Accident Reports ANAM
HAPE, Alaska, Mount McKinley

HAPEAlaska, Mount McKinleyOn May 9, 1989, Elfi Hallinger (42) a member of a German ski traverse expedition, developed high altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) at 4300 meters on the West Buttress route of Mount McKinley. After treatment at the Denali M...


Club Activities AAJ
Iowa Mountaineers

Iowa Mountaineers. It was another very active year for the Iowa Mountaineers. An unusually large number of members in small groups climbed in ranges throughout the world. The club was able to establish rock-climbing classes for credit in the Unive...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
South America, Argentina and Chile, Southern Patagonia, Chile, Torres del Paine National Park, General Information

General information. Riders on the Storm (1,200m, 5.12d A3), first climbed by Germans Nor- bert Bätz, Peter Dittrich, Bernd Arnold, Wolfgang Güllich, and Kurt Albert on the east face of Torre Central in 1991, received its fourth ascent, from a Bel...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
North America, United States, Alaska, McGinnis, Winter Ascent

McGinnis, Winter Ascent. On February 24, Ian McRae and I crossed the Delta River and skied 15 miles up McGinnis Creek into the Hayes Range to the foot of the northeast ridge of McGinnis. We took the northeast fork of the glacier to a cirque below ...


Accident Reports ANAM
Fall on Snow and Rock, Roped but not Belayed, Alberta, Rocky Mountains, Mount Collier

FALL ON SNOW AND ROCK, ROPED RUT NOT RELAYEDAlberta, Rocky Mountains, Mount CollierOn August 18, 1991, a party of four were proceeding up from the Victoria-Collier col to the summit of Mount Collier as two ropes of two when they encountered a stee...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, Pakistan, Spantik

Spantik. Our expedition of the German Alpine Club’s Summit Club climbed the southeast ridge of Spantik (7027 meters, 23,055 feet), which is without much in the way of difficulties. The weather on the mountain was excellent. We used no high-altitud...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
South America, Chile, Southern Patagonia, Torres del Paine National Park, Torre Central, El Gordo, el Flaco y el'Abuelito

Torre Central, El Gordo, el Flaco y el'Abuelito. Rolando Larcher, Elio Orlandi, and I climbed a direct new route on the east face of the Central Tower of Paine, between Magico Este and Riders on the Storm. The 1,250m route has 7a+ free climbing (6...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, India, Overview

General Overview. Out of approximately 140 expeditions visiting the Indian Himalaya (ca 105 of these coming from local mountaineers), around 60 (19 of which were foreign) were to routine peaks such as Kedar Dome, Jogin, and Stok Kangri, and are no...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, Nepal, Annapurna Autumn Attempts

Annapurna Autumn Attempts. There were two unsuccessful attempts on Annapurna in the post-monsoon season. A Korean expedition of twelve led by Chun Doo-Sung failed on the south face at 6700 meters on September 28. Four Spaniards led by Javier Berme...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, Pakistan, Gamugal, Hindu Raj

Gamugal, Hindu Raj. An expedition led by Franco Alletto and composed of Sergio Kociancich, Luigi Lauro, Giorgio Mallucci, Leone Mimcio, Vincenzo Momti, Carlo Platter, Silvo Riz, Cesare Stefanoli and Ludovico Vaia made the first ascent of Gamugal (...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, Nepal, Cho Oyu from the South in the Pre-Monsoon Season

Cho Oyu from the South in the Pre-Monsoon Season. As in past years, the west side of Cho Oyu has been a very popular objective for many expeditions. A Belgian expedition was led by Bernard Mousny. On May 7, Pascal de Brouwer completed the 100th as...


Club Activities AAJ
Princeton Mountaineering Club

Princeton Mountaineering Club. As in the past, Princeton’s location has forced the PMC to concentrate its attention on rock climbing. Within this limitation it maintained an active schedule of week-end trips to faces at the Shawangunks, in lower N...


Accident Reports ANAM
Fall on Rock, Cold Fingers, Oregon, French's Dome

FALL ON ROCK, COLD FINGERSOregon, French's DomeOn September 4, Joe Leineweber (29) was leading a 5.8 to 5.9 bolted route on French’s Dome. The weather was somewhat damp and there were wet places on the rock. Leineweber was reaching for a bolt when...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, Pakistan, Karakoram, Hispar Muztagh, Khunyang Chhish, Attempt

Khunyang Chhish, attempt. Kazuo Tobita (61) led a four-member party for his sixth attempt on Khunyang Chhish (7,852m), which has been climbed only twice. In July he unsuccessfully attempted the south face. Over 14 years Tobita has explored the mou...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
North America, United States, Alaska, Wrangell-St. Elias Mountains, Peak 9265 (Possible) First Ascent

Peak 9265, (Possible) First Ascent. Peak 9265 sits just northeast of the intersection of the Anderson and Chitina glaciers, and only two miles from the Canadian border. On August 8, Gary Green of McCarthy Air flew me into a lake located at the con...


Notes AAJ
Studies Made During 1933, North Palisade Glacier

Studies Made During 1933During 1933 members of the American Alpine Club have made a number of valuable contributions to the study of North American glaciers. Several members from California have helped to form a Committee on Glaciers in the Sierra...


Accident Reports AAJ
Elbrus Tragedy

Elbrus Tragedy. From May 2 to 4, a terrible storm with high winds and frigid temperatures struck the highest peak of the Caucasus. Dozens of mountaineers and alpine skiers were caught in the summit area. About 20 climbers perished in the storm.


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, Tibet, Menlungtse, Rolwaling Himal

Menlungtse, Rolwaling Himal. Described by Chris Bonington as “one of the most beautiful and difficult peaks in the Himalaya,” Menlungtse has an east and a west summit separated by a 2-kilometer-long ridge. The lower west summit (7023 meters) was c...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, India, Western Garhwal, Gangotri, Meru Central (6,310m), East Pillar (a.k.a Shark's Fin)

Meru Central (6,310m), East Pillar (a.k.a Shark’s Fin). Americans Conrad Anker, Jimmy Chin and Renan Ozturk completed one of the most attempted and coveted lines in the Himalaya, when they reached the summit of Meru Central via the 1,400m east pil...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
North America, United States, Utah, Castleton Area, Priest, Beckey Route Free

Priest, Beckey Route free, Castleton Area. In April, Chip Chace and I made an all-free ascent of the Priest by the original Beckey route. The lower two-thirds of the climb involves excellent chimney climbing of various widths, leading to a six-bol...