As part of an awareness campaign for cancer research members of Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center’s Big Expedition for Cancer Research left Saturday on a quest to scale an unclimbed, unnamed peak in Alaska’s Glacier Bay National Park. As the mountain has no name, the climb reflects the quest to eliminate cancer. As the route is uncharted, inevitably they will have unexpected setbacks and exhilarating advances, with the overall goal remaining foremost. The expedition has strong support from the industry with 15 official suppliers that have donated equipment and gear. Satellite communications systems from Vizada will be used throughout the climb and the public will be able to follow the mountaineers’ progress on the Big Expedition web site
The climbers left early Saturday morning by boat from Gustavus, Alaska, for Reid Inlet in Glacier Bay National Park, and are scheduled to arrive at the mountain in the next few days, where they’ll set up base camp and prepare to leave for the summit when weather permits. The public can follow the progress of the climb at https://www.fhcrc.org/about/bigexpedition. Jim Wickwire, the first American to summit K2 and a member of the Big Expedition’s Mountaineering Advisory Committee, accompanied the group for the fly over to finalize the mountain choice and route. A renowned mountaineer and Alaska climbing expert, Wickwire was instrumental in the planning process for this expedition. Because of its remote location, the 8,300 foot mountain has not been seen from the ground in more than 30 years, making planning for the expedition difficult.
