Expeditions and adventure climbs with Cloudsplitter are unique opportunities for climbers to put traditional skills on rock and ice to use on bigger mountains and more exotic terrain.

For these trips we frequently partner with our friends at Alpine Endeavors in the Gunks. Favoring low-ratios, technical climbing objectives and personal service, expeditions are selectively offered to include preparation and training in the Gunks or Adirondacks to ensure a rewarding experience.

In 2008 we'll be headed to Washington's North Cascades in July-August, and Red Rocks in Nevada in October. Scroll down this page for more details and Contact us for more information. Alaska's Little Switzerland is in the works again for June 2009.

Bob on the Throne, Little Switzerland, Alaska

 

Pika glacier basecamp

(We're taking June 2008 off to build a home) so in June 2009, Cloudsplitter Guides will headed back for our fourth trip to Little Switzerland in the Alaska Range, one of our favorite and surprisingly accessible alpine rock and ski touring destinations. If you like the wilderness and traditional climbing in the Adirondacks and want to step it up to Alaska size terrain- you'll love Little Switzerland.

The Pika Glacier (5600 ft), aka ‘Little Switzerland’ in the central Alaska Range is located at the head of a group of small peaks and glaciers that feed into the lower Kahiltna Glacier, approximately 35 miles south of Denali (aka ‘Mt. McKinley’) and Sultana (aka ‘Mt. Foraker’).

Cloud 'splitter' alpine cracks!

The former bush town of Talkeetna, about a two hour’s drive from Anchorage, is the launching point for ski-equipped planes that ferry climbers, skiers and sightseers into the Alaska Range. While most alpinists are headed for Denali’s West Buttress and a few are headed for classics in the Ruth Gorge and Kahiltna Glacier, the glacier landing site in Little Switzerland provides some of the most accessible and enjoyable alpine rock climbing and ski touring in the Range. The glacier flight alone is a spectacular experience and worth the trip.

The Pika Glacier is a relatively intimate setting compared to the higher peaks, with a diversity of 100 to 2500’ rock routes as well as a few glacier/snow routes and short approaches from basecamp. The technical nature of the climbing requires small teams of 2-3 climbers and a minimum of experience on multi-pitch rock. These are ideal objectives for experienced rock and/or ice climbers aspiring to more alpine endeavors in one of the world’s greatest ranges.

Bill rides the Dragonspine, Little Switzerland, Alaska

While any visitors to the Alaska Range should bring an open mind for weather delays and a commitment to a remote wilderness expedition experience, a 6-10 day trip that includes the glacier flight, a well-appointed basecamp, ski touring or snowshoe glacier travel, crevasse rescue training, alpine cragging, and a shot at any of the many quality moderate rock routes in the grade III, 5.5- 5.9 range - is the wilderness alpine climbing trip of a lifetime!

The Trolls, Pika Glacier

some OBJECTIVES:

The Munchkin- (II, 5.2), West side crag (II, 5.7- 5.9)
The Throne- Lost Marsupial (III 5.8), East Ridge (III 5.9)
North Troll – S Ridge (III 5.7)
Middle Troll – S. Face (III 5.8)
South Troll – S. Face (IV-, 5.9)
Royal Tower- E. Ridge (IV, 5.8), Gargoyle Buttress (IV, 5.10a), The Jester (II var. 5.10) more
Hobbit King- Hobbit Arete (III-, 5.7)
Hobbit’s Footstool – E. Ridge (II, 5.8), W. Ridge (III, 5.9), cragging on cracks
Practice Wall- 50-200’, 5.4- 5.8
Dragonspine- First buttress (III, 5.6-5.7)

Splitter cracks on the Middle Troll, AK

Bill gets dramatic, Alaska

PRIVATE and SEMI-PRIVATE GUIDING-ALPINE ROCK June 2008
Offered in June (19.5 hrs daylight!) and making full use of low-ratios to safely cover more technical terrain, private guiding can be arranged in Little Switzerland for a 6-10 day trip and is tailored to the individual’s experience and ambitions and focused on climbing alpine granite. A day of glacier and crevasse skills training or review is mandatory, but once covered, allows the remainder of the trip to be focused on any of several of the classic rock routes on the Throne, the Trolls, the Hobbit King, the Dragonspine and the Royal Tower. There are also options for mixed snow & rock routes in inclement weather, snowshoe or ski-touring, or simply soaking in the ambience from basecamp. Standard guiding rates apply, plus travel expenses,glacier flight, and food/logistics. Contact us for more specific information.

 

A Talkeetna Air Taxi DeHavilland 'Beaver'

LOGISTICS
Flying into Alaska’s bush is an intensely rewarding but slightly committing experience, climbers should ‘pad’ their schedule with 2-3 days to allow for weather delays at each end and purchase changeable tickets.

Guides will provide all on-mountain meals, group cooking, group camping and technical gear. Thanks to the use of the ski-plane, basecamp will include a pyramid shaped cooking/ socializing shelter and quality backcountry fare. (If communications with friends/family/business are a personal necessity, the pass to Hidden Glacier can be climbed to allow occasional cell-phone service, and for guaranteed access satellite phones can easily be rented in Anchorage or the web.)

Climbers will provide their own tents, sleeping bags/pads, personal clothing and personal climbing gear. A gear list is available upon request.

Climbers will coordinate their own flights to/from Anchorage ( and if necessary) lodging in Anchorage upon arrival/departure. Guides will arrange van shuttle to & from Anchorage-Talkeetna and glacier flights with TAT.

Jesse on the Throne, Little Swiss, AK

GUIDES
Cloudspltter's Little Switzerland expeditions will led by Cloudsplitter Director/Guide Jesse Williams with cooperation and assistance of additional AMGA certified guides. An annual visitor to the Alaska Range since 2000, Jesse has spent eleven personal and guided trips in the Alaska Range and Wrangell-St. Elias, including: guiding Denali's West Buttress, the first ascent of the West Ridge of Mt. Frances, an ascent of the Mini-Moonflower gully, an ascent of the West Ridge of the Moose’s Tooth, an ascent of the West Face of Mt. Dickey; a free-heel ski descent of the East Ridge of Mt. Frances, a free-heel descent of the North Ridge of Kahiltna Dome, a free-heel descent of Denali’s Rescue Gully, multiple ascents of the Throne, Hobbit King, North, South and Middle Troll and crag routes in Little Switzerland, attempts on Mt. Johnson, Mt. Hunter and the Dragonspine, and the first descent of the Banana couloir on Tokyo Peak in the Wrangell-St. Elias.