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I looked ahead and studied the rock that I still had to climb to reach the top of King Peak. It looked hard in rock shoes; how was I going to climb it in crampons? It was devoid of any big holds.
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On the lower portion of King Peak’s West Ridge. | Reaching our High Camp site on day two. At the top of the peak, you can see the King’s Crown. I dreamed about walking up the Crown to the tippy top. |
King Peak’s West Ridge seen from the plane. What had I gotten myself into this time? | Looking down from the top of the short rock pitch. This pitch was Class 4, a bit exciting with crampons. |
The crux pitch near the top of King Peak, from the stance that Mike and I reached with all the gear. Chris is on top of the pitch followed by Ket. Tim leads the second rope followed by Kevin. This photo does not do the pitch justice. Ket is doing a Class 5.7 rock crux that is horribly exposed to the south (right). Kevin is gazing south across a gulf of air at Mount Saint Elias. |
Mike Butyn on top of King Peak. The mighty South Face of Mount Logan is on the left. I had returned yet another gaze. 15,787-foot Mount Vancouver is above Mike’s head. |
Gerry on top of King Peak’s Crown. Photo by Mike Butyn |
Mike Butyn descending the King’s Crown unroped. The majesty of our surroundings was singing to me. |
Kevin Fredrick and Tim Haag prepare a post summit feast at our secure King Peak High Camp. The weather was still perfect, and it was hard to conceive that just a few hours earlier we had been strolling unroped on the Kings Crown. | |
All photos from the Gerry Roach Collection |
Copyright © 2001-2023 by Gerry Roach. All Rights Reserved. |