Mount Huntington (Alaska)
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| Mount Huntington | |
|---|---|
| Elevation | 12,240 feet (3,731 m) |
| Location | Alaska, USA |
| Range | Central Alaska Range |
| Prominence | 2,890 ft (881 m) |
| Coordinates | Coordinates: |
| Topo map | USGS Talkeetna D-2 Quadrangle |
| First ascent | 1964 by Lionel Terray et al |
| Easiest route | rock/snow/ice climb |
Mount Huntington is a striking rock and ice pyramid in the Central Alaska Range, about 8 miles (13 km) south-southeast of Mount McKinley. It is also about 6 miles (10 km) east of Mount Hunter. While overshadowed in absolute elevation by McKinley, Huntington is a steeper peak: in almost every direction, faces drop over 5,000 feet (1,525 m) in about a mile (1.6 km). Even its easiest route presents significantly more technical challenge than the standard route on McKinley, and it is a favorite peak for high-standard technical climbers.
Mount Huntington was first climbed in 1964 by famed French alpinist Lionel Terray and party, via the Northwest Ridge, also called the French Ridge. The second ascent the following year, via the West Face/West Rib, is chronicled by noted climber and author David Roberts in The Mountain of My Fear. The mountain can be accessed either from the West Fork of the Ruth Glacier, on the north side of the mountain, or the Tokositna Glacier, on the south side.
[edit] Further reading
- David Roberts, The Mountain of My Fear/Deborah: A Wilderness Narrative, The Mountaineers, 1991.
- Michael Wood and Colby Coombs, Alaska: A Climbing Guide, The Mountaineers, 2001.
