Accident Reports ANAM
Fall on Rock – Inadequate Belay Oregon, Smith Rock State Park, Phoenix Buttress

On June 6, I was climbing a route near Scary Llamas (a.k.a. Hissing Llamas, a 5.8 sport climb) on the Phoenix Buttress with my wife, Claire, and our friend Mary. My wife and I witnessed a climber fall on Scary Llamas. The climber (age approximatel...

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| Published 2015 | Author Joe Osterman


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
La Esfinge, Southeast Face, Chappie Peru, Cordillera Blanca

Roger Schäli and Simon Gietl climbed a new route on La Esfinge (5,325m) in the Paron Valley in early July. Chappie (600m, 7b+) is situated on the upper right (shorter) side of the southeast face, between the routes Intuition (AAJ 2001) and Dion’...

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| Published 2015 | Author Information from Simon Gietl and Roger Schäli


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Piedra Bolada, West Face, Arista Mexicana Mexico, Chihuahua, Parque Nacional Cascada de Basaseachic

After a 20-hour trip in a pickup truck with nine people and three dogs, we made it into Basaseachic very late and rested. The next day, Tiny Almada, José Vega, Oscar Cisneros (our base camp support), and I (all from Mexico) reached Valentin Grijal...

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| Published 2015 | Author Daniel Araiza


In Memoriam AAJ
Alexander Ruchkin, 1963 – 2015

Alexander "Sasha" Ruchkin, along with his climbing partner, Vyacheslav Ivanov, died while attempting a new route on the south face of Huandoy Sur (6,160m) in Peru. The estimated date of the tragedy was August 27, 2015. As reported by the rescuers...

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| Published 2015 | Author Valery Rozov


Accident Reports ANAM
Crevasse Fall – Climbing Unroped Alaska, Hayes Range, Trident Glacier

Sarah Hart walks across the Trident Glacier shortly before the author's crevasse fall. Base camp is visible on the right. Sarah Hart, 35, and I, 32, intended to climb the east ridge of 13,832-foot Mt. Hayes, the ...

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| Published 2015 | Author Seth Adams


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Karambony Tower, Northeast Arête, The Change Experience Africa, Madagascar, Tsaranoro Valley

In April, Hassan Gerami, Farshad Mijoji, and I opened a new route up the stunning right (northeast) arête of Karambony Tower. We mainly aided at first, using hooks and bolts to make progress up the wall, then did our best to climb the route free. ...

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| Published 2016 | Author Hamid Reza Shafaghi


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Tsaranoro Be, East Face, Cuento de Habas Africa, Madagascar, Tsaranoro Valley

After five days of travel from Ecuador, Felipe Guarderas, Nicolas Navaraette, and I reached Antananarivo, Madagascar. We were exhausted and could hardly complete our grocery shopping for the next month of climbing in this exotic place. After sever...

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| Published 2015 | Author Roberto Morales


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Tsaranoro Atsimo, Fire In The Belly Africa, Madagascar, Tsaranoro Valley

After having climbed some of the classics in the Tsaranoro Valley with Argyro Papathanasiou (Greece) in July, I was joined by Siebe Vanhee (Belgium) in August. He had spotted a major unclimbed line on Tsaranoro Atsimo. The route is located right o...

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| Published 2015 | Author Sean Villanueva


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Angavoa Wall, Mahagaga Africa, Madagascar, Ambohimahamasy

In mid-September—after I climbed in Tsaranoro Valley in July and August—a local Tsaranoro climber from Madagascar named Rakotomalala Herynony Samuel (a.k.a. Henry) raved to me about an unclimbed wall a few hours away, in the little village of Ambo...

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| Published 2015 | Author Sean Villanueva


Accident Reports ANAM
Fall on Rock – Inexperience, Weather, Protection Pulled Out Wyoming, Grand Teton, Lower Exum Ridge

On October 5, at approximately 11:15 a.m., a male climber (26) called Grand Teton dispatch to report that his partner (male, 39) had fallen and broken his leg while leading the first pitch of the Lower Exum Ridge. He stated they needed to be rescu...

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| Published 2014 | Author Chris Harder


Accident Reports ANAM
Fall on Rock – Suspected Rockfall, Climbing Alone Wyoming, Grand Teton, Upper Exum Ridge

On the morning of August 8, a solo climber sustained life-threatening injuries in a fall while attempting the Grand Teton. Steve Markusen (60) was climbing midway between the Friction Pitch and V-Pitch on the Upper Exum Ridge when the accident occ...

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| Published 2014 | Author Jackie Skaggs


Accident Reports ANAM
Rockfall – Failure to Test Holds Wyoming, Grand Teton, Upper Exum Ridge

On July 27, Joshua Smith and I (both 32) attempted the Grand Teton via the Upper Exum Ridge. While climbing the route, I sustained severe injuries to my left foot when I pulled a loose boulder down. The incident occurred in a section of the climb ...

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| Published 2014 | Author Brett Verhoef


Accident Reports ANAM
Slip on Snow – Inadequate Equipment, Exceeding Abilities Wyoming, Disappointment Peak, Lake Ledges

Late in the day on June 29, a female climber (27) fell and sustained serious injuries while descending the Lake Ledges route on Disappointment Peak. [Editor’s note: Lake Ledges is a 4th class route in midsummer and a moderate snow climb through sp...

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| Published 2014 | Author Chris Harder


Accident Reports ANAM
Fall on Rock – Inadequate Protection, No Helmet West Virginia, New River Gorge National River, Junkyard Area

On November 9 a male climber (28) was leading New River Gunks, a popular 5.7 traditional route, when he fell approximately 12 to 15 feet. The climber, whose only protection was a single fixed cam (Wild Country Zero 5), suffered a groundfall and la...

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| Published 2014 | Author Jeff West


Accident Reports ANAM
Animal Bite West Virginia, Bozoo, Iceberg Area

On August 30, Jay Sullivan (56) was bitten by a bat (species unknown) while climbing a short trad route called Playing Hookie (5.7). According to the climber, he was unsure whether he had been bitten or if he had jammed his finger awkwardly into t...

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| Published 2014 | Author R Simon


Accident Reports ANAM
Crevasse Fall – Climbing Unroped, Inadequate Equipment Washington, Mt. Rainier, Muir Snowfield

At around 2 p.m. on September 5, a report came in from an RMI guide that he had encountered an independent climber (age approximately 35) who had fallen into a crevasse on the Muir Snowfield at around 9,900 feet. The climber was several feet below...

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| Published 2014


Accident Reports ANAM
Fall on Ice – Possible Avalanche Washington, Mt. Rainier, Liberty Ridge

On Monday, May 26, an Alpine Ascents International guided party started an ascent of Mt. Rainier via Liberty Ridge. Led by guides Matt Hegeman and Eitan Green, John Mullaly (Seattle), Uday Marty (Singapore), Mark Mahaney (St. Paul), and Erik Kolb ...

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| Published 2014


Accident Reports ANAM
Rappel Failure – No Knot on Rope End, Fatigue Washington, North Cascades, Le Petit Cheval, Spontaneity Arête

On September 6 my husband, Eric Peter Anderson (28), and I (27) summited Le Petit Cheval via the Spontaneity Arête (5.7) for our first anniversary. It was a gloriously clear day and we took our time on the route, admiring the views and relishing t...

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| Published 2014 | Author Dandelion Dilluvio


Accident Reports ANAM
Fall on Ice – Anchor Failure Washington, Snoqualmie Pass, Kiddie Cliff

On December 3 I left the Alpental parking lot around 10 a.m. with a good friend to find some ice to top-rope. This trip was training for bigger alpine ice objectives to follow in 2015. After about two hours of hiking and hunting, we found a gully ...

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| Published 2014 | Author Josh Hancock


Accident Reports ANAM
Crevasse Fall – Poor Position Washington, North Cascades National Park, East McMillan Spire

On July 29, my husband, Arthur Greef (52), and I (Colleen Hinton, 52) left camp at 6:30 a.m. with the goal of climbing the west ridge of East McMillan Spire (Class 3/4), followed by the southeast face of West McMillan Spire (Grade II 5.7). The wea...

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| Published 2014 | Author Colleen Hilton