Facts and Figures

The climb:

First attempt, May 2007

Time on mountain: three weeks

Highest elevation reached: 17,000 feet (5,000 meters)

 

Summit attempt team members: Axel Naglich, Peter Ressmann, Philipp Knab (mountain guide), Volker Holzner (mountain guide), Beat Kammerlander (camera operator), Günther Göberl (camera operator)

 

Vertical skied between base camp and sea level on May 20: 10,000 feet (3,000 meters)

Time for descent: three hours

Second attempt, August 2007

Time on mountain: nine days

Highest elevation reached: summit, 18,008 feet (5,489 meters)

 

Team members: Axel Naglich, Peter Ressmann, Volker Holzner (mountain guide), Günther Göberl (camera operator)

 

Aug. 9: Leave base camp at midnight, climb to advanced camp, 14,000 feet

Aug. 10: Leave advanced camp at 7:30 a.m., climb to high camp

Aug. 11: Leave high camp at 7:30 a.m., arrive at summit at 12:50 p.m.

Time on summit: 10 minutes

Time to ski to advanced camp at 14,000 feet (4,300 meters): two hours

Vertical between skied between summit and high camp: 4,000 feet (1,200 meters)

Vertical skied between high camp and base camp: 4,000 feet (1,200 meters)

Mount St. Elias:

Elevation: 18,008 feet (5,489 meters)

Grade: 50 to 60 degrees on upper slopes

Location: southeastern Alaska on the Yukon border

In Wrangell-St. Elias National Park (Alaska) and Kluane National Park (Yukon)

Highest peak in the world so close to tidewater

Second highest peak in the United States, third highest in North America

Coordinates 60°17′36″N, 140°55′46″W

Camps:

Elias base camp, Tyndall Glacier: 4,800 feet (1,460 meters)

Elias Camp 1, Haydon Shoulder: 10,000 feet (3,000 meters)

Advanced camp bivouac: 14,000 feet (4,300 meters)

High camp: 15,500 feet (4,700 meters)

Elias summit: 18,008 feet (5,488 meters)

Vertical drop: 18,008 feet (5,488 meters)

Comparison:

Everest base camp elevation: 17,600 feet (5,364 meters)

Everest summit: 29,028 feet (8,848 meters)

Vertical drop: 11,428 feet (3,483 meters)

Mount St. Elias history:

First spotted and named by Vitus Bering in 1741

First climbed in 1889

Second ascent was not until 1946

Last known successful ascent was in 2003

Saint Elias Range:

Highest coastal mountains in the world, contain the world’s largest non-polar icefields

Wrangell-St. Elias is the largest national park in the United States

Covers 13.2 million acres, five million are permanently covered with snow and ice

Known for its unpredictable weather, steep climbing and highly variable snow conditions

Produces the Malaspina, the largest single icefield in Alaska

Gear:

Transported into base camp: 10,000 pounds (4,500 kg), plus camera equipment on first attempt

Weather:

Coldest temperatures during expedition: - 40 degrees Celsius

Warmest temperatures during expedition: 15 degrees Celsius

Pre-trip training:

Where: Monte Rosa, Italy

Length: one week

Maximum elevation: 15,000 feet (4,500 meters)