The news

On 13 and 14 March Luca Vuerich and Massimo Laurencig carried out the first winter ascent of the difficult Fessura Lomasti (400m, VI, pass. di VIII-) on the pre-summit of Cima Grande della Scala (Val Riofreddo, Julian Alps, Italy).

Fabio Salini and Emanuel Panizza have carried out the first ascent of Stalattica (60m, IV,5,X), a beautiful ice fall in the Livingo area, Italy.

On 21 March Luca Maspes, Emanuel Panizza and Christian Turk carried out the first ascent of the ESE Face of Morteratsch (3751m) in the Bernina mountain range.

This too is what rock climbing and the Melloblocco is all about: a normal story about a happy day climbing with Patxi Usobiaga and Curt Marazzi.

Interview with Paolo Rabbia who from 29/12/2008 to 28/02/2009 carried out the first ski mountaineering traverse of the Alps in winter without the help of mechanical transport.

On 20 March 16 year old Adam Ondra made the first ascents of Riti Tribali 8c+ and Nonono 8c at Angelone, while on 21 March at Cornalba he repeated Les Sindacalistes 8c+ second go before onsighting Outsider (8a+). Adam Ondra's full report and thoughts about his Italian holiday.

On 19 March Andrea Oberbacher and Francesco Tremolada carried out the first ski descent of the long and much-eyed Conturines south gully. On 15 March Tremolada had also carried the probable first repeat of the south gully on Piz Ciavazes, first skied by Tone Valeruz.

The sixth edition of the Melloblocco will take place in Val di Mello (Val Masino, Sondrio, Italy). This annual international bouldering meeting attracts thousands of boulderers and climbers from all over the world.

A selection of icefalls at Sottoguda, one of the most important venues in NE Italy.

On 31/01/2009 Roberto Misson and Luca Chiarcos carried out the first ascent of "La prima volta" (60m, II 3+ M5+) at Fusine Laghi (Tarvisio).

On Sunday 15/03 Nives Meroi and Romano Benet departed from Italy to attempt Kangchenjunga, their 12th 8000m peak. Located on the border between Nepal and India, this 8586m mountain is the third highest in the world.

Beat Kammerlander has made the first ascent of the trad route "Prinzip Hoffnung" (8b/8b+, E9-E10) at the Bürser Platte in Vorarlberg, Austria.

Andy Turner and Tony Stone have carried out the first winter ascent of Sassenach on Ben Nevis and Ueli Steck has repeated The Secret. Ian Parnell and Andy Turner then carry out the first ascent of Bruised Violet (VIII,7,8,8,8,7) on Beinn Eighe.

The 6 nominees for the 17th Piolet d'Or, scheduled for 25 April 2009: Dave Turner (USA) for his solo ascent on the East Face of Cerro Escudo (Torres del Paine, Chile), Simon Anthamatten and Ueli Steck (Switzerland) for their new route up the N Face of Tengkampoche (Nepal), Stéphane Benoist...

Hansjörg Auer and Much Mayr have carried out the first ascent of "Fata Morgana" (F7c, 800m) up the S Face of Jebel Misht, Oman.

With reference to the latest ascents by Robert Jasper in Norway, the Norsk Tindeklub (Norwegian Alpine Club) has now published an official statement guidelining climbing ethics in Norway. The German climber also provides his point of view.