July 9th, 2006, Joe Stock and I climbed all 5000 foot summits in the Western Chugach in a single 23 hour push, starting at the Rabbit Lake trailhead and finishing and the Snowhawk Valley Trailhead. For a writeup of the excursion, see http://www.trailrunnermag.com/article.php?id%20=97&cat=8. Here are some of the photos from the 20000 vertical feet, 40 mile crusher:
Starting out at 04:10 am on July 9th, 2006, from the Rabbit Lake trailhead
City of Anchorage waking up behind us
Foggy and rainy in the early morning, here in the way up to the first summit, South Suicide
N. Suicide from S. Suicide
Clearing weather!
Back down in the fog ... North ridge of N. Suicide
Summit of Avalanche Peak
This is where we're going ... the Ramp, Hidden Peak and O'Malley Peak
The Ramp, Williwaw Mnt, the Tanainas, and Temptation Peak
Joe's wife and friend Andrew met us at the Ramp with lunch (thanks guys!)
Summit of the Ramp with Avalanche Peak in the background
Heading up the snow gully to Williwaw Mnt
Long lake and the Tanainas from Williwaw Mnt
5 minutes rest on the summit of Koktoya Peak
Long lake from Koktoya with ominous weather coming in
Looking towards Anchorage
Tanainas from summit of Tikishla
Heading up Temptations peak (#12) in waning light and closing fog
Starting the long decent and hike out Snowhawk valley in the dark
After 3 hours of bushwhacking out the Snowhawk valley we finally hit the road and trailhead at 03:23 am on July 10th.
