British Kichatna Expedition 2022

Taking advantage of a season that saw remarkably good weather in the region, Turner and Thomas established a new route on the east face of Kichatna Spire, the highest of the granite peaks comprising Cathedral Spires. Their line ‘Thunderstruck’ (VI, A3+/A4, 6c) takes a slender pillar on the right-hand side of the face, following a crack line for much of its length before mixed rock and ice terrain leads to the summit. The pair referred to the route as “the best climb of our lives” and note that the large east face has significant potential for continued route development.