Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Combatant Mountain, South Buttress, Free Ascent of the Incisor Canada, British Columbia, Coast Mountains, Waddington Range

It was a dusty and hot afternoon on August 7 at the White Saddle Ranch on the Chilcotin Plateau. Big pine trees, a beautiful lake, and wide-open spaces dominated the landscape. Matt Maddaloni, Tim Emmett, and I sat on our enormous stack of gear, n...

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| Published 2024 | Author Will Stanhope


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Pantheon Range: Sedna Peak, Culbert Crag, Trident Tower Canada, British Columbia, Coast Mountains

Andrea Tate standing at a viewpoint on the west side of Culbert Crag during the first ascent, looking toward Frontier Creek, Harkness Tower, and Remote Mountain. Photo by Francis Bailey. The Pantheon Range, located just 20km north of Mt. Wadd...

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| Published 2024 | Author Andrea Tate


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Tsini Tsini Peak, First Ascent, via Northeast Ridge Canada, British Columbia, Coast Mountains

Tsini Tsini Peak (2,256m), with the steep northeast ridge in profile on the left side. The climbers were dropped off by helicopter at the sharp saddle and picked up on the summit after the climb. The peak in back is Mt. Lobachevsky, climbed in 1...

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| Published 2024 | Author Andrew Councell


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Queen Peak, South Ridge Canada, Yukon Territory, St. Elias Mountains

Sleep-deprived and sorting gear and food on the floor of an Icefields Discovery airplane hangar in Silver City, Yukon, Nick Aiello-Popeo and I were attempting to finalize our packing before flying onto the Quintino Sella Glacier. We forgot the spa...

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| Published 2024 | Author Ryan Driscoll


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Eastern Vilcanota Exploration Peru, Cordillera Vilcanota

On November 7, Vasili Lelos (USA) and I climbed Colquepuncu III (5,550m, 13°45'48.1"S, 70°49'35.0"W) in the “Nudo de Ayacachi” to warm up. (The names in quotation marks are past references for these mountains in reports from the 1960s and 1970s—se...

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| Published 2024 | Author Nathan Heald


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Cerro Amparay, North Face Peru, Cordillera Vilcabamba

I have been working as a surgeon at the mission hospital in Curahuasi, Peru, and from the hospital I can see several beautiful peaks of the Vilcabamba Range. In 2021, friends and I climbed Cerro Chaupiloma (AAJ 2022). The neighboring peak to the n...

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| Published 2024 | Author Lukas Steffen


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Chaupi Huanca, Big Fighter, Free Ascent Peru, Cordillera Blanca

On July 8 and 9, John Ebers and I made the first free ascent of Big Fighter (750m, VI 5.13b) on Chaupi Huanca (4,850m) in Quebrada Rurec. John Ebers at the hanging belay below pitch ten, the 8a (5.13b) crux of Big Fighter on Chaupi Huanca. Phot...

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| Published 2024 | Author Josh Wharton


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Cashan Oeste, Northeast Face, La Suerte Viene La Suerte Se Va Peru, Cordillera Blanca

Our original plan was to attempt the unclimbed southeast face of Huantsán (6,395m). However, Mike Bowyer and I realized that abnormally warm temperatures, combined with a very lean snowpack, made that face quite dangerous, so we decided to look fo...

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| Published 2024 | Author Tom Schindfessel


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Brammah I, South Face India, Jammu and Kashmir, Kishtwar Himalaya

A team of 12 mountaineers from Kolkata, India, led by Rudra Prasad Halder, and six Sherpas led by Phursemba, made a probable new route on Brammah I (6,416m, 33°30’23”N, 76°03’04”E), climbing a couloir on the right side of the south face to reach t...

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| Published 2024 | Author Lindsay Griffin


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Harmukh, West Couloir India, Jammu and Kashmir, Kashmir Himalaya

In August 2023, the Indian team of Vinod Chandra Joshi, Karn Kowshik, and Zeeshan Mushtaq climbed the 5,080m central summit of Harmukh, in alpine style, by a new route up the west couloir and upper northwest ridge. Around 35km almost due north of...

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| Published 2023 | Author Lindsay Griffin


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Umbrella Peak, East Face, Mavin's Route India, Jammu and Kashmir, Kashmir Himalaya

Internationally, John Jackson is probably best known for being a member of the 1955 British expedition that made the first ascent of Kangchenjunga. He also was first reserve for the 1953 Everest team. Prior to this, during World War II, he first b...

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| Published 2024 | Author Lindsay Griffin


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Ice Climbing in Gilgit-Baltistan Pakistan, Karakoram

David Graells leads the second pitch of Shoma Chan (175m, WI4+) north of Hushe. Photo: Rafa Vadillo Collection Following reports about ice climbs that friends and I developed in the Nubra Valley in India (see AAJ 2024), we received a message ...

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| Published 2024 | Author Rafa Vadillo


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Torre Tauar, First Ascent; Ocshapalca, Orgasmo Multiple Peru, Cordillera Blanca

Photo-topo of the route called Orgasmo Multiple on the south face of Ocshapalca. Photo: Marek Radovský. On May 30, Slovak climbers Marek Radovský and Juraj Švingál climbed a tower they named Tauar (ca 4,600m, approx. 8°55’52.36”S, 77°33’09.56...

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| Published 2024 | Author Pete Takeda


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Nevado Copa, Southeast Face, Puro Floro Peru, Cordillera Blanca

From July 3 to 6, Basque brothers Iker Pou and Eneko Pou, alongside Micher Quito from Peru, completed a difficult new route up the southeast face of Nevado Copa (6,188m). Named Puro Floro, the 1,000m climb featured mixed climbing difficulties up t...

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| Published 2024 | Author Pete Takeda


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Nevado Copa, South Face, A La Sombra de la Duda Peru, Cordillera Blanca

Photo-topo of the 2024 route A la Sombra de la Duda on the south face of Nevado Copa. Photo: GEAN Expedition. In May, I was part of a team of young climbers of the French National Alpinism Excellence Group (GEAN) that climbed in Peru. Followi...

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| Published 2024 | Author Martin de Truchis


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Taulliraju Sur, West Ridge, and La Travesía de los Burros Peru, Cordillera Blanca

Jonathan Sage on top of Taulliraju. Photo: Tucker Merrill From July 10 to 12, 2023, Tucker Merrill (USA) and I climbed a new line on Taulliraju Sur (ca 5,400m), the highest summit on the lower southeast ridge of the Taulliraju massif. We then...

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| Published 2023 | Author Jonathan Sage


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Sckem Brakk, Northwest Face, Azzardo Estremo Pakistan, Karakoram, Tagas Mountains

Each of us has a dream drawer. Mine is overflowing with images of walls, all over the world. From time to time, I take one of these images and hang it on the wall, starting a journey that will transform a dream into reality. Chiara Gusmeroli and ...

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| Published 2024 | Author Matteo De Zaiacomo


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Great Trango Tower, First Ski Descent Pakistan, Karakoram, Baltoro Muztagh

The 2024 ski descent on Great Trango, with Trango Tower on the left. The skiers climbed and descended more or less along the 1984 route on the north-northwest face. Photo: Erich Roepke / The North Face On May 9, on their second attempt in two...

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| Published 2024 | Author Dougald MacDonald


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Tanpa Lungma and Kuru Lungma, Exploration and Ascents Pakistan, Karakoram, Shimshak Mountains

The little-known Shimshak Mountains, southeast of Shigar, are described in a booklet published in 2021 by Janusz Majer and Jerzy Wala. From this information, it appeared that only two valleys—Ghoro and Kiris—had been visited by trekkers and mounta...

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| Published 2024 | Author Grzegorz Chwola and Voytek Walas


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Mnich and Other Ascents Pakistan, Karakoram, Spantik-Sosbun Range

Looking northwest in 2011 from the dividing ridge between the North and South Sosbun glaciers at the snow crest of Sokha Brakk. In front is the east face of Nameless Peak. Photo: Joanna Nowosadzka. On September 4, 2011, an all-women team of P...

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| Published 2011 | Author Janusz Majer