The news

At the start of 2026 Ines Papert established four new ice climbs in Norway with Dåg Jørund Vik, Odd T. Sæbø, Eivind Hugaas and Torje Stenkjær: 'Iskafe' (350m, M5, WI6/6+) on Kaffiberget, 'Orion’s Belte' (1000m, M4+, WI5) on Middagshaugen West Face, 'Gjølatappen' (350m, M8, WI6) on Gjøla Northwest Face and...

Yesterday morning the remains of Mario Conti were finally found. The great Italian alpinist had been missing since 14 November 2023, when he disappeared during a walk close to home. Conti was famous above all for having made the first undisputed ascent of Cerro Torre in 1974, with the Ragni...

Italian alpinists Matteo Della Bordella, Luca Ducoli, Mirco Grasso and Giacomo Mauri departed two days ago for K7 in Pakistan. The four will attempt to open a new route on the east face of K7 Main (6934m).

On 9 May 2026, Simon Gietl and Jakob Steinkasserer opened 'Laktosefrei' (M6, 300m), a new mixed climb on the little-known north face of Weißzint / Punta Bianca (Zillertal Alps).

From 25 to 27 April 2026 Italian alpinists Luca Ducoli, Mirco Grasso and Giacomo Mauri completed a dream link-up on Mont Blanc, combining the famous 'Divine Providence' on Grand Pilier d'Angle with the 'Central Pillar of Frêney'. Grasso reports about this extraordinarily enchainment.

From 3 to 6 April 2026, French alpinists Pierre Girot, Kilian Moni, Hugo Peruzzo and Arthur Poindefert established 'Jorassique Pâques' on the Grandes Jorasses in the Mont Blanc massif. Graded ED+ M7 A3, the 1100-metre route climbs to Pointe Whymper on the north face. Poindefert reports.

On 8 April 2026, on the northwest face of Punte di Campiglio in the Brenta Dolomites, Emanuele Andreozzi, Ruggero Samaden and Silvestro Franchini established the mixed route 'Mamma Anna' (300m, WI5, M6). Franchini reports.

On the 3rd and 4th of April 2026 Fay Manners and Ella Wright made the first ascent of the mixed climb 'La Muse du Trient' on the NNE face of Tête de Biselx in the Mont Blanc massif.

From 25 to 26 February 2026 South Tyrolean mountain guide Titus Prinoth repeated '10 ani do' on Punta Maffei on Plattkofel / Sassopiatto in the Langkofel / Sassolungo Group (Dolomites). This represents the first repeat, first free ascent, first winter ascent and first solo ascent of the climb established in...

On 22 January 2026, Marco Toldo and Aldo Valmassoi opened 'Subconscia' (400m, WI6 A2 VI), a spectacular mixed route in the heart of the Marmarole (Dolomites).

On 6 March 2026, a four-person team led by Lukas Irmler and Antonia Rüede-Passul successfully completed a spectacular highline at Aguja de la S with in the Fitz Roy Massif in Patagonia.. As far as is known, this is the first highline ever established in the iconic mountains around Cerro...

On the south face of the Petites Jorasses in the Mont Blanc massif, Matteo Della Bordella, Mirco Grasso and Giacomo Mauri opened the mixed climb 'Mutante' (M8, 6c, AI4+, 520m) on 19 and 20 March 2026

On 03 March 2026 Swiss mountaineer Yannick Glatthard made the rope solo first ascent of 'Get the Vibe' (WI5, M8, 125m) on Chlynen Tällistock in the Bernese Oberland in Switzerland. Glatthard flew to and from the mixed climb by paraglider.

On 8 March 2026 Philipp Brugger and Lukas Waldner made the first single day winter ascent of all three North Pillars of Piz Palü (3899m) in the Bernina Alps of Switzerland. The Austrian alpinists enchained the Bumiller Pillar, East Pillar and Spinas Pillar in 8 hours and 59 minutes.

From 6-8 March 2026 Tasio Martín and Sean Villanueva O'Driscoll made the first free ascent of 'Pilar Este' on Cerro Chaltén (Fitz Roy) in Patagonia. The 1200m route was first ascended 50 years ago, in 1976 by Casimiro Ferrari and Vittorio Meles as part of a Ragni di Lecco expedition.

On 7 March 2026, Greek climbers Stefanos Karantinakis and Spyros Kyriakou established the new mixed climb 'Crème Brutalée' (550m, AI5 M4+) on the north face of Astraka in the Pindus mountains of Greece. Kyriakou reports.