The news

On 20 December 2018 Polish mountaineer Dariusz Sokołowski made the first free ascent of Parallel World, a dry tooling climb that crosses a 60-meter horizontal roof at crag Tomorrow's World in the Italian Dolomites. Graded D16, if the grade is confirmed, this checks in as one of the most difficult...

Enrico Sasso reports about his 11 December 2018 solo first ascent of Rose (ED, 380m, WI4, M7) a new mixed route up the north face of Marguareis in the Ligurian Alps, Italy.

Slovenia’s Luka Lindič and Germany’s Fabian Buhl have established Sau hladno!, a new mixed climb up Cima Tosa in the Brenta Dolomites.

On 18/12/2018 Sébastien de Sainte Marie skied a line, possibly new, down the North Face of Hübschhorn, Lepontine Alps, Switzerland.

Brenta Dolomites winter climbing: on 01/01/2018 alpinists Ines Papert and Luka Lindič have made the first repeat of Selvaggia sorte up the west face of Cima Tosa 3133m. The route was first completed by Tomas Franchini and Alessandro Lucchi in 2013.

The video of Federica Mingolla and Gabriele Carrara making the first ascent of L'isola che non c’è, the rock climb established in summer 2018 up Aiguille Croux in the Mont Blanc massif.

Winter mountaineering in the Brenta Dolomites: on the east face of Cima Brenta, Alessandro Beber and Matteo Faletti have made the first ascent of the important new ice and mixed climb CRAM (550m, AI5, M6, 90°). Beber and Faletti report.

Climbing alone and ground-up, last spring German alpinist Alexander Huber made the first ascent of Mauerläufer (200m, 8b+) up Waidringer Steinplatte in Austria.

Roundup of recent redpoints at Margalef, Siurana and Perles in Spain by the Italian climbers Laura Rogora, Marcello Bombardi, Stefano Carnati and Marco Zanone. In addition, noteworthy attempts at Saint Loup in Switzerland by Riccardo Scarian and Alessandro Zeni.

The video of the first winter solo ascent of Aguja Guillaumet in Patagonia, carried out on 8 September 2017 by Austrian mountaineer Markus Pucher.

The film No country for old bolts, featuring Nina Caprez and Cédric Lachat climbing at Rocher Crespin in France.

On 31/12/2018 at Santa Linya in Spain the 19-year-old Czech climber Jakub Konečný redpointed Catxasa, his first 9a+ sports climb.

The film Generation Dry that explores the world of dry tooling, mixed climbing and winter mountaineering. Directed by Pierre Chauffour, with Gaetan Raymond, François Damilano, Jeff Mercier, Fred Degoulet, Tom Ballard and the late Stéphane Husson.

Climbing in Zion National Park, USA: in November 2018 Paul Gagner and Ryan Kempf made the first ascent of Museum Piece (V 5.8 A4), a new aid climb up the Angelino Wall.

On 31/12/2018 Slovenian climber Jernej Kruder made the first ascent of Dugi rat at the crag Vrulja close to Omiš in Croatia. Graded 9a+, this is now the hardest sport climb in the country.

Winter climbing in the Brenta Dolomites: on 19 December 2018 Tomas Franchini, climbing solo, made the first ascent of Solo il Matto up Spallone dei Massodì (3004m).