Inspired Alaska

The Kichatna Range (aka Cathedral Spires) is very remote and only accessible by light aircraft from Talkeetna but is fairly well explored, although there is plenty of scope for new routes, particularly on the second highest summit, Middle Triple Peak (2693m). When they arrived on the Tatina Glacier, this team was surprised to meet two other climbers, Stuart Inchely from UK and Kim Ladiges from USA, so they agreed to join forces and climb as a single team. They had hoped to climb a steep ice/mixed line toward the right side of its west face, but this proved impractical under the conditions, so they opted for the unclimbed northwest pillar. Despite poor weather with snow almost every day (the area recorded a 50 year record) in an eight-day push they climbed a 1000m mixed/ice route on the NW Pillar, abseiling back down the ascent route. They have called the route Hard Arteries (A3, E2, V), as half the team lived off pure butter while on the climb.