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Namesake: Izumi (“The Spring”)
In this Namesake story from Alpinist 48 (2014), Katsutaka “Jumbo” Yokoyama–an original member of Japan’s famous Giri-Giri Boys, who have become known for their bold and visionary ascents–writes about the first ascent of a route he named Izumi (“The Spring”) on Mt. Mizugaki.
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Osprey Mutant 52: A worthy pack for just about any pursuit in any season
Drew Thayer tested the Osprey Mutant 52 backpack on ski tours, cragging days and even a three-week packraft trip in the Amazon rainforest. While the pack isn’t the most ideal option for serious alpine climbing, he found that it works well for a variety of missions. Four stars.
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Tico Gangulee solos the first ascent and first ski descent of Chashkin I (6035m)
On June 20, in a round-trip from his advanced base camp that took approximately 11 hours, Tico Gangulee free soloed the first ascent–and first ski descent–of Chashkin I (6035m) in Pakistan. He named his route Steeze Matters (ED: 5.11c M4+, 85 degrees, 900m).
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Ines Papert, Luka Lindic and Brette Harrington complete The Sound of Silence on Mt. Fay
Luka Lindic writes about a new route he completed on the east face of Mt. Fay (3234m) in British Columbia, Canada, with Brette Harrington and Ines Papert on April 2-3. After getting lucky with weather and snow conditions they managed to find a thin line of passage up through the heart of the wall. They…
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Beal Escaper: A scary but handy tool for when you need to rappel with one rope
Alpinist Digital Editor Derek Franz tested the Beal Escaper, which the company describes as a “detachable abseil system” that enables climbers to rappel on a single strand of rope and then still be able to retrieve the rope from below. Franz reports that if used properly the Escaper can be a handy tool to facilitate…
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Zdenek Hak and Marek Holecek complete the first ascent of Chamlang’s northwest face
Czech climbers Marek Holecek and Zdenek Hak teamed up for another huge, demanding route on May 16-23, this time on the northwest face of Chamlang (7321m) in Nepal. They named their route UFO Line (ABO: M6, WI5, 2500m). Holecek initially declined to give a technical rating. “We have agreed on difficulty of the climb as…
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Mountaineering in reverse: Tales from the Underland
“A peak can exercise the same irresistible power as an abyss,” Theophile Gautier wrote in 1868. Robert Macfarlane’s new book Underland explores the landscapes below our feet where, as Sarah Boon writes in her review, “people appear to find something similar in caves to what they experience in the mountains–clarity of thought and vision.”
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Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Outdoor Media Landscape: A Note from the Editors
As they praise the publication of She Explores–a 2019 anthology of women’s outdoor stories and photos–Alpinist editors Katie Ives, Paula Wright and Derek Franz write, “We felt struck by two thoughts: how rare outdoor publications like this book, with such a variety of women’s images and voices, were in the past; and how much the…
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10-year-old Selah Schneiter climbs the Nose of El Capitan
Ten-year-old Selah Schneiter of Glenwood Springs, Colorado, climbed the Nose of El Capitan (VI 5.8 C2, 2,900′) on June 13 after a casual five-day ascent with her dad Mike Schneiter and their close family friend Mark Regier. Selah appears to have the youngest documented ascent of the Big Stone, but the age record wasn’t part…
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D4 Octapod: A unique portaledge that is lightweight, low-profile and easy to set up
Chris Kalman details his experience with the D4 Octapod, a unique portaledge designed by the legendary big-wall gear inventor John Middendorf. Kalman tells the story of his early frustrations with the D4 ledge and how he ultimately came to love it, awarding it five stars.
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The Story of Tu-Tok-A-Nu-La
The following story is an Ahwahneechee creation story of Tu-Tok-A-Nu-La (El Capitan) as told by Julia Parker, an Ahwahneechee descendant of Yosemite Valley, mother of climbing legend Ron Kauk and the grandmother of Ron’s son, Lonnie Kauk. This story originally appeared as a sidebar to a feature about the Kauk family, Lonnie’s childhood in Yosemite…
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Five bodies found in avalanche debris on the flanks of Nanda Devi East / Sunanda Devi; three others presumed dead
Eight climbers are presumed to have been killed in a large avalanche on the flanks of Nanda Devi East / Sunanda Devi in the Indian Himalaya while attempting an unclimbed satellite peak referred to by its elevation as Peak 6477. Photos from a helicopter search conducted by the Indian military on June 3 showed evidence…
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Cnoc Vecto and Versa Flow Gravity Water Filtering System is light, efficient, compact
Tad McCrea used the Cnoc Vecto and Versa Flow Gravity Water Filtering System on an expedition to Aconcagua where the rivers ran thick and brown with sediment. The simple, lightweight Vecto-Versa system worked well and kept Tad healthy. He awards it four stars.
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Thirteen Feet Under
Last April, as she scouted ice climbs deep within Canada’s Banff National Park, Michelle Kadatz was engulfed by an avalanche that swept her 650 feet down slope and buried her at a depth far beyond the reach of her partners’ avalanche probes. While entombed thirteen feet under, she experienced something that seemed as improbable as…
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Maxim Personal Escape Rope: A tag line made for alpinists
Chris Kalman recently took the 7mm Maxim Personal Escape Rope to the big wall jungle of Cochamo, Chile, where he used the tag line to haul gear and rappel while exploring new routes. The Maxim PER is designed to be strong, light, water-resistant and its stiffness makes it less prone to getting snagged. Kalman reports…
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American Alpine Club hosting the Excellence in Climbing Celebration on June 1
The American Alpine Club is hosting its annual Excellence in Climbing Celebration on June 1 at its headquarters in Golden, Colorado. Tickets start at $20. Laura Waterman and Ken Yager will be inducted into the Hall of Mountaineering Excellence and Kelly Cordes–this year’s recipient of the H. Adams Carter Literary Award–will deliver the keynote address.
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Magic Line
The son of legendary climber Ron Kauk and Ahwahneechee descendant Lucy Parker, Lonnie Kauk has long felt a deep connection to the rocks of his home in Yosemite Valley. In this oral history recorded by Alpinist Managing Editor Paula Wright and featured as the cover story for Alpinist 66, Lonnie, friends and family recount his…
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14-year-old with cerebral palsy summits the Marmolada in Italy’s Dolomites
Doctors predicted Getulio Felipe would never walk after a complication at birth left him with cerebral palsy. But the 14-year-old Brazilian learned to walk at age 7, and on Sunday, April 21, he summited the Punta Penia (3343m) on the Marmolada, the highest point of the Dolomites in Italy, after nine hours of climbing in…
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Ocun Crack Gloves: Save your skin as well as time and tape
Alpinist Digital Editor Derek Franz used to make fun of people who used rubber gloves to protect their hands while crack climbing, but now he’s become a convert with the Ocun Crack Gloves. He likes that he can easily take them on or off, as opposed to wearing a pair of tape gloves all day,…
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Gifts
In this Off Belay story from Alpinist 65, Joe Whittle shares a creation story that was told to him by a Nez Perce elder, Allen Pinkham. The story led Whittle to consider his relationship with nature more closely. He writes: “As I listened, I understood that recognizing the sovereignty of other elements in the world–including…
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Muhammad Ali of Sadpara
In this Climbing Life story from Alpinist 62 (2018), Amanda Padoan profiles Muhammad Ali of Sadpara, Pakistan, after he completed the first winter ascent of Nanga Parbat with Simone Moro (Italy) and Alex Txikon (Spain) in February 2016. Padoan writes: “Sponsorship never materialized for Ali, however, as it did for his European companions. He doesn’t…
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Alan Rousseau and Jackson Marvell summit Dickey’s east face via “Ruth Gorge Grinder”
Alan Rousseau wrote the following story about a new route he completed on the east face of Mt. Dickey in Alaska with Jackson Marvell on April 3-5. Their new line follows a prominent corner system between Blood from the Stone and the Wine Bottle; they named it Ruth Gorge Grinder (AI6+ M7, 5,000′).
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Montana climbers tap potential of Bitterroots with “Super Ultra Mega” (5.13a, 8 pitches)
Missoula climber Cole Lawrence and several partners completed a vision that began a decade ago when he established and redpointed Super Ultra Mega (5.13a, 8 pitches) on an unnamed, unknown buttress in Montana’s Bitterroot Range last September. The climbers say this is just the beginning of the potential for new, big free routes and that…
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