The news

A brief and by no means complete journey through the stories and the climbs of 2013, while waiting for new year.

The alpinists Gerhard Fiegl and Simon Gietl have made the first ascent of Schwarze Witwe (WI6 M5, 800m) up the North Face of Hohe Warte, Zillertal Alps, Austria.

On 23/12/2013 Austrian alpinists Hansjörg Auer and Much Mayr made the possible first winter ascent of the N Face of Hahlkogel (2655m) in the Ötztal Alps.

Colin Haley from America and Rolando Garibotti from Argentina have grabbed the first ascent of La SuperWhillans, a striking ramp up the East Face of Cerro Marconi Central in Patagonia.

Simone Moro, Emilio Previtali and David Göttler landed in Islamabad yesterday and in a few days time will reach Rupal Base Camp beneath Nanga Parbat (8125m), while a few days ago Ralf Dujmovits and Dariusz "Darek" Zaluski reached Base Camp on the Diamir Face. Tomasz Mackiewicz, Marek Klonowski, Jacek Teler...

Maurizio Oviglia provides another climbing news update from Sardinia. In this report: Isili and Lanaitto (Oliena).

Severe access problems have been reported on the Spanish island of Mallorca, in particular to the mountains and crags in the Sierra Tramuntana massif that spans the entire northern part of the island.

At the Italian crag Collina di Interprete James Pearson has made the first ground-up repeat of Is not always Pasqua, the E9 trad climb freed in 2002 by Mauro Calibani and repeated only by Cristian Brenna. Furthermore, two days previously the British rock climber freed a route at the same...

In December 2013 David Gladwin, Kim Ladiges and Ben Erdmann established D'Artagnan (7a,C1, M6) up the Los tres Mosqueteros, Cerro Domo Blanco in Patagonia.

Australian photographer Simon Carter introduces his 2014 calendar that celebrate 20 years of climbing photography.

The video by Michele Caminati of him bouldering in Ticino, Switzerland.

American climber Paige Claassen has repeated Ganesh 8b+ at Badami, the most difficult sport climb in India.

In October in Nepal's Khumbu region American alpinists Scott Adamson and Christopher Wright have made the first ascent of Open Fire (V WI5 M3 1000m) and one called Purgation (VI WI6+ M6 1100m).

From 26 - 29 March 2014 Courmayeur and Chamonix will host the 22nd edition of the Piolets d’Or, the Oscars of mountaineering. American alpinist John Roskelley will receive the Piolet d'Or Carrière.

Goulotte Raggio di sole and Cascata dello Spallone, a classic combination that leads to the summit the Langkofel Schulter. The route information provided by Giuseppe Ballico.

Alessandro d'Emilia and Niccolò Zarattini walk the highline 'Lumignola' at Lumignano, Vicenza, Italy.