Wednesday, May 9, 2012

The Escalator, Mt Johnson

Finally getting around to posting on my AK Range trip this spring.

I headed to Talkeetna with Amos on April 6th with grandiose plans but due to weather our plans were foiled. After deciding to head into the Ruth Gorge we set up base camp and decided to climb Mt Johnson as a warm up route. To make a longer story shorter we climbed the route in two days during which we hid from avalanches, got pummeled by spindrift and finally shut down by the summit cornice 30meters shy of the top. With the trip not going quite as planned we pushed the magic plane button on the Spot and were speedily whisked away.

Alas, failure breeds success. I will return!

Picture time:

This place is massive, you just ski and ski and nothing gets
any closer - by John Giraldo

Mt Dickey and a TAT Beaver -  by John Giraldo

Mt Dickey - by John Giraldo
A TAT Otter with The Mooses Tooth in the background
- by John Giraldo

Amos on the start of the route -  by John Giraldo

Kick ass snow cave - by Amos Swanson

The rock face that protected our bivy - by Amos Swanson

Im guessing my first bivy sack experience will likely be
the most enjoyable - by John Giraldo

Good morning! - by John Giraldo

About midway up the narrow section.
It must have been 60 deg out and the mountain
was quickly falling apart- by John Giraldo

The glacier is way down there now - by John Giraldo

"Almost summit" photo. It was 7pm and out headlamps were
2000' below; time to move - by John Giraldo

The Escalator, Mt Johnson. We bivyed at the top
of the massive snow slope and then rappelled/downclimbed
the route. Not sure why you would do the walk off - by John Giraldo 

Funny video - by Amos Swanson

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