Lucania was named by the Duke of Abruzzi, as he stood on the summit of Mount Saint Elias on July 31, 1897, having just completed the first ascent.

They used an airplane to reach Walsh Glacier, 2,670 m (8,760 ft) above sea level; the use of air support for mountaineering was novel at the time.

Washburn and Bates continued on foot to make the first ascent of Lucania, and in an epic descent and journey to civilization,[5] they hiked over 150 miles (240 km) through the wilderness to safety in the small town of Burwash Landing in the Yukon.

[6] Washburn's party was forced to abandon a great deal of gear—more than 1,000 pounds of cameras, surveying equipment and other supplies—on Walsh Glacier.

Assisted by officials from Canada's National Park Service and a team of archaeologists, much of the gear was collected and cleaned.