Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Cirque of the Moon, Holding Out for a Hero and Other Routes Wyoming Wind River Range

Devin Schneid following pitch four of Two Left Feet on Sumac Point. Photo by Stefanos Apostle  During the months of August and September, I spent a total of 24 days with four different partners in the Wind Rivers’ Cirque of the Moon (42.75610...

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| Published 2025 | Author Stefanos Apostle


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Wolf Mountain, Northeast Face, Petrified Songs Montana, Beartooth Mountains

Adrien Costa leading the fourth pitch of Petrified Songs on the northeast face of Wolf Mountain. Photo by Earl Lunceford On November 8, Adrien Costa and I parked our truck at the intersection of Lulu Pass and the Goose Lake 4x4 road. Nine mil...

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| Published 2025 | Author Earl Lunceford


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
The Salamander, Baring Point, and Cataract Mountain, New Routes Montana, Glacier National Park

Nick Sramek on the east prow of Baring Point in Glacier National Park. Photo by Seth Anderson Over the summer of 2025, I established three routes with various partners in Glacier National Park, an area known for its rotten rock, murky history...

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| Published 2025 | Author Seth Anderson


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Monto II, III, and IV India, Ladakh, Rupshu Region

Monto II (6,030m) and the 2025 route of ascent via the northwest face and southwest ridge. Photo by Sonarpur Arohi Expedition In August and September 2023, an Indian expedition explored the Monto Group from the east, the first team known to d...

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| Published 2025 | Author Lindsay Griffin


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Iris Peak, southwest face, Karma India, Himachal Pradesh, Lahaul and Spiti, Miyar Valley

Nadezhda Muzhikina not far from the summit of Iris Peak. Photo by Olga Paducheva For more than six months, we had prepared for our expedition, planning for every contingency, from border delays to bad weather. But life reminded us you cannot ...

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| Published 2025 | Author Oksana Kochubey


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
West Harsil Horn, Alpine-style second ascent India, Gangotri

Climbing on the west-southwest ridge of the Horn of Harsil. Photo by Ankit Mahato On June 10, Cyrus Wirls and I completed the second recorded ascent of the Horn of Harsil (4,823m; the peak has two summits, with the west horn being higher). Th...

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| Published 2025 | Author Ankit Mahato


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Giant’s Belly, Lightning and Chunder Montana, Beartooth Mountains

Adrien Costa contends with Lightning and Chunder’s hollow WI5 crux pitch. Photo by Lauren Smith On October 30, Lauren Smith and I made the slog up to the Giant’s Belly, a north-facing wall (45.14255, -109.66345) on 11,928-foot Mt. Inabnit, wi...

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| Published 2025 | Author Adrien Costa


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Bhagirathi II, complete northeast ridge India, Western Garhwal, Gangotri

A foreshortened view of the triangular facet on the lower northeast side of Bhagirathi II. Photo by Henri Eggenweiler In 2022, we three young and ambitious alpinists planned to attempt Bhagirathi II (6,512m, 30°53’3.97”N, 79°8’6.34”E) as our ...

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| Published 2022 | Author Magdalena Ritzau


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Ptarmigan Mountain, Towers 2 and 4, Southeast Faces Colorado, Rocky Mountain National Park

The Ptarmigan Towers, with Pika Kombat on Tower 4 (left) and Unoriginal Sin on Tower 2 (right). Other routes are not shown. Photo: Michael LaDue Collection During the summer of 2025, some friends and I returned to Ptarmigan Mountain (12,324’)...

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| Published 2025 | Author Michael LaDue


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Baspa Valley, Rakcham Plateau: Peak 5,400, northwest face; Ray Peak Fourth Pillar India, Himachal Pradesh, Kinnaur

The 800-meter northwest face of Peak 5,400m above the Rakcham Plateau. Photo by Ryan Griffiths In late October and early November, Ryan Griffiths and I climbed new routes on two unclimbed peaks above the Baspa Valley. We were based out of the...

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| Published 2025 | Author Seth Timpano


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Longs Peak, Wobbly Baknn Strips Rocky Mountain National Park

Josh Wharton mixed climbing below the headwall taken by Baknnator Indirect and Wobbly Baknn Strips, partially visible in the ice dribbles left of the huge Obelisk corner. Photo by Dane Steadman In mid-October, I made my first-ever trip to the...

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| Published 2025 | Author Dane Steadman


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Duhangan Valley: Chupa Rustam and Temptation Tower India, Himachal Pradesh, Kullu

Seen from across the Duhangan Valley is the line of Cúrcuma on Chupa Rustam, the large rock tower on the south side of Peak 5,384m. To the right is Peak 5,605m, with the clean, sunlit Temptation Tower at its foot. The summit of Deo Tibba (6,001m...

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| Published 2025 | Author Boe Marion


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Lower Bara Shigri, Mapping Irrregularities India, Himachal Pradesh

In 1961, British climbers Jo Scarr and Barbara Spark made the first ascents of Central Peak (6,285m, 32°14’24.21”N, 77°40’31.89”E) and its southeast summit, Lion Peak (6,126m, 32°14’6.95”N, 77°40’50.64”E), from the Lion Glacier to the north of the...

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| Published 2025 | Author Lindsay Griffin and Damien Gildea


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Peak 5,970m, Southeast Face and East Ridge India, Himachal Pradesh, Lahaul and Spiti

The approach and ascent to the summit of Peak 5,970m (6,001m GPS). (A) Peak 5,970m. (B) Ramjak (6,318m). (D) Shingo South (6,068m GPS). (BC) Base camp. (S) Shingo La. (CI) Camp I. (C2) Camp 2.  Northwest of well-known Ramjak (6,318m), at 32°5...

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| Published 2025 | Author Lindsay Griffin


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Munocho Chhok, southeast face and northeast ridge, attempt Pakistan, Karakoram, Batura Muztagh

Close to the farthest point reached on the 2025 attempt on Munocho Chhok. Photo by Anna Soligo The self-organized expedition by the Young Alpinist Group [an informal three-year program for experienced young alpinists from the U.K. and Ireland...

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| Published 2025 | Author Sinead Thin


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Stargyuk Valley, Two First Ascents India, Ladakh

Looking northwest to north from the summit of Peak 6,045m. Photo by Anindya Mukherjee Following a winter reconnaissance to the Stargyuk Valley, south of the Kang Yatze Group, our four-member team returned to this area in late May. Our plan wa...

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| Published 2025 | Author Anindya Mukherjee


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Rangtik Tokpo, Shawa Kangri, northwest face, Less is More India, Zanskar Region, Kishtwar Range

Shawa Kangri (5,728m) with the line of Less Is More on the northwest face. Photo by Matteo De Zaiacomo This year didn’t start well. I fractured two cervical vertebrae in an ice climbing accident, and doctors were not optimistic about a speedy...

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| Published 2025 | Author Davide Nesa


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Denyai Tokpo, Many First Ascents India, Ladakh, Zanskar Region, Kishtwar Range

On the 400-meter headwall of Khang Chan Chemno during the first ascent. Photo by Dutch Expedition Academy The Expedition Academy of the Royal Dutch Climbing and Mountaineering Association (NKBV) is a two-year program that trains already profi...

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| Published 2025 | Author Dutch Expedition Academy


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Denyai Tokpo, Two Ascents and One Attempt India, Zanskar Region, Kishtwar Range

Hector Sanmiguel on the summit ridge of Peak 5,660m on the eastern rim of the Denyai Tokpo. Peaks on the far right are at the head of the glacier and are mostly unclimbed. Photo by Alberto Urtasun Alpinism, unpackaged and unpolished. Two frie...

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| Published 2025 | Author Hector Sanmiguel


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Brahma Satli Central (Cathedral Dome), east flank and southeast ridge India, Kashmir, Pir Panjal Range

Inayat Ullah Bhat and Laway Mudasir at base camp by Novsar Lake. Photo by Inayat Ullah Bhat The Pir Panjal Range of the Lesser Himalaya lies south and west of Srinagar and the Vale of Kashmir, which separates it from the Greater Himalaya. The...

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| Published 2025 | Author Lindsay Griffin