1786 News found

Denis Urubko, with his recent new route up the SE Face of Cho Oyu, has climbed all fourteen 8000m summits.

In January the Slovenian climbers Urban Azman and Boris Lorencic made a rare ascent of Cia del Tehuelche up the North Face of Fitz Roy, Patagonia.

The XVII Mezzalama Trophy took place on Monte Rosa on 02/05/2009. The legendary ski mountaineering competition was won by Manfred Reichegger, Matteo Eydallin and Denis Trento in a record breaking 4:01'22. The women's event was won by Francesca Martinelli, Roberta Pedranzini, Laetitia Roux in 4:43'31".

In February a small American team of climbers carried out a first ascent of Voces en la Noche, (V 5.11 A0) on Pirita Right in the remote Argentian Piritas Valley, Rio Turbio, while a Canadian team produced Todos los Caballos Lindos (5.11-) on Pirita Central.

Last Saturday the Piolets d'Or 2009 were assigned in Chamonix and a total of three awards were given in this 17th edition: Kazuya Hiraide and Kei Taniguchi from Japan for their ascent of Kamet (India); Fumitaka Ichimura, Yusuke Sato and Kazuki Amano from Japan for their new route on Kalanka...

At Easter Florian and Martin Riegler carried out two noteworthy ascents in the Dolomites. On 7 April the South Tyrolean brothers made the first on-sight of "Karies" on Sassolungo while on 11 April they repeated Zauberlehrling on Cima Scotoni, all free and in a single day

The 17th Mezzalama Trophy will take place on 19 April 2009. This classic ski mountaineering marathon takes place once every two years and dates back to 1933. As usual it starts at Breuil-Cervinia and finishes at Gressoney la Trinité via the Monte Rosa glacier and the summit of Monte Castore.

Polish mountaineer Piotr Morawski died on Dhaulagiri on 8 April after falling 20m into a crevasse. Piotr Drozdz, a friend and editor of the Polish Gory magazine, has sent us this text in memory of Morawski.

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.

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.

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).

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...

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.