Sam Johnson and I spent the second half of August in the Arrigetch Peaks. After some rain the first couple days, it was perfectly sunny and warm for the remaining 10 days. We flew in from Bettles via a vintage Beaver on floats, landing on Circle Lake pictured below. It's actualy more J-shaped. Our pilot Scotty from Brooks Range Aviation nailed the landing. 
Below is Sam on one of our reconnisance hikes. We climbed the striking sun/shade ridge in the backround, to the left of Sam. The formation is known as West Maiden, and the ridge is the North Ridge (5.9, ca.3000', grade V) first climbed by Bob Dugan and John Markel in 1982.
Below is Sam on one of our reconnisance hikes. We climbed the striking sun/shade ridge in the backround, to the left of Sam. The formation is known as West Maiden, and the ridge is the North Ridge (5.9, ca.3000', grade V) first climbed by Bob Dugan and John Markel in 1982.
Camp 1, on the hike in...
Below the North side of the Maidens...the route being the prominent sun/shade ridge...
After warming up on the N. Maiden, we turned our sights to Caliban, picured below. We were intrigued by the East ridge, which makes up the right skyline in the photo below. Our route was previously unclimbed, and involved 16 pitches and 4 rappels.
Below is Sam, starting up the 4th pitch of our route. We were forced to engineer our way around 2 of the towers in the backround, and climbed up and over the other two. It was a great route, and has excellent position as Caliban is the highest peak in the Arrigetch. Amazing granite, too!We ended up calling our route Pillar Arete 5.10, grade V, 16 pitches and 4 rappels on route.
