the misty fjords national monument, ak
|
Legend has it that there are a couple bolted routs heading up some big walls somewhere in the Misty Fjords National Monument (down on the panhandle; southeast Alaska near Ketchikan). When the weather permits, the climbing would be incredible in many places. It does rain quite frequently and the rock is usually wet, but during the summer months, the occasional sunny hot spells dry out the rock making, "climbing," a goal rather than an activity of leisure. You have to get it while its good. |
|
|
|
Excellent photos Chad. There may be a zillion lines just within the cirque itself. |
|
Good luck in your endeavors. I hope you make it back there. |
|
I'm from Ketchikan and am very interested in climbing in the monument, once I become more proficient on big walls that is. I've heard the rumor that punchbowl cove was climbed at some point but I don't know if it was bolted or not, either way there's a ton of potential there. I'm in Ketchikan now but the weather is horrid and I don't know when |
|
mountainproject.com/v/alask…
Check this out for climbing in Skagway. I work for Alaska Mountain Guides and can tell you that there is some good rock around Skagway. Sorry I dont know more about the misty fjords and i know that cragging is not really what you are looking for but i thought you might be interested anyways... |
|
I'm moving up to Ketchikan in January, and if anyone's looking for a partner to go explore and see what we can climb out there, let me know. |
|
I have got to move to Alaska... |
|
I once spent two nights in Misty Fjords Nat. Mon. in a cabin on Hunchback Lake. We flew in an out by float plane. About half the circumference of the lake is unhikable, due to steep, granite walls that must reach over 1000' in height. The walls had some moss on them, but the main problem for climbing would of course be the weather. We were there in late May, and it rained the entire time. |
|
What's the rock quality like? It's granite, but is it rotten at all? |
|
Russell T wrote:I'm moving up to Ketchikan in January, and if anyone's looking for a partner to go explore and see what we can climb out there, let me know.i will more than likely be working up there next summer season. if you are still interested in climbing the fjords, i would be more than willing to go as well |
|
Roger Linfield wrote:I once spent two nights in Misty Fjords Nat. Mon. in a cabin on Hunchback Lake. We flew in an out by float plane. About half the circumference of the lake is unhikable, due to steep, granite walls that must reach over 1000' in height. The walls had some moss on them, but the main problem for climbing would of course be the weather. We were there in late May, and it rained the entire time. The walls there had plenty of crack systems, so you could consider doing a wall climb with few (or maybe zero) bolts.that is very true! i was living in ketchikan all last summer and there was about a 2 week dry spell around the end of june. the 100% humidity and 85 degree temperatures were unpleasant, but at least the rock was dry. and you are right about the moss. for the most part, you can peel it away from the rock like a piece of carpet in places you need for foot holds, but once you gain 50 to 100 feet, the rock is totally bare. its fair once you get out of shady areas such as the lower protions of the cliff faces where vegitation is heavy, or north facing crags i think june- august would be the prime time to attempt anything in the fjords. the heavy snows melt off the tops durring spring and early summer making virtually every crag dripping wet. by june, the vast majority of snow has gone, and its up to finding a break in the weather to find a sunny day and dry rock. this september it rained constantly with only but a few days of sun in between as far as i can tell (from flying by in a float plane and boating up close) the rock is solid as all hell. of course youre probibally going to find loose rocks further up the wall where thousands of years of erosion create the enevitable, but most of the cracks and fissures are vertical. that to me means that you dont have to worry as much about big blocks collapsing under strain as you pass by. and like i said, on any given wall in the misty fjords you have endless choices of lines to climb. just sit back and scope something out. then find a break in the weather and go for it! |
|
ROAD TRIP!! Maybe when spring hits I'll make my way up there but ski season is too good in CO and it hasn't even really started. |
|
Sounds like I've found some climbing partners. That's exciting. Alaska, here we come! |
|
I chanced by some good info and thought about this cool forum. |
|
the rock quality is generally very high on the south faces. There is going to be a great deal of moss and lichen... deal with it. Southeast Alaska probably has the highest concentration of unclimbed unexplored rock in North America. Sure the weather is pretty rough, the access can be challenging or expensive, but it is an adventure. So give up your orange mocha frapachinos for a few weeks, pack two sets of shells, a mosquito net and come on up. When the weather breaks this place will blow your mind. |
|
punchbowl
I live in Ketchikan, have a boat, tons of climbing gear and I know how to use it. Lets do this rudyard bay nooya lake, flat light conditions |
|
|
|
a lake on an island on a lake in the wilderness, with unclimbed granite domes in all directions at sunrise
my room mate flies tourists over the area daily, check out this: youtu.be/SNrkbEAFE8U I'm editing this post because the site won't let me post new ones, new account. Anyway, does anyone have photos from big goat lake, walker cove, or some of the other small lakes in the area? |
|
Interesting indeed. I have heaps of new knowledge and experience since that origional post. I have been climbing traditionally and stomping tons of technical mixed lines in the Alaskan alpine like an adict for the past couple years. I even went out and got cerified to guide mountaineering trips in heavily glaciated terraine. Lookin back at this post, I sort feel like I am ready to lead my own expedition to the Misty Fjords and explore some of the fine cimbing that is to be had there. I may start looking for partners very soon as the winter will likely come and go leadin to an excelant climbing season down there in the fjords before too long. |
|
No legend. My buddy Gordon and I spent a couple of months back in Punchbowl Cove putting up a few routes during the early 90s. Not to many bolts as hand drilling was exhausting and the climbing was hard. We almost drowned half way up one climb when the rains came and our line turned into a giant waterfall. By the time we got back to our zodiac inflatable I didn't have a stich of clothing remaining, besides my climbing shoes harness and rack. We did complete a beautiful line on Punchbowl Lake. One bolt and a nice descent via grizzly bear track. Ken |