Resurrection Bay Climbing

Resurrection Bay is considered the largest fjord of the Alaskan coast, and was likely filled with a sheet of ice as late as the LIA. Along the coast, the Pacific plate is slipping under the North American plate and moving at a rate of about 2 inches per year. This subduction is dragging the Kenai Mountains into the sea. This means Rez bay is is one of the most tectonically active areas on earth. Geologists are interested.

Much of the coast near Seward is composed of greywacke and golden sandstone, sometimes very chossy and sometimes very solid. Winter climbing in this area has been experiencing a renaissance the last few years. Rumors of local sandstone and grewacke bouldering abound, but locals are secretive for environmental and access reasons.

On the east side of the bay from Thumb cove south, the pillow basalt offers promising lines.

In the southern part of the bay and in the Gulf of Alaska there is a granite intrusion that offers great quality, with the most challenging access. The Aialik peninsula holds unnamed needles upon which no human has sat. Many lines await on granite island from Taz basin, if one finds fair weather, flat seas, and lots of free time, belay from your boat.

There are reasons why climbers have avoided this area: It rains about half the time, access can be multi-day, challenging, or expensive. Make sure you have loads of time, money, and optimism to succeed here. Recently, area locals have been ferreting first ascents on cool basalt features.