The news

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

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has ratified and recognised the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) during its Plenary Session at Vancouver, Canada. As the President of the IFSC Marco Scolaris explains, this is a fundamental step for sport climbing in its bid to become an Olympic sport.

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.

At the end of 2009 Enrico Bonino, Nicolas Melis and Francesco Cantù establised three new routes in the Khumbu valley, Nepal.

Climbing photographer Simon Carter explains the tricks of the trade in this interesting short video clip.

A three man Austrian expedition to Queen Maud Land in the Antarctica at the end of 2009 resulted in eleven first ascents.

Winter continues in full in Italy and four new icefalls have been ascened in the last couple of weeks.

Last week Andreas Proft from Germany climbed the route Path of Excess Power 8a+ at Echo Valley, Spain, without a rope and barefoot.

Daniel Woods has carried out the first ascent of The Game V16/Fb8C+ at Boulder Canyon, Colorado, USA.

Almost unreal winter conditions in the Slovenian Alps have resulted in a flurry of interesting ascents. Slovenian alpinist Andrej Grmovšek provides the report.

On 04/02/2010 Alessandro Beber and Peter Moser carried out the first ascent of La Bella Addormentata (170m, 6+) in Valsugana, Northern Italy

Ellade Ossola interviews Swiss alpinist and mountain guide Simon Anthamatten, a key player in the mountaineering world with important ascents to his name which have their roots in his desire to maintain an "independent" alpinism.

Italian alpinist Claudio Corti died during the night of 3 February at the age of 81 at his home in Lecco. He will be remembered as a member of the Gruppo Ragni della Grignetta but also as a man who knew how to tackle great tests, both in the mountains...

Last weekend Dave Birkett climbed what is being hailed as one of the most important new winter routes in Britain's Lake District for the last quarter of a century, Never Ever Say Never VIII 8 or E7 5c on Scafell's East Buttress.