Book Reviews AAJ
Pay No Mind: A Memoir of Climbing, Abuse, and Survival | Turn to Stone: A Memoir By Fallon Rowe | By Emily Meg Weinstein

Pay No Mind: A Memoir of Climbing, Abuse, and Survival. By Fallon Rowe (Di Angelo Publications). Turn to Stone: A Memoir. By Emily Meg Weinstein (Simon & Schuster). Climbing offers such a fount of metaphor that it’s hard to avoid turning the...

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| Published 2025 | Author Allison Williams


Book Reviews AAJ
Uplifted: The Evolution of a Climbing Life By Sonnie Trotter

Uplifted: The Evolution of a Climbing Life. By Sonnie Trotter (Patagonia Books).“Embracing the unknown is a great way to start,” writes Sonnie Trotter in the dedication of Uplifted. In a series of stories from the fringes, infused with strong imag...

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| Published N/A | Author James Lucas


Book Reviews AAJ
Thirty Below: The Harrowing and Heroic Story of the First All-Women's Ascent of Denali | Mountaineering Women: Climbing Through History By Cassidy Randall | By Joanna Croston

Thirty Below: The Harrowing and Heroic Story of the First All-Women's Ascent of Denali. By Cassidy Randall (Henry N. Abrams). Mountaineering Women: Climbing Through History. By Joanna Croston (Thames and Hudson).  For a long time, a particular a...

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| Published N/A | Author Katie Ives


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Torres del Paine, 2025–2026 Summary Chile, Southern Patagonia, Torres del Paine

Siebe Vanhee following the demanding offwidth crack on the Sudafricana Route of the east face of the Central Tower, during an unsuccessful attempt on a 24-hour free ascent. Vanhee and Tommy Caldwell returned to the Central Tower and succeeded on...

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| Published 2026 | Author Rolando Garibotti


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Cerro Brechón, Northeast Ridge, Filo del Huemul Argentina, Southern Patagonia, Parque Nacional Los Glaciares

Maxi Abasto on the glacier during the ascent of Cerro Brechón. The peaks behind remained unclimbed as of late 2025. Photo by Kiff Alcocer The Cordón del Mesón, south of Lago Viedma and El Chaltén in Parque Nacional Los Glaciares, and to the e...

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| Published 2025 | Author Kiff Alocer


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Nevado Santa Cruz, South Face, Illegal Peru, Cordillera Blanca

Nathan Heald and I had the good fortune to climb the mythical Nevado Santa Cruz (6,259m, sometimes called Pukaraju), made legendary by Nicolas Jaeger’s 1978 solo ascent of the south face. From Cashapampa, we approached via the Paccharuri Valley wi...

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| Published 2025 | Author Josue Sanchez


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Shkhara, South Face, Winter attempt and new variation to south-southeast ridge Georgia, Central Caucasus

The south side of Shkhara (5,203m). The left line shows Reborn, climbed in the winter of 2025 to the junction with the Badriashvili-Tepnadze Route (right line), the first and only winter ascent of Shkhara from the south. Photo by Archil Badriash...

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| Published 2025 | Author Dávid Kocsis


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Mizhirgi West, Southwest Buttress Russia, Central Caucasus

Mizhirgi West (5,018m) and the new route up the southwest buttress. Photo by Alexander Lobyrev/Wikimedia Commons A Russian team comprising Ivan Koblyakov, Ivan Kuchkin, and Alexander Sokolov completed the first ascent of the southwest buttres...

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| Published 2025 | Author Anna Piunova


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Gulba, Southwest Pillar, Pferderennen02 Georgia, Central Caucasus

Gulba with approximate lines of (1) 2023 traverse, (2) Ivasuxari Roza (2014), (3) Khachapuri (2021), (4) Amaia eta Iker (2023), and (5) Pferderennen02 (2025). Photo by Elisabeth Mayr In September 2025, Elena Barbist, Elena Prem, Hannah Rabl, ...

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| Published 2025 | Author Elisabeth Mayr


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Ushba South, Myshlyaev Route, All-Women’s Ascent  Georgia, Central Caucasus

The Myshlyaev Route. Photo: Anna Piunova Archive Between August 7 and 14, 2024, Russian climbers Oksana Kochubey, Nadezhda Muzhikina, Olga Paducheva, and Nadezhda Pilshchikova (all from St. Petersburg) completed the first all-women’s ascent o...

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| Published 2024 | Author Anna Piunova


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Chegem Peak, Forostyan Route, All-Female Ascent Russia, Central Caucasus

Chegem Peak (4,351m) from the northeast. Photo by Sergei Leonkin  The Chegem Gorge lies in the Central Caucasus of Kabardino-Balkaria, Russia. The group includes Chegem Peak (4,351m) and neighboring Dzhaylyk (4,424m), separated by Donkin Pass...

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| Published 2024 | Author Irina Vasilieva


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Jebel Nassrani North, Land and Freedom Jordan, Wadi Rum

Over two days in November, Rémi Laborde, Stéphane Marigot, and Christian Ravier from France climbed Land and Freedom (630m, 6b+) on the north face of Jebel Nassrani North. The climbers followed the first five pitches of a route called Sabbah’s Hom...

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| Published 2025 | Author The Editors


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Demirkazik, North Face, Close to Heaven Turkey, Aladaglar

The 700-meter north face of Demirkazık (3,756m), showing the approximate lines of (1) Close to Heaven (2025) and (2) Jamieson-Friend Route (1972, first ascent of the face). Photo: Federica Mingolla Collection In August, Rolando Larcher and hi...

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| Published 2025 | Author Dougald MacDonald


In Memoriam AAJ
Christopher S. Wren, 1936–2026

The six members of the 1962 expedition that made the first ascent of the Southeast Spur of Denali stand in front of one of Don Sheldon’s Piper Cubs. Left to right: Hank Abrons, Chris Wren, Sam Cochrane, Boyd Everett, Sam Silverstein, and Charley...

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| Published 2026 | Author Samuel C. Silverstein, M.D.


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Upernavik and Other Areas, Six Historical Ascents Greenland, West Greenland

Scoping potential lines on Kangeq Island from the yacht Civetta. Photo by Martin Krasňanský The idea to climb in the Upernavik area originated with Dodo’s Delight, a 2016 film featuring climbs above the Arctic Circle, accessed by sailboat. Di...

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| Published 2019 | Author Martin Krasňanský


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Titan II, Southwest Face Greenland, South Greenland, Kangikitsoq Fjord

Titan II rises 1,736 meters above Kangikitsoq Fjord. Rafale (1,200m, 7a) on the southwest face is shown. Titan I (1,811m) is just to the left. Photo by Luca Rosales In July 2025, we—Luca Rosales and Marco Dattolo, both of Grenoble, France—est...

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| Published 2025 | Author Marco Dattolo and Luca Rosales


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Ulamertorssuaq, Northwest Face, Big Kumura; Honey Buttress, Manuka Greenland, South Greenland, Tasermiut Fjord

The line of Big Kumura (1,300m, 5.10+ C2 R) on the northwest face of Ulamertorssuaq. All prior routes climbed the big pillar and spire-topped face to the left. Photo by New Zealand Alpine Team Six members of the New Zealand Alpine Team made a...

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| Published 2025 | Author New Zealand Alpine Team, alpineteam.co.nz


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Graahs Fjord and Skjoldungen, Various Ascents Greenland, East Greenland

Melanie Tenorio leading a pitch of Geraldine (740m, 6c A1), one of two parallel routes climbed on the south-facing Caval’ou Wall, above Mørkesund. Photo by Ramona Waldner On July 20, the all-woman team of Naomie Bürki, Pauline Laubscher, Gian...

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| Published 2025 | Author Caro North


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Ikamiut Fjord, Three New Routes Greenland, West Greenland, Sukkertoppen (Maniitsoq) Ice Cap Area

Haulbag zipline trickery after the “loop” pitch on Simon’s Route (868m, 16 pitches, E3 6a/A1). Photo by Ben Kent  Robbie Milne, a 22-year-old ski instructor from France, and I, a 26-year-old climber from England’s Lake District, touched down ...

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| Published 2025 | Author Ben Kent


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Lochari, north ridge; Rimuza, north face China, Tibet, Gangdise Range

The unclimbed north face of Jungmai Xuewai Kangri seen from Rutog.Photo by Zhou Taozhu In August 2024, I made the first recorded ascent of Lochari (6,090m, 33°16’51.03”N, 79°48’11.91”E) from the north. This peak is located in the Gangdise Ran...

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| Published 2025 | Author Taozhu Zhou