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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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Remembering Ryan Johnson
Clint Helander remembers the life and prolific climbing career of his friend Ryan Johnson, who went missing and is presumed dead along with Marc-Andre Leclerc after the pair climbed a new route on the north face of the Main Mendenhall Tower in Alaska in early March.
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Missing Alpinists Ryan Johnson and Marc-Andre Leclerc Presumed Dead
Climbers Ryan Johnson and Marc-Andre Leclerc, missing in the Mendenhall Towers for about a week, are now presumed dead, according to an Alaska State Troopers dispatch. We mourn the loss of these two beloved people greatly.
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Hundreds attend the Royal Robbins memorial to honor a great climber and caring man
Multitudes gathered in Modesto, California, on March 12, to honor the life of Royal Robbins, who died on March 14, 2017, at age 82 after a long illness. Most climbers are aware of the Robbins’ numerous contributions to climbing but Robbins was much more than just a climber–he was a loving, contributing member of his…
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Ongoing Search for Ryan Johnson and Marc-Andre Leclerc
A summary of current information regarding the search for climbers Ryan Johnson and Marc-Andre Leclerc, overdue from an expedition to the Mendenhall Towers, Alaska
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Local Hero: Lopsang Tshering Sherpa
In this Local Hero story from the latest issue, Alpinist 61, Kapil Bisht interviews Lopsang Tshering Sherpa, who began his storied career as an expedition worker in 1959 as a kitchen helper on the 1959 international women’s Cho Oyu expedition; three years later he was among those bridging the gap for Lionel Terray and the…
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Lowa Approach Pro GTX Lo: A go-everywhere shoe
If Alpinist Digital Editor Derek Franz had to pick just one type of shoe to wear for the rest of his life, there’s no doubt it would be a pair of approach shoes. The Lowa Approach Pro Los have become his first choice to wear everywhere, all the time. Five stars.
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A sweltering, runout adventure on Colombia’s Cerro Pajarito
On February 1, Dave Allfrey, Kieran Brownie and Paul McSorley completed a new route up the unclimbed northwest face of Cerro Pajarito in the Cerros de Mavecure in Guainia, Colombia. El Abrazo de la Serpiente (Embrace of the Serpent; V 5.11c R/X 660m) was established ground up, onsight, over two trips. The rainforest heat was…
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Glimpses of Higher Worlds: Bernadette McDonald’s ‘Art of Freedom’
“‘Art of Freedom,’ is a brilliant work of insight, not only into the life of the great alpinist, but also about the questions that compel us to the mountains in the first place,” writes Alpinist Associate Editor Paula Wright in her feature about Bernadette McDonald’s award-winning biography, “Art of Freedom: The Life and Climbs of…
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Totality from a Mountaintop
In this letter to the editor from Alpinist 60, Christopher Elliott describes the solar eclipse that occurred on August 21, 2017, and the fleeting “moment of totality” that he and his fellow observers experienced from the top of a mountain.
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Climbing legend Jim ‘the Bird’ Bridwell dies at age 73
Jim Bridwell died this morning, February 16, in Palm Springs, California, after months of suffering from illness. He was 73. Nicknamed “the Bird,” Bridwell has been an icon of American climbing for decades. He arrived in Yosemite as a wide-eyed 17-year-old and learned from the foremost climbers of the day, including Royal Robbins, Layton Kor…
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2018 Grit and Rock First Ascent Award recipients announced
Grit and Rock recently announced the recipients of its 2018 First Ascent Award, a grant that is dedicated to promoting mountain exploration and first ascents by women. The recipients this year, in alphabetical order, are Katie Bono, Cecilia Buil, Whitney Clark, Ixchel Foord, Ilana Jesse, Josie McKee, Nina Neverov, Caro North, Alena Panova and Anna…
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MSR Advance Pro 2 Ultralight: a single-wall, four-season tent that is simple and convenient
Mallorie Estenson, an alpine guide and climber based in the Pacific Northwest, has been using the MSR Advance Pro 2 Ultralight–a single-wall, four-season tent–on some ski-mountaineering trips in Washington this winter. The tent is intended to be simple and compact so that it can fit onto narrow ledges found on the side of a mountain.…
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