Day Two: Moby Dick Ascent

The early morning view back to camp. We skied the prominent White Chocolate Couloir in a total whiteout on our Houston Lake layover day in 2004.

David making the big upward jump over an unavoidable crevasse.

Here is my jump at this point, the technical crux of the climb. Houston Lake below. Photo by D. Nebel.

Pierre leading up to the notch in the ridge just east of the summit. Main summit just left of center.

David and Stan on the final snow slope to the summit area of Moby Dick. (Photo by Pierre Hungr)

This image from April 2013 shows the steep part of the climb. The rock rib we used in the heart of it is totally invisible in the snow.

A happy team a few feet below the summit. Battle Abbey’s valley below.

David and Stan atop Moby Dick. Pequod Pass, Ahab, and Butters peaks behind. The north side was very very steep. (Photo: Pierre Hungr)

The view of Ahab (left) and Butters. We skied from the summit of Butters in May 2004.

View from summit of the Wrong Glacier, Oasis Lake, Goodrich Peak, Scylla Peak in rear, and Claggart at right, with Houston Lake at lower right.

Me at the summit; the clouds cleared adequately just for our last scramble to the top. Photo by D. Nebel.

The north side of Moby Dick drops off very very steeply.

Looking west. Moby Dick has 5 summits in all; the highest is the easternmost.

Looking east with Battle Abbey visible left and below the center of the image.

Pierre on descent.

The crevasses near the bottom of the glacier presented a problem. At top here is the summit of Moby Dick.

David jumping a large gap on descent, belayed by Pierre using an ice screw.

And Pierre goes last.