-
BLM management plan threatens Bears Ears National Monument while lawsuits continue
This year–2020–is anticipated to be the year for the long-awaited court ruling as to whether President Donald Trump’s reduction of Bears Ears National Monument in December 2017 was legal. There appears to be some hope for the people in favor of reinstating the former boundaries of the 1.35 million acre monument. But as the legal…
-
Another Outdoor Retailer, another opportunity to call for political and social changes
As Alpinist Digital Editor Derek Franz prepares to attend Denver’s third Winter Outdoor Retailer + Snow Show, he reflects on the rise of conversations about politics and the environment at the biannual trade convention. A climate rally is planned for Friday afternoon at the conclusion of the show, and a recent update was also announced…
-
In Search of Lost Peaks
In this Sharp End story from Alpinist 68–which is currently on newsstands–Alpinist Editor-in-Chief Katie Ives goes in search of a secluded alpine basin to retrace the steps of a famous guidebook author, Harvey Manning.
-
Kyle Dempster Solo Award and American Alpine Club Live Your Dream Grant open for 2020 applications
Two grant application periods opened this week–the Kyle Dempster Solo Award and the American Alpine Club Live Your Dream Grant. The AAC application period is closing earlier this year, on February 29. KD Solo Award applications are due March 15.
-
Avalanches kill hundreds in Kashmir
We are sad to report that a series of avalanches has devastated villages in the Pakistan-controlled part of Kashmir. Steve Swenson, a climber and author who is very familiar with the area, has provided Alpinist with some description about the hazards villagers face in these mountains.
-
Wayne Merry (1931-2019): Yosemite legend, teacher and loving steward of wild places
Steve Grossman chronicles the adventurous life of Wayne Merry, who passed away at home in Atlin, British Columbia, early on October 30, 2019, after suffering from prostate cancer. He was 88. Merry completed the first ascent of the Nose on El Capitan with Warren Harding and George Whitmore in 1958. He went on to oversee…
-
Melting Giants: La Meije, Massif des Ecrins, France
For 141 years since its first ascent, mountaineers from around the world traveled to climb la Meije in the Massif des Ecrins of France. Meanwhile, the permafrost that held its stones together was melting. On August 7, 2018, rockfall destroyed much of the normal route. In this On Belay story from Alpinist 68, two locally…
-
Tool User: Kendal Mint Cake
In this Tool Users story that first appeared in Alpinist 68–which is now available on newsstands and in our online store–John Hessler explores the history of an energy bar invented in 1869: the famously (or infamously) sweet Kendal Mint Cake.
-
Blood That Dreams of Stone: Antonia Pozzi, Climbing Poet
During the early twentieth century, the talented young poet Antonia Pozzi sought freedom from her family and her society amid the rock spires of the Dolomites and other Italian peaks. In this feature story from Alpinist 68, David Smart provides an introduction to her career, along with translations of three of her climbing poems, with…
-
Valandre Troll jacket: As warm as a down coat can be
Scott Coldiron has a lot of experience when it comes to staying warm on frozen alpine routes. He’s been using the Valandre Troll jacket in Montana’s Cabinet Range and reports, “Simply put, this jacket lofts better under all conditions than other down jackets I’ve used, and the resulting warmth it creates is impressive.” It’s also…
-
American Alpine Club Annual Benefit Dinner features “climbers uniting for the planet”
The American Alpine Club Annual Benefit Dinner weekend will be in Denver on Friday and Saturday, March 13-14. Tickets are now available on the AAC website. It promises to be particularly special because it will be Phil Powers’ last Benefit Dinner as club CEO. Kris McDivitt Tompkins, former CEO of Patagonia and current president of…
-
Local Hero: Katie Sauter
Whether they’ve collected summits, books or memories, many climbers long to preserve records of the past. In this Local Hero story from Alpinist 68–which is now available on newsstands and in our online store–Paula Wright presents the person responsible for cataloguing and managing one of the most extensive of these collections: Katie Sauter, director of…
-
Edelrid Bulletproof quickdraw: The burliness of steel with the lightness of aluminum
Alpinist Digital Editor tested the Edelrid Bulletproof quickdraw at Rifle Mountain Park, a world-famous sport crag where the volume of traffic frequently destroys carabiners. The Bulletproof showed hardly any signs of wear after hanging on one of the canyon’s most popular routes for four months, earning five stars. “Wait! This review is for Alpinist, what…
-
The Less You Talk
In this Climbing Life story from Alpinist 68, our digital editor Derek Franz articulates the value of staying quiet while climbing with his wife. “I’ve learned that my enthusiasm can be a detriment,” he writes. “My impulse, ever since I was a kid, has been to try to offer guidance…. I want to encourage her;…
-
Brad Gobright dies in a rappelling accident while climbing in Mexico
Brad Gobright died in a rappelling accident in El Potrero Chico, Mexico on November 27. The 31-year-old Californian was a highly accomplished free-soloist and big wall climber, former Nose speed-record holder with Jim Reynolds. He was loved and respected by many people around the world and was known to have a goofy sense of humor.
-
The Thing with Feathers: On mountains, climate science and hope
In this story that was commissioned as part of the Covering Climate Now campaign, Michelle Dowd reports on her time spent observing scientists at Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory in Colorado last summer and considers today’s climate crisis through the lens of her deeply religious upbringing.
-
Pandora’s Box: The Brief, Brilliant Life of Kei Taniguchi
In 2009 Japanese alpinist Kei Taniguchi became the first woman to receive a Piolet d’Or for her first ascent of the Southeast Face of Kamet (7756m), with Kazuya Hiraide. During the final years of her life, Taniguchi continued to explore challenging new routes, while hinting at a mysterious personal quest. Piecing together diary entries and…
-
Alan Rousseau and Tino Villanueva Release the Kraken on Tengi Ragi Tau’s west face
Alan Rousseau writes about the first ascent of Tengi Ragi Tau’s west face, which he completed with Tino Villanueva in mid-October. Explaining the name of their route, he writes, “The peak had eluded us for so long, I think we had made it out to be a bit of a mythical beast. For that reason,…
-
Sea to Summit Flame IV: A warm ultralight sleeping bag tailored specifically for women
Kate Erwin used Sea to Summit’s Flame IV women-specific sleeping bag in British Columbia’s Purcell Range last October and found that the mapped-baffle design was effective in keeping her warmer than other bags she’s used of comparable weight. 4 stars.
-
Backcountry.com battles small businesses over trademark
The news of Backcountry.com suing smaller companies for using the word “backcountry” in their titles has led to inquiries about the status of Alpinist’s sister publication, Backcountry Magazine. Height of Land Publications Editorial Director Tyler Cohen, formerly editor-in-chief of Backcountry, wrote the following story that includes a statement from HOL CEO Adam Howard. So far,…
-
Robert Paragot (1927-2019): An Old Man’s Lesson
Robert Paragot, a highly influential alpinist and Fontainebleau boulderer, passed away at his home near Paris on October 24 at age 92. French climbing journalist Claude Gardien reports that Paragot continued to be involved in the climbing community up until his death: “He was a great climber and a very nice man.” Chris Schulte, an…
-
Denali, A Universe
In 1913 Walter Harper, an Irish-Athabascan climber, became the first person to stand on the summit of Denali, soon joined by teammates Harry Karstens, Robert Tatum and Archdeacon Hudson Stuck. In this Wired story from Alpinist 67, which is now available on newsstands and in our online store, Harper’s grandniece, Jan Harper-Haines, shares a few…
-
Salewa Wildfire Edge: Technical approach shoes to keep up with the mountain goats
Alpinist Digital Editor Derek Franz has been wearing the Salewa Wildfire Edge approach shoes everywhere for the last several months. He reports that the shoes provide excellent support, feature very sticky rubber and are best described as “technical.” Five stars.
Home »