The Hummingbird Ridge- Mt Logan Ascent 1967

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Steve Grossman

Trad climber

Seattle, WA

Topic Author's Original Post - Feb 17, 2017 - 09:53pm PT

In 2015 I had the pleasure of interviewing Allen Steck, Dick Long and John Evans about their climbing adventures together. Preeminent in their list of accomplishments is the Hummingbird Ridge on Mount Logan in the Yukon Territory of Canada. These three men along with Frank Choale, Jim Wilson and Paul Bacon climbed this impossibly long route over a thirty seven day period completing the ascent on August 7, 1965. This account was written by Allen Steck and appeared in the inaugural issue of Ascent magazine.

"View down along the traverse on the carry to Camp 6. Snow Dome (site of Camp 4)extreme upper right."

Of all the Fifty Classic Climbs, this one remains unrepeated after more than fifty years and attempts by several strong parties. These guys adopted the perfect tactics for doing a route of this length and with a generous helping of hard won good fortune they clearly savor the experience of a lifetime looking back at the Hummingbird in proud wonder and the glow of friendship.

Dick, Al and John holding the shovel which turned out to be a crucial tool in forging this route and namesake for the Shovel Traverse. Almost accidentally bringing it along was the first of many strokes of good fortune on this amazing adventure.

Avery

climber

New Zealand

Feb 17, 2017 - 10:15pm PT

Great stuff, Steve. I know very little about the Hummingbird Ridge.

Steve Grossman

Trad climber

Seattle, WA

Topic Author's Reply - Feb 18, 2017 - 05:18pm PT

Hanging out with these guys and talking in depth with Al Steck was a blast...from the past!

EdBannister

Mountain climber

13,000 feet

Feb 18, 2017 - 06:24pm PT

Very cool Steve! TFPU

Reilly

Mountain climber

The Other Monrovia- CA

Feb 18, 2017 - 06:35pm PT

Full value old skool hardmen. Molto rispetto.

Wouldn't want to meet that lot in a dark alley!

Steve Grossman

Trad climber

Seattle, WA

Topic Author's Reply - Feb 18, 2017 - 06:52pm PT

Having spent time around these guys, you would laugh yourself to death.

Ghost

climber

A long way from where I started

Feb 18, 2017 - 07:17pm PT

Allen is well known for his Hummingbird climb and the Steck Salathe in the valley, but he also did a boatload of hard climbs in the Eastern Alps in Europe.

He cooks a pretty good lamb stew, too.

Steve Grossman

Trad climber

Seattle, WA

Topic Author's Reply - Feb 18, 2017 - 08:42pm PT

Al brought the first nylon rope to the Eastern Alps in 1949, the year before he climbed the Steck-Salathé. Good thing too because his partner Karl Lugmayer took a big fall when a fixed piton popped on the Comici Route on Cima Grande in the Dolomites. They retreated to see a doctor who became incensed when they told him that they were headed back to finish the climb asap, which they did. This was the first of the six classic north face routes to be climbed by an American.

Sally Moser wrote an excellent article about Allen that she was generous enough to share with us here on the ST.

http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=2691457&msg=2691457#msg2691457

Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber

San Francisco

Feb 19, 2017 - 04:02am PT

There is a really good mountain profile of Mt. Logan in Alpinist 31. Great reports/articles about some of the climbs mentioned here, including Geoff and Dave Nettle's climb. For those who are interested, find that magazine, it is a great issue. I wish the Aplinist did more mountain profiles.
Here is a preview: http://www.alpinist.com/doc/web10x/wfeature-logan-journal