Mount Miller

Mount Miller is an isolated peak of the Saint Elias Mountains in Alaska, United States. It is notable for its position among spectacular icefields, its distance from any inhabited place, and its large rise above local terrain. It is over 65 miles (105 km) from McCarthy, the nearest habitation, and over 105 miles (169 km) away from Yakutat, the nearest significant town. Exemplifying the size of the mountain, the south flank rises 9,000 feet (2,700 m) above the Duktoth River valley to the south in approximately 9 horizontal miles (14 km). Mount Miller is the high point of the east–west trending Barkley Ridge, located on the south side of the Bagley Icefield, one of the largest icefields in North America. The Bering Glacier flows from the Bagley Icefield at the western end of the ridge, while the southeast slopes of the ridge head the Yahtse Glacier. The only side of the ridge that is not completely glaciated is the south side, where the Robinson Mountains lie between Barkley Ridge and the Gulf of Alaska. Since Mount Miller is so isolated, and is not of extraordinary absolute elevation by Alaskan standards, it was not climbed until very recently. The first ascent of the peak was made in April 1996 by Charlie Sassara, Ruedi Homberger, Reto Ruesh, Paul Claus, and Carlos Buhler, via the West Ridge (as published in the 1997 AAJ, link below). Paul Claus, a renowned bush pilot and owner of Ultimate Thule Lodge, a private inholding deep in Wrangell St. Elias Park, as well as a mountaineer had attempted Miller on prior occasions. This included at least one attempt where their camp had to be abandoned on Miller's West Ridge due to the immense snowfall/wind storms produced on the mountain coming in from the Gulf of Alaska. In early 1996, Minot Maser, a former guide with St. Elias Alpine Guides, along with Charlie Wolf were awarded a Mugs Stump Grant to attempt Miller, yet, via the north face.

First ascent