, they retreated the next morning.  But as they took the edge off with whisky in basecamp a day later, the duo made a pact.  They would return to finish the west buttress.

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In the summer of 1995, John Climaco and Andrew Brash were young dirtbag alpinists looking for the adventure of a lifetime.  The duo certainly got that and more when they flew to Pakistan for an attempt on  Chogolisa (7,665 m / 25,148 ft).  Turns out, the climb was only a small part of the journey.

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Notes

Special thanks to John Climaco

Learn more about John and Andrew’s 1995 expedition to Chogolisa:

Dangerous Liaisons

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For mountaineers and adventurers, there’s a rich history of exploration in and around Alaska’s Denali National Park.  And although the park is mostly known for the hordes of people who attempt to climb Denali each season – few have ever thought about circumnavigating the Denali, Foraker (Sultana) and Hunter (Begguya)  massifs – let alone in winter.

The first circumnavigation-like explorations, of non-indiginous people, came around the turn of the century, around the 1900’s.  These trips were fueled mostly by the hunt for scientific knowledge or, of course, gold.  

In 1899,  the first non-native overland traverse of the Alaska Range was made by 1st Lt. Joseph Herron’s Army expedition. They took a route via the Yetna and Kichatna Rivers.

In 1902, USGS geologist Alfred Brooks first explored the southern aspect of  the area on a mapping expedition, traveling through and eventually naming Rainy Pass.

Then, in 1903, a 6-member expedition led by Dr. Frederick Cook attempted Denali’s Northwest Buttress, reaching an elevation just under 11,000 feet. Starting in the small village of Tyonek, the team completed the expedition by circumnavigating, possibly unintentionally, the Denali-Foraker massifs.

In the ensuing years, most of the exploration focus in and around Denali National Park was on mountaineering.  

Then, in 1978, the first circumnavigation on skis of Denali was made from April 7-28 by Ned Gillette, Galen Rowell, Alan Bard and Doug Weins via Kahiltna Pass, Peter’s Glacier, Muldrow Glacier, Traleika Glacier and Ruth Glacier.

But it wasn’t until 1995, that a complete circumnavigation of the Denali-Foraker massifs – in winter – would be made.

On February 17 of that year, Daryl Miller and his partner, Mark Stasik, embarked on a journey that would last 45 days, and traverse 350 miles.  The route, which started in Talkeetna, followed the winding Chulitna River, to the massive Muldrow Glacier, to an area north of the Wickersham Wall known as little Siberia, across the Yetna, Lacuna and Kahiltna Glaciers, on and around toward the Peters Hills and finally back home to Talkeetna.  The duo would endure bone-chilling temperatures and relentless wind, waist deep sugar snow and terrifying glacier terrain, as well as unrelenting hunger.

But when it was all said and done, the journey would become an Alaskan classic that is yet to be repeated.  

Here’s Daryl Miller’s retelling of this amazing story.

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Map Artwork by Mike Clelland

Special Thanks to Daryl Miller

Written and produced by Evan Phillips
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You know that saying – “they just don’t make em’ the way they used to”.  I guess you could call it a quintessential American expression.  In the climbing world, It conjures up icons like Lynn Hill, Jim Bridwell, Catherine Freer, and Royal Robbins – just to name a few.

You know you have someone like that in your life.  It’s someone who’s tough.  They have a determination and resolve that’s made of granite.  There’s something about them – maybe you can’t quite put it into words – but they just have an aura or presence around them – that’s larger than life.  

When you meet these people, they leave an indelible mark on you.  And that’s exactly how I felt this last spring, after spending a few days with a guy named Daryl Miller.  

If you spent any time climbing on or around Denali back in the 1990’s and early 2000’s – surely you came across Daryl – or at the very least, you knew who he was.  Back then, Daryl was the Chief Climbing Ranger on Denali – and even then, he was larger than life.  His aura was equal parts military, mountaineer, and Marlboro Man – a steely gaze with a perpetual squint in his eyes from too much glacier sun.  

But Daryl wasn’t just known for his daring mountain rescues.  In February 1995, he and his partner Mark Stasik walked out of Downtown Talkeetna, and embarked on one of the wildest expeditions in Denali Park history.  When the grizzled and emaciated duo returned 45 days later, they had become the first party to circumnavigate Denali National Park in winter – a rugged 350 mile journey that has never been repeated.

But Daryl’s life journey didn’t end with Denali.  In 1997, he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease – a condition that ultimately forced him to shift gears in his career, and eventually retire from the Park Service in 2008.

These days, Daryl lives a simpler life in Anchorage with his wife Judy and their two dogs, Raven and Jago.  When I came to visit Daryl for the first time in March, he led me to a back room where we would conduct the first of our three interviews.  The room is adorned with relics of a life well lived: photos of climbing expeditions near and far.  Military medals, black and white stills of a young Rodeo clown.  And a young man, barely out of high school, in combat fatigues in Vietnam, circa 1965.  

I quickly realized that I didn’t know much about Daryl.  But what I did know is that he’d probably lived 9 lives.  The only question was where to start.

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Cover Photo:  Daryl after a 30 hour search for a patrol member above 15,000 feet on Denali, May,1994

Special Thanks to Daryl Miller

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Today we head into the Kichatna Spires – a compact subrange of monolithic granite towers located just south of Denali.

In early June, North American climbers Graham Zimmerman, Dave Allfrey and Whit Magro, headed into the Kichatna’s – their sites set on a new line up the beautiful northwest face of the ranges namesake – Kitchatna Spire.

Although many parties attempting lines in the Kichatna’s get hammered by bad weather and poor conditions, the trio was blessed by the mountain gods – which allowed them to make a first ascent in an enjoyable and safe manner.

The climb, which the team named ‘The Pace of Comfort’ – takes a steep line left of the 1979 Embick and Bridwell route, and goes at Grade VI  5.10, A3+, M6, 70° snow.

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Notes

Special thanks to Graham Zimmerman

More info about ‘The Pace Of Comfort’ on Kichatna Spire:
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The western Chugach – the mountains surrounding Anchorage and the Mat-su valley to the east, are a veritable playground for hikers and climbers.  Although the rock is predominantly poor in quality, the peaks are striking, sometimes rising 5,000 from the valley floor, with a variety of snow and ice lines penetrating their faces.  Historically, these peaks have been scaled by mountaineers of all skill levels.  But in recent years, skiers have started exploring some of the larger objectives – and one of the most sought after lines, is the north couloir of Mount Rumble.

Resembling a lower-elevation K2, Mount Rumble rises nearly 5,000 out of the headwaters of Peter’s Creek Valley – it’s symmetrical walls forming an almost perfect pyramid.  The North Couloir nakes it’s way up the mountain, and is consistently 40-50 degrees for almost 4,500’.  Suffice to say – it’s an epic climbing or ski line – depending on conditions of course.

In April, local Anchorage skiers and endurance athletes, Brian Harder and Lars Flora, skied the line – but the did it incredible style – making the 26 mile round trip, with over 14,000’ of elevation gain, in 13 hours round trip.

I recently caught up with Brian to hear about the experience, what he learned along the way, and some future objectives that he might explore.

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Notes

Produced by Evan Phillips
Editing & Sound Design by Pod Peak
Music & Sound Design by Evan Phillips

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The post Rumble In The Chugach appeared first on The Firn Line.

Call me old school, but nothing gets me more fired up than adding a new adventure, climbing or mountaineering book to the collection.  So I was excited last month, when Valley Of Giants: Stories From Women at The Heart of Yosemite Climbing, arrived at my doorstep.  This anthology, edited and curated by Lauren DeLaunay Miller, is a collection of 39 stories – written and told by the trailblazing, often-times under the radar, women who have been at the center of Yosemite climbing over the past century.

While the book of course features stories by well-known valley climbers such as Lynn Hill and Steph Davis, DeLauney Miller has gone to painstaking lengths to include older, more obscure – but equally important stories – as well.  The result is a rich and inspiring history of female climbing and adventure in Yosemite Valley.

I recently spoke with DeLaunay Miller, to talk about her process for putting this important anthology together.  What struck me was the amount of work, and dogged determination required – just to find the stories for the book:  Basically a combination of internet sleuthing, scouring the white pages of physical phone books, writing and sending hand-written letters, and cold-calling strangers across the country.  It’s an impressive feat, and left me feeling that DeLaunay Miller is equal parts climber, librarian, and investigative journalist.  

So i hope you enjoy my conversation with Lauren DeLaunay Miller – talking about her new anthology Valley Of Giants: Stories From Women at The Heart Of Yosemite Climbing.

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Notes

Special thanks to Lauren DeLaunay Miller 

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This month’s trip report takes place in one of Alaska’s most remote and mythical mountain ranges: The Revelations.  First explored in the late 60’s by David Roberts and friends, The Revelations hold a mystique, and reputation, that has continued to grow over the years.  The range, which is nestled between the southwest tip of The Alaska Range, and the north and western aspects of the Aleaution, Neacola and the Tordrillo Mountains, is as remote, as it is fierce.  The jagged peaks, which average between 7 and 9 thousand feet in height, are an alpine climbers dream, with sweeping granite buttresses, firm gullies of neve snow, and ribbons and shafts of bulletproof ice.  

But for every day of good conditions and weather, there’s at least 3 days of worse weather.  And by bad I mean never ending rain and snow storms,  fog and soupy cloud cover, and relentless,  vicious, hurricane-force winds.  If that’s not enough, just getting in and out of the range requires multiple bush plane flights, sometimes costing thousands of dollars.  That is if you can even find a pilot willing to fly in there (more on that, at the end of this episode).  Let’s just say that being a Revelations climber requires a different kind of commitment.  

And this was certainly the case for North American alpinists Clint Helander and Andres Marin, who flew into the Revelations this March to attempt the east Face of Golgotha – an unclimbed, 4,000 foot granite face, laced with snow, and pierced by sinister shafts of ice. 

The mountain, which clocks in at just under 9,000’, was first climbed in 2012 by Helander and Ben Trocki, when they attempted the east face, but ultimately opted for an easier route up the southeast face.  Helander returned in 2016 with Marin, making a tricky landing directly under the face on the aptly named ‘Misfit’ Glacier.  But after a day, the snow and wind came, and the duo was nearly killed when a gargantuan avalanche destroyed their camp, forcing them to quiver behind a large, glacial erratic for days until their pilot extracted them to safety.

The duo returned in 2017 – this time with a third – Leon Davis.  That year, they made it multiple pitches up the route, finding a massive bivy cave.  They also got a look at what appeared to be the crux pitch.  An overhanging prow of rock with ice daggers hanging off the top like tentacles of an octopus.  But unfortunately, a broken crampon led to an early retreat.  

Again, Helander and Marin returned in 2018, but the conditions and vibe weren’t right.  They decided to fly out.

Finally, in March of this year, Helander and Marin returned for a fourth trip, landing on the more spacious Revelation Glacier, where they made a basecamp.  The duo then traveled over a col, and rappeled onto the Misfit Glacier, where they were able to recon the east face.  This time, the route looked to be in impeccable condition, with a decent weather window to boot.  

Here’s Clint and Andres’s account of the first ascent of the east face of Golgotha – a route they aptly named ‘The Shaft of The Abyss’.

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Notes

Special thanks to Clint Helander & Andres Marin

Produced by Evan Phillips
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The post Trip Report: The East Face of Golgotha appeared first on The Firn Line.

On today’s episode of The Firn Line, we’ll get to know backcountry skier, advocate and adaptive athlete, Vasu Sojitra.  When Vasu was just 9 months old, his right leg was amputated due to a blood infection called Septicemia.  Although his life was forever changed, it didn’t stop him from pursuing his passions through childhood, which included skateboarding, soccer and skiing.  But things changed in college, when Vasu discovered the joy of backcountry skiing – which opened a whole new world of exploration of the natural world, and himself.  

Since that time, Vasu has immersed himself into the life of backcountry skiing, while simultaneously pursuing work as an advocate for people living with disabilities.  For Vasu,  the goal is to expand the definition of backcountry skiing to the adaptive community.  And maybe this was best exemplified in the summer of 2021, when Vasu and his teammates skied off the summit of Denali, making the first disabled ski descent of the mountain.

I recently got a chance to talk with Vasu about his extraordinary life, ranging from his challenges as a kid, to his self-customized ski outriggers, and his incredible ski descent of Denali.  All that and more, on this episode of The Firn Line.

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Notes

Special thanks to Vasu Sojitra / Cover Photo: Sofia Jaramillo

Written & Produced by Evan Phillips
Editing & Sound Design by Pod Peak
Original Music by Evan Phillips

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They say Alaska is a place of extremes.  This ranges from the stark changing of the seasons, to the scale of the wilderness landscapes, and of course, the size of the monolithic mountains.  But it also applies to the races – and I’m not talking about Nascar.  There’s the Iditarod – a grueling 950 mile dog sled race from Anchorage to Nome, that travels through bitter cold temperatures and sub-arctic, coastal storms.  There’s Mount Marathon – a blistering roundtrip run up and down a nearly 3,000 foot high peak, covered in loose rock and scree, and lined with dangerous cliffs.  And then there’s the Alaska Wilderness Classic. 

Started in the early 1980’s, The Alaska Wilderness Classic is less of a formal race, and more of a grass-roots, community driven adventure challenge.  The Classic historically traverses a mountain range, anywhere from 150-250 miles in distance, and the rules are simple: get from point A to Point B unassisted, usually by foot, ski or packraft.  Participants are expected to leave minimal impact on the terrain they cross, and are prepared to extract themselves in case of emergency.  Although the racers are often-times friends, and checking in with each other throughout the race, it’s a serious event, with potentially high consequences.  

And this was the case in the winter of 2020, when Emily Sullivan and her partner, Taylor Bracher, began their journey from the historic mining community of McCarthy, Alaska – to cross the heavily glaciated Wrangell Mountains, en route to Tok, Alaska. 

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Notes

This trip report is made possible with the generous support of The Firn Line Patreon backers.

Special thanks to Emily Sullivan

Produced by Evan Phillips
Editing & Sound Design by Pod Peak
Original Music by Evan Phillips

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The post Trip Report: The Alaska Wilderness Classic (in Winter) appeared first on The Firn Line.

It was the summer of 1996.  At the time, I was 21 years old, living in a primitive cabin in the small fishing village of Ninilchik, Alaska.  That summer, I’d landed a job working as a park ranger assistant for Alaska State Parks, and although I’d like to say I was doing something cool like building trails, the reality is that I was cleaning gnarly outhouses, packing up bags of garbage, and picking up fish guts off the beaches.  Although I was far away from any climbing, I was often mesmerized by the Aleutian and Neacola Ranges, 50 miles across the water.

So I was excited when I received a stash of beloved issues of Climbing Magazine in the mail.  As I poured through each issue, I was stopped in my tracks when I stumbled onto a story about 2 climbers who’d just attempted the North Face of Mount Neacola, the highest mountain in the Neacola Range.  The climbers, Topher Donahue and Kennan Harvey, had spent 5 days attempting a route they dubbed the Medusa Face. The photos were inspiring, and terrifying to say the least: a near vertical dark wall bigger than The Nose on El Cap.  Black rock laced with snow and ice, with no obvious crack systems to follow.  A mixture of free, aid and ice climbing, while being pummeled by relentless wind, spindrift and bitter cold.  This was wild stuff.

Although the duo didn’t reach the summit, it was an adventure  that resonated with me, and captured my imagination.  I never forgot about the Medusa Face on Mount Neacola.

That’s why I was intrigued 25 years later, when I heard about the trio of Ryan Driscoll, Justin Guarino, and Nick Aiello-Popeo, making the first complete ascent of the face.  It was stunning to me to hear about a new generation of climbers returning to a climb that had filled me with so much intrigue and inspiration over the years.  It also got me thinking about reaching out to Topher Donahue.

Luckily I did get in touch with Topher, and we recently had an engaging conversation about his life in the mountains.  We talked about a lot of things, including his attempt on Neacola.  But like a lot of climbers I talk with, it turns out there was a lot more to Topher’s life, than one trip to a remote Alaskan mountain in 1995.

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Notes

Special thanks to Topher Donahue // Cover Photo: Kennan Harvey

Written & Produced by Evan Phillips
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The post Vertical Quest: Topher Donahue appeared first on The Firn Line.

Adam Gellman, a young glacier guide, tells the story of his adventures on an obscure (but challenging) Alaskan peak called Mt. Wickersham.

This Trip Report is made possible with the gracious support of The Firn Line Patreon backers. To learn more about how you can become a Patreon subscriber, go to The Firn Line Patreon.

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Notes

Written &  Narrated by Adam Gellman

Produced by Evan Phillips
Editing & Sound Design by Pod Peak
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The post Trip Report: Adventure(s) on Mount Wickersham appeared first on The Firn Line.

On today’s episode of The Firn Line, we’ll get to know rock climber, big-wall soloist and AMGA certified rock climbing guide, Miranda Oakley. 

Growing up in Maryland, Miranda learned from a young age the values of compassion, teaching, and working with others. Born to a Palestinian mother, and an American father, Miranda grew in a family that cared deeply about social justice issues, whether it was participating in peaceful anti-war rallies, or attending meetings of the Palestine Aid Society with her mother.

Later, in her teens, Miranda started rock climbing at the local gym – and it was during that time, she discovered the calling that would begin to shape her life. In college, she started a climbing club and began making her first road trips with friends. But it wasn’t until she headed west in 2006, to the big walls of Yosemite Valley, that her life’s vision truly came into focus.

Since that time, Miranda has become a force in the climbing world. With the support of her longtime sponsor, Mountain Hardware, She’s established herself as a seasoned guide with the Yosemite Mountaineering School, while simultaneously becoming one of the most prolific female trad climbers in the United States. Some of her remarkable ascents include linking Half Dome and El Cap in a day, as well as becoming the first female to rope-solo The Nose on El Cap in under 24 hours.

I recently caught up with Miranda, to talk about her remarkable life journey. Our conversation begins during Miranda’s college years – the formative time when her passion for climbing became the driving force in her life.

Learn more about Miranda Oakley

Written & Produced by Evan Phillips
Editing & Sound Design by Pod Peak
Original Music by Evan Phillips

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When people think of ice climbing in North America, the first places that might come to mind are Ouray, Colorado, Hyalite Canyon outside Bozeman, Montana – or the vast alpine region of the Canadian Rockies, just to name a few.  But perhaps the ultimate mecca for pure frozen waterfall climbing, is in and around Valdez, Alaska.  This temperate region, which encompasses the shared traditional land of the Ahtna, Athabaskan, Alutiq and Eyak cultures, averages around 300 inches of snow each year, making it a perfect environment for forming fat, blue ice routes

There’s a rich climbing history in Valdez, starting when Jeff Lowe and John Weiland made the first ascent of the ultra-classic Keystone Greensteps in 1975.  Then, in the late 70’s, a couple of young hotspot climbers from Fairbanks, Carl Tobin and Roman Dial, started ticking of dozens of first ascents, raising the standard of what was being done at the time.  In the 80’s, climber’s like Andy Embick, Chuck Comstock and Brian Teale, all Valdez locals, continued the tradition, establishing hundreds of classic first ascents.  And the old school merged with the new, when In February 1987, Steve Garvey and Jim Sweeney climbed Sans Amis, a grade 6 snow and rock line on the Keystone Wall – ushering in modern mixed climbing techniques to the Valdez area.  

Although Valdez has remained popular over the years, it’s continued to somehow stay under the radar to the mainstream climbing world.  But that hasn’t stopped a new generation of Alaskans from continuing the tradition of adventure, exploration, and first ascents in the magnificent arena.  

One of these ascents happened in Feb, 2021, during the annual Valdez Ice Festival, when Sam Volk, Ryan Sims, August Franzen, and Sam Johnson, headed back toward the remote Wartmanns Glacier.  Assisted by snow machines, and a boot pack put in a few day before by Sims and Johnson, the 200 meter, WI 6 climb was an instant classic.  Here’s Sam Volk’s trip report of that memorable outing.

This Trip Report is made possible with the gracious support of The Firn Line Patreon backers. To learn more about how you can become a Patreon subscriber, go to The Firn Line Patreon.

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Notes

Written & Produced by Evan Phillips
Editing & Sound Design by Pod Peak
Original Music by Evan Phillips 

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The post Trip Report: Oberon (Valdez, Alaska) appeared first on The Firn Line.

On today’s episode of The Firn Line, we’ll get to know legendary mountaineer, outdoor adventurer, author and conservationist, Rick Ridgeway.  I first learned about Rick back in the early 90’s, when I read his mountaineering classic, The Last Step, which details the 1978 first American ascent of K2.  Rick was an early hero of mine, as I admired his tenacity, grit and determination in the mountains.  But it turns out, the world’s high peaks we’re just one chapter in Rick’s life: a life that’s been filled with adventure, catastrophe, enduring love, and heart-wrenching loss.  

A few months ago, I caught wind of Rick’s new memoir,  Life Lived Wild, which came out via Patagonia Books on October 26th.  The book describes the many adventures in Rick’s life –  everything from a gripping stay in a vicious Panamanian jail at 24 years old, to one of his closest companions dying in his arms on a remote Chinese mountain, to traverses in remote regions of Tibet and Borneo, to the windswept and frigid summits of Antarctica.  After finishing the book, I finally understood why Rolling Stone magazine once dubbed Rick, ‘the real Indiana Jones’.  

This last fall, I was fortunate to catch up with Rick when we talked for almost 3 hours over the course of two separate interviews.  It would be impossible to cover Rick’s whole life in such a short amount of time, so we talked mostly about his early years.  At the end of it, I was left mesmerized by Rick’s stories – but more importantly, I was touched by his honesty, his humor, his grace, and his enduring wisdom. 

Notes

Written & Produced by Evan Phillips
Editing & Sound Design by Pod Peak
Original Music by Evan Phillips & Tim Easton

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