Skiing the Brooks Range’s Highest Peak
Matt Hage climbing the east ridge of Mt. Chamberlin to make the first ski descent of the highest peak in the Brooks Range, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Photo by Joe Stock.
Earlier this summer, AAC member Joe Stock and Matt Hage made the likely first ski descent of Mt. Chamberlin, the highest peak in Alaska’s Brooks Range. When the two were dropped off at base camp at 1,500 feet, 12 miles from the foot of the peak, they saw no snow, and inconsistent snow and crevasses on the upper mountain made for an “interesting” descent from the 9,020-foot peak. But ski alpinism is about more than hero turns, as Stock ably describes in an illustrated trip report at the G3 website. Stock and Hage’s trip was partially funded by a grant from the Hans Saari Memorial Fund.
Over the past few years, Stock and various partners have completed several impressive ski adventures in Alaska, including big traverses in the Chugach, Neacola, Talkeetna, and Tordrillo mountains. Read more at his website. If you live in the Denver-Boulder area of Colorado, Stock will be doing a show about this year’s Mt. Chamberlin descent at Neptune Mountaineering in Boulder on Thursday, August 20.
Why are you claiming first ski descent of this peak? I am an alaska Native and I did this climb and ski in 1987. Don’t claim a first unless you have thoroughly researched it.
Hi Jon,
I did research this trip and previous ski descents in the area, but never heard of your trip. Please tell me a about your climb and ski. 1987! That’s amazing! Are there any stories or trip reports I could read? I do want to hear about it! I love hearing about the earliest adventurers, like yourself. Maybe we could get together for a beer in Anchorage.
Thanks for getting in touch and I look forward to hearing from you.
Cheers,
Joe
Hi Jon and Joe,
Congratulations on your ski descents. I just got back from climbing Chamberlin with my 13-year-old daughter in celebration of the first time I climbed the peak, way back in 1969 when I was 13 myself. This time, though, we had to hike out 40 miles to where the pilot could pick us up.
My question is about nearby Mt. Michelson. I skied it in 2000 while paddling the Hulahula. Do either of you know if it had been skied before?
Thanks,
John
Hi John,
Dougald told me a bit about your trip. When were you there and which side did you climb? Do you have any photos posted How amazing to climb Chamberlin with your daughter after so many years.
I haven’t heard of anyone skiing Michelson. I wonder if Jon knows. Did you ski Tugak also? Tugak looks great on the map.
Cheers,
Joe
Hi Joe,
Thanks for the response. Boy, this sure is a slow way to communicate! We didn’t ski Tugak, just Michelson. Frankly, the snow utterly sucked! But it was a long-held dream fulfilled to float the Hulahula and ski a peak together. This summer was my sixth to ANWR.
As to Chamberlin, we climbed from Lake Peters, just as I did in 1969. Then we hiked out to the Canning. It will be a Backpacker magazine story, scheduled to run next March. The only photos I’ve posted is a batch of 230 on Picasa. I must weed that down to a manageable size. I’m sure it’s more than you’d want to see, but I’ll send you the link if you’re interested.
Did you ski from the same side? If so, the glacier to the left of the main face looks PERFECT. If you care to email, I think you have mine already.
Cheers,
john
Hi again Joe,
I’ve read the blurb above again and I see you came from the east, not the northwest, a.k.a. Lake Peters. Interesting access issues either way. BTW, the G3 website link doesn’t work for me. If anyone’s interested, the north face would be an ideal descent late in the season (August) when the rotten Arctic snow has melted off. Or maybe early before it turns to mush.
Cheers,
john
Hi John,
Yes that north face down the Chamberlin glacier would be good in August or early season. The little crevasses on the face were skimmed over from recent snow, so we opted out of this fine-looking run and just skied the edge of the face down to about 7,500 then hopped over to the NE face.
Joe
I spent seven years on the Kobuk.
i climbed the North ridge of michelson a few years ago from the Hula Hula in June and it would have been fantastic skiing. We boated out to kaktovik after the climb. Carrying skis was talked about while we were high on the mountain and the ski lines would have been enjoyable on the mountain.
Oh gosh. Lots of great skiing. If only I could drive my Honda Civic to the base of those peaks!
I am planning a trip to Mt. Michelson this coming June, 2010. Would love to chat with someone who has climbed the peak in recent years. Please email me at funhog@olympus.net if you can help. Thanks.
I keep hearing that Chamberlin is the tallest peak in the Brooks Range, but I belive Mt. Isto is actually taller. Any geographers out there?