![Ari Novak on Snow Leopard (HWI 7), Spiti Valley, India. [Photo] Austin Schmitz](https://i0.wp.com/alpinist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/piti-dharr-ice-fest-1-scaled.jpg?resize=930%2C620&ssl=1)
The first Piti-Dharr International Ice Climbing Festival took place in India’s Spiti Valley on January 5-15. During the event, Indian climber Bharat Bhushan and Americans Ari Novak and Karsten Delap completed the first ascent of Frozen Diesel (HWI 6+), and Novak and Delap established Snow Leopard (HWI 7, 150m).
![Sam Hennesse. [Photo] Seth Timpano](https://i0.wp.com/alpinist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/aac-cutting-edge-grants-1.jpg?resize=456%2C611&ssl=1)
Sam Hennessey, Chantel Astorga and Chris Wright are all receiving American Alpine Club Cutting Edge Grants this year. Hennessey plans to attempt the north face of Chamlang (ca. 7300m) in the Eastern Himalaya of Nepal with Rob Smith, Seth Timpano and Michael Gardner; Astorga will try Pumari Chhish South (7350m) in Pakistan’s Hispar Karakoram with Anne Gilbert Chase; and Wright is aiming for Link Sar (7041m) in the Eastern Karakoram, Pakistan, with Graham Zimmerman, Mark Richey and Steve Swenson.
![[Illustration] Andreas Schmidt](https://i0.wp.com/alpinist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/a55-full-value-1.jpg?resize=930%2C620&ssl=1)
In this 2016 Full Value story from Alpinist 55, Alpinist Digital Editor Derek Franz peers into the dark side of the dirtbag dream.
![Kyle Dempster in his elements. [Photo] Andrew Burr](https://i0.wp.com/alpinist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/kyle-dempster-packrafting-file-photo-1.jpeg?resize=930%2C620&ssl=1)
The application period is now open for the second annual Kyle Dempster Solo Adventure Award. Applications are due by March 15 for trips taking place between April 1, 2019, and March 31, 2020.
![Katie Ives. [Photo] David Swift](https://i0.wp.com/alpinist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/katie-ives-portrait.jpg?resize=698%2C620&ssl=1)
Alpinist Editor-in-Chief Katie Ives has been selected as a judge for the 2019 Boardman Tasker Award for Mountain Literature. The other two judges are Roger Hubank and Tony Shaw. The award will be presented at the next Kendal Mountain Festival in the United Kingdom on November 14-17.
The American Alpine Club recently announced the award recipients who will be honored at the club’s annual benefit dinner on March 9 in San Francisco, California. The honorees are Kelly Cordes, Jim Donini, Brette Harrington, Tom Hornbein, Jeremy Jones, Michael Kennedy and Kate Rutherford. Dennis Urubko, Adam Bielecki, Jaroslaw Botor and Piotrek Tomala are also being recognized for their rescue of Elizabeth Revol on Nanga Parbat last January. Colin Haley is the keynote speaker.
![Whitney Clark (pictured), Josie McKee and Caro North received a 2018 Grit and Rock Award to attempt a first ascent on Arjuna (6230m) in India's Kishtwar Province. [Photo] Josie McKee](https://i0.wp.com/alpinist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/whitney-clark-on-arjuna-north.jpg?resize=930%2C620&ssl=1)
The Grit and Rock First Ascent Expedition Award for female alpinists is now accepting applications until January 15, 2019. The program launched in October 2016 and is now in its third cycle.
![Keita Kurakami (left) and Connor Herson after their respective free ascents of the Nose (VI 5.14a, 2,900') of El Capitan. [Photos] Keita Kurakami collection/Jim Herson](https://i0.wp.com/alpinist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/kurakami-herson-nose-ascents-1.jpg?resize=930%2C620&ssl=1)
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 every pitch, topping out on November 19 after three days of climbing.
![Derek Franz gets his bearings using the SPOT X 2-Way Satellite Messenger in Colorado's Flat Tops Wilderness in late October 2018. [Photo] Mandi Franz](https://i0.wp.com/alpinist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/spot-x-1-2.jpg?resize=930%2C620&ssl=1)
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. Three stars.
![Madaleine Sorkin climbs by headlamp on Scenic Cruise in the Black Canyon on October 29. [Photo] Henna Taylor](https://i0.wp.com/alpinist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/black-canyon-grief-fund-linkup-1-1.jpg?resize=930%2C620&ssl=1)
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 “24 Hours into the Black” linkup. Since then, the National Park Service has been studying the flake on South Chasm View Wall, and results are pending for December at the earliest. The flake is currently estimated to have a volume of 3,800 tons, which rivals the massive rockfalls that happened on El Capitan last year.
