Mount Blackadar, St. Elias Mountains, 1983. On August 18, 1983 ...
M ount B lackadar, St. Elias M ountains, 1983. On A ugust 18, 1983 Bob B lackadar, Jim Brock, M ichael Dixon and we two m ade the first ascent of
M ount B lackadar (2035 m eters, 6750 feet; 59° 5 1 ’ N, 137° 5 4 ’ W ) on the east side o f the A lsek River. The base o f the clim b was reached after a w eek in kayaks and rafts dow n the A lsek. The range view ed from 1000 feet on the river is im pressive, above w hich peaks such as K ennedy and H ubbard rise 14,000 feet. M ajor glaciers, including the L ow ell, T w eedsm uir and A lsek term inate in the river, calving off large blocks o f glacial ice w hich are w ashed dow nstream . M ount B lakadar was nam ed for Dr. W alt B lackadar who solo first ran the treach erous rapids o f one o f the w o rld ’s most fam ous stretches o f w hitew ater, T urn back C anyon. This is located w here the T w eedsm uir G lacier squeezes the A lsek R iver against the walls o f M ount B lackadar. D r. B lackadar was drow ned in an Idaho kayaking accident in 1978. The ascent started from the confluence o f Dyke C reek and the A lsek R iver and follow ed the north ridge. The first 2500 feet were through an im pressive ju n g le of d ev il’s club and stinging nettle. W e reached the first snow fields at 4500 feet, although hanging glaciers on the im pressive north face descend to w ithin 100 feet o f the A lsek. K athy Daly and Darcy Dixon accom panied us to the snow. The ridge route was m ixed snow and loose rock, with great exposure but m ostly o f 5.3 difficulty and som e 5 .4 . A fter we reached the second col on the northw est ridge, we clim bed a gradual incline betw een two glaciers that dropped o ff to the north and south. The final pitch was 5.4 on loose rock. W e clim bed the northern o f the several sum m its. On a boulder a few m eters from the sum m it, Bob B lackadar left an ice axe inscribed with M ount B lackadar in m em ory o f his father. J e r r y D ix o n and R o n W a t t e r s , Idaho State University Outdoor Program
M ount B lackadar (2035 m eters, 6750 feet; 59° 5 1 ’ N, 137° 5 4 ’ W ) on the east side o f the A lsek River. The base o f the clim b was reached after a w eek in kayaks and rafts dow n the A lsek. The range view ed from 1000 feet on the river is im pressive, above w hich peaks such as K ennedy and H ubbard rise 14,000 feet. M ajor glaciers, including the L ow ell, T w eedsm uir and A lsek term inate in the river, calving off large blocks o f glacial ice w hich are w ashed dow nstream . M ount B lakadar was nam ed for Dr. W alt B lackadar who solo first ran the treach erous rapids o f one o f the w o rld ’s most fam ous stretches o f w hitew ater, T urn back C anyon. This is located w here the T w eedsm uir G lacier squeezes the A lsek R iver against the walls o f M ount B lackadar. D r. B lackadar was drow ned in an Idaho kayaking accident in 1978. The ascent started from the confluence o f Dyke C reek and the A lsek R iver and follow ed the north ridge. The first 2500 feet were through an im pressive ju n g le of d ev il’s club and stinging nettle. W e reached the first snow fields at 4500 feet, although hanging glaciers on the im pressive north face descend to w ithin 100 feet o f the A lsek. K athy Daly and Darcy Dixon accom panied us to the snow. The ridge route was m ixed snow and loose rock, with great exposure but m ostly o f 5.3 difficulty and som e 5 .4 . A fter we reached the second col on the northw est ridge, we clim bed a gradual incline betw een two glaciers that dropped o ff to the north and south. The final pitch was 5.4 on loose rock. W e clim bed the northern o f the several sum m its. On a boulder a few m eters from the sum m it, Bob B lackadar left an ice axe inscribed with M ount B lackadar in m em ory o f his father. J e r r y D ix o n and R o n W a t t e r s , Idaho State University Outdoor Program
