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Carlo Traversi places protection on Magic Line (5.14c), Yosemite Valley. [Photo] Christian Adam / Black Diamond

Carlo Traversi is first to have sent both Magic Line and Meltdown (5.14c) in Yosemite

Carlo Traversi has once again proven himself as one of the best all-around rock climbers in the world, with his recent redpoint of Yosemite’s Magic Line (5.14c) on February 27. Traversi is the fourth person to send the route, and the third to do it placing all the thin gear on lead. This ascent also makes him the only person to have sent both Magic Line and Meltdown, another thin crack in Yosemite (first climbed by Beth Rodden in 2008) that has earned the grade of 5.14c.

American Alpine Club Awards logo

American Alpine Club’s Annual Award and Benefit Gala resumes in-person event in Denver after two-year hiatus

The American Alpine Club’s Annual Award and Benefit Gala is returning to an in-person event in Denver, Colorado, on Saturday, March 26, but people will still have the option to tune in online this year. Jordan Cannon and Mark Hudon are this year’s keynote speakers, and the awardees are Pat Ament, Sean Bailey, Natalia Grossman, John Heilprin, John Kascenska, David Nyman, Rick Reese and Joe Terravecchia. Arlene Blum and Steve Roper are receiving honorary AAC memberships.

The image shared with the open letter against the Russian invasion that was posted on Mountain.RU. The photos are portraits of Ukrainian climbers.

Russian and Ukrainian climbers speak out against the invasion of Ukraine

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, some Russian climbers have publicly spoken out against their country’s aggression. In a country known for reprisals against people who openly oppose President Vladimir Putin’s regime, this act involves personal risk. Meanwhile Ukrainian climbers confront the attacks on their country. The Russian climbing website Mountain.RU posted an open letter, which hundreds of people had signed by March 2 and other professional climbers have shared statements of their own.

Outline of Ukraine, based on a UN map of Ukraine and the Flag of Ukraine. [Image] Courtesy of the United Nations Cartographic Section; Alex Khristov, Wikimedia

International climbing organizations cancel events in Russia in response to the country’s invasion of Ukraine

In response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, the International Olympic Committee called for the cancellation of all sporting events that were scheduled in Russia and Belarus. In turn, the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) and the International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation (UIAA) have cancelled the World Cup sport and ice climbing competitions slated to take place in March and April.

Charles Dubouloz summits the Walker Spur of the Grandes Jorasses after soloing Rolling Stones (5.10 A3, or M8, 1100m) over six days in January. [Photo] Seb Montaz Studio (@sebmontazstudio)

Charles Dubouloz completes the first solo winter ascent of Rolling Stones on the Grandes Jorasses

From January 13 to 18, Charles Dubouloz completed what is likely the first solo winter ascent of Rolling Stones (5.10 A3, or M8, 1100m) a rarely repeated route on the fabled north face of the Grandes Jorasses above Chamonix, France. He spent six days with five bivies on the wall, pressing on through strong winds and low temperatures of -30°C (-22°F), sustaining some frostbite to a big toe.

The red line shows the approximate route of Frozen Fight Club (M7 A3, 780m). [Image] Marcin Tomaszewski collection

Polish duo endures severe cold on big wall for 11 days to complete Frozen Fight Club

Polish climbers Marcin “Yeti” Tomaszewski and Damian “Dany” Bielecki completed a new big wall aid route in Pakistan’s Karakoram Range on a 700-meter cliff known as the Uli Biaho Gallery. They spent 11 days establishing Frozen Fight Club (M7 A3, 780m) on December 5-16. Frozen Fight Club might be the first big wall route in the region that was climbed during the coldest season.

A screenshot of a publicist's Facebook post announcing the upcoming media briefing for Nikita Balabanov, Mikhail Fomin and Viacheslav Polezhaiko's first ascent of the Southeast Ridge of Annapurna III (7555m). [Photo] Derek Franz

Three Ukrainian climbers complete first ascent of fabled Southeast Ridge of Annapurna III

Three Ukrainian climbers–Nikita Balabanov, Mikhail Fomin and Viacheslav Polezhaiko–have just completed the first ascent of the fabled Southeast Ridge of Annapurna III (7555m). Until now, no one had surpassed the high point of 6500 meters that was first reached by British climbers Steve Bell, Nick Colton and Tim Leach in 1981. Balabanov, Fomin and Viacheslav had only 12 days of food and took 18 days for the ascent and descent. After diverting from their original descent plan, they were eventually picked up by helicopter at 5000m.

[Image] Banff Mountain Book Competition

Doug Robinson’s story from Alpinist 74 wins Banff Book Comp for Mountaineering Article

A story from Alpinist 74 (Summer 2021)–“Letters to a Young Climber,” by Doug Robinson–was recently selected as the winner of Best Mountaineering Article at the Banff Mountain Film and Book Festival, which is happening this week. The recognition comes with $2,000 and is eligible to receive a $4,000 Grand Prize that will be selected from a pool that includes seven other category winners on November 5. A book by Alpinist contributor Chris Kalman, “Dammed If You Don’t,” won the Mountain Fiction and Poetry category. A grand-prize winner among the eight categories will be selected on November 5. Meanwhile, the film “Dream Mountain,” of which Alpinist is a sponsor, was selected for the for the 2021/22 Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour.

This photo was taken on a trip to Venezuela that was supported by an American Alpine Club Live Your Dream Grant. [Photo] Blake McCord

American Alpine Club now accepting applications for six grants

The American Alpine Club (AAC) is currently accepting applications for six grants: the TINCUP Partner in Adventure Grant, the Cutting Edge Grant, the Jones Backcountry Adventure Grant, the McNeill-Nott Award, the Mountaineering Fellowship Fund Grant, and the Rocky Talkie Search and Rescue Award. Deadlines to apply vary depending on the grant, ranging from November 8, 2021, to January 31, 2022.

A screenshot from the livestreamed event outside the White House on October 8 as President Joe Biden signed the proclamations restoring the protections to Bears Ears, Grand Staircase-Escalante and Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine national monuments as set by President Barack Obama. Biden handed out the pens he used to the people gathered behind him. [Photo] Derek Franz

President Biden signs proclamations to restore Bears Ears, Grand Staircase-Escalante and Seamounts Marine national monuments

President Joe Biden signed an executive order today restoring Utah’s Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments after former President Donald Trump rescinded the original designations in 2017. Trump’s rescissions had reduced Bears Ears by approximately 85% and Grand Staircase by almost 50%. Biden also reinstated protections in Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument after Trump’s 2020 decision to open it to commercial fishing. Bears Ears NM was originally designated at 1.35 million acres by President Barack Obama in 2016, and Grand Staircase was set at 1.9 million acres by President Bill Clinton in 1996.

The route line for Jaume Peiro and Alex Gonzalez' Big Fighter (6c [5.11b/c] A2, 740m) on Chaupi Huanca. [Photo] Alex Gonzalez

Young Spanish team establishes Big Fighter, a 740-meter route on Chaupi Huanca, Peru

Between July 1 and 3, young Spanish climbers Jaume Peiro (20) and Alex Gonzalez (18) made the first ascent of the northwest spur of Chaupi Huanca in the Rurec Valley of the Cordillera Blanca in Peru. They climbed their 740-meter route–Big Fighter–at 6c (5.11b/c) A2, and estimated it would go free at 8a+ (5.13c). Peiro and Gonzalez succeeded on the line that two previous parties (an Argentinean team in 2016, and an Ecuadorian team in 2021) had previously attempted, adding 470 meters to the Ecuadorian team’s high point that was 270 meters up the wall.