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  • To Father from Daughter

    In this Climbing Life story from Alpinist 64, Alexandra Lev delves into the past of her father who was already a highly accomplished mountaineer by the time she was born. She writes, “I’d meet climbers and skiers who would say to me with excitement, ‘Your dad is Peter Lev?’ They called him a legend. To…

  • Latok I: Impossible Is Not Forever

    In this story that first appeared in Alpinist 64, Alexander Gukov shares his experience of surviving alone for a week at 6200 meters on Latok I (7145m) after his partner Sergey Glazunov fell to his death on the descent with most of their equipment. Gukov was ultimately rescued by a dramatic helicopter operation flown by…

  • Alpinist Community Project Flashback: Nina Glazunov-Neverov

    From October 1-6, 2018, Nina Glazunov-Neverov shared some stories and photos with the #AlpinistCommunityProject about the life of her husband Sergey Glazunov, who reached a historic highpoint with Alexander Gukov on the North Ridge of Latok I (7145m) in Pakistan. During their descent, on July 25, Sergey Glazunov fell to his death. He was only…

  • Keita Kurakami frees El Capitan’s Nose as a rope-solo and 15-year-old Connor Herson becomes the youngest to free the iconic wall

    Two historic free ascents happened within the last several days on the Nose (VI 5.14a, 2,900′) of El Capitan: Keita Kurakami free climbed the route as a rope-solo in a single push from the ground on November 14-18, and 15-year-old Connor Herson free climbed it in a three-day push with his dad belaying and cleaning…

  • A letter to Chip Chace (1958-2018): “Excuse Me While I Liquid Sky”

    Chip Chace was one of the most well-rounded climbers of his generation and was known to keep many of his exploits quietly to himself. He was also a highly respected practitioner of Chinese medicine. Born on September 17, 1958, he died of pancreatic cancer on November 3 at age 60. He is survived by his…

  • SPOT X 2-Way Satellite Messenger: A worthy tool for explorers and risk-takers

    Alpinist Digital Editor Derek Franz took the SPOT X 2-Way Satellite Messenger into the mountains and desert to test its capabilities. He appreciated the device’s unlimited two-way messaging and navigational tools, not to mention the potential to send an SOS signal if he needed a rescue, but he reports that there is room for improvement.…

  • Cannonball: Cooper and Cordes hit their stride with a new mixed route on Longs Peak

    On October 18, Kevin Cooper and Kelly Cordes completed a new three-pitch mixed route on the lower east face of Longs Peak in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, which they named Cannonball (M5 R WI5+/6 X, 3 pitches). Cordes wrote the following story about their experience on the rarely seen ice formation.

  • Osprey Mutant 22: A go-to for the no-frills, fast-and-light climber

    Alpine guide Mallorie Estenson has been using the Osprey Mutant 22-liter backpack for multipitch climbs around the Pacific Northwest, and she found it to be well designed for those fast-and-light day trips when you want to bring a bit more than the rope, rack and shirt on your back. Four stars.

  • Update: Scientists study loose flake in Black Canyon while Sorkin and Harlan climb for the Grief Fund

    Madaleine Sorkin and Mary Harlan raised awareness for the Climbing Grief Fund by climbing two routes in the Black Canyon in a day on October 29. Their intentions to climb a third route were thwarted by rain. In May, a loose flake had resulted in a climbing closure that ended their earlier plans for a…

  • Suunto 9: A computer for athletes in the form of a wristwatch

    Longtime climber and endurance athlete Quinn Brett tested the Suunto 9 wristwatch and found it to be mostly user-friendly, offering a wealth of data to assist mountain go-getters. Her main criticisms about the watch are its bulky size and some difficulty synchronizing the watch with her phone. Four stars.

  • American Alpine Club accepting applications for climbing and adventure grants

    The American Alpine Club is now accepting applications for its Cutting Edge Grant, the Jones Backcountry Adventure Grant and the Jones Live Like Liz Award–due by November 30. In partnership with the Access Fund, the AAC also recently awarded $10,000 to replace aging bolts at nine US climbing areas.

  • Alpinist story receives Best Mountaineering Article Award at Banff Book Competition

    For the second year in a row, an Alpinist story has been selected for the Best Mountaineering Article Award in the Banff Mountain Book Competition. Alison Criscitiello’s story from Alpinist 59, titled “Contraindications,” was selected for the top prize in this category out of four finalists. “Contraindications,” is about Criscitiello’s close friend Anna Smith, who…

  • Japanese climbers complete a new route on Cerro Kishtwar’s northeast face

    Going light and fast during a short weather window, Japanese climbers Genki Narumi, Yusuke Sato and Hiroki Yamamoto squeaked in a new route on the northeast face of Cerro Kishtwar (6173m) in Himachal Pradesh, India, between September 20-25. They named their route All Izz Well (VI WI5 M6, 1500m).

  • Ride the Wind; Wind River Range, Wyoming

    In this On Belay story from Alpinist 63, Szu-ting Yi recounts an attempt she made with her husband Dave Anderson to traverse 100-plus miles of the Wind River Range while climbing all 43 of its peaks that rise along the Continental Divide (and that are named in 2015 USGS maps). What started as a whimsical…

  • Climbing Addicts Chalk Blends In

    A review of Climbing Addicts “Yosemite Gray” and “Wall Street Gold” Chalk prompts a treatise on climbing chalk by Alpinist Digital Editor Derek Franz. He found the camouflaged chalk to be as effective as anything else he’s used, and the grey and brown varieties blend in well with a range of rock types, including limestone,…

  • “As Above, So Below” uses fiction to explore the realities of risk and relationships

    About four years ago, Chris Kalman found himself struggling with heavy emotions while living with his girlfriend and her father who was dying of cancer. Kalman started writing what became a 103-page novella titled “As Above, So Below.” The fictional story weighs on matters of death, grief, risk and family relationships.

  • Two Alpinist stories selected for Notables List in Best American Sports Writing 2018

    Two Alpinist stories from 2017 are included on the Notables List for The Best American Sports Writing 2018: Claire Carter’s feature story “To Abandon” appeared in Alpinist 57 and “The Accidental Mountaineer” by Ana Beatriz Cholo appeared in The Climbing Life section of Alpinist 59.

  • The Giri-Giri Boys

    Ten years ago, in May 2008, an unassuming group of five Japanese climbers who jokingly dubbed themselves the Giri-Giri Boys caught the world’s attention for their bold and visionary enchainments in the Alaska Range. This story by Katsutaka Yokoyama about that expedition originally appeared in Alpinist 26 (Spring 2009), simply titled “The Giri-Giri Boys.”

  • Silences at Dawn

    In this Sharp End essay from Alpinist 63, Editor-in-Chief Katie Ives contemplates the varying meanings of awe as she delves into mountain darkness and solitude in search of peace.

  • Foehn Brise Pant: Warm, comfortable and highly functional

    Foehn is a new, small clothing company based in Quebec, Canada, that came on the market this year and has a touching backstory. Alpinist Digital Editor Derek Franz tried the company’s flagship item, the Brise Pant, and found them to be well made for climbing and moving around in the mountains. Four stars.

  • Andres Marin makes a fast solo of Great Trango Tower after two other ascents with David Allfrey and Anna Pfaff

    Andres Marin recently capped a successful trip to Pakistan with teammates Anna Pfaff and David Allfrey by soloing the American Route on Great Trango Tower (6286m)–base camp (ca. 4000m) to base camp in less than 12 hours–on August 22 after he had climbed that route and Eternal Flame on Nameless Tower (6239m) with his partners…

  • “Honouring High Places”: A Lifetime of Exploring “Unforgiving Terrain”

    “Honouring High Places”–the final book authored by Junko Tabei, who died in 2016 at age 77 and was the first woman to summit Chomolungma (Everest)–is now available and is a finalist for a Banff Book award. Alpinist Assistant Editor Katherine Indermaur writes of the book: “Though there are many lessons to take away from Tabei’s…

  • An interview with Suman Dubey about his memories of the 1961 Indian expedition to Nanda Devi

    With Alpinist 63 and Part II of the Nanda Devi Mountain Profile now on newsstands, we bring you this interview with Suman Dubey, who became a member of the 1961 Indian expedition to the Nanda Devi Sanctuary in India’s Garhwal Himalaya when he was an undergraduate student in Delhi. Nanda Devi is a sacred peak…

  • Two Alpinist stories are finalists for a Banff Mountain Book Competition article award

    The annual Banff Mountain Book Competition recently announced the nominees long-listed for recognition in several categories–out of the four articles under consideration for Best Mountaineering Article, two are from Alpinist: Alison Criscitiello’s story from Alpinist 59, titled “Contraindications,” and James Edward Mills’ story from Alpinist 60, “The Force of the Soul: Hugues Beauzile.”