The news

On 24 March 2012 Maurizio "Manolo" Zanolla made the first ascent of Roby Present (35m, proposed grade 8c+/9a) in Val Noana (Pale di San Martino, Dolomites). Established by Manolo, the route is dedicated to his friend Roberto Bassi.

The Game M13 at the Cineplex Cave in Canada has been repeated by Gordon McArthur.

The Piolet d'Or 2012 was awarded to two ascents, K7 West in Pakistan climbed by the Slovenians Nejc Marcic and Luka Strazar, and Saser Kangri II in India climbed by the Americans Mark Richey, Steve Swenson and Freddie Wilkinson. The ascent of Torre Egger in Argentina by Bjorn-Eivind Aartun and...

From 25 - 27 January 2012 Luca Giupponi, Rolando Larcher and Fabio Leoni carried out the first winter ascent (and first on-sight) of Via Cembridge (550m, 7b+ (6c obligatory) up Cima Margherita, Brenta Dolomites, Italy.

From 15 - 16 March 2012 Simon Gietl and Roger Schäli carried out the first winter traverse of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo in the Dolomites. The report by Simon Gietl.

A short video filmed by Jon Griffith about Ueli Steck explaining, and showing, his love for climbing.

The Piolet d'Or gets underway in Courmayeur and Chamonix today and 2012 celebrates the 20th anniversary of the world's most famous alpinism award. Four days of international alpinism at the foot of Mont Blanc to discuss, watch and celebrate alpinism in all its forms, to pay homage to Walter Bonatti...

The search operation has been called off for the alpinists Gerfried Göschl, Cedric Hählen and Nisar Hussain who went missing on Gasherbrum I on 09/03/2012.

Nicolas Favresse, Sean Villanueva, Stephane Hanssens and Jean-Louis Wertz have established two new routes up Amuri Tepui in Venezuela.

The fith Tris Rotondo took place on 11 March in Valle Bredetto (San Gothard, Switzerland). The Super Tris event was won by Cédric Brodard, Vincent Mabboux and Nicolas Philipona, while the Main Tris (which also counted for the Swiss Championship) was won by Gerhard Schneider and Alexander Hug and by...

English climber James Pearson has repeated Esclatamasters 9a at Perles in Spain.

In February the Czech climber Lucie Hrozovà repeated Illuminati (Dolomites, Italy) together with Mirek Matejc and Palo Rajcan, while in March Mirek Matejc repeated Law and Order (Diebsöfen, Austria).

On 2-3 March 2012 Maurizio Panseri, Daniele Natali and Alessandro Ceribelli carried out the first winter ascent of via Direttissima up the North Face of Presolana, Italy. The report by Maurizio Panseri.

The video of the BASE jump off Great Trango Tower in Pakistan carried out by Glenn Singleman and Nic Feteris.

From 25 - 27 February 2012 David Lama and Peter Ortner established a demanding new route up the North Face of Loska Stena in Slovenia.

On 16/02/2012 Giorgio Iurato and David Gallo made the first free ascent of Luci all’orizzonte (175m, 6a+) at Cava grande del Cassibile (Sicily), established by Iurato alone in January 2012.