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 Cerro Torre - The Lie and the Desecration
By Jim Donini - Over the last four decades I have climbed on all seven continents. During that time it became apparent to me that Cerro Torre was the most magical mountain that I would ever encounter. A spike of light brown granite soaring over a vertical mile out of an ice sheet and capped by an otherworldly ice mushroom. Cerro Torre is also a peak of ever changing moods predicated by swirling storm clouds or an intense orange alpine glow on the rare clear days.  PENMEN Cartoons
Updated 5/12/09 - Climbing.com is pleased to present the PENMEN Cartoons by Colorado Springs climber Gary Blehm. Visit his website penmen.com for posters, animations, music videos, games, and more...  Going Big on the Costa Blanca
Story and photos by Shawn Boye - I first travelled to the Costa Blanca, as so many do, for a sunny respite from the long, dark Swedish winter. The chance to climb sporty limestone routes irresistibly drawing me south, we would end up in Calpe and with a view from the 15th floor the Peñón de Ifach would dominate our morning preparations and evening victories and defeats.  Grandmother with towering ambition could be oldest U.S. woman to top Everest
A 65-year-old Flint, Michigan area grandmother has one towering ambition that could put her in the record books, twice. This spring, Nancy Norris will attempt to conquer Mt. Everest. If she succeeds, she will become the oldest U.S. woman to have climbed the world’s highest peak – and the oldest woman in the world to have climbed the highest mountains on all seven continents.  Welcome to DEATH Oregon Style
To put it into my own words... while the Christian Brothers houses some truly incredible lines — the west face stands in sharp opposition as, the rock crumbles and wanders, even as it plows through talus and lichen (which we are never liken). The Christian Brothers Traverse, at 5.7 X, is no exception.  We're Looking For A Few Good Men
Do you have a compelling story to tell about a defining moment in your life? The editors of More Than a Few Good Men are sponsoring a national writing contest and are accepting submissions through May 1st, 2009. The contest is open to men ages 35 to 60. Essays should be from 1,000 to 3,000 words long and written in the first person.  This is Buildering
One can only witness the true essence, the intriguing energy of buildering in the deep of the twilight. Late in the night when a change occurs. It is an athletic alchemy, provoked partly by the bartender, telling everyone that it’s closing time, they have to leave. Some think, ‘one more cigarette or a bong session, perhaps a silly movie, maybe the twelve pack of Pabst Blue Ribbon in the fridge at home?’ Others think about climbing buildings.  The First Adaptive Athletes Have Conquered Bridal Veil Falls
On a clear crisp February morning blind climber Erik Weihenmayer and climbing partner Chad Jukes, a below-the-knee amputee, geared-up in Telluride, Colorado to begin a snowshoe hike to the base of this classic landmark. Guided by veteran climber Mike Gibbs of Ouray, Colorado and accompanied by a host of cameramen, the team approached the falls which could still be heard from a distance as water cascaded over portions of the precipice.  First Free Ascent of the South African Route (5.12c/7b+), Torres del Paine, Chile
We (Nicolas Favresse, Sean Villanueva and Ben Ditto) have just returned from Torres del Paine National Park, Chile, where on the 2nd of February we summitted the Central Tower via the South African Route. Our ascent is possibly the third ascent of the route and the first free ascent of the east face of the Central Tower (1200m). We spent 13 days on the wall accompanied by our trusty mandolin, tin whistle and harmonica.  Do you consider yourself an elite mountain athlete?
If you're the kind of person that does hard alpine routes or steep ski descents — in the middle of nowhere — we'd like you to complete a brief survey for a Wilderness Medicine Research Project being conducted by West Virginia University.  Thirty Pitches of 5.10 in a Day at the Gunks
After climbing ten 10’s in about 4.5 hours in June, 2008, Rufus Lusk and I thought we should up the ante a bit. Twenty 10’s, perhaps, eleven 11’s, eek, thirty 10’s. YES! As training to climb the Nose in a day, we thought that climbing thirty 5.10’s in a day would be a relatively close approximation of the amount of effort we’d have to put forth.  Lakpa Rita Sherpa has Seventh Summit in his sights with February climb of Mount Kilimanjaro
When Lakpa Rita Sherpa flies from Seattle on February 7th, 2009, bound for Tanzania’s Mount Kilimanjaro, he goes knowing he has the privilege to do what no Sherpa has done before—climb the Seven Summits—the highest peaks on every continent. The 43-year old man, from Shoreline, Washington, expects to summit the 19,340-foot peak on February 13th.  Super Albert: Upping the Ante Every Year
By Mark Krasnow - In 2006 for his 32nd birthday Albert set his mind to lead as many routes in a day as he was old. Red Rocks was the destination, and friends from near and far gathered to assist. Ropes and belayers were dispatched to different locations between the first and second pullouts to make the day as efficient as possible.  The Dirtbag Diaries - The Shortz - The Peach
By Fitz Cahall / dirtbagdiaries.com - Taco Bell. Pizza Hut. Climber and writer, Kelly Cordes had one hell of resume by the time he applied for a position baking bread. The work was simple, came with food and the early starts would teach Cordes to like the dreaded 3 a.m. starts demanded of cutting edge alpinism. Check out The Alpine Briefs, an international newsletter from the American Alpine Journal, mentioned in this episode of The Dirtbag Diaries.  The Climbing Personality and Proficiency Exam for Potential Partners
By Elijah Merrill - Let’s face it: we, the intelligent beings that we are, are relying more and more on tests to make decisions for us. We seek guidance for just about every aspect of our life, which means two things: it is either a reflection of our species's confidence in our decision making abilities, or it may just be that we’re too damn lazy ...  The Horse and Pony Show
By Chris Van Leuven - I’m dangling 500 feet above the deck in a sea of choss. A hammer, crowbar, chalk bag, brushes and ironmongery dangle off my harness. My face is covered in a dust mask and helmet is on tight. With one hand I’m tending to the belay device while the other is feeding the rope out of its coils.  How does video affect climbing?
Gaia (E8 6c) is one of those routes we all know about. You’d be hard pressed to find many climbers that haven’t stumbled across the horrendous fall in the opening scene of Slackjaw Film's Hard Grit. It’s interesting reading people's thoughts on the internet and in magazines, about how video is directly affecting modern climbing. When is watching a video beta?  TEAM PROBES WHY CLIMBERS DIE ON MOUNT EVEREST
For the first time ever, an international team of experts has probed every known death on the world’s tallest mountain, shedding some light on what makes Mount Everest one of the most dangerous places on earth. The team’s surprising findings shatter commonly-held beliefs about the prevalence of deaths caused by avalanches, falling ice and pulmonary oedema (lung problems) and highlight severe weather deterioration as a major factor in deaths.  High-altitude climbing causes subtle loss of brain cells and motor function says Everest and K2 study
A study of professional mountain climbers has shown that high-altitude exposure can cause subtle white and grey matter changes to the area of the brain involved in motor activity, according to the October issue of the European Journal of Neurology. |
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