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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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Meditations of a Dreamer
We’re sharing this story early from the upcoming issue of Alpinist 72 because it pertains to policies that may change depending on the outcome of the presidential election on November 3. In this story from the Climbing Life section of Alpinist 72, Mauricio Portillo writes of how he arrived in the US when he was…
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Dragon Alliance Flash LL Ion sunglasses: High quality with a big, bold style
As an IFMGA/AMGA guide, Mike Lewis spends a lot of time in the mountains in all conditions, rain, snow or shine, and he appreciates the value of quality eyewear, especially after LASIK surgery that left his eyes more sensitive to the elements. He’s been using the Dragon Alliance Flash LL Ion Sunglasses that feature Dragon’s…
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Quentin Roberts and Alik Berg tick the first known ascent of Mt. Forbes’ East Face
The east face of Mt. Forbes (3612m) in the Canadian Rockies has presented a proud and obvious objective for generations of climbers, but it only just recently saw its first known ascent, on October 2, when Quentin Roberts and Alik Berg scampered up a direct line they are simply calling the East Face (M4 WI3+).…
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Editors, publishers form Outdoor Media for Inclusion to amplify diverse voices in outdoor media
A group of publishers and editors who oversee consumer and B2B outdoor media titles have formed the working group Outdoor Media for Inclusion (OM4I) to provide more opportunities for journalists and contributors who are Black, Indigenous, people of color, and members of other marginalized communities. OM4I aims to advance representation for people of color and…
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American-Scottish team climb a new route on the Emperor Face of Yuh-hai-has-kun (Mt. Robson)
Between September 30 and October 2, Ethan Berman (US) and Uisdean Hawthorn (Scotland) completed a new line on the Emperor Face of Mt. Robson (3954m), the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies. Their climb, Running in the Shadows (VI AI5 M6 A0, 2000m), follows a distinctive gully on the right side of the face.
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Water is Life
In this Wired story from Alpinist 71–which is now available on some newsstands and in our online store–Dine climber Len Necefer journeys to the sacred peaks to find new ways to meld his ancestral cultural ceremonies and the mountain sports he loves while the world around him increasingly grapples with uncertainty and the threat of…
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5Point, Banff and No Man’s Land film festivals go virtual this October
Three film festivals are holding virtual events in the coming weeks: the 5Point Film Festival is October 14-18; Banff Mountain Film is October 31 through November 8; and No Man’s Land is hosting a variety of virtual events throughout October into November.
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Climb the Hill goes virtual: Zoom panels focus on public lands and DEI
As with so many other events around the world, the American Alpine Club and Access Fund’s annual Climb the Hill event was held virtually this week. Two discussion panels were open to the public on September 23 and 24. They focused on public lands and the environment; and on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). The…
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Tool Users: Barometer
What’s a glass instrument measuring four feet long and filled with mercury doing in your rucksack? In this Tool Users story from Alpinist 71, Caroline Schaumann and Bruce Willey reveal the history of the glass barometer.
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Transcendental Linkup: Five routes up to 5.12a totaling 2,400′ on Pikes Peak in 21 hours
On August 22, Noah McKelvin (28) and Luke Negley (20) climbed five major formations on Colorado’s Pikes Peak in a single push. On the way they racked up five routes with difficulties up to 5.12a totaling 2,400 feet of technical terrain, most of which is around 12,000 to 13,000 feet in elevation. Their car-to-car time…
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Two Alpinist stories are candidates for Best Mountaineering Article in the Banff Mountain Book Competition
The Banff Mountain Book Competition released the long list of contenders for various categories on September 15–two stories from Alpinist magazine are being considered for Best Mountaineering Article: “Denali, A Universe,” by Jan Harper-Haines, first published in Alpinist 67 (Autumn 2019), and “Melting Giants,” by Benjamin Ribeyre and Erin Smart, Alpinist 68 (Winter 2019-20).
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Scarpa Ribelle HD: Boots that can keep up in the mountains
Kate Erwin has been using the Scarpa Ribelle HD boots in the Canadian Rockies. The crossover style is similar to Scarpa’s Ribelle OD but with a leather upper and no ankle gaiter. Erwin’s Ribelle HD boots performed well in the Bugaboos while carrying a heavy pack. She reports that the balance point of the boots…
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Local Hero: Khamsang Wangdi Sherpa
In this Local Hero story that first appeared in Alpinist 71, Deepa Balsavar and Nandini Purandare recount the life of Khamsang Wangdi Sherpa, who was born in Nepal in 1932 and was ahead of his time when he started the Sherpa Guide School in 1966 near Manali in Himachal Pradesh. Balsavar and Purandare write, “A…
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Five books are on the Boardman-Tasker shortlist for 2020
Five books are on the shortlist for the Boardman-Tasker Award this year, and Alpinist Editor-in-Chief Katie Ives is concluding her two-year term limit as a judge. There were 22 entries this year from Great Britain, Ireland, Canada, New Zealand and the USA. The award will be presented at the Digital Kendal Mountain Festival on November…
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Beyond the Field Notes: Ed Roberson on Climbing and Poetry
In this feature from Alpinist 71, Sarah Audsley interviews poet Ed Roberson. Born in 1939 in Pittsburgh, Roberson nurtured a burgeoning curiosity for the world from a young age. On his first major mountaineering expedition, he made the second ascent of Nevado Jangyaraju III (5450m) in Peru. Herein, Roberson discusses how his notes from the…
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Of Monuments and Mountains
In this Sharp End story from Alpinist 71–which is now on some newsstands and in our online store–Deputy Editor Paula Wright observes, “Today the phrase ‘keep politics out of climbing’ frequently pops up in online comments–as though by disregarding the larger context of our expeditions or by censoring certain facts, we might emerge onto a…
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Acopa JB: A high-top climbing shoe that competes with the TC Pro
Chris Kalman continues his quest to find the best all-day, all-around climbing shoe. Everyone knows that a certain brand’s TC Pro has set the standard in this category. Can the Acopa JB–named after the climbing legend and late Acopa executive John Bachar–compete? “It’s a toss-up,” Kalman reports. Four stars.
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The Beal Opera: An 8.5mm rope that is as strong and waterproof as it is light
Whitney Clark was skeptical about the Beal Opera’s skinny 8.5mm diameter when she first laid her hands on it–how well could such a thin cord really hold up against the sharp rock of alpine routes? The Opera is certified to be used as a single, twin or half rope, which adds great versatility for alpinists,…
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Two new 5.13 routes freed on the Diamond of Longs Peak (Neniisotoyou’u) on August 9
Two new 5.13 routes were free climbed on the Diamond of Longs Peak (Neniisotoyou’u) on August 9. Chris Weidner sent Gambler’s Fallacy (V 5.13b, 9 pitches) with Bruce Miller in support after the partners had spent a total of 51 days on the wall since they started the project in July 2017. Meanwhile, Josh Wharton…
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Four “significant ascents” announced for 2020 Piolets d’Or
The Piolets d’Or committee has announced the selection of four “significant ascents” from 2019 that will be recognized on September 19-22 during the Ladek Mountain Film Festival in Poland. Marek Holecek and Zdenek Hak (Czech Republic), Kazuya Hiraide and Kenro Nakajima (Japan), Mark Richey, Steve Swenson, Chris Wright and Graham Zimmerman (USA), and Alan Rousseau…
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