Isolation 3.71 mi (5.97 km) Easiest route snow/ice climb First ascent 19 June 1955 | Elevation 4,410 m Prominence 978 m | |
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Topo map USGS McCarthy B-3 Quadrangle Similar Mount Alverstone, Mount Hubbard, Mount Vancouver, Atna Peaks, Mount Bear | ||
University Peak is a high peak in the Saint Elias Mountains of Alaska. It is one of the twenty highest peaks in Alaska [1], and one of the fifty highest peaks in the United States[2]. It can be considered a southern outlier of the large massif of Mount Bona. However, it is a much steeper peak than Bona, and presents significant climbing challenges of its own.
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Map of University Peak, Alaska 99566, USA
The peak was named by Terris Moore during the first ascent of Mount Bona; the name refers to the University of Alaska.
Climbing
The first ascent of University Peak was in 1955, via the North Ridge. The leader was Kieth Hart, University of Alaska. The party consisted of Gibson Reynolds, Columbia University, Leon Blumer, Sydney, Australia, Tim Kelley, University of Washington, Sheldon Brooks, Pacific Lutheran College and Norman Sanders, University of Alaska. The climbers started at the foot of the Hawkins Glacier, and negotiated a difficult icefall to gain a basin at around 10,000 feet (3,000 m) elevation, on the west side of the North Ridge. This is still the recommended easiest route, but now one can fly into the 10,000-foot (3,000 m) basin to avoid the icefall. This route is rated Alaska Grade 2+.
A much harder route (Alaska Grade 5) was climbed on the East Face of the peak (from the Barnard Glacier) in 1997, by Carlos Buhler and Charlie Sassara.
This East Face route, named "Third Semester", involves 8,500 feet (2,600 m) of 50-80 degree snow, ice and rock capped with a 300-foot (90 m) vertical ice cliff. The descent is via the North Ridge. The first ascent party took 6 days to complete the traverse, including 2 days of storm that prevented movement.