![Ed Roberson on Mt. Washington (Agiocochook), New Hampshire, date unknown. [Photo] Courtesy Frank Daugherty](https://i0.wp.com/alpinist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/ed-roberson-1.jpg?resize=930%2C620&ssl=1)
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 field came to shape some of his prize-winning work.
![Fanny Bullock Workman with her Votes for Women sign. [Photo] William Hunter Workman, Wikimedia Commons](https://i0.wp.com/alpinist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/sharp-end-1.jpg?resize=764%2C620&ssl=1)
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 fantasy plane where the messy realities of our societies and the airy brilliance of an alpine summit never intersect. Yet we are living in a time of overlapping crises and movements that no one can ignore.”
![Chris Kalman sporting the Acopa JBs on his and Zach Harrison's new route, Pump Drunk (5.12-, 115') in Northern Arizona's Pumphouse Wash (ancestral homelands of Pueblo, Sinagua, Hohokam, Hopi and Western Apache, among others). [Nelson Klein]](https://i0.wp.com/alpinist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/acopa-jb-1-1.jpg?resize=930%2C620&ssl=1)
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.
![Whitney Clark traversing out from one of the supercaves while climbing The Tiger on Washington Pass with the Beal Opera rope. [Photo] Will Stanhope](https://i0.wp.com/alpinist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/beal-opera-rope-1-1.jpg?resize=930%2C620&ssl=1)
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, and sure enough, the rope held up. After using the Opera at Index, Washington, the Cascades, Sawtooths and Wind River Range, Clark writes, “the Opera is a great choice for alpine routes when saving weight is key.” Five stars.
![Chris Weidner sends the last pitch (5.12d) of Gambler's Fallacy (5.13b, 9 pitches) on the Diamond of Longs Peak (Neniisotoyou'u), with Bruce Miller belaying on August 9. Weidner's redpoint was the first ascent of the route, to which he and Miller have dedicated 51 days since July 2017. Weidner will soon return to support Miller's free attempt. [Photo] Jon Glassberg/Louder Than Eleven](https://i0.wp.com/alpinist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/gamblers-fallacy-1.jpg?resize=930%2C620&ssl=1)
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 and Phil Gruber completed Beethoven’s Honeymoon (V 5.13-, 9 pitches).
![The northwest face of Chamlang (7321m) with UFO Line (ABO: M6, WI5, 2500m) marked in red. [Photo] Zdenek Hak and Marek Holecek collection](https://i0.wp.com/alpinist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/chamlang-1.jpg?resize=930%2C620&ssl=1)
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 and Tino Villanueva (USA) are all being recognized for their respective ascents of Chamlang (7321m), Rakaposhi (7,788m), Link Sar (7041m) and Tengi Ragi Tau (6938m). Catherine Destiville is receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award.
![Chris Kalman placing a #6 (purple) DMM Dragonfly on a steep new route in Arizona. [Photo] Nelson Klein](https://i0.wp.com/alpinist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/dmm-dragonfly-micro-cams-1-1.jpg?resize=930%2C620&ssl=1)
The DMM Dragonfly Micro Cams are among the smallest and strongest cams ever made. Chris Kalman tested them on the thin cracks near his home in northern Arizona. He reports that there are some aspects of the design that he absolutely loves, but ultimately he was disappointed with the narrow size range of the cams compared to other brands. The narrow range required much more careful selection for placements. Three stars
![Alex Honnold and Tommy Caldwell can be seen standing on the summit of the Sharkstooth (12,630') in Rocky Mountain National Park at sunrise on Saturday, July 18, during their Continental Divide Ultimate Linkup (CDUL). [Photo] Adam Stack](https://i0.wp.com/alpinist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/rmnp-cdul-1.jpg?resize=930%2C620&ssl=1)
Tommy Caldwell and Alex Honnold have completed a linkup of staggering proportions in Rocky Mountain National Park. The duo dubbed their route the Continental Divide Ultimate Linkup (CDUL). They stood atop 17 summits and completed 11 technical climbing routes (totaling approximately 65 pitches varying in difficulty from 5.6 to 5.11) and covered about 35 miles and 20,000 feet of vertical gain in roughly 36 hours. “We’re both slightly injured and hobbling around,” Honnold told Alpinist.
![A storm settles over the Cirque of the Towers, Wind River Range, Wyoming. [Photo] Derek Franz](https://i0.wp.com/alpinist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/a70-tcl-wringing-it-out-1.jpeg?resize=930%2C620&ssl=1)
In this story from The Climbing Life section of Alpinist 70, Spencer Gray experiences an unusual turn of events when he gets caught in the rain on a multipitch route while climbing with a less-experienced experienced partner.
![The author wearing the La Sportiva Testarossa climbing shoes at a crag near Redstone, Colorado. [Photo] Nat Gustafson](https://i0.wp.com/alpinist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/la-sportiva-testarossa-1-2.jpg?resize=930%2C620&ssl=1)
Alpinist Digital Editor Derek Franz has been using the slightly redesigned La Sportiva Testarossa climbing shoes for the past several months and discovered what he’s been missing in his collection. He writes, “I only recently came to realize why so many of my climbing partners have been rocking the La Sportiva Testarossa for the last 17 years. I get it now!” Five stars.
