The news

On 9 July Ueli Steck from Switzerland reached the main summit of Gasherbrum II (8035m) along the normal route.

Beautiful crag dedicated to the late Roberto Bassi, located above romantic Lake Toblino and surprisingly never too crowded.

The 4th edition of the Red Bull X-Alps, the most demanding and exciting paragliding and running adventure race in the world, starts on 19 July.

The IFSC Climbing World Championships drew to a close on 05/07/2009 in Qinghai with Patxi Usobiaga Lakunza (ESP) and Johanna Ernst (AUT) winning the Lead. The Russians Alexey Rubtsov and Yulia Abramchuk won the Bouldering event, while Speed was won by the Chinese Qixin Zhong and Cuilian He.

Josune Bereziartu and Rikar Otegui have carried out the first free ascent of El Castillo de los Sacristanes in the Ordesa National Park, Spain.

On 15 June Rolando Larcher and Maurizio Oviglia carried out the first free ascent of Umbras (300m 8a max, 7b+ obl.). They had made the first ascent of this rout up the N Face of Punta Cusidore (Sardinia) in 2008.

Jenya Kazbekova from the Ukraine has sent her first 8a+/8b, New Kenigsberg at the Red Stone in the crimea, aged 12.

German climber Andreas Proft has managed to climb up to 8b without climbing shoes.

On 18/06/2009 Maja Vidmar from Slovenia climbed her first 8c+, Attila Lunga at the crag Baratro in NE Italy.

Andrea Pavan has had a good bouldering season in Northern Italy, with a series of hard repeats and first ascents close to Val di Mello, Valmasino.

Stanage Edge is the most famous gritstone crag in England. Located in the Peak District National Park, this 7km outcrop hosts over 1300 climbs of all grades.

Swiss climber Stephan Siegrist has made the first successful redpoint ascent of "Magic Mushroom" up the North Face of the Eiger. The route had been established in 2007 by Roger Schäli and Christoph Hainz and leads up the 3219 metres high mushroom in 21 pitches and now goes free at...

On 19/06/2009 Maurizio Zanolla, alias Manolo, on-sighted Rock and Blues at the Olympic Wall on Kalymnos, Greece.

On 23 June the Italian mountaineer Michele Fait lost his life skiing from Camp 2 on the Cesen route on K2.

Andrej Grmovsek from Slovenia has carried out the first repeat in a single day of Donnafugata on Torre Trieste, Civetta, Dolomites.

Stanage Edge is the most famous gritstone crag in England. Located in the Peak District National Park, this 7km outcrop hosts over 1300 climbs of all grades.