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Huntington Climbed by George Lowe, Joe Terravecchia and Mark Richey

Mount Huntington has had a number of climbers reach its summit this year, including three of America’s most legendary.

Joe Terravecchia, Mark Richey and 70-year-old George Lowe were one of the four recent parties to reach the summit of Mount Huntington.

George Lowe and Mark Richey near
George Lowe and Mark Richey near the summit of Mount Huntington.  Photo Joe Terravecchia

On May 27, they stood atop one of Alaska’s most iconic peaks, which they reached via the West Face Couloir. Watch a video that Joe Terravecchia took near the summit.

George Lowe is one of America’s most influential and accomplished alpinists and is no stranger to Alaska. In 1977, he made the first ascent, with Michael Kennedy, of the Lowe/Kennedy on Mount Hunter, and the famous Infinite Spur on Mount Foraker. Four years before that, he made the first ascent of the south face of the Devil’s Thumb with Chris Jones and Lito Tejada-Flores.

In the Canadian Rockies, he made the bold first ascents of the North Face of Mount Alberta, the North Face of the North Twin, the North Face of Mount Geikie and the Supercouloir on Mount Deltaform.

Mark Richey is another of America’s most cutting-edge alpinists. He was once the president of the American Alpine Club. In 2011, with Steve Swenson and Freddie Wilkinson, won the Piolet d’Or for their first ascent of Saser Kangri II, the second-highest unclimbed mountain in the world.

Joe Terravecchia is known for his bold ice and rock first ascents throughout Canada and the U.S.A. In 1995, with Karin Bates, Terravecchia established Leviathan on Newfoundland’s Blow Me Down wall. The nine-pitch 5.12 became one of the east coast’s most well-known routes after appearing as Terravecchia’s favourite climb in Mark Kroese’ book Fifty Favorite Climbs. In 2012, with Will Carey, Terravecchia established Geezer Pleaser 5.13dR at New Hampshire’s Stonehouse Pond.

George Lowe, 70, on Mount Huntington.  Photo Joe Terravecchia
George Lowe, 70, on Mount Huntington. Photo Joe Terravecchia

– For more photos from their ascent and stats on this year’s Alaska climbing season, visit the Denali NPS site here.

 

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