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Lor Sabourin sends five-pitch trad route Cousin of Death (5.13+)
On Nov 29, 2020, Lor Sabourin made a no-falls free ascent of the trad-climbing testpiece, Cousin of Death–a five-pitch 5.13+ in northern Arizona (Apache, Hopi, Pueblo and Hohokam territory). Three of the route’s five pitches are 5.13b or harder. Lor’s climb was the first integral ascent of the route.
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Interview with Sean Villanueva O’Driscoll about his solo traverse of Patagonia’s Fitz Roy massif (the Moonwalk Traverse)
From February 5 to 10, Sean Villanueva O’Driscoll soloed Patagonia’s Fitz Roy massif. It was only the second time the technical, 5+ kilometer ridgeline has been traversed since Tommy Caldwell and Alex Honnold pulled it off in 2014, and O’Driscoll climbed it in the opposite direction, south to north. He dubbed his version the Moonwalk…
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Edelrid Starling Protect Pro Dry 8.2mm Rope: Handles well, highly cut resistant
Mountain Standards Gear Review: IFMGA guide Rob Coppolillo has been testing a set of Edelrid Starling Protect Pro Dry 8.2mm Twin/Half ropes in Chamonix for the past several months. The Protect design adds a high degree of cut-resistance to the sheath, though it also adds some dollars and grams to the bottom line. After using…
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JP Mohr Prieto, Muhammad Ali Sadpara and John Snorri are missing, presumed dead on K2
Since the 10-person team of Nepali climbers completed the first winter ascent of K2 (8611m) on January 16, there have been two confirmed deaths and three other climbers have gone missing on the mountain. Atanas Skatov (Bulgaria) and Sergi Mingote (Spain) died from falls while descending from lower camps, on February 5 and January 16,…
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Finding a new route on the Grand Teton: the North Buttress Direct (5.10+ R)
Justin Bowen’s dream came true this past August when his research confirmed that a potential route he’d been eyeing for years on the Grand Teton’s north face had somehow remained overlooked by other climbers. He enlisted his friend Mark Jenkins to make the first ascent of the North Buttress Direct (5.10+ R, 14 pitches). Here…
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Grivel Dark Machines: A specialist’s tool for steep ice
US Ice Climbing Team Member and Ouray Ice Festival gold medalist Corey Buhay has been using the Grivel Dark Machines all season, from Colorado to Cody, Wyoming. In this report, she tells us where the Dark Machines shone, and where they left her swinging for something better. “What a pity that the glorious ease of…
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Remembering Cesare Maestri (1929-2021)
Cesare Maestri, one of the most legendary figures in climbing history, died January 19 at age 91. Many of the most famous questions surrounding his career have to do with a certain tower in Patagonia–Cerro Torre–and his expeditions to its walls in 1959 and 1970. Italian climbing historian Luca Signorelli helps us remember other parts…
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The Fight for Workforce Equity on Kilimanjaro
In this Wired story from Alpinist 72–which is now available on newsstands and in our online store–Marinel Malvar de Jesus collects stories of local guides and porters on Kilimanjaro as they confront the inequities of the mountain tourism industry and the new challenges of a global pandemic.
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American Alpine Club’s 2021 Benefit Gala and Awards will be a free virtual event
As the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic continues, the American Alpine Club’s Annual Benefit Gala and award presentation will once again be held virtually on February 20. The good news is that for the first time ever this will allow anyone with an Internet connection to have free access to the speeches and award presentations with some…
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First winter ascent of K2: 10 Nepali/Sherpa climbers summit together
Just yesterday, K2 (8611) was the last of the 14 8000-meter peaks on Earth that had yet to be climbed in winter. No more. At 5 p.m. January 16, a group of 10 Nepali/Sherpa climbers from separate expeditions ascended the last few meters to the summit together as one. Summiting team members include Mingma Gyalje…
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Four expeditions are attempting the first winter ascent of K2: Alex Gavan discusses current efforts
There are currently four expeditions laboring for the first winter ascent of K2 (8611m), which is the last 8000-meter peak yet to be climbed in the coldest season. As of January 12, ropes have been fixed to Camp 3, just above 7300 meters, but that camp has yet to be fully established and recent high…
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Elisabeth Revol’s book “To Live” is an ode to Tomasz Mackiewicz and Nanga Parbat
When Elisabeth Revol and Tomasz “Tomek” Mackiewicz reached the summit of Pakistan’s Nanga Parbat (8125m) on the evening of January 25, 2018, they had completed the second winter ascent of Nanga Parbat, and Revol became the first woman to summit the mountain in winter. Their ordeal was just beginning, however. Revol’s new book, “To Live:…
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Glaciers Abound in Lynn Martel’s new book, “Stories of Ice”
Sarah Boon reviews Lynn Martel’s latest book, “Stories of Ice: Adventure, Commerce and Creativity on Canada’s Glaciers,” which was published earlier this year. Boon describes the work as “a comprehensive look at how these features have shaped the ways people have traveled through and populated the land. Martel shows that we still have much to…
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Luka Lindic and Ines Papert find big new routes close to home in Austria
After newlyweds Luka Lindic and Ines Papert canceled their Alaska expedition this past summer because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, they reconsidered what adventures they might find close to their home. The result was two first ascents of long routes–the 12-pitch Wolke 7 (aka Cloud Nine, 5.13b, 380m) on the Hinteres Feuerhorndl near Reiteralm, and…
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Fixe Ultralight Alien Revolution cams: Otherworldly friends to have on your rack
Tad McCrea used the Fixe Ultralight Alien Revolution cams on 20 big routes in the Sierra Nevada Range this past summer and he was very happy with their light weight and performance, especially for the Double Sling design that allowed him to carry less gear for extending placements. He did not find any significant drawbacks…
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Ombraz Sunglasses: “Armless” and highly functional
Alpinist Digital Editor Derek Franz has been wearing the unusual “armless” Ombraz Sunglasses since last spring. Instead of the typical rigid arms that are on most glasses, they are worn with an integrated lanyard that keeps them around the face or allows them to hang around the neck. The glasses also pack flat, allowing for…
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Tool Users: Modern Weather Forecasts
In this Tool Users story from Alpinist 72–which is now available on newsstands and in our online store–Brandon Blackburn investigates one of the most paradigm-shifting tools of modern alpinism: accurate weather reports.
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Falling into Place
In this On Belay story from Alpinist 72–which is now on newsstands and in our online store–a young Michael Kennedy sets out in 1977 with two of his heroes, Jeff Lowe and George Lowe, on the Alaskan expedition that culminated in the first ascent of the famous Infinite Spur on Mt. Foraker/Sultana. Looking back on…
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Black Diamond Vision MIPS Helmet: Head protection that’s as light and effective as ever
Alpinist Digital Editor Derek Franz has been wearing the Black Diamond Vision MIPS helmet on many climbs, from long multipitch routes in the Black Canyon to short bolted sport climbs. “Thanks to advancements in materials and design, helmets are now so light and low-profile that it’s harder to justify not wearing one, even at the…
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Lauren Shartell becomes the second US woman to send the Lightning
Lauren Shartell sent the Lightning in Vail’s Rigid Designator Amphitheatre on November 8. In doing so, she became the second US woman to climb the mixed ice and rock route. Corey Buhay chronicles Shartell’s unlikely start to climbing and her hurdles to success.
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An apology from Alpinist
After Alpinist 72 went to press, we found that reproductions we had printed of historical images from a 1970s-era magazine appeared to contain some offensive and anti-LGBTQA+ writing. As a result of lapses in communication, caused in part by struggles to adapt to a remote workflow during the pandemic, no one from our editorial staff…
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Emily Harrington becomes first woman to send El Capitan’s Golden Gate in a day
Late on November 4, Emily Harrington climbed over the lip of El Capitan (Tu-Tok-A-Nu-La) in the dark; she’d free climbed all 41 pitches of Golden Gate (5.13b, 3,000′) in 21 hours, 13 minutes and 51 seconds, becoming the fourth woman to free climb El Cap in a day, and the fourth person (and first woman)…
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Priti and Jeff Wright complete the first ascent of K6 Central (7100m)
Early last month, a Jeff and Priti Wright, a husband-wife team from Seattle, Washington, completed the third ascent of K6 West (7040m) and the first ascent of K6 Central (7100m) on October 8 and 9, respectively, and in alpine style. They returned the way they came: back up and over K6 West. The peaks are…
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