2011 Denali Quest Expedition via West Buttress

Welcome to the second blog of the 2011 Denali Quest Expedition, in this blog we'll bring you some information of the climbing history of the mountain. There was no doubt early exploration in the area surrounding Denali was by the Athabaskan people who inhabit the wider area around the mountain.  They referred to the mountain as Dinale or Denali, which translated means 'the high one' or 'the great one'. 

Readers however may also be aware of the mountain's other name McKinley.   In the late 1890's a gold prospector named the mountain McKinley in political support for the then president William McKinley.

 

Today the mountain is known by both names, because the Alaska Board of Geographic Names changed the name back to Denali, and locally it is known by this name. However in 1975 the Alaskan State legislature requested the name be changed through the United States Board on Geographic Names was blocked by Ohio congressmen.  As William McKinley's hometown was in Ohio.  So today the name Denali is correct in the eyes of the Alaskan state board, whilst McKinley is correct to the USA National board.

 

Like many mountains the world over, there's curious names association with features on the mountain.  Wickersham Wall was named after Judge James Wickersham who in 1903 made the first recorded attempt at scaling the mountain via the Peters Glacier and the North Face known today as Wickersham Wall. This route was not actually climbed until 1963.

 

Dr Frederick Cook claimed he had climbed the mountain and gained the first ascent in 1906.  Though his claim was highly suspicious, though it was widely believed.  He also laid claim to being the first to the North Pole in 1909. His claim to the first ascent of Denali, was later proved false by Bradford Washburn.

 

The Sourdough Expedition in 1910 comprised of Tom Lloyd, Peter Anderson, Billy Taylor, and Charles McGonagall), they attempted Denali despite a complete lack of climbing experience.  They devoted three months to achieving the first ascent.  Their summit day equipment comprised of a bag of doughnuts, thermos flasks of hot chocolate, and a 14 foot (4.2m) spruce pole. Only two of the made it to the North Summit. Which is actually the lower of the two peaks. Here they erected the spruce pole.  They recorded that they took 18 hours and this impressive time has never been bettered.  When they returned back to civilisation no one believed that they had reached the summit, until the first true ascent in 1913 confirmed their claims.

 

The first true ascent came on the 7^th June 1913, by a party led by Hudson Stuck. The first people to reach the summit were Walter Harper and Harry Karstens. They pioneered a route via the Muldrow Glacier, a route still popular today.  Harry Stuck spied through binoculars the large spruce pole on the North Summit, and confirmed the Sourdough expedition's claims.

 

Today it is still widely believed that the Sourdough expedition did truly succeed. However the pole was never seen before or since, so there is still an element of doubt. 

 

Denali is regularly climbed today in the short summer season of May to July.  Around 58% of those attempting the mountain make it to the summit.  It has claimed the lives of around 110 climbers and the most popular route is the West Buttress Route, pioneered in 1951 by Bradford Washburn.

 

Be safe in whatever you do

 

 

Lee Farmer

 

2011 Denali Quest Expedition