Alpinist’s tribute to Robert Hicks Bates, 96, relentless first ascensionist, member of the “Harvard Five,” former president of the American Alpine Club, honorary member of the 10th Mountain Division and all-around upstanding citizen.
The Russian Team that climbed Shingu Charpa’s east face sends these photographs and topos of the route.
Rich Purnell makes the first ascent of the disputed M14 endurance climb, Alcatraz. An Alpinist TV exclusive.
The newly designed Black Diamond nForce ascenders were a crucial piece of gear for my main climbing project this summer. Using static and dynamic fixed lines from 8-11 millimeters, my partner and I spent about ten days working on a first ascent, free, on the east face of Snowpatch Spire in the Bugaboos. Although the face itself rises 2,000 feet, we ascended an estimated 3,000′ of fixed lines, equipping belay stations, scrubbing cracks, and rehearsing the crux pitches that, unfortunately, are still resisting our redpoint attempts.
