Mount Razorback
(Elevation 3510', 59.1726° -63.4110°, Map 14M03, UTM 765591)

Topographic Map of Razorback: Click for map.

Mount Razorback is an immense jagged crest that stands guard on the north at the entrance to Nachvak Fiord. Alexander Ford, whose seminal 1931 expedition mapped this area, said: "Nothing along the whole coast of Labrador is so spectacular". Noel Odell, the geologist and mountaineer on the expedition, upon summiting the west peak in 1931, said: "Without a parallel on all the American coast. ... the situations and scenery were in effect a blend of Norway, the Coolins and the Charmoz, though one hesitates to drive analogies, claimed in moments of exuberence, too far!"

Route: The East Ridge (via the Razorback Glacier) Ray Chipeniuk, Ron Parker and Erik Sheer, 1978, first ascent. The team was transported by boat to a landing they christened "Bivouac Cove" which was on the ocean side of the mountain about 2 miles north of the entrance to the fiord. The team hiked easily up along a brook to the west for about a mile and then turned north passing Razorback Tarn in about another mile and arrived at Razorback Glacier. Turf gave way to bedrock or stable talus which gave way to firm snow laying over the glacier which could be climbed without kicking steps. The team steered to the east side of the glacier, avoiding the bergschrund, and entered a gully which after about 600'of scrambling led to the east ridge. They topped out on the ridge and ascended on excellent granite. (A rare species knowm as "charnockite".) The climbing was continuously exposed and demanding. If not for the limited time available every pitch would have been roped, but in the situation only one pitch was roped and another belayed. Otherwise the team soloed "carefully but quickly and masterfully". The ridge rose in succesive steps, each harder than the last until near the top they reached the crux which offered a choice of a chimney topped by a roof with a window, which would not have permitted a retreat once commited, or a series of very narrow ledges with lie-back corners with no horizontal holds. The latter was chosen and Ray and Erik soloed up past this area to the ridge top from which they belayed Ron up. This 50' pitch was estimated to be YDS 5.4 to 5.6. From there to the summit it was but a pleasnt walk over the rather flat crest. They arrived at the summit at 5:00 PM with late afternoon sun slanting through snow. Upon observing the narrow ridge which connected the summit to the west peak, Chipeniuk wrote: "Nobody wondered any longer why Odell had chosen not to cross the "Aiguilles Ridge" to Razorback's true summit: it was just one needle-sharp gendarme after another, many of them leaning into space like spectators straining not to miss the climax of an exciting event in a sports arena". Descent was accomplished by several rappels and some "dicey" downclimbing. They arrived back at the cove at 10 PM but as agreed, their boat had already left with two other climbers and so they established a not-unpleasant bivouac. (1978 Torngat Mountain Expedition, A Report to the Newfoundland Dept. of Tourism, Ray Chipeniuk, 1979.)