The news

A small Italian Ragni expedition has just returned from a successful 40-day trip to Chile, where it made the most of fantastic weather conditions to climb series of routes in the Azufre and Cochamó valley.

On Sunday 13 May Mirco Mezzanotte and Carlo Battel won the 15th ski mountaineering competition Sci Alpinistica Lagorai Cima d’Asta.

On February 19 Dave MacLeod made a winter ascent of "The Hurting" Scottish XI 11, believing this to be the hardest single pitch traditional mixed climb in the world.

In mid January a small Slovenian expedition comprised of Silvo Karo, Andrej Grmovsek, Tanja Grmovsek and Monika Kambic Mali made a series of fast ascents in Patagonia, including the first all-female ascent of Cerro Torre and the "Slovenian start for Cerro Torre"

The eigth edition of the Festiglass du Quebec took place in Canada from 18-20 February 2005. The individual competition was won by Evgeny Kryvosheytsev.

On 24 February Massimo Farina died while ice climbing in Val di Rhemes (Italy).

On Saturday 12 February the two moutain Guides Nicola Tondini and Adam Holzknecht made the first repeat and consequently also the first winter ascent of "Loss lei, heb schun" on the massively exposed Sass dla Crusc, Dolomites.

The jury, headed by Krzysztof Wielicki, and the six candidates for the Piolet d'Or 2004 promoted by Montagnes Magazine

Saas Fee 21-22 January 2004. The Austrian Harald Berger and Petra Muller from Switzerland won the World Championship Ice Difficulty, while the Speed event was won by Evgeny Kryvosheytsev from the Ukraine and Natalia Koulikova from Russia

A fortnight ago Mauro Bubu Bole revisited Kurt Astner's cave in Valle di Landro and climbed Mister Big Ben M12

Mauro Bubu Bole and Claudia Colussi have won the 3rd stage of the Alpin Cup, held in Riva di Tures last weekend.

Silvestro Stucchi introduces El Potrero Chico, a rock paradise in Mexico

Anna Torretta and Matteo Giglio al Ouray Ice Festival, Colorado, the most famous Ice Park in the U.S.A.

On 14/01/2004 Simone Moro and Piotr Morawski made the first winter ascent of Shisha Pangma (8027m), climbing without supplementary oxygen and high altitude porters.

PlanetMountain has been voted best climbing site according to Forbes, the world's premier magazine for business and financial news.

Hannes Pfeifhofler and Jenny Lavarda win the second stage of the Alpin Cup 2004/5 in Val Passiria