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The Mountain of Data
In this Sharp End story from Alpinist 62, Editor-in-Chief Katie Ives contextualizes some of the life and work of the great Himalayan chronicler Elizabeth Hawley, who died January 26, 2018, at age 94. During her lifetime, Hawley became an icon for her fact-checking and record-keeping, aspects of journalism that remain as important as ever today.
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Alex Honnold and Tommy Caldwell set a new speed record on the Nose
Alex Honnold and Tommy Caldwell set a new speed record on the Nose of El Capitan this morning, May 30, climbing the approximately 3,000-foot route in 2 hours, 10 minutes, 15 seconds. The previous record of 2:19:44 was set last October by Brad Gobright and Jim Reynolds, who bested a record of 2:23:46 set by…
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Many flock to Yosemite to say goodbye to Jim ‘the Bird’ Bridwell
On Saturday, May 19, climbers from around the country gathered at the Lower River Amphitheater in Yosemite Valley to share their remembrances of Jim Bridwell.
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Three Black Canyon routes in 24 hours: raising money for the Climbing Grief Fund
On Memorial Day, May 28, Madaleine Sorkin and Mary Harlan will descend more than 2,000 feet into the Black Canyon of the Gunnison with the goal of completing three big routes in 24 hours. They intend to climb Astrodog (V 5.11+, 14 pitches), Scenic Cruise (V 5.10+, 10 pitches) and the Russian Arete (IV 5.9+,…
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Highlights from Climb the Hill 2018
On May 9-11, some of the nation’s most prominent climbers took off their down jackets and donned suits on Capitol Hill to advocate for public lands, outdoor recreation and environmental issues. Nick Mott recaps some of the highlights along with some of the challenges ahead.
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The Ortovox Col Becchei Jacket: Well-made with top-notch materials
Mike Lewis finds that the Ortovox Col Becchei softshell jacket is well designed for alpine and rock climbing as well as backcountry skiing, but he has concerns about the $320 price tag.
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Brette Harrington and Rose Pearson follow their ‘Life Compass’ to complete a new route in a 21.5-hour push in the Canadian Rockies
Brette Harrington and Rose Pearson completed a new route on Mt. Blane–Life Compass (IV 5.10a M4+ 80 degrees, TD+, 980m)–in Alberta, Canada, in a 21.5-hour car-to-car push on April 25. They named the route for the series of life events that brought them together and the solace that Harrington sought in the aftermath of a…
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Access Fund, Alpine Club and pro climbers return to lobby Capitol Hill
The Access Fund and American Alpine club are gathering once again in Washington, D.C., this week with a host of high-profile climbers to lobby Congress on a handful of national issues affecting public lands, the environment and outdoor recreation as part of the third annual Climb the Hill event. The list of participants expected to…
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The American Alpine Club announces 2018 Excellence in Climbing award recipients
Doug Chabot, Danika Gilbert, David Roberts and Jeff Jackson are to be honored at the American Alpine Club’s Excellence in Climbing Celebration in Denver on June 2. Tickets are now on sale for the event, which includes a dinner, auctions, live music and more, with all proceeds supporting the AAC Library and the Bradford Washburn…
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British climbers find ‘Fun or Fear’ in Alaska on Jezebel’s east face after attempting north face
Tom Livingstone and Uisdean Hawthorn went to Alaska’s Revelation Range at the end of March, intent on trying a new route on Jezebel’s north face. After several runout pitches on poor snow, they reached a dead end: a giant chimney filled with vertical snow that had no apparent cracks. Consequently, they abandoned their attempt and…
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Survey: Sexual harassment/assault in the climbing environment
Alpinist, the American Alpine Club, the Access Fund and other climbing organizations across the country are partnering to launch a survey on the occurrence of sexual harassment and sexual assault in the climbing world. Our goal is to quantify the extent of this problem in our community.
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Under Pulse
In this Off Belay story from Alpinist 61, Jerry Auld imagines a close encounter with the gears of a massive mechanical system lurching under the surface of a glacier. The tale was inspired by some of his glacier travel in which he once fell into a crevasse and from a 2013 ski circumnavigation of Mt.…
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Patagonia Micro Puff Hoody: better than down
Alpinist digital editor Derek Franz tested the Patagonia Micro Puff jacket and found that the lightweight, synthetic garment outperforms those of similar weights with down feathers. “It lives up to the hype,” Franz writes. Five stars.
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Sherpa team succeeds on first ascent of Langdung (6357m) in Nepal
A team of four Sherpa alpinists completed the first ascent of Langdung peak (6357m) in December 2017. Dawa Yangzum Sherpa, the team’s only woman and Nepal’s first IFMGA guide, was instrumental in organizing the ascent, which included Dawa Gyalje Sherpa, Pasang Kidar Sherpa and Nima Tenji Sherpa. Here is the story of their climb and…
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Tom Higgins (1944-2018) remembers the 1976 first ascent of a Pinnacles classic
Tom Higgins, an influential climber and writer, passed at age 73 on March 21. In his memory, we present a story in which he recounts the 1976 first ascent of Shake and Bake, a classic three-pitch 5.10a R in Pinnacles National Park, California.
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The Mountain of Diamonds
In this Sharp End story from Alpinist 61, Editor-in-Chief Katie Ives ponders the legend of the “mountain of diamonds” in nineteenth-century American history and the obsession with the idea of hidden riches: “How quickly visions of distant summits turn into longings for conquest, exploitation and gain. But if an imaginary peak is a creation of…
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Pressure Lift
In this story from Alpinist 61, Cole Taylor recounts his solo journey of sailing north along the Pacific coast from Washington, navigating miles of crevassed glaciers and pulling off the second ascent of the North Pillar of Devils Thumb (Taalkhunaxhk’u Shaa) with borrowed gear, 40 years after it was first done by Bob Plumb and…
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Grivel Stealth HS helmet: the durability of a hard shell and the protection of foam
The Grivel Stealth Hard Shell helmet offers the protection of a hard shell and a foam helmet in one, making it durable against repeated knocks as well as from side impacts. Alpinist Digital Editor Derek Franz found it to be a worthy brain bucket for big-wall, ice and alpine climbing, but the strap system and…
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Kyle Dempster Solo Adventure Award recipients announced
Anthony Marra, Jessica Kelley and Alex Gaber are the first recipients of the inaugural Kyle Dempster Solo Adventure Award, which was created to honor the legacy of the revered alpinist and soloist. These three adventurers plan to climb, bike, ski and surf in New Zealand, Alaska and the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
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Marc-Andre Leclerc Remembered
Brette Harrington, Luka Lindic, Sonnie Trotter, Bernadette McDonald, Tom Livingstone and others recount the impressive climbing career and profound life of beloved Canadian alpinist Marc-Andre Leclerc.
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A Short Stretch of Fred’s Road
In this story from Alpinist 61, Douglas McCarty recalls his adventures on the road with Fred Beckey, which started in 1972 when McCarty and a friend hopped a freight train from Montana to Seattle, where the 17-year-olds subsequently met Beckey. Since then, McCarty joined the legendary mountaineer on trips to Alaska, China, Kenya, Mexico and…
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The Blue Ice Warthog 40L Pack: a worthy, alpine-specific workhorse
After lugging the Blue Ice Warthog 40L backpack around the mountains for several months, IFMGA/AMGA guide Mike Lewis came to some conclusions: the pack is ideal for ice, rock and alpine climbing (5 stars for that category), but the lack of a padded hip belt makes it less comfortable to carry long distances when you’re…
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On Becoming a Mountain Steward
In this unabridged version of a Climbing Life story from Alpinist 61, Laura Waterman retraces the path and climbs that inspired her to become involved in conservation work with her husband, Guy Waterman, in New England’s Presidential Range during the 1970s. Laura Waterman outlines the environmental challenges the area has faced in the past and…
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