PLANET KAUFFMAN: New Route "Vegetarian Couloir"

After a day of snow followed by a day to clean off the snow, Raphael and I set our sights on a route named Bacon and Eggs. Upon correspondence with Eammon, we realized that we climbed a route just right of the aforementioned. The name for the possible new line, "Vegetarian Couloir." The appeal of this route is it's proximity to Kahiltna, BC. We completed our mission in 9 hours camp to camp.

The route enters the mixed looking right facing corner to gain the East Ridge of Begguya.

Begguya.

We enjoyed a classic Alaskan style top out. The unconsolidated snow provided good "swimming" as Raph put it and definately increased the pucker factor and the overall commitment of the route.

Raph on the East Ridge of Begguya (aka Mt. Hunter), known to the natives as Denali's son. Huntington West Face is in the background reminding us of unfinished business.

Check out Raph's blog

Looking down the weakness.

Raphael contemplates the best way around the corniced ridge

Looking toward BC with first light on Sultana, which is Athabaskan for Denali's Wife (Mount Foraker). Sultana is North Americas 6th highest mountain at 17, 400ft.

Ice from the Triassic Period warmed us up for the main event.

The clock starts when one crosses the schrund.

The Moonflower Buttress is the obvious striated granite wall in the center. The Mini-Moonflower climbs the tower just to the left, and the Mini-Mini-Moonflower (aka Bacon and Eggs) is just a little further left.

Rock climbing close to Kahiltna BC. Sam reaches for a chalk bag that doesn't exist.

The Columbian-American Expedition to Little Switzerland was a total success! Andres and I stocked up on calories in Talkeetna, Alaska for a few days before flying onto the Pika Glaciear. We were on the super-chill program.

The hot daytime temperatures and low elevation forced us to adopt the night schedule. Most days we slept in and left camp around 1700. The freezing started just before mid-night or day-end as it should be called in Alaska near the solstice.

The Pika glacier joins the lower Kahiltna glacier around 5,000ft. Water pools in the depressions of the glacier. A reminder of what awaits at the bottom of some crevasses...