On March 4th 2019, alpinists Lonnie Dupre and Pascale Marceau are returning to Canada’s Yukon Territory to attempt a first winter ascent in Kluane National Park and Reserve.
The team is planning a reconnaissance flight prior to the climb to assess possible routes and landing options near Mt. Lucania 5,226 meters (17,146 feet) Canada’s third tallest mountain, or nearby Mt. Wood 4,850 meters (15,912 feet). Neither peak has been climbed in the winter.
"The beauty of such firsts lies in their unknowns. There is no standard route. There are no prescribed landing zones and the condition of the glaciers is always changing," said Marceau.
The biggest challenges are expected to be the extreme cold and hurricane force winds that the duo expects to encounter.
“We are entering a land of mountains, snow and ice during a time of year when it is untraveled. This sense of exploration and adventure is a significant part of the thrill in these projects,” added Dupre.
Stay tuned as the team shares their last minute preparations and insight on how they have dialed their systems from last winter’s attempt. Look forward to their ultimate route decision after the recon flight!
Dupre is thrilled to continue his partnership with lead sponsor, PrimaLoft - Performance Insulation. This product is used in the team’s clothing, sleep system and footwear. PrimaLoft has been central in all of Dupre’s expeditions since 1995.
The team’s major sponsor Minnesota based Granite Gear, has equipped the team with custom winter mountaineering backpacks. Check them out for seriously awesome packs and accessories.
Support sponsors include: SPOT personal locator beacon to follow along during the climb, Globalstar providing satellite phone service as Dupre & Marceau’s lifeline to the rest of the world, Hilleberg the Tentmaker for their wilderness hotel, Midwest Mountaineering providing long time support of their projects, and Wintergreen, who provide the best clothing we found for being active in cold weather.