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Annapurna (8091m). [Photo] Wolfgang Beyer, Wikimedia

Researchers challenge historical records for 8000-meter peaks

A team of researchers has been working for the past several years analyzing summit photos from the world’s highest peaks–particularly on Dhaulagiri (8167m), Manaslu (8163m) and Annapurna (8091m). On July 8, one of them, Eberhard Jurgalski, announced in a report on 8000ers.com that they could only find evidence to confirm ascents to the actual apex of all 14 8000-meter peaks by three people: Ed Viesturs (USA), Veikka Gustafsson (Finland) and Nirmal Purja (Nepal/UK). The research continues and decisions remain about how to handle long-established records.

Red dots show the route of David Allfrey, White Magro and Graham Zimmerman's new route, The Pace of Comfort (VI 5.10 A3+ M6 70° snow, 3,100') on the northwest face of Kichatna Spire (8,985') in the Alaska Range. [Photo] Oliver Rye

Two new big wall routes completed on Alaska’s Kichatna Spire

Two new big-wall aid routes reached the rarely visited summit of Kichatna Spire (8,985′) in the Alaska Range within the past few weeks. From May 23 to 27, Americans David Allfrey, Whit Magro and Graham Zimmerman opened a route on the northwest face that they named The Pace of Comfort (VI 5.10 A3+ M6 70° snow, 3,100′). Shortly after, on the east face of the spire, British climbers Mark Thomas and Mike “Twid” Turner completed a route they called Thunderstruck (VI 5.11b A3+, 3,900′) on June 8 after 12 consecutive days of effort.

Matt Cornell, Jackson Marvell and Alan Rousseau at the point where the Slovak Direct joins the Cassin Ridge. [Photo] Jackson Marvell

Fast times on Slovak Direct: Two teams speed up one of Denali’s hardest routes in a day

At 2 a.m. on May 15, Matt Cornell, Jackson Marvell and Alan Rousseau topped out on the Slovak Direct (5.9 X M6 WI6+) on Denali (20,310′), completing the route in just 21 hours, 35 minutes. It was a staggeringly fast time, but the record didn’t last long. On June 3, Michael Gardner, Sam Hennessey and Rob Smith fired the route in 17 hours, 10 minutes. All six climbers are friends and expressed happiness for everyone’s success. “The conditions this year are like nothing I’ve seen in 10 years,” Gardner told Alpinist. “People who’ve been climbing there longer than I have are saying the same thing.”

Nicolodi starts up the crux pitch of The Resistance, a pick seam that widens to a 5-inch offwidth, on an attempt last February. [Photo] Adam Bidwell

Jon Nicolodi frees two classic mixed lines in his home state of New Hampshire

In March 2022, Jon Nicolodi was able to free two old aid routes as mixed climbs: Across the Great Divide (M8 R, 5 pitches, 550′) on Cannon Cliff, and the Shurayev-Mirkina-Dynkin Route (aka “The Resistance,” M10, 5 pitches, 360′) on Agiocochook (Mt. Washington). Both routes involved runout climbing and some of the hardest drytooling in the state. He’s got plenty more plans for next season, but for now, he laughs, “I’m ready for some rock climbing.”

The Full Circle Everest expedition. Expedition leader Phil Henderson is third from left in the back row. [Photo] James Edward Mills

Full Circle Everest team summits: first Black expedition to the top of the world

Full Circle Everest–the first all-Black expedition team (with Sherpa support) to attempt Chomolungma (Everest, 8849m)–attained success when several members stood on the highest point of the world before sunrise on May 12. With this news, we revisit an article from Alpinist 75 (Autumn 2021) by James Edward Mills, titled “Climbers of Color Come Full Circle: The Future of Expanded Representation.”

[Photo] Courtesy of Takeshi Tani and Toshiyuki Yamada

Japanese team completes first ascent of Kangchung Nup’s NW face in Nepal

After several attempts by other talented climbers in recent years, two alpinists from Japan completed the first ascent of the Northwest Face of Kangchung Nup (6089m) in Nepal. Takeshi Tani and Toshiyuki Yamada estimated the difficulty of their 900-meter route–which they climbed, round-trip from Gokyo village from April 21 to 24–to be ED1: M5 WI4/AI4. “It was really dry conditions this spring, which is safer than usual because there was less avalanche hazard,” Tani said. “We found a beautiful ice strip middle of the NW face and climbed pretty much straight up to permanent ice. Great conditions like snice make everything different.”

Clint Helander and Andres Marin on top of Golgotha (8,940') in Alaska's Revelation Range after completing the first ascent of Shaft of the Abyss (VI AI5 R M5 90° Snow A0, ca. 4,000'). [Photo] Courtesy of Clint Helander

Clint Helander, Andres Marin complete their “dream route” on Golgotha in Alaska’s Revelation Range

On March 25, Clint Helander and Andres Marin stood on top of Golgotha (8,940′) in Alaska’s Revelation Range after completing the first ascent of Shaft of the Abyss (VI AI5 R M5 90° Snow A0, ca. 4,000′). They had previously attempted the route three times together in 2016, 2017 and 2018, reaching a high point about halfway up in 2017 with Leon Davis before a crampon broke.

Grit and Rock Award

2022 Grit and Rock Award recipients announced

The recipients of the 2022 Grit and Rock Award for female first ascents have been announced. This year’s winners include Priti and Jeff Wright (USA); Lise Billion, Maud Vanpoulle (France) and Raphaela Haug (Germany); Nadine Lehner, Isidora Llarena and Rebeca Caceres Lente (Chile); plus a general grant to the French National Female Alpine Team (ENAF). The grant is intended to bolster female participation and leadership in exploration and alpine-style ascents. Teams of any nationality that are led by, or composed mostly of, women are eligible.

Laura Tiefenthaler smiles during her solo ascent of the Eiger North Face on March 25.

Laura Tiefenthaler Solos the Eiger North Face

On March 25, 2022, in an impressive 15-hour push, the 25-year-old Austrian Laura Tiefenthaler became the second known woman to solo the Heckmair Route on the Eiger-and thus the second known woman to solo the iconic Eiger North Face–thirty years after Catherine Destivelle’s historic solo of the route. (Two other women, Alison Hargreaves and Evelyne Binsack soloed the nearby Northeast Face by the Lauper Route during the 1990s.)

Olympic silver medalist Nathaniel Coleman climbs Wrist Rocket (V9), his favorite route in Little Cottonwood Canyon, which would be impacted by the proposed tram or expanded bus lanes that are being considered by the Utah Department of Transportation as preferred alternatives for future transit in the narrow canyon. [Photo] Tim Behuniak

Climbers rally against proposed tramway and expanded bus lanes in Utah’s Little Cottonwood Canyon

A big decision that was anticipated to be made this April has been pushed back to summer after the continued outpouring of comments regarding the future of Little Cottonwood Canyon just outside of Salt Lake City, Utah. The decision facing the Utah Department of Transportation is whether to proceed with one of two plans: build a massive tramway along the length of the canyon to serve the ski areas, or widen the road for expanded bus service. The Salt Lake Climbers Alliance and other groups say those plans are too focused on the ski resorts during the winter and that there are other options that would better preserve the climbing and access to other parts of the canyon while protecting the natural environment and beauty of the area.