Mt. Hunter Routes

[Jedi]

SW Ridge,

If you talk to the rangers about the SW Ridge, they will not highly recommend it due to avy danger. The 1st ascent party rode an avalanche on the descent. I'm not saying not to give it a go. Just make sure conditions are good and if you get a dump while higher on the route and be willing to wait for "better conditions" on the descent.

The NW Basin var. of the West Ridge is popular but can be active also so be careful and wait for good condtions.

I am not speaking from experience. This is just 2nd hand info that has been passed on to me from the likes of Mark, Joe (walking encyclopedias of the AK Range)

and others that have been on Hunter.

 

Now if someone is interested in the 01 route, that Mark mentioned, let me know. I talked to Rick Taylor about it and it sounds like "fun". 2007! Let's go Of course, I will settle for the Cassin or I-Spur.

 

VW, did you notice that the only word that Mark used to describe the route was "horror show" . I bet it was funner than that!

Jedi

[W]

VW,

 

Jedi's right. Despite most people's aversion to cornices, I have to highly recommend the south ridge for a number of reasons. Aside from unstable cornices, the objective hazards are low and the technical climbing found lower on the route is of exceptional quality on solid red granite. Although the Happy Cowboys is mentally taxing and very insecure, the position on the ridge is absolutely breathtaking and unforgettable. While the technical difficulties are generally moderate by modern standards, the route requires a full Alaskan alpine skill set, and the high commitment level more or less requires descending by another route (reversing the Cowboys would be extremely difficult and undesirable). I'm not saying I necessarily recommend it for one's first route in Alaska, but if it is inspiring to you, then Carpe Diem. It´s a good one. And I certainly echo Joe's sentiments about Mystic Jewel and Rattle and Hum. Not safe, and probably getting even moreso with these warming times of ours.

 

The Corliss/Taylor has some objective hazards at the start from a hanging ice cliff but it is only for a short time. This route looks like a more sustained version of the south ridge, with double the amount of mixed climbing to reach the Happy Cowboys area. The south east spur is much harder due to overhanging rock followed by what is according to Benowitz a lot of cornices that are worse than the Cowboys, and on an inclined arete.

VW I would also urge you to check out the southeast RIDGE (note the nomenclature). It's unrepeated (although a team came very close) last I checked, and the difficulties appear to be similar to the west or southwest ridges but the route is more remote. Joe and I attempted this years ago, although we retreated once on the ridge due to bottomless snow, we were able to find a much safer way onto the ridge than the FA party, accessing it lower down below a major summit in the ridge, via an 1800 foot snow/ice face and couloir system. Once on the ridge the difficulties are strictly snow climbing and some corniced sections- the difficulty of the latter probably varying from year to year but certainly not as bad as the south ridge.

 

Good luck and happy hunting!

Mark