University Peak (Alaska) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids University Peak |
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|---|---|
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 14,470 ft (4410 m) NAVD88 |
| Prominence | 3210 ft (978 m) |
| Isolation | 3.71 mi (5.97 km) |
| Listing |
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| Geography | |
| Location | Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska, U.S. |
| Parent range | Saint Elias Mountains |
| Topo map | USGS McCarthy B-3 Quadrangle |
| Climbing | |
| First ascent | June 19, 1955 by Keith Hart, Leon Blumer, Sheldon Brooks, Tim Kelly, Norman Sanders, Gibson Reynolds, R. Houston |
| Easiest route | snow/ice climb |
University Peak is a very tall mountain in the Saint Elias Mountains in Alaska. It stands at 14,470 feet (4,410 meters) high! This makes it one of the highest peaks in Alaska and also in the United States.
Even though it's near the huge Mount Bona, University Peak is much steeper. It offers its own exciting challenges for climbers. The mountain got its name from Terris Moore during the first climb of Mount Bona. He named it after the University of Alaska.
Climbing University Peak
The first time anyone successfully climbed University Peak was on June 19, 1955. The team followed a path up the North Ridge. Keith Hart from the University of Alaska led this brave group. Other climbers included Gibson Reynolds, Leon Blumer, Tim Kelley, Sheldon Brooks, and Norman Sanders.
The First Climb
The climbers began their journey at the bottom of the Hawkins Glacier. They had to carefully make their way through a tricky icefall. This led them to a flat area, like a basin, about 10,000 feet (3,000 meters) high. This basin was on the west side of the North Ridge.
Today, this North Ridge path is still the easiest way to climb the mountain. However, climbers can now fly directly to the 10,000-foot basin. This helps them avoid the difficult icefall section. This route is known as an Alaska Grade 2+ climb.
A Tougher Challenge
In 1997, two climbers, Carlos Buhler and Charlie Sassara, found a much harder way up. They climbed the East Face of the peak, starting from the Barnard Glacier. This route is called "Third Semester" and is an Alaska Grade 5 climb.
This difficult route involves climbing 8,500 feet (2,600 meters) of steep snow, ice, and rock. Some parts are very steep, between 50 and 80 degrees. Near the top, there's even a 300-foot (90-meter) vertical ice cliff! After reaching the summit, climbers usually go down the mountain using the North Ridge route. Carlos Sassara and Charlie Buhler took six days to complete this amazing journey. Two of those days they were stuck because of a storm!
Mountain's Geology
University Peak is mostly made of a type of rock called granodiorite. This rock formed about 8.4 million years ago. It's like a giant, ancient rock that has been shaped by weather over millions of years.
