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Tom Ballard, left, and Daniele Nardi. [Photo] Daniele Nardi's Facebook page

Rescuers search for Tom Ballard and Daniele Nardi on Nanga Parbat

Tom Ballard, 30, of Britain, and Daniele Nardi, 42, of Italy, are missing on Nanga Parbat (8126m) in Pakistan. According to updates on Nardi’s Facebook page, helicopters are attempting to deliver a rescue team “as close as possible” to Camp 3 today, where a tent “invaded by snow” was spotted amid “traces of an avalanche” during a morning reconnaissance. The climbers were last heard from on Sunday, February 24, while attempting a winter ascent via a new route up the Mummery Rib, which is prone to avalanches. Their last known position is somewhere around 6300 meters between Camp 3 and Camp 4.

A climber rappels in Utah's San Rafael Swell, one of many areas across the country that will soon have wilderness designations if President Donald Trump signs the Natural Resources Management Act, which was passed by Congress on February 26. [Photo] John Easterling

Congress passes historically large public lands bill that sets a legal precedent for climbing in wilderness areas

Yesterday the House of Representatives passed a historic bipartisan bill titled the Natural Resources Management Act, 363-62. It cleared the Senate, 92-8, on February 12, and it is anticipated that President Donald Trump will soon sign it into law. The legislation combines more than 100 previously existing bills that affect public lands all over the country, and it includes provisions that pertain directly to climbers and climbing areas.

Sam Hennesse. [Photo] Seth Timpano

American Alpine Club announces three Cutting Edge Grant recipients

Sam Hennessey, Chantel Astorga and Chris Wright are all receiving American Alpine Club Cutting Edge Grants this year. Hennessey plans to attempt the north face of Chamlang (ca. 7300m) in the Eastern Himalaya of Nepal with Rob Smith, Seth Timpano and Michael Gardner; Astorga will try Pumari Chhish South (7350m) in Pakistan’s Hispar Karakoram with Anne Gilbert Chase; and Wright is aiming for Link Sar (7041m) in the Eastern Karakoram, Pakistan, with Graham Zimmerman, Mark Richey and Steve Swenson.

American Alpine Club 2019 climbing awards

American Alpine Club announces 2019 award recipients

The American Alpine Club recently announced the award recipients who will be honored at the club’s annual benefit dinner on March 9 in San Francisco, California. The honorees are Kelly Cordes, Jim Donini, Brette Harrington, Tom Hornbein, Jeremy Jones, Michael Kennedy and Kate Rutherford. Dennis Urubko, Adam Bielecki, Jaroslaw Botor and Piotrek Tomala are also being recognized for their rescue of Elizabeth Revol on Nanga Parbat last January. Colin Haley is the keynote speaker.

Jess Roskelley leads through loose blocks on Day 2 during the first ascent of Canmore Wedding Party (AI5 M7, 2,625') on A Peak in Montana's Cabinet Mountains. [Photo] Scott Coldiron

No bull: Too tired to see right after a first ascent in Montana’s Cabinet Range

Jess Roskelley wrote the following story about a new route he climbed with Scott Coldiron on A Peak in Montana’s Cabinet Mountains on November 18-21. They named their route Canmore Wedding Party (AI5 M7, 2,625′). Coldiron, a veteran of the Gulf War, wrote an On Belay story for Alpinist 64 about returning to the Cabinet Range after a long hiatus to pursue his dreams of finding new ice and alpine routes.

Keita Kurakami (left) and Connor Herson after their respective free ascents of the Nose (VI 5.14a, 2,900') of El Capitan. [Photos] Keita Kurakami collection/Jim Herson

Keita Kurakami frees El Capitan’s Nose as a rope-solo and 15-year-old Connor Herson becomes the youngest to free the iconic wall

Two historic free ascents happened within the last several days on the Nose (VI 5.14a, 2,900′) of El Capitan: Keita Kurakami free climbed the route as a rope-solo in a single push from the ground on November 14-18, and 15-year-old Connor Herson free climbed it in a three-day push with his dad belaying and cleaning every pitch, topping out on November 19 after three days of climbing.