In Memoriam AAJ
Lewis S. Southwick, 1888-1981

LEWIS S. SOUTHWICK1888-1981Lewis S. Southwick died on December 18, 1981 at the age of 93. An American Alpine Club member since 1944, he resided in Shelter Island, New York. He had made ascents in New Hampshire’s White Mountains, the Canadian Rocki...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Africa, Mali, Hombori Mountains, New Route

Hombori Mountains, new route. From November 20 to January 14 my brother Michael and I visited the Hand of Fatima in the Hombori Mountains. On Kaga Pamari we established a new route up the center of the southwest face, completing the line in the fi...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, Afghanistan, Bandaka

Bandaka. After not receiving permission for Udren Zom, the expedition of the Mountaineering Association of Fukushima Prefecture turned hastily to Bandaka (22,450 feet). On August 12 Rikio Mizoi, Masaru Mizukami and Akira Hashiyada reached the top ...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, Nepal, Kangchenjunga Southwest Face

Kangchenjunga Southwest Face. We hoped to make the first American ascent of the southwest face of Kangchenjunga. We were Rob Gustke and Bill Roos, leaders, John Bercaw, Jeff Brinck, George Gardner, Frank Coffey, Craig Miller, Gunnar Paulsen and I....


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, Pakistan, Minapin Attempt

Minapin Attempt. French climbers led by Pierre Feuillet failed to climb Minapin. They tried the north ridge and then the north face and west ridge but found both routes very dangerous because of séracs and avalanches.


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
South America, Peru, Southern Peru, Chichiccapac and Other Peaks, Cordillera Carabaya

Chichiccapac and Other Peaks, Cordillera Carabaya. I joined Steve McAndrews of the American Andean Ski Expedition and Ian Harverson of the Australian Andean Expedition for a short visit to the Carabaya in mid-October. Our approach was a direct eig...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Antarctica, Pilot Peak, Lerrouy Island, and Mount Jules Verne, Pourquoi Pas Island, 1991

Pilot Peak, Lerrouy Island, and Mount Jules Verne, Pourquoi Pas Island, 1991. Our expedition traveled to Grahamland in the yacht Pelagic. We were American Skip Novak, Briton Hamish Laird, Kenyan Julia Crossley, Irishwoman Tara Machey, Belgian Andr...


Accident Reports ANAM
Inadequate Protection—Rappel Failure, Knot Parted, Washington, Tonasket Crags

INADEQUATE PROTECTION—RAPPEL FAILURE, KNOT PARTED Washington, Tohasket CragsOn July 24, 1989, Gary Hickenbottom (39) plunged 12 meters to the ground, breaking both legs and a heel, when his rappel ropes parted. (Source: Gary Hickenbottom)AnalysisI...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, USSR, Pik Kommunizma, Pamirs

Pik Kommunizma, Pamirs. With successes on the 7000-meter peaks in the Pamirs now becoming commonplace, I have only two reasons to report our experiences. The first is to emphasize how accommodating the Soviets have been in assisting foreign mounta...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
South America, Peru, Vilcanota and Cordillera de Caravaya

Vilcanota and Cordillera de Caravaya. In July 1955 the Italians, 72- year-old Piero Ghiglione and Francesco Zaltron, ascended Vilcanota, 18,521 feet, by the southeast face. [All altitudes are those given by Ghiglione. It is the opinion of members ...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
North America, Canada, Canadian Arctic, Nunavut, Asgard, North Tower, West Face Attempt

Asgard, North Tower, West Face Attempt. On July 7, Swiss Jean-Michel Zweiacker, Denis Burdet, Cédric Choffat and Pierre Robert began an attempt on the west face of Asgard. They tried a line between “Valkyrie” and “Hyperborea.” They climbed ten pit...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, Nepal, Pumori Pre-Monsoon Attempt, Ascent and Tragedy

Pumori Pre-Monsoon Attempt, Ascent and Tragedy. Two Germans and an Austrian led by Christof Drechsel attempted to climb Pumori (7161 meters, 23,494 feet) by the normal route. They reached a high point of 6300 meters on March 24. Some time later, a...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, USSR, Chimbulak Area, Zailisky Ala Tau, Tien Shan

Chimbulak Area, Zailisky Ala Tau, Tien Shan. Steve Goodwin, Steve Lenartowicz, Eric Pirnie, Norman Rodd, my wife Moira Snadden and I attended the Soviet International Camp at Chimbulak in the late winter of 1988. The mountains of the Chimbulak are...


Notes AAJ
North America, Rocky Mountains of Canada, Lake Louise

Rocky Mountains of CanadaLake Louise was named for Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll, who died December 3rd, 1939, at the age of ninety-one. She was a daughter of Queen Victoria, her husband, the Marquis of Lorne, becoming Governor-General of Can...


Accident Reports ANAM
Wyoming, Wind River Range, Mt. Sacajawea

Wyoming, Wind River Range, Mt. Sacajawea—On July 20, 1955, Thea Welsh, Tony Prauses (34), and Damon Phinney (27) left their camp in the Titcomb Lake Valley below Fremont Peak at 6:00 a.m. to climb Mt. Sacajawea. Their route was a steep couloir up ...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
North America, United States, Wyoming, Grand Teton National Park, The Cathedral Group, Various Ascents

The Cathedral Group, Various Ascents. The north face of the Middle Teton was the scene of some new route activity in early August. Buffalo Gals (III 5.10), an excellent four-pitch crack climb on good rock, was climbed by Ron Johnson and Renny Jack...


Accident Reports ANAM
Fall on Rock, Climbing Unroped, California, Joshua Tree National Monument, Echo Cave

FALL ON ROCK, CLIMBING UNROPED California, Joshua Tree National Monument, Echo CoveOn May 1, 1993, at 1413,1 was notified of a climbing accident in the Echo Cove area of Lost Horse. I arrived on scene at 1425 and got to the victim at 1435.1 found ...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, Pakistan, Nanga Parbat, Diamir Face Attempt

Nanga Parbat, Diamir Face Attempt. A Bulgarian team led by Anna Pencheva saw their chances of success diminished when at 8050 meters two of their members, heading for the summit in the tracks of Wellig and Kammerlander, had to help a South Korean ...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, India, Zanskar, Haftal Kangri (6,178m), Northwest Face

Haftal Kangri (6,178m), northwest face. On August 4 Simon Deniel, Pauline Parmier, Elsa Pommarel, and I made a probable first ascent of a peak referred to by locals as Haftal Kangri. This peak is located above the east side of the Haftal Valley, w...


Accident Reports ANAM
Slip on Snow—Alberta, Rocky Mountains, High Rock Range, Mt. Bishop

SLIP ON SNOW—Alberta, Rocky Mountains, High Rock Range, Mt. Bishop. Peter Vermeulen, Herb Kariel, and a companion were descending the SW face of Mt. Bishop on October 26, 1975. At about 1600 hours, while traversing a gently sloping wind slab about...