Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Pico Los Zondinos, Dioses del Ocaso Argentina, Central Andes

From March 20–22, Roberto Piriz and I climbed a new route on a rocky satellite peak of Cerro Tolosa (5,432m), known as Pico Los Zondinos (4,850m). [See AAJ 2014 for more info about Cerro Tolosa.] We started our journey from the town of Las Cuevas....

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| Published 2015 | Author Gabriel Fava


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
El Capitan, Southwest Face, Heart Route (First Free Ascent) California, Yosemite Valley

While free climbing El Capitan’s Golden Gate (VI 5.13b, Huber-Huber, AAJ 2001) in 2009, I spotted a system of beautiful cracks and corners leading out the left side of the massive, heart-shaped recess in the middle El Cap’s southwest face. The s...

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| Published 2015 | Author Mason Earle


Accident Reports ANAM
Fall On Rock Idaho, City Of Rocks, Elephant Rock

On May 24, a climber in his early 20s was leading Rye Crisp (5.8) while his sister belayed him. According to his sister, he was an experienced climber who leads up to 5.11. Because the climb was relatively easy for him, he had not placed any prote...

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| Published 2014


Accident Reports ANAM
Fall On Rock, Nut Pulled Out – No Helmet Connecticut, Ragged Mountain, Small Cliff

On April 30 I was leading Diagonal (5.6) on the Small Cliff at Ragged Mountain. I fell from about halfway up, at a point where the diagonaling crack offsets to the right. I had put in a cam about 10 feet up and then a nut in a not-great placement....

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| Published 2014 | Author Sam Streibert


Accident Reports ANAM
Fall On Rock – Inexperience, Faulty Use Of Equipment Colorado, Staunton State Park, Tan Corridor

I heard a scream and saw my rope falling below me. It was August 23, the day I almost died. After putting in six hours of rock climbing, we were ready to pack up and leave the Tan Corridor. I (Asha Nanda, 21) started up the climb called Reef On It...

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| Published 2014 | Author Asha Nanda


Accident Reports ANAM
Fall From Tyrolean – Faulty Use Of Equipment Colorado, Clear Creek Canyon, East Colfax

On April 9, I had been clipping bolts at East Colfax with Mike Endicott, Leo Paik, Dave Rogers, and Doug Redosh. Mike and I decided to cross Clear Creek to climb at some other crags. The creek was too deep to wade, so an established double-rope Ty...

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| Published 2014 | Author George Bracksieck


Accident Reports ANAM
Fall On Rock – Miscommunication Colorado, Eldorado Canyon State Park, West Ridge

In the late afternoon on October 19, a party of four was climbing on the West Ridge in two parties of two. According to one of these climbers, Mark Hanna, a male climber, 42, and his partner were top-roping the first pitch of Iron Horse (5.11) as ...

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| Published 2014 | Author Mark Hanna


Accident Reports ANAM
Fall On Rock – Lead Rope Unclipped From Protection Colorado, Eldorado Canyon State Park, Lower Peanuts Wall

Shortly after noon on Saturday, August 9, Wayne Crill (46 at the time) was attempting to lead a new route on the left side of Lower Peanuts Wall. He was belayed by Greg Miller. Crill and Miller had previously worked the route on top-rope, figuring...

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| Published 2014 | Author Steve Muehlhauser


Accident Reports ANAM
Fall On Rock – Off-Route, Inadequate Protection Colorado, Boulder, Third Flatiron

I was injured in a rock climbing accident on December 13. We were climbing Friday's Folly (5.7) on the back of the Third Flatiron. I’ve climbed the Third Flatiron probably over 100 times, but almost always soloing the East Face and either reversin...

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| Published 2014 | Author Peter Weinberg


Accident Reports ANAM
Rappel Error, Stranded – Failed To Follow Direction Colorado, Boulder, First Flatiron

On October 11, at approximately 7:15 p.m., several 911 calls came in to the City of Boulder Communications Center, stating that someone was yelling for help in the area of the First Flatiron. Temperatures at that time were in the low 50s (F), with...

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| Published 2014 | Author G. Frain


Accident Reports ANAM
Fall On Rock – Inadequate Belay Colorado, Roosevelt National Forest, Dream Canyon

On a lovely spring day in April, I met several friends at the Oceanic Wall in Dream Canyon, a deep tributary of Boulder Canyon. After several warm-ups, I got on a 5.11d I had climbed several times in the past. The crux lies between the third and f...

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| Published 2014 | Author Beth Bennett


Accident Reports ANAM
Avalanche – Poor Position Colorado, Rocky Mountain National Park, Loch Vale

Loch Vale is a popular north-facing ice climbing area at about 10,000 feet in elevation. At approximately 3 p.m. on December 21, two climbers began to free solo Mo' Flo' Than Go, a short WI2/3 route. They told a group of four climbers who were gat...

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| Published 2014 | Author Ryan Teter


Accident Reports ANAM
Rockfall Arizona, Queen Creek Canyon, Upper Devils Canyon

On February 23, John Scott, 66, died when he was struck in the head by a falling rock while belaying. Scott had just lowered his partner from a sport climb called Projectiles (5.7) at the Lost Wall when a large rock (described as two feet in diame...

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| Published 2014


Accident Reports ANAM
Rappel Failure – Inadequate Anchor, Inadequate Belay Arizona, Camelback Mountain

Just after sunrise on August 8, Phoenix firefighter Gary Johnstone, 50, and three teenage boys set up a short rappel (about 40 feet) at an outcrop known as the "Sugar Cube" that is frequently used for rappelling practice. Their anchor was a single...

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| Published 2014


Feature Article ANAM
Danger Zones: The Nose Where And Why Accidents Occur On El Cap's Most Popular Route

The Nose of El Capitan began capturing people’s attention well before the first ascent in 1958. Long, aesthetic, and immediately visible upon entering the Valley, it has all the makings of a classic line. At 5.9 C2, the Nose is considered to be th...

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| Published N/A | Author Joel Peach


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Condoriri Region, Innominado (a.k.a. Alpamayo Negro), Southwest Ridge Direct Bolivia, Cordillera Real

After their partial new route on the south face of Illimani, Marco Farina and Marco Majori returned to La Paz with plenty of time left before their flight home. In discussions with Aldo Riveros, a local mountain guide, the three hatched a plan to ...

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| Published 2015 | Author Lindsay Griffin


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Illimani, South Face, Directa Italiana Bolivia, Cordillera Real

The south face of Illimani (6,439m) showing the two partial new routes climbed in 2015. (1) Por la Vida (2015). (2) Hubert Ducroz (1988). (3) Original Laba-Thackray Route (1974). (4) Directa Italiana (2015). Many other route...

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| Published 2015 | Author Marco Farina


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Illimani, South Face, Partial New Route Bolivia, Cordillera Real

Manu Chance and I left France with the explicit aim of climbing the south face of Illimani (6,438m). We acclimatized with new routes in the Quimsa Cruz, and then, thanks to the Bolivian mountain guide Aldo Riveros, managed to reach the aband...

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| Published 2015 | Author Thomas Arfi


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Cresta la Vertebra, New Routes Bolivia, Cordillera Quimsa Cruz

Manu Chance and I arrived in La Paz on May 12 and began our acclimatization for an ascent of the south face of Illimani by sport climbing at Las Penas, where there are 100m routes from 6a to 6c at an altitude of 4,300m. We then climbed Huayna Poto...

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| Published 2015 | Author Thomas Arfi


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Link Sar West, Northwest Face Pakistan, Karakoram, Masherbrum Range

Situated between K6 and K7, the unclimbed Link Sar (7,041m) derives it name from being the “linking” peak between these two giants. Compared to neighboring peaks, it has seen very little attention, mainly because it is hard to see in its entir...

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| Published 2015 | Author Andy Houseman