The news

On 01/27/2024 François Cazzanelli, Stefano Stradelli and Giuseppe Vidoni made the first ascent of 'La Cascata dell'Arbiére' (100m, WI4) on Becca des Arbiére in the Saint-Barthélemy valley in Valle d'Aosta.

The new Mer de Glace cable car above Chamonix in the Mont Blanc massif that connecs the Montenvers station with the Mer de Glace glacier was opened for the first time on Saturday 3 February 2024.

French mountaineers Léo Billon and Benjamin Védrines have completed an exceptional trilogy, climbing the north faces of the Drus, Les Droites and the Grandes Jorasses in just three days and in the middle of winter. The enchainment was described as 'unimaginable' until only recently.

British climber James Pearson has made the first repeat of the trad climb 'Immortal' at Maiden's Bluff, Yorkshire, UK

The video of American climber Amity Warme repeating Book of Hate, one of the best corner climbs in Yosemite Valley, USA, first ascended by Randy Leavitt.

Austrian alpinists Martin Feistl and Martin Sieberer have made the first ascent of the mixed climb 'Männer mit Moral' (170m, M8, WI 6, R) in Pinnistal, a small side valley of the Stubaital in Austria. Feistl reports.

The video of Alexander Megos repeating 'Sleeping Lion', the 9b at Siurana in Spain freed by Chris Sharma in 2023.

Registration is open online for Melloblocco 2024, the world’s biggest bouldering and climbing meeting scheduled to take place from Wednesday 8 to Saturday 11 May in Italy's magical Val Masino and Val di Mello Nature Reserve.

The video of Adam Ondra making his second-hardest flash ever, Peščena ura (9a) at Sopota in Slovenia.

On Saturday 20 January William Bosi repeated 'Sleepwalker' at Red Rocks, USA. First ascended by Jimmy Webb in 2018 at 8C+ and repeated on various occasions, Bosi has now suggested a downgrade from 8C+ to 8C.

The video of Tom Randall and Mary Eden on The Cleaver, a 5.13b offwidth crack climb in Day Canyon, close to Moab in Utah, USA, first ascended by Pete Whittaker in autumn 2023.

From 15-16 January 2024 the mountaineers Christian Casanova, Francesco Favilli and Mathieu Maynadier made the first ascent of the new mixed climb 'Mixte feeling' on the north-east face of Civetta in the Dolomites. Established with one bivouac, the 560m route breaches difficulties up to M6+/WI5.

Watch the video about the hardest sport climbs in the 1990's, and the quest for the world's first 9a+. Featuring Chris Sharma with Biographie, Fred Rouhling with Akira, Bernabé Fernández with Orujo, Steve McClure with Mutation, Alex Huber with and Open Air, and Stefan Fürst with Qui.

At the crag Mišja Peč in Slovenia the 25-year-old Italian climber Stefano Carnati has redpointed two 9a's, 'Xaxid hostel' and 'Sanjski par extension', while at Kompanj in Croatia he has repeated the 8c+ 'All in, I'm out'.

The video of Alexander Megos and his first attempts on Sleeping Lion, the 9b at Siurana in Spain freed by Chris Sharma in 2023.

On 14/01/2024 Laurent Bibollet, Sam Favret, Julien Herry made what is likely to be the first ski descent of the obvious gully on Capucin du Requin above the Vallée Blanche in the Mont Blanc massif.