The news

Today, Friday 30 March 2012 at 11:30 at Mater Ecclesiae in Sassari, the final farewell to Lorenzo Castaldi “Enzolino”, for the numerous alpinists and climbers who met him at the crags, in the mountains and the alpine forums for which he was one of the most impassioned and careful contributors.

The videos of the six ascents nominated for the Piolet d'Or 2012, awarded to the Slovenians Nejc Marcic and Luka Strazar for their ascent of K7 West (Pakistan) and the Americans Mark Richey, Steve Swenson and Freddie Wilkinson for their ascent of Torre Egger (Patagonia) by Bjorn-Eivind Aartun and Ole...

From 28 February to 20 March Hansjörg Auer established The Music of Chance on the Kristallwand face up Kirchkogel in Austria

The video of The Shining, the route established by Sonnie Trotter and Tommy Caldwell on Mount Louis in Canada.

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.

Adam Ondra has freed the route To tu jeste nebyl 9a, bolted ground-up together with Ondra Benes at Labak in the Czech Republic. Adam Ondra reports.

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 beautiful crag Capo d'Uomo on the Argentario island in Tuscany, recently rebolted by Mountain Guide Eraldo Meraldi.

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.

On 17/03/2012 at Pian Schiavaneis (Dolomites) Angelika Rainer redpointed her first 8b+, Non mollare.