Not as well known as Denali but more thrilling than Chamonix, the Mount St. Elias region is an ideal playground for ice climbers and there are several as yet unscaled peaks and glaciers in the range if you’re looking for an experience that none have had before you. The climbing is varied with steep snow couloirs, shear faces of ice and rocky ridges amongst piercing blue glacial ice, rounded swathes of gently undulating snow and spiked peaks, all of it cold, remote and unforgiving. The variety of terrain in this region means there is an ice climbing experience for all standards: if you’re a beginner you can have your first ice climbing experience on dramatic, yet tamed rock faces with a guide while experienced ice climbers can try for Mount Elias itself.

Written by  tedrichrds.

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Wrangell Mountains ice climbing:

The best thing to do is arrange to be flown to the edge of the glacier. I’ve been on a few in this region and the Tanner is one of the most impressive looking, it’s also part of the Begley Ice Field which is spectacular scenery and one of the world’s biggest pieces of solid ice. Cool hey. If you haven’t been ice climbing before this is where they’ll train you before taking you out on the Root Glacier and then Elias. It’s cold and windy but that’s all part of the experience. The Root Glacier is much taller but the weather is better cause it’s sheltered by mountains.

More info: http://waotbp.com/glacier.html

 

Review posted 8th September 2007 by janey_diamond.

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