Region: America - North and Central

Paul Ramsden with Andy Kirkpatrick (March-April 2006)

There is no doubt that the mountain areas of the world offer some of the best evidence of global climate change. In Autumn 2005 (MEF Ref 05/08), Ramsden had experienced problems climbing in Alaska due to a record hot/dry summer but on returning a few short months later, he faced the coldest winter for 20 years! The aims of this trip to Mt Dickey (2909m) were to make the first ascent of a new route on the steep South Face icefall and/or the ‘laser line’ on its East Face. But they were disappointed to find that the icefall no longer existed, having sublimated in the cold conditions. They therefore tried a line on the East face, which led to the leader’s most frightening mountain experience ever when he discovered that a 30m pitch of vertical névé that he had just climbed without any protection was no more than a thin crust. Seeking sunnier routes, they therefore investigated the S face of Mt Bradley but were once again thwarted by the conditions.