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Derek Franz

This photo taken during the helicopter search on July 1 shows where Mariano Galvan and Alberto Zerain disappeared on Nanga Parbat's Mazeno Ridge. [Photo] Alex Gavan

Family organizes continued search efforts for Galvan and Zerain on Nanga Parbat

Mariano Galvan’s family organized a continued search effort after he and Alberto Zerain disappeared on Nanga Parbat (8125m) June 24. The men are presumed to have died in an avalanche at around 6000 meters while attempting the second ascent of the long, technical Mazeno Ridge. Alex Gavan, who knew the men and was climbing a different route on the mountain at the time of their disappearance, helped organize the primary helicopter search and shared his report and photos with Alpinist.

A deal was confirmed today that the summer Outdoor Retailer trade show will move to Denver, Colorado, next year. Pictured from left to right are Luis Benitez, director of Colorado's Outdoor Recreation Industry Office; Darrell Denny, executive vice president of Emerald Expositions; Amy Roberts, executive director, Outdoor Industry Association; Governor John Hickenlooper; Mayor Michael Hancock; Nick Sargent, president of SnowSports Industries America; Rachel Benedick, VP sales and service, Visit Denver; Marisa Nicholson, Outdoor Retailer show director; Richard Scharf, president and CEO, Visit Denver; Lieutenant Governor Donna Lynne. [Photo] Courtesy of Ground Floor Media

Summer Outdoor Retailer is moving to Denver in 2018

Colorado officials and Outdoor Retailer executives announced July 6 that Denver will host the huge, lucrative OR Summer Market trade show for the next five years starting in 2018. Denver is also hosting the OR Winter Market in conjunction with the SnowSports Industries America Snow Show, a merger that was announced in May.

Katie Bono trains at 13,500 feet on Denali, June 1, to prepare for her speed ascent on June 13-14 in which she set a probable female round-trip record of 21 hours, 6 minutes. That time is the third or fourth fastest time overall. [Photo] Savannah Cummins

Katie Bono sets probable women’s speed record on Denali at 21 hours, 6 minutes

On June 13-14, Katie Bono completed a round-trip ascent of Denali’s West Buttress in 21 hours, 6 minutes. This is likely a female speed record, and it is the third or fourth fastest known time overall. Bono made the ascent in difficult conditions with heavy wind and drifting snow that forced her to break trail on the way up and down, sometimes navigating in a whiteout. She sustained mild frostbite to her face.

Kilian Jornet points to Mt. Everest's shrouded summit while acclimatizing for his first speed ascent of the North Col route. [Photo] Sebastien Montaz-Rosset/Kilian Jornet collection

Kilian Jornet completes two fast and light ascents of Everest in one week

Spanish climber and ultra-runner Kilian Jornet completed two rapid Everest ascents without using fixed ropes or bottled oxygen on the North Col route in one week, on May 21 and 27. He pushed on through illness and windy weather, summiting in 17 hours and returning to advanced base camp in 28:30 on his fastest attempt. This story includes an interview with Jornet and a look back at some of the history of rare fast and light Everest ascents.

The book cover

Tommy Caldwell is honest and vulnerable in his autobiography ‘The Push’

Tommy Caldwell’s autobiography, The Push, is as daring as his multitude of world-class climbing accomplishments, which range from 5.14 and 5.15 sport routes around the world, and towering free ascents on Yosemite’s El Capitan–including the first free ascent of the Dawn Wall (VI 5.14d) in January 2015 with Kevin Jorgeson–to the first completion of the Fitz Roy Traverse in Patagonia with Alex Honnold in 2014. Caldwell’s writing is honest and vulnerable, which makes his moments of triumph even more inspiring.

With Yosemite Falls rumbling to his left, Jon Cardwell face climbs into the final 5.12 splitter crack on Pitch 13 of the Misty Wall (5.13, 1,700') during a free ascent with Sasha DiGiulian on May 27. Cardwell had previously freed the individual pitches with Marcus Garcia last autumn, but the recent ascent is the first time the route has been free climbed in a continuous push, which took about 14.5 hours. [Photo] Marcus Garcia

Legacy Restoration Project begets another high-end route: Yosemite’s Misty Wall (5.13)

The Legacy Restoration Project is an emerging program to clean up forgotten routes as a way to remind climbers of the potential that still lies beyond the obvious classics. The program has resulted in four new high-end free climbs in Yosemite Valley since last September, starting with the West Face of the Sentinel. The most recent addition is a 14.5-hour ascent of the Misty Wall (5.13, 1,700′) by Jon Cardwell, Sasha DiGiulian and Marcus Garcia on May 27.