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Sunny Stroeer on Aconcagua (6962m). [Photo] Sunny Stroeer collection

Full Circle: how and why Sunny Stroeer became the first woman (and third person) to finish Aconcagua’s 360 Route in a solo push

Sunny Stroeer became the first woman (and third person) to complete Aconcagua’s 360 Route in a solo push last February. For this story, Emma Murray asked Stroeer how she went from being a student who rarely ventured outside town–even when Stroeer lived in Switzerland’s “outdoor capital of the world”–to an ambitious outdoor athlete, and what motivates her to keep pushing her limits.

Kim's early days in the North Cascades. [Photo] Thomas Matthiesen collection

A dusty box of golden memories: photos from the life of Kim Schmitz (1946-2016)

Savannah Cummins befriended the legendary alpinist Kim Schmitz in recent years when they were living in Jackson, Wyoming. Schmitz gave Cummins a box of old photos shortly before he died in a one-car accident in September 2016 at age 70. Rick Ridgeway, John Roskelley and Jack Tackle assisted in identifying some of the images, and in honor of Kim’s memory, we share some of his collection with you now.

The author hiking into Bear's Den in Rocky Mountain National Park for dry tooling. Note the (fruit) boots fastened to the side clips. [Photo] Colby Rickard

Spacious and multi-use: the Patagonia Cragsmith 45

The Cragsmith 45 is Patagonia’s largest backpack, which the company refers to as the “gear dumpster.” Chris Van Leuven has been lugging it around for several months and enjoys the pack’s durability, convenient loading options and how well it encapsulates just about anything he wants, from clothes and a sleeping bag to ice tools, in addition to the standard rock climbing kit. Four stars.

David Allfrey tops out Zodiac on El Capitan at the end of his solo, record-setting ascent June 2, when he finished the route in 10 hours, 52 minutes, 50 seconds. The previous solo record of 11:18 was set by Nick Fowler in 2002. [Photo] Skiy Detray

Four other speed records made on El Capitan in May and June while Honnold and Caldwell were lapping the Nose

More El Capitan speed records have been set since May 5 when Brandon Adams and Roger Putnam climbed the Shield in 8 hours, 55 minutes; Josie McKee and Diana Wendt set a female speed record on the Salathe, climbing the route in 16:24 on June 1; David Allfrey set the solo record of 10:52:50 on Zodiac on June 2; and Alexa Flower, Jane Jackson and Gena Wood completed the fastest all-female ascent of Zodiac in 16:20 on June 15. Meanwhile, Libby Sauter, who set the female record on the Nose with Mayan Smith-Gobat in 2014, has pulled back from speed climbing and shares her thoughts about the risks people are taking.

Twin Peaks, Doug Peak, and Sawtooth Peak rise amid the peaks of the Wal'wa-maXs. [Photo] Joe Whittle

Adventures on the Turtle’s Back

In this story from Alpinist 62, “Adventures on the Turtle’s Back,” Joe Whittle, an enrolled tribal member of the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma and a descendent of the Delaware Nation, spends time in canyons and mountains that Indigenous people call home. Kanim Moses-Conner, Bobby Fossek, Len Necefer, Mia Ritter-Whittle and Brosnan Spencer join him on a shared journey to connect with the land and their Native American heritage in the Wal’wa-maXs, Oregon.

[Photo] Krystle Wright

#AlpinistCommunityProject Flashback: Krystle Wright

From October 30 through November 5, 2016, Krystle Wright shared some stories and photos with the #AlpinistCommunityProject about paragliding in Pakistan. She is an adventure photographer from Australia who considers the open road her home. Her photo essay “In Perpetual Motion”–in which she explores “the void and the unspoken”–is featured in Alpinist 62.