British Mountain Guides deliver the goods in Alaska
The Cartwright Connection - Alaska
First ascent of 'The Cartwright Connection' for British Guides Jon Bracey and Matt Helliker
British Mountain Guides, Jon Bracey and Matt Helliker, have made the first ascent of a significant new route on the North Buttress of Mount Hunter in Alaska. This new line was dreamt up by the late Jules Cartwright, who always wanted to climb two new routes on the North Buttress of Hunter opposite Denali, an almost ideal location for cutting-edge modern mixed alpinism.
Although noted for their light and fast alpine climbing, Bracey and Helliker concluded that, for them, the obvious high level of difficulty might be more achievable if they took along a haul bag and portaledge. This proved to be the case, with Helliker reporting it the longest and hardest climb of his life. On their fourth day, after climbing through very steep terrain, which featured overhanging snow mushroons, thinly iced slabs, loose rock, aid, impending cracks and a pitch of vertical ice, the two joined the Moonflower below the pitch dubbed 'The Vision'. After sitting out most of day five through a bad storm, they sensed a slight lull, so feeling this was their only chance, cached most of their gear and set off on the remaining 500m (13 pitches) of the Moonflower leading to the top of the buttress. Climbing through the night, they reached the top of the face at 5am on day six, and 14 hours later, after 38 rappels, were safely back on the glacier, having spent the previous 36 hours with no food.
They have named the route 'The Cartwright Connection', in honour of our late friend and colleague, and full details can be found on their expedition blog.
