Derek Franz

Nik Mirhashemi and Mark Pugliese climbed a route they called Wrong Way Bud (5.6 M4, 500m) on Norbu Peak (5634m) on October 23. [Photo] Nik Mirhashemi

Two Americans climb three new routes in Nepal’s Rolwaling Valley

by Derek Franz

Americans Nik Mirhashemi and Mark Pugliese made three probable first ascents on three peaks in Nepal’s Rolwaling Valley on their first trip to the Himalaya last autumn.

The red line shows the approximate route of Standing Room Only (Russian Alpine Grade 5a, Scottish IV, M4, 650m) on the West Face of Xialongrezha (5678m). The first four pitches are obscured below the fin of rock. [Photo] Rob Baker

Small Australian-Chinese team explores new ground in Tibet

by Derek Franz

A team of five friends self-fund an expedition to a rarely visited area of Tibet and climb a previously unnamed 5678-meter peak they named Xialongrezha. They climbed the west face and called their route Standing Room Only (Russian Alpine Grade 5a, Scottish IV, M4, 650m).

Tom Ballard makes the first ascent of Dust in the Wind (M8, 100m), Val di Fassa, Italy, while rope-soloing. [Photo] Tom Ballard

Tom Ballard finishes the year with back-to-back rope-solo ascents

by Derek Franz

Tom Ballard closes out the year in the Dolomites with a rope-solo first ascent of Dust in the Wind (M8, 100m) and a casual multiday rope solo of the Gogna Route (5.10, 800m) on Marmolada Punta Rocca (3309m), which he finished on New Years Eve.

This aerial shot shows the magnitude of the Eiger North Face (3970m). Metanoia (VII 5.10 M6 A4, 1800m) takes a central line up the shadowy face. [Photo] Archive Metanoia

Huber, Schaeli and Siegrist complete the second ascent of Eiger’s Metanoia

by Derek Franz

Thomas Huber, Roger Schaeli and Stephan Siegrist complete the second ascent of Metanoia (VII 5.10 M6 A4, 1800m) on the Eiger North Face (3970m), more than 25 years after Jeff Lowe established the legendary route that became a turning point in his life.

Marcin Tomaszewksi leads a pitch during the first ascent of Titanic (M5 5.10c A3 WI4, 1800m) on the North Face of the Eiger (3970m), which he completed with Tom Ballard on November 30 to December 6. [Photo] Tom Ballard

First ascent of ‘Titanic’ adds another chapter to the Eiger North Face

by Derek Franz

Tom Ballard and Marcin Tomaszewksi have only climbed together three times, but all those climbs have been first ascents. They added another hard new route to the Eiger North Face in December –Titanic–and Ballard continued his legacy with the mountain that his mother, Alison Hargreaves, had climbed while she was pregnant with him.

Shelika (6045m), south face, northeast of Jindong. [Photo] Tom Nakamura

Nakamura unveils hidden mountains of southern Tibet

by Derek Franz

Eighty-two-year-old Japanese mountaineer Tamotsu “Tom” Nakamura has been exploring and documenting the seldom-visited regions of Tibet for the last 25 years. In this feature he shares photographs of southern Tibet’s “hidden” mountains.

The red line marks the route and camps of Moveable Feast (ED2 M7 WI5 5c A3, 1400m) on Thalay Sagar (6904m), India. [Photo] Courtesy of Dmitry Golovchenko and Mountain.RU.

Russians win Golden Axe for Moveable Feast on Thalay Sagar

by Derek Franz

The golden trio of Dmitry Golovchenko, Dmitry Grigoriev and Sergey Nilov score another Russian Golden Axe for their alpine-style first ascent of Moveable Feast (ED2 M7 WI5 5c A3, 1400m) on Thalay Sagar (6904m) last September.

Jacopo Larcher climbs The Nipple pitch (5.13d) on Zodiac (VI 5.13d) at sunset. [Photo] Francois Lebeau and Black Diamond Equipment

Zangerl and Larcher make the third free ascent of Zodiac on El Capitan

by Derek Franz

Barbara Zangerl and Jacopo Larcher recently made the third free ascent of Zodiac (VI 5.13d) on El Capitan after a 13-year period in which no one succeeded since the first and second free ascents were made in 2003.

Jim Detterline in his element on the upper section of Kiener's Route on the East Face of Longs Peak (14,259'), July 2010. [Photo] Lisa Foster

Jim Detterline touched many lives as a climbing ranger in Rocky Mountain Nat’l Park

by Derek Franz

Jim Detterline participated in more than 1,200 rescues in his long career as a climbing ranger in Rocky Mountain National Park. He was well loved and famous for climbing Longs Peak (14,259’) a record 428 times. He died in a rope-soloing accident near his home in late October. More than 1,000 people attended the memorial service.

Adam Ondra celebrates on Wino Tower after finishing the most difficult pitches of the El Capitan's Dawn Wall (VI 5.14d). [Photo] Heinz Zak and Black Diamond Equipment

Adam Ondra Frees the Dawn Wall

by Derek Franz

Adam Ondra sets a new precedent on the second free ascent of El Capitan’s Dawn Wall (VI 5.14d) by blazing up the route in fewer than eight days and leading every pitch.

Pete Whittaker sends the Boulder Problem variation (5.13a) on El Capitan's Freerider (VI 5.12d or 5.13a). [Photo] Dustin Moore

Pete Whittaker rope solos El Cap’s Freerider all free in a day

by Derek Franz

Pete Whittaker rope solos El Capitan’s Freerider (VI 5.12d) all free in 20 hours, 6 minutes, becoming the first person to do it in a day.

Junko Tabei climbs Somoni Peak (7495m), formerly known as Communism Peak, in 1985. [Photo] Jaan Kunnap

Junko Tabei, first woman to summit Everest, dies at 77

by Derek Franz

Junko Tabei was more than the first woman to summit the highest peak on Earth, she was a trailblazer for women in the mountains, a leader for the environment and a person who actively invested in her community all the way up until her death from cancer on October 20.