Alaska
Photographer: Dani & David
The moose successfully tracked down. Dani Arnold and David Lama realize first ascent at Moose`s Tooth in Alaska
David Lama is known for mountaineering top difficulties. Dani Arnold for incredible speed. When the two of them join forces, it is not surprising that the result is a difficult new route in Speedy Gonzales style. With "Bird of Prey" the two climbers succeed in only 48 hours a 1500m long first ascent on the northeast face of Moose`s Tooth, a route with the difficulty 1500m, 6a, M7+, 90°, A2, which goes up in fall line to the summit.
It is cold. Bloody cold. It wasn't cold at the grocery store. And so Dani and David realize only at base camp that their milk would probably not thaw until the end. They also know now that frozen bananas are inedible. Even the can with the tuna is frozen stiff. Dani tells: "It is much colder than usual at this time of year, the locals said. The thermometer showed -20 to -25 degrees. We didn't have to think long about what to wear: just anything. David down pants and Gore-Tex and I two long johns and Gore-Tex."
The mountains are still hidden behind a thick layer of clouds when the small plane drops Dani Arnold and David Lama on April 10. In the middle of the Buckskin Glacier, in the heart of Alaska. It is not until the evening that the two see their destination, Moose`s Tooth, for the first time. Dani: "It was clear: we have to get up there!"
The next morning, Dani and David head to the base of the wall for the first time. The closer they get to Moose`s Tooth, the steeper the upper part of the wall appears. Their line is quickly clear: as directly as possible, they should pull themselves up the wall in the fall line. Moreover, the headwall is still unclimbed
April 12, 02:00: After another icy night, Dani and David melt water for a coffee with clammy fingers. Then they ski across the flat glacier to the entrance. Mercilessly, the wind tugs at their clothes. But at the foot of the wall, conditions are good. Dani recounts: "When we entered the wall, the conditions were perfect. We both had the same idea of the difficulty up to which we could climb solo. So we were very fast, especially in the lower part." And just in time for the start of the difficulties, the sun reaches the NE wall. The cold as an otherwise constant companion is somewhat displaced for a few hours. In return, the wall becomes more and more difficult. Dani: "It went on really hard. Steep snow and mixed climbing. David led the first part. Then it was my turn. There was just too little ice to climb, so I had to scrape away all the ice first and mostly technical climbing up. I doubted for a moment whether we'd ever reach the summit with all this slow progress." But David's optimism is contagious and the two climb meter by meter.
The Arnold-Lama team works well. David takes over the rock sections, Dani takes care of the snow and ice lengths. The wall, however, becomes more and more forbidding. Often the two of them can't get any further. Dani explains: "Actually, it was easy: I just climbed up until I couldn't go any further. Then I had to make a commuter and try to get further to the right or left. The only problem was that the ropes don't like commuting at all, of course, and so they wore out enormously quickly." At 9 p.m., Dani and David find a band to spend the night. The small tent they brought with them finally provides some protection from the constant spindrift. Dani on the bivouac site: "It was again smaller than expected. I crouched down, David with his body size could lie down. From time to time we massaged our feet. Otherwise, the night passed quickly."
With the first rays of sunshine, Dani Arnold climbs further. The wind has decreased, and so has the spindrift. Again, they have to make progress several times by commuting. Dani: "From below, the terrain didn't look so difficult. Rather classic. But it was then much steeper and very exposed." The next pitch David has to climb more technically. Carefully, he cheats his way past a large unstable snow cornice. Then suddenly an ice tool breaks free of him. With his back he touches the shaft and so the 500kg heavy snow chunk falls down, in the middle of the rope! But apart from a broken hook on the belaystation and two hearts that stop for a short time, the incident goes smoothly.
Dani Arnold and David Lama don't have much gear with them. So they each have to climb far above the last belay. Alternately, they take the lead. The wall is steep, erupting stones fall directly without impact down to the base of the wall. The following big snow mushrooms are tedious. Maybe also because of the experience with the snow cornice. The last pitches in the ice are easier again. And they demand the highest concentration from Dani once again. Dani: "The end was more dangerous than difficult. I always climbed 60 meters without a belay. The ice was hard and brittle. A breakout of a pick would have had fatal consequences."
At 18.00 Dani Arnold and David Lama reach the summit. Behind them 1500m of difficult climbing. For the first time they see Denali on the backside of Moose`s Tooth. It is still cold and the two have only taken a backpack with the bare essentials from the bivouac. In addition, the weather is supposed to change the next day. So Dani and David decide to abseil the whole wall in one piece over the route. At 02.00 o'clock in the morning Dani and David are back in the base camp. Just 48 hours after they left for Moose's Tooth!
Facts
Route: Bird of Prey, 1500m, 6a, M7+, 90°, A2
First ascent on the NE face of Moose`s Tooth, April 12-14, 2013.
Climbers: Dani Arnold (CH), David Lama (AU)
Photos: Dani Arnold, David Lama
Equipment on the mountain: bivouac tent, 2 too thin sleeping bags, stove, food 2-3T, 2x60m rope, 4 expresses, 4 ice screws, slings, 1set of friends, 1.5 sets of wedges, 1S normal hook, 20m rope for rappelling
Material left behind: abseiling material
Location
The 3150m high Moose`s Tooth is located 24km southeast of Denali in Denali National Park in Alaska. On its southwest side it borders the Root Canal Glacier, its east side borders the Buckskin Glacier. Moose`s Tooth is considered a mecca for heavy touring. And "Bird of Prey" will now be both the most direct and arguably the most challenging route of the Northeast Face.
Arrival: Flight to Anchorage, from there a two-hour drive to Talkeetna and then by air cab directly to base camp on Buckskin Glacier on the east side of Moose`s Tooth.
Pictures and further information:
Hans Ambühl or Rahel Schelb
info@visualimpact.ch | www.visualimpact.ch