The news

International campaigners for Tibet have voiced their growing concern about a planned ring road around Mount Kailash, Tibet's most sacred mountain.

The Other Final Takes Grand Prize at Banff Mountain Film Festival. Escape from Lucania: An Epic Story of Survival wins Book Festival, while Fritz Mueller’s Autumn Sunset in the Heart of Tombstone wins Mountain Photography Competition

On 17/09/2003 a ravaging fire destroyed one of Italy's premier climbing wall manufacturers Ecogrips, the climbing shop Vertical Sport, and the climbing wall Action House in Trento, northern Italy

A recent agreement between China and India could signal the start of improving relations between the two countries.

The fourth Mountaineering - Grignetta d’Oro Awards Ceremony gets underway in Lecco, Italy this weekend. The two-day meeting marks the start of the highly anticipated, week-long mountaineering festival, which includes the World Cup Difficulty, Speed and Bouldering competitions.

n Wednesday 11 June the week-long Mountaineering Festival, due to take place in Lecco from 21-29 June, will be officially presented in Milan.

The closing date for the 8th Banff Mountain Photography Competition, the prestigious Canadian photographic competition, is 30 May 2003

Mick Fowler and Paul Ramsden have won the Piolet d'Or 2002 with their first ascent of the North Face central couloir of Siguniang, China

The classic Ciaspolada snowshoe race celebrates its 30 anniversary and changes course

From 8 — 12 January 2002 the French Parc National des Ecrins will host the Fournel Ice Climbing Event for 800 ice climbers. The nominees for the Piolet D'Or 2002 will be presented, as will the winning films of the Banff Mountain Film Festival.

The Second Step wins the Banff Mountain Film Festival 2002. The Banff Mountain Book Festival Grand Prize was awarded to The Evidence of Things Not Seen, while the Photography Competition was won by James Delano

On 9/01/2003 Simone Moro will be awarded the "Pierre de Cubertin International Fair Play Trophy" for his 2001 rescue efforts of the 19 year-old British mountaineer Tom Moores

The mountaineers Thomas Huber and Doug Scott will hold two slideshows at Arco, Italy on Friday 1 November and Saturday 2 November

From 10-13 October the Italian mountain village Sesto will host an international Forum entitled "The art of climbing in 2002 - a reflection".

Memorial Fund has been established for Galen Rowell and Barbara Cushman Rowell through the Tides Foundation.

Minister Lunardi announces the go-ahead of the third Gran Sasso tunnel