The news

On 06/12/2009 Alex Luger from Austria carried out the first repeat of Prinzip Hoffnung, the trad route established by Beat Kammerlander at the Bürser Platte in Austria.

On 19 March 2010 Alessandro Baù and Nicola Tondini carried out the first winter ascent and third ascent overall of Captain Skyhook (500m + 380m pedestal, 7b+) on the Northwest Face of the Civetta, Dolomites.

On 13/03/2010 Adam Ondra from the Czech Republic repeated Golpe de estado 9b at Siurana, his hardest climb to date.

In January 2010 a new route was established on Monte Ginnircu at Baunei, Sardinia. A first pitch was created in 2007 by Fabio Palma and Matteo Della Bordella, and in January Fabio Palma joined forces with Domenico 'Dodo' Soldarini to complete the line.

On 07/03/2009 Silvio Reffo from Vicenza carried out a rare repeat of Drumtime, the super route at Fonzaso.

Americans Joseph Puryear and David Gottlieb have made the first ascent of Takargo (6771 meters) via its East Face in Nepal.

Ice climbing to ice climbing around the Lyngen Fjord in Norway by Albert Leichtfreid from Austria.

German climber Ines Papert provides her report and views of British winter climbing after her first ice climbing trip to Scotland.

On 13/02/2010 Nikita Uboldi, Ean Barelli and Andrea Cairoli carried out the first ascent of La Piovra (4. WI6- M7R A1), in the Prosito mountain range in Canton Ticino, Switzerland

In January 2010 the Italians Alessandro Baù and Matteo Della Bordella carried out the first ascent of 'Fiducia al sentiero' (500m, 5.12c/7b+ max – 5.11d/7a obl.) on the South Face of Tatewari in the La Huasteca Natural Park, Monterrey, Mexico.

Dave MacLeod has carried out the first winter ascent of Anubis, at E8 6c one of the hardest summer routes on Ben Nevis which was, unsurprisingly, first ascended in 2005 by Macleod himself.

The story of an ice pillar collapsing. An adventure which thankfully resulted in no injuries, but which provides ample food for thought...

A handful of British climbers have established a series of new mixed routes at the Rive Gauche, Chamonix.

On 19/02/2010 Ines Papert and Ian Parnell made the first ascent of Little Nipper (60m, VI,8) a short new route up the Far East Wall of Beinn Eighe, Scotland.

On 15/02/2010 Enrico Bonino and Filippo Gonnelli carried out the first ascent of Drapeaux d’enfer (95m, 5+/6, M5+, X,II) in Valle di Champorcher (Valle d'Aosta), Italy.

On 15 February Albert Leichtfried and Benedikt Purner carried out the first free ascent of "Gorillas im Nebel" (120m, M10/WI6) in the Zillertal, Austria.