Chantel Astorga Solos Cassin Ridge, Skis Denali
Over the years, she's accomplished a number of bold routes on North America's highest peak
Chantel Astorga, one of North America’s leading alpine climbers, has soloed the Cassin Ridge on Denali, which she followed up with a ski down the West Rib and Seattle Ramp.
She climbed alone up the famous ridge to the summit of the 6,194-metre peak in 14 hours and 39 minutes. Most climbers take a number of days. She reached the summit on June 14. The speed record belongs to Colin Haley in 2018 when he soloed it in eight hours and seven minutes.
This is not the first time Astorga has pushed the limits in Alaska. In 2018 with Anne Gilbert Chase, they climbed Slovak Direct as the first all-women team, and only the ninth to ever succeed on the hard line. In 2015, her and Jewel Lund became the first all-women team to climb the Denali Diamond.
The Cassin Ridge was first climbed from July 6 to 19 in 1961 by Riccardo Cassin, Luigino Airoldi, Gigi Alippi, Jack Canali, Romano Perego and Annibale Zucchi. It’s graded Alaska grade 5, 65°, 5.8 AI4, 3,000 metres.
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