The official slogan for town of Whittier is “The Gateway to Prince William Sound”. It’s an ideal slogan - the town is nestled into a small anchorage at the far western edge of Passage Canal and a short boat ride leads to lifetimes of mountains. That said – if you don’t have a boat (or lifetimes to devote to approaches) there are several easily accessible peaks that you can scramble up just above the town.
This page is a collection of pictures and notes for routes up those five peaks: the Northeast Ridge of Cummings Peak, North Ridge of Bard Peak, South Ridge of Maynard Mountain, West Ridge of Learnard Peak and the South Ridge of Lowell Peak. The routes range from moderate ridgeline strolls with actual trail approaches, to bushwhack adventures and spicey glacier travel.
Onboard the Contagious & departing Whittier on a fine day. In the background are Bard (left), Maynard (right) and the lower shoulder of Lowell (foreground right).
Whittier Peaks map. GPX available here.
First some Whittier tips: In general Whittier is not a fun place to be. Wind, rain, and heavy snowfall are common. The average annual precipitation is 196 inches (16 ft). Average annual snowfall is 241 inches (20...
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