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Scott Coldiron stays warm in the Valandre Troll jacket while sorting gear in the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness, Montana. [Photo] Brian White

Valandre Troll jacket: As warm as a down coat can be

Scott Coldiron has a lot of experience when it comes to staying warm on frozen alpine routes. He’s been using the Valandre Troll jacket in Montana’s Cabinet Range and reports, “Simply put, this jacket lofts better under all conditions than other down jackets I’ve used, and the resulting warmth it creates is impressive.” It’s also more expensive, however, and it lacks a couple features he would’ve liked to have. Four stars.

Katie Sauter in the Henry S. Hall Jr. American Alpine Club Library, Golden, Colorado. [Photo] Laura Sauter

Local Hero: Katie Sauter

Whether they’ve collected summits, books or memories, many climbers long to preserve records of the past. In this Local Hero story from Alpinist 68–which is now available on newsstands and in our online store–Paula Wright presents the person responsible for cataloguing and managing one of the most extensive of these collections: Katie Sauter, director of the Henry S. Hall Jr. American Alpine Club Library.

Derek Franz on Magnetar (5.13d), Rifle Mountain Park, Colorado. The Edelrid Bulletproof quickdraw is the first one clipped to the rope above the ground, near the lower right corner of the frame. The carabiner that the Bulletproof draw replaced was severely grooved. [Photo] Karissa Frye

Edelrid Bulletproof quickdraw: The burliness of steel with the lightness of aluminum

Alpinist Digital Editor tested the Edelrid Bulletproof quickdraw at Rifle Mountain Park, a world-famous sport crag where the volume of traffic frequently destroys carabiners. The Bulletproof showed hardly any signs of wear after hanging on one of the canyon’s most popular routes for four months, earning five stars. “Wait! This review is for Alpinist, what the hell is this sport climbing equipment doing here?” Franz writes. Read the article at Alpinist.com for his answer.

Mandi Franz follows the Vector Traverse on Escape Artist (III 5.10-, 7 pitches) in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Colorado. [Photo] Derek Franz

The Less You Talk

In this Climbing Life story from Alpinist 68, our digital editor Derek Franz articulates the value of staying quiet while climbing with his wife. “I’ve learned that my enthusiasm can be a detriment,” he writes. “My impulse, ever since I was a kid, has been to try to offer guidance…. I want to encourage her; I want her to realize the ability she has. My words usually come out wrong.”

Brad Gobright climbing Lurking Fear (VI 5.7 C2, 2,000') on El Capitan.[Photo] Cheyne Lempe

Brad Gobright dies in a rappelling accident while climbing in Mexico

Brad Gobright died in a rappelling accident in El Potrero Chico, Mexico on November 27. The 31-year-old Californian was a highly accomplished free-soloist and big wall climber, former Nose speed-record holder with Jim Reynolds. He was loved and respected by many people around the world and was known to have a goofy sense of humor.

Kei Taniguchi training on Mt. Hotaka (3190m), Japan, December 2014. [Photo] Junji Wada

Pandora’s Box: The Brief, Brilliant Life of Kei Taniguchi

In 2009 Japanese alpinist Kei Taniguchi became the first woman to receive a Piolet d’Or for her first ascent of the Southeast Face of Kamet (7756m), with Kazuya Hiraide. During the final years of her life, Taniguchi continued to explore challenging new routes, while hinting at a mysterious personal quest. Piecing together diary entries and interviewing family and friends, her biographer Akihiro Oishi tries to see inside what Taniguchi called “the Pandora’s box.”

The west face of Tengi Ragi Tau (ca. 6940m) with Release the Kraken (AI5 M5+, 1600m) drawn in red. Alan Rousseau and Tino Villanueva's three bivy sites are marked in blue near the beginning, middle and top of the upper rockband. [Photo] Alan Rousseau

Alan Rousseau and Tino Villanueva Release the Kraken on Tengi Ragi Tau’s west face

Alan Rousseau writes about the first ascent of Tengi Ragi Tau’s west face, which he completed with Tino Villanueva in mid-October. Explaining the name of their route, he writes, “The peak had eluded us for so long, I think we had made it out to be a bit of a mythical beast. For that reason, and for the wild upper snow features, we named our route Release the Kraken (AI5 M5+, 1600m).”

[Photo] Height of Land Publications

Backcountry.com battles small businesses over trademark

The news of Backcountry.com suing smaller companies for using the word “backcountry” in their titles has led to inquiries about the status of Alpinist’s sister publication, Backcountry Magazine. Height of Land Publications Editorial Director Tyler Cohen, formerly editor-in-chief of Backcountry, wrote the following story that includes a statement from HOL CEO Adam Howard. So far, Backcountry Magazine has not been included in these lawsuits and Height of Land Publications stands in solidarity with the smaller companies that are being impacted.

Paragot receiving the Piolets d'Or Lifetime Achievement (aka Walter Bonatti) Award in 2012. Rossana Podesta, Bonatti's partner of 30 years, is on the right. [Photo] Courtesy of Pascal Tournaire

Robert Paragot (1927-2019): An Old Man’s Lesson

Robert Paragot, a highly influential alpinist and Fontainebleau boulderer, passed away at his home near Paris on October 24 at age 92. French climbing journalist Claude Gardien reports that Paragot continued to be involved in the climbing community up until his death: “He was a great climber and a very nice man.” Chris Schulte, an American climber who has referred to Fontainebleu as a “second home,” summarized Paragot’s career: “Exceptionally well rounded, Paragot achieved many difficult and historic ascents in the Great Ranges of the earth, from the north faces of the Drus and the Grand Capucin in the Alps, to first ascents on Aconcagua and Huarascan in South America, as well as Mustagh Tower, Jannu, and Makalu in the Himalaya.” In honor of his life, we’re sharing a story from Alpinist 12 (2005) in which Paragot recounts the very beginning of his climbing career.