Accident Reports ANAM
Lost on Glacial Approach Alaska, Alaska Range, Hidden Glacier

In mid-June, a team made up of a 30-year-old male and a 37-year-old male attempted to climb Denali’s West Buttress from Anchorage; they planned to run and hike to the mountain and then start climbing. Near the Hidden Glacier, south of the head of ...

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| Published 2019 | Author Denali Mountaineering Rangers


Accident Reports ANAM
Fall in Camp Alaska, Denali, West Buttress

On June 17, a guided 26-year-old female climber injured her right knee after slipping and falling on icy snow in the group’s kitchen tent. This climber had injured this knee previously, and an assessment by NPS medical providers confirmed her knee...

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| Published 2019 | Author Denali Mountaineering Rangers


Accident Reports ANAM
High Altitude Cerebral Edema Alaska, Denali, West Buttress

On June 14, a 51-year-old male climber and his two climbing partners left late in the afternoon for a summit attempt from 17,200-foot camp. When one of the climbers began to exhibit signs of severe altitude sickness, the group decided to separate,...

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| Published 2019 | Author Denali Mountaineering Rangers


Accident Reports ANAM
High Altitude Pulmonary Edema Alaska, Denali, West Buttress

On June 10, a 28-year-old female climber suffering from high altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) was evacuated by air from 14,200-foot camp. NPS rangers assessed and treated this patient until the helicopter was able to transport her to definitive car...

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| Published 2019 | Author Denali Mountaineering Rangers


Accident Reports ANAM
Exhaustion–Inexperience, Inadequate Supplies Alaska, Denali, West Buttress

On May 29, a 64-year-old male climber left high camp on the West Buttress for Denali’s summit, climbing solo and carrying no food, water, or shelter. During his descent, he was rescued by a guided party and NPS personnel after falling repeatedly o...

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| Published 2019 | Author Denali Mountaineering Rangers


Accident Reports ANAM
Avalanche and Long Fall Alaska, Kahiltna Queen, West Face

On May 28, a 30-year-old male skier fell 700 meters after triggering an avalanche on Kahiltna Queen (a.k.a. Humble Peak). The patient and two companions (all very experienced ski mountaineers) had summited the 12,380-foot peak around noon by the w...

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| Published 2019 | Author Denali Mountaineering Rangers


Accident Reports ANAM
Frostbite Alaska, Denali, Upper West Rib

On May 25, a solo 36-year-old male climber was treated for severe frostbite injuries to his fingers and hands. This climber ascended and descended the Upper West Rib climbing route over approximately 22 hours. Upon returning to 14,200-foot camp, h...

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| Published 2019 | Author Denali Mountaineering Rangers


Accident Reports ANAM
Frostbite Alaska, Denali, Upper Wall

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| Published 2019 | Author Denali Mountaineering Rangers


Accident Reports ANAM
Skiing Fall Alaska, Denali, West Buttress

On May 20, a 24-year-old male climber fell while skiing above 14,200-foot camp. The skier was assessed and treated for a suspected dislocated right hip by NPS rescuers and then transported in a rescue toboggan back to camp. After further assessmen...

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| Published 2019 | Author Denali Mountaineering Rangers


Accident Reports ANAM
Fall at Bergschrund–Inexperience Alaska, Denali, West Buttress

On May 10, a 65-year-old male climber injured both knees (injury details unknown) during a fall at 15,200 feet on the West Buttress route. He was attempting to surmount the bergschrund at the base of the fixed lines on this steep section of the ro...

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| Published 2019 | Author Denali Mountaineering Rangers


Accident Reports ANAM
Crevasse Fall–Snowboarding, Unable to Self-Arrest Alaska, Denali, West Buttress

On May 8, a 42-year-old male climber fell while descending on a snowboard at Windy Corner (approximately 13,500 feet). The climber lost an edge while traversing, fell, and was unable to arrest his slide before dropping into a large open crevasse. ...

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| Published 2019 | Author Denali Mountaineering Rangers


Accident Reports ANAM
Stranded – Extended Storm Alaska, Denali, Kahiltna Base Camp

In early March, a team of two climbers (male, 48, and female, 36) returned to Kahiltna base camp at the conclusion of a winter expedition on the West Buttress. They had left a five-day cache of food at base camp, but when a large weather system mo...

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| Published 2019 | Author Denali Mountaineering Rangers


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Jebel Khazali, Various Routes Jordan, Wadi Rum

Jebel Khazali is clearly visible 8km south of the village of Rum. It’s a vast mountain with climbing on all sides. In 2008, Xavier Giraudet and I started a route on the west face, but it was not until 2014 that I completed it with Rémi Laborde and...

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| Published 2019 | Author Christian Ravier


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
West Buttress Speed Record Alaska, Denali National Park, Denali

Karl Egloff (Ecuador) broke the speed record for the West Buttress of Denali on June 20, running and climbing from Kahiltna base camp to the 20,310’ summit in 7 hours 40 minutes. His round trip from base camp was 11 hours 44 minutes. Both marks we...

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| Published 2019 | Author Dougald MacDonald


In Memoriam AAJ
Martin Moran, 1955 – 2019

It is with a sense of deep shock that we received the news that Martin Moran had died while climbing in the Kumaon region of the Indian Himalaya, along with seven other climbers. Martin, a British and IFMGA mountain guide, had been leading an expe...

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| Published 2019 | Author C.S. Pandey


Accident Reports ANAM
Avalanche Fatality – Position, Weather Canada, British Columbia, Mt. Stephen, Massey's

On Monday, March 11, a guided party of six climbers, consisting of two guides and four clients, climbed Massey’s, the popular WI4 ice route near Field. This was the second day of a four-day waterfall ice climbing camp. On the previous day, the gro...

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| Published 2019 | Author Grant Statham


Accident Reports ANAM
Avalanches – Poor Position, Failure to Heed Danger Signs Utah, Santaquin Canyon

Shane and I (both in our 40s and experienced climbers) arrived at the base of the Squash Head ice route (WI 3/4) around 9:45 a.m. on February 2. We saw two climbers finishing the first pitch. The avalanche forecast for the day reported the hazard ...

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| Published 2019 | Author Brian Crozier


Feature Article AAJ
Recon: Cordillera Darwin The Wild Mountains of Tierra del Fuego

Cerro Erguido (1,243 meters) from the south, seen from Fiordo de Agostini at the northwest end of the Cordillera Darwin. The mountain is unclimbed. Photo by Bernard Taberlet In today’s closely connected, heavily touristed world, there are sti...

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| Published 2019 | Author Camilo Rada


Feature Article AAJ
Angels and Demons Drone Use is Growing Fast in the Mountains. Where Should the Lines Be Drawn?

In the last decade, the use of remote-controlled quadcopters, a.k.a. drones, has skyrocketed. In the United States alone, more than one million unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have been registered with the Federal Aviation Administration. Today’s ...

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| Published 2019 | Author Dougald MacDonald


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Darkot to Chiantar Glacier Ski Tour Pakistan, Hindu Raj

In 2019, on my 35th expedition since 1993, I was able to get a permit to lead a group (11 French, two Poles, and one Pakistani) to visit the upper eastern end of the Chiantar Glacier. In 1967 a German expedition penetrated the upper Chiantar, wher...

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| Published 2019 | Author Pierre Neyret