The news

Over 400 climbers gathered in Bishop, California at the start of December in a highly successful three-day event designed to raise funds for the American Access Fund.

Last week the British climber Neil Gresham made an impressive second ascent of Neil Bentley's gritstone Equilibrium, E10 7a.

The classic Ciaspolada snowshoe race celebrates its 30 anniversary and changes course

Italian Bouldering Cup, Marchisio and Geo win in Recco. Christian Core and Marchisio win Italian Cup 2002

The Italian boulderer Marzio Nardi has recently produced a 34 minute video that includes some of Italy’s most famous bouldering areas and hardest climbers. Fast and furious, it roams strongholds such as the Cubo and Switzerland's Chironico.

The first international judges and routesetter course for ice cliimbing will be held in Italy's Valle di Daone from 16 to 22 December 2002.

New signs indicating the risk of avalanches for off-piste skiers have recently been unveiled by Bolzano’s Provinical Tourism and Mountaineering Office.

Marco Huser and Claudia Haesurmann win Snowboardcross, Barbara Sponsale and Andreas Prommegger win the Giant Slalom of the first stage of the Tour della Gazzetta Snowboard Classic.

The Second Step wins the Banff Mountain Film Festival 2002. The Banff Mountain Book Festival Grand Prize was awarded to The Evidence of Things Not Seen, while the Photography Competition was won by James Delano

"Cresciano boulder" and "Pietra di Luna", Sardinia have recently been published

The Ice World Cup 2003 will be comprised of only three stages, (Pitztal, Val Daone and Saas Fee) while the Ice World Championship 2003 will take place in Kirov in March

On 9/01/2003 Simone Moro will be awarded the "Pierre de Cubertin International Fair Play Trophy" for his 2001 rescue efforts of the 19 year-old British mountaineer Tom Moores

Finally the news many have been waiting for: it's snowing! And numerous lifts throughout the Alps have already opened, 10 days earlier than usual.

Muriel Sarkany and Ramon Julian Puigblanqué win the final stage of the World Cup Difficulty, held in Kranj (SLO) last weekend.

The final stage of the World Cup Difficulty 2002 gets underway in Kranj, Slovenia today.

Applications for the Arctic Team Challenge 2003 start on 15 November.