Amulet Peak

Amulet Peak (8290') rises above the Glenn Highway and the rock plug known as the Lion's Head, about 110 road miles northeast of Anchorage (September 2015). Vince Hoeman described the first ascent as follows: "This beautiful mountain ... rises only six miles from mile 94 on the Glenn Highway, but the Matanuska River was a formidable barrier until winter climbing began in this area. In early 1967 none of three attempts on the northeast ridge and east face got higher than 6100 feet. Finally Bill Babcock, my wife Grace and I packed across the frozen river and up the ice of Gravel Creek on March 9, 1968 with three days at our disposal to reach the easier south side. We snowshoed up an unexplored valley to camp behind our peak at 5000 feet. The next morning was clear and cold. We had excellent conditions on the steep snow to the southwest ridge and around the gendarmes on the ridge to the room-sized summit." The north face (visible in shadow in this picture) was first climbed in 1999.