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

Will Gadd from Canada teamed up with Tim Emmett from Britain to carry out the first ascent of Spray On, a 30m ice climb at the Helmcken Falls they tentatively graded WI10.

On 22 January 2010, 34 year old Italian mountaineer Luca Vuerich was killed by an avalanche while climbing an icefall at Prisojinik, close to Kranjska Gora on the Italian-Slovenian border. Vuerich was rescued and transported to hospital in Udine, where he died of his injuries.

On 4 Janaury 2010 the Austrian climbers Rudolf Hauser, Alexander Holleis and Rupert Huber carried out the first integral ascen of Gamsstubenfall (800m, WI7), one of the last great icefalls in the Gasteinertal, Austria. On 12 January Hauser climbed the classic icefall Supervisor (270m, WI6) without a rope.

On 07/01/2010 Albert Leichtfried and Benedikt Purner made the first ascent of the 300m "Centercourt" in the Gasteinertal. Graded WI7+, this is the hardest pure iceline in Austria and one of the hardest in the world.

One day Heinz opened two new routes in Valle San Nicolò (Val di Fassa, Dolomites) and 22 years later he gave the route to Mario, who freed them. This is the story of "Alice e l'imperatore" and "Basic Instinct", told by Heinz Mariacher and Mario Prinoth.

On 28/11/2009 the Danish climbers Kristoffer Szilas and Martin Ploug reached the summit of the hiterhto unclimbed Ren Zhong Feng (5800m) in the Sichuan range in China via their route Lost to Ice (TD: M4, WI4, 1300m). During that period four Hungarian climbers went missing on the same mountain.

Hansjörg Auer has carried out the first free ascent of Vogelfrei (8b/8b+ 400m), on the South Face of the Schüsselkarspitze, Austria.

Interview with Alan Watts, the climber who played a leading role during the 1980's in developing Smith Rock into one of the most famous crags in the USA and the world.

Interview with Samuel Anthamatten after the first ascent of the South-South-East Face of Jasemba, Nepal via their Hook or Crook (VI, 1550m, 90°, M5.

The last stage of the Climbing World Cup Lead, held in Kranj Slovenia last weekend was won by Adam Ondra from the Czech Republic and Mina Markovic from Slovenia. The overall World Cup 2009 was won by Johanna Ernst from Austria and Adam Ondra, Patxi Usobiaga (ESP) and Jain Kim...

Interview with David Lama prior to his expedition to Cerro Torre, Patagonia together with Daniel Steuerer. The two Austrians have an important objective: to attempt the first free ascent of the famous Compressor Route.

A selection of rock climbs in the fantastic Verdon Gorge, France, an area which witnessed the entire evolution of sport climbing.

Nathalie Daoust wins the grand Prize of the 2009 Banff Mountain Photography Competition with her image entitled "Frozen in Time."

On 17 October Matteo Gambaro made the first ascent of Azione Diretta 8c+/9a at Borgata Piatta a Montemale, Cuneo, Italy.

Three new alpine multi-pitch routes by Reinhold Scherer and Dieter Stöhr on the Karwendel, Austria.