Climbing Denali from the South Buttress - Alaskan Heroes

21 February 2012
6:00 PM

Sunrise at 8:30 AM in direction 114° East-southeast Sunset at 5:41 PM in direction 247° West-southwest Duration of day: 9 hours, 10 minutes (6 minutes, 49 seconds longer than yesterday)

I had the privlege and honor of briefly knowing Les Viereck when I first moved to Alaska.  In my opinion, the most spectacular climb of Denali (Mt. McKinley) was undertaken by Morton Wood(Woody), Elton Thayer, Les Viereck, and George Argus in 1954.  Early ascents of the mountain have been detailed several places, but High Alaska: a historical guide to Denali, Mt. Foraker, and Mt. Drum captures the highlights well.  In those days, there was no Parks Highway so the climbers took the train to a stop north of Talkeetna, long gone Curry Station, and then hiked and camped for 50+ miles to get to the foot of the South Buttress approach.  They began the ascent by chipping steps into the ice on the south face, and then once a suitable location for setting up camp was reached, ferrying supplies from the previous point to the the current location.  When they fell behind schedule they climbed with packs fully loaded.

Elton Thayer, leader and Park Ranger died on the descent and George Argus was badly injured.  Morton Wood and Les Viereck walked out alone to get help for George.  The rescue was done by helicopter, the first such rescue by the Army’s Sikorsky H-5 “Dragonfly” helicopter.  A more detailed version of the climb and rescue can be found at Band of Brothers - Remembering Denali's Greatest Rescue although you will need to highlight the words for easier reading.  In 2000, two of the climbers provided oral histories of the climb, Morton Wood and Les Viereck.  Woody is very articulate and provides a vivid, rich picture of the experience.  Les is more taciturn, and for that reason provides a strong character study of the kind of person that settled this region.

It is hard today to imagine how really rugged and strong these men were.  They climbed with no oxygen, from the base, with heavy packs and gear that has long been outdated.  The loss of their leader at the end affected the survivors, none of whom climbed on a major expedition again.

Les was brave in other regards as well.  His first job in Alaska was on Project Chariot (Arctic Magazine, VOL. 61, NO. 4 (DECEMBER 2008) P. 451–452).  They were considering excavating a harbor on the northwest coast by using an atomic blast.  It's hard to believe now days, but at the time, it was being given serious consideration.  Les and others went toe-to-head with the project planners and he lost his position as a consequence, but the environment was left undamaged.  Dan O'Neill's book, The Firecracker Boys (1994), provides a record of this episode in Alaskan history.

I was thinking about Les today because my husband may have medical needs serious enough that we need to get a second opinion.  Our friend Vera, and neighbor to Teri Viereck, Les's widow, always says go Outside for any important medical procedure.  Les did not do that.  He had hip surgery and he had it performed locally.  As time went on, it degenerated and he was in great and constant pain.  They were set to leave for Denver for another surgery, one that would hopefully correct his problems.  They would have flown by Lear jet because Les could no longer sit.

They didn't do that though, because Les took his own life before the departure time.  He left Teri with a very comfortable income through her elder years.  He also left a good many friends, a permafrost weather station, and a garden that has not flourished since his passing.