Samaya x Jackson Yip
THE CALM BETWEEN TWO STORMS
Fifty years ago, four Harvard students attempted an ascent on the Tokositna Glacier in Alaska. In May 2023, Jackson Yip and his friend Mike flew to this destination to attempt the Harvard Route on Mount Huntington. For Samaya, Jackson looks back on their expedition.
What drove you to attempt this legendary climb?
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Jackson Yip: During my first expedition to Alaska, I had the opportunity to attempt this famous climb (WI3+ M6 C1 VI 1200m). I asked my friend Mike, an experienced Sierra Nevada mountain guide, if he was interested in this 1,200-meter route. He immediately agreed and we started planning. After months of preparation, the day of departure arrived, and with it, the clear weather we were hoping for to reach the glacier. We were in a completely different world, surrounded by ice and black and gold granite. The next morning, we were ready to leave camp and walk to the icefall to begin our first attempt at the route.
How did your first attempt go?
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JY: During our first attempt, the weather window was short, forcing us to move quickly. In four hours, we reached the top of the approach couloir. Mike took the lead and at five o’clock, we began the first pitch of the spiral, a two-pitch mixed climbing crux that Mike would easily complete. He placed his ice picks and tools delicately into tiny holds, expertly guiding his body with every step. He would let out a light hoot when he succeeded in a difficult move, and a loud one when he reached the belay. Once we reached the top, stones began to cascade into the small dihedrals of the west face due to the warm temperatures. After a 40-meter rappel, we dug a space into a snow cornice to spend the night, waiting for the walls to refreeze.
Were you able to continue the ascent the next morning?
JY: The next day, we found ourselves in a snowstorm with zero visibility. We readied our ropes for the descent. Mike started down the steep snow and I followed. Five hours later, we were below the bergschrund and six hours later, we were back at camp, where we would face a storm that would last four days, leaving us with a meter of fresh snow on our tents. We regained our composure and strength and tried once again to move forward on the route, but we had unconsolidated snow up to our chests and dangerous conditions in the approach couloir, which hampered our progress. Once again, we pushed as far as we could before conditions forced us to retreat into the cirque below, with a forecast of bad weather for the next 24 hours.
You had to leave after this last attempt. How did you feel at that moment?
JY: We still wonder what we could have done to reach our goal. Even though we didn't reach the summit, we returned alive after having the opportunity to climb in one of the most beautiful places in the world. Today, I am just looking for ways to return to attempt this mountaineering jewel again, consider other routes, and feel that sense of wonder once more.
