The winter of 2025/26 was the all-time coldest on record (so the coldest winter since recording started in 1904). From December through March, Fairbanks’ average temperature was -13.6 Fahrenheit. But after 2 months of cabin fever, a nice weekend finally materialized at the end of January which warranted scheming up a real adventure. I think Rowland might have actually proposed going for Mount Hajdukovich itself (it wouldn’t be his first 9000’er in January). But for a soft mountaineer like myself, I am more inclined to wait for a warmer month with more daylight. Still, the Little Girstle was begging Rowland and I for another visit… What to do, what to do. “Well, there is a 6083′ peak back there that I’m keen to check out…”; Spur Peak.
Category Archives: Powersports
Little Girstle Trilogy – Part 1: Independent Peak
Mount Hajdukovich is a 9600′ peak in Alaska’s Delta Mountains. 9000′ might not seem like much to someone from Colorado, but when the trailhead starts at 1300′, you are looking at 8000′ of elevation gain. For snowmachine mountaineers like Rowland Powers and myself, Mount Hajdukovich is an attractive objective because the lengthy approach can be covered on machine. But snowmachine trails aren’t always as straightforward as you hope, so in November of 2023 we set our sights lower, on the 4545′ high point of Independent Ridge, to serve as an educational trip for a smoother Mount Hajdukovich expedition in the future.
8900′ Aydon Peak via Boonje Couloir
This route and peak are in my top 3 of all time. The other two are Icefall West Ridge and Baleful North Ridge. Having done a guestimated 300 peaks in my lifetime, that puts Aydon in the top 1%. A key difference between those other two bold undertakings and this one, however, is information. WithContinue reading “8900′ Aydon Peak via Boonje Couloir”
Truth Peak
It was a Sanford attempt that fell apart due to an unpleasant weather forecast for the upcoming week. The reality that Sanford wouldn’t have happened was later cemented by boot fit issues for 2 out of the 5 in our party. But since we had already ventured nearly 20 miles deep (by snow machine), TruthContinue reading “Truth Peak”
From Rocks To Rivers 