![The La Sportiva TX4 Mid was a great, lightweight option for the hike to the top of Saint Vrain Mountain (12,162') in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. Visible in the background, from left to right, are Chiefs Head, Longs Peak and Mt. Meeker. [Photo] Mandi Franz](https://i0.wp.com/alpinist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/la-sportiva-tx4-mid-1-1.jpg?resize=824%2C518&ssl=1)
The La Sportiva TX4 Mid boots are described by the company as an “access boot designed to excel in tricky, technical terrain.” Alpinist Digital Editor Derek Franz finds that the feather-light boots live up to that classification but are not ideal for weak or injured feet that need more support. Four stars.
![The North Ridge of Latok I with Alexander Gukov's position marked in red, where helicopters reached him July 31. [Photo] Courtesy of Mountain.RU](https://i0.wp.com/alpinist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/latok-rescue-folo-1.jpg?resize=930%2C620&ssl=1)
Alexander Gukov, 42, is safe after spending nearly a full seven days at 6200 meters stuck on the North Ridge of Latok I (7145m) in Pakistan. He was lifted from the mountain by a longline helicopter operation.
![Brittany Goris plugs small gear on the 5.13c/d pitch of City Park, Index, Washington. [Photo] Truc Allen](https://i0.wp.com/alpinist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/brittany-goris-city-park.jpg?resize=930%2C620&ssl=1)
On July 10, Brittany Goris became the first woman and sixth person to free climb the storied first pitch of City Park, which has a reputation as one of the hardest trad lines in the state at 5.13c/d. Goris, 25, was also the third person to place all gear on lead.
Jan Redford’s new memoir, “End of the Rope: Mountains, Marriage, and Motherhood,” takes the reader on her journey of rebelling against her family and society’s expectations, navigating relationships and loss on her own terms and pursuing the potential she knows she has despite obstacles. It’s the work of a vulnerable and hard-earned courage, open to trial and error on a climb as well as on the ground.
![The Colorado Convention Center during the inaugural 2018 winter Outdoor Retailer and Snowsports Industry of America trade show in Denver. [Photo] Courtesy of Outdoor Industry Association](https://i0.wp.com/alpinist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/outdoor-industry-impacts-1.jpg?resize=930%2C620&ssl=1)
As the Summer Outdoor Retailer trade show heats up in Denver, Emma Murray and Sara Aranda take a look back at the winter trade show that was held in January and some of the events since then to consider how the outdoor industry is addressing environmental, social and political issues.
![K2 (8611m). [Photo] Piotr Pawlus / Red Bull Content Pool](https://i0.wp.com/alpinist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/k2-ski-descent-1.jpg?resize=930%2C620&ssl=1)
On Sunday, July 22, Polish ski mountaineer Andrzej Bargiel became the first person in history to climb and ski the behemoth K2 (8611m), located on the China/Pakistan border in the Karakoram Range.
![Janusz Klarner arrives on the summit snowfield of Nanda Devi East in 1939. Nanda Kot is visible in the background. [Photo] Jakub Bujak collection](https://i0.wp.com/alpinist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/a62-eye-of-the-storm-1.jpg?resize=930%2C620&ssl=1)
In this Mountain Profile essay from Alpinist 62, Julia Pulwicki translates Janusz Klarner’s account of the first ascent of Nanda Devi East in 1939 by Klarner’s Polish team. This essay is part of an extensive two-part feature by Pete Takeda that includes other essays by various authors as well as this one.
![Mike Lewis holds the Nemo Chogori 3-person Mountaineering tent in its compression stuff sack. [Photo] Chris Wood](https://i0.wp.com/alpinist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/nemo-chogori-tent-1-1.jpg?resize=930%2C620&ssl=1)
Mike Lewis finds that the three-person Nemo Chogori Mountaineering tent provides a good in-between option between lightweight tents and expedition tents. The former don’t fare as well against the harsh conditions typically found high on a mountain, and the latter are too bulky and heavy to be ideal for fast-and-light missions. The Nemo Chogori filled the niche for Lewis, who awards it four stars.
![An image from a 2018 UIAA World Cup ice climbing competition. [Photo] UIAA/Kirov/Lena Tem](https://i0.wp.com/alpinist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/uiaa-world-cup-ice-competition-1.jpg?resize=930%2C620&ssl=1)
The American Alpine Club is hosting the UIAA (International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation) World Cup Ice Climbing competition at Colorado’s Denver Civic Center Park on February 23-24. This will be the first time the competition has come to Denver. The event will be free to the public.
![Latok I (7145m). The North Ridge is the prominent line right of center. [Photo] Courtesy of Mountain.RU](https://i0.wp.com/alpinist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/latok-rescue-2-1.jpeg?resize=600%2C445&ssl=1)