Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Puscanturpa Este, Poco Loco Peru, Cordillera Huayhuash

Inspired by Pavle Kozjek’s climb Stonehenge on the northeast buttress in 2007 [AAJ 2008], we were eager to climb a new line on this stunning 5,410m peak. On July 13, Saskia van der Smeede, Elly van der Plas, Vincent van Beek, Bas Visscher, and ...

| Keywords New Routes, Alpine, Dutch
| Published 2012 | Author Bas van der Smeede, Holland


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Cerro Caja Real, South Ridge Peru, Yauyos

Robert Middleton and Hannah Moulton climbed what are believed to be two new, or newly reported routes on Cerro Caja Real (5002m, 12°9'59.8" S, 75°38'57.6 W), located in Yauyos. The peak is granite, however there is much loose rock, meaning that...

| Keywords New Routes,
| Published 2013 | Author Robert Middleton


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Nevado Carhuachuco, New Route Peru, Cordillera Central

Nevado Carhuachuco, new route. On November 10, during a guide course by the Mountain Guides Association of Peru (AGMP), aspirant guide Xavier Ossola and Micher Quito (IFMGA) climbed a new route, Listos Para Hacer Barras (300m, MD M5/6 55-80º), ...

| Keywords AGMP, New Route
| Published 2013 | Author Sergio Ramirez Carrascal


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Ritacuba Blanco, east face, Ocho Amaneceres Colombia, Sierra Nevada del Cocuy

In January 2013, Marco Jubes, Dani Moreno, and I managed to put up a new line on Ritacuba Blanco (5,350m) in the Sierra Nevada del Cocuy. We choose an unclimbed line on the central wall: a huge, vaulted ceiling, with many roofs. We climbed the fir...

| Keywords Colombia, free climbing, aid climbing
| Published 2013 | Author Edu Marin


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Paredão Enamorados, New Routes Brazil, Parque Nacional de Itatiaia

Karina Filgueiras and Bito Meyer opened three new routes on the Paredão Enamorados wall, near Agulhas Negras in the Parque Nacional de Itatiaia, located outside of Rio de Janeiro. In August, Filgueiras and Meyer established No Amaryllis (220m, ...

| Keywords Brazil, new route,
| Published 2013 | Author Karina Filgueiras


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Five First Ascents Greenland, Watkins Mountains

After climbing the standard route from the east on Greenland's highest mountain, Gunnbjornsfjeld (3,693m), Carlos Calderas, Carlos Castillo, Marco Cayuso, Martin Echeverria, and I climbed several peaks to the north of Gunnbjornsfjeld that Pa...

| Keywords
| Published 2012 | Author Marcus Tobia


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Milne Land, Probable First and Second Ascents Greenland, Milne Land

During 14 days in August, Line Veenstra and I climbed a number of peaks in northeast Milne Land. We accessed the island by boat from Constable Pynt, and followed the Korridoren Glacier west, moving camp often and making many side trips. We rent...

| Keywords
| Published 2012 | Author Christian Veenstra, Canada


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Recent access developments; Milne Land, exploration and several non- technical ascents Greenland, Milne Land

Ever conscious of escalating air charter costs in accessing the mountains of East Greenland, the experienced operator Tangent Expeditions has in the last couple of years set up a snowmobile service. The goal is to allow expeditions to reach var...

| Keywords
| Published 2012 | Author Jim Gregson


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Renland, Various Ascents Greenland, Renland

Inspired by our three-week honeymoon in Liverpool Land one year previous (see report here), my wife, Betsy Winston, and I decided to return to Greenland's east coast. Looking at Google Earth and pictures of the region, we chose a valley in the ...

| Keywords
| Published 2012 | Author Michel Raab


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
First Ascents of Mirror Wall, Cockpit, and El Güpfi Greenland, Renland

From mid-July to mid-August, Basil Jacksch, Christian Ledergerber, Vera Reist, and I from Switzerland visited southeast Renland, establishing four long, hard trad routes. Renland is remote and still relatively unexplored, offering an ideal venu...

| Keywords Schupbach
| Published 2012 | Author Silvan Schüpbach, Switzerland


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Central and Southwest Tibet, Various Ascents Tibet

In the course of geological field research on the India- Asia collision zone, members of our University of Arizona Geosciences team have climbed several non-technical peaks, some of which would only be legally available to those with research ...

| Keywords
| Published 2012 | Author Peter DeCelles, AAC


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Mt. Kinabalu, Extremely Difficult Sport Climbs at Altitude Borneo

In the winter of 2011, Yuji Hirayama sat down with James Pearson and me at our annual meeting at the North Face to discuss expedition ideas. Yuji proposed a trip to Mt. Kinabalu (4,095m) in Borneo, Malaysia. He showed us a photo of a 100-meter, ...

| Keywords Reel Rock Tour
| Published 2012 | Author Daniel Woods


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Half Moon, northwest face, Butter Face Washington, North Cascades

In July I returned to the Half Moon massif (located near the Liberty Bell group and Washington Pass) with Tino Villanueva to attempt a new route on a prow-like feature on the northwest face, leading to the highest point on the ridge. We com...

| Keywords Half Moon, Liberty Bell, Washington Pass
| Published 2012 | Author Alan Rousseau, AAC


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Colchuck Balanced Rock, Accendo Lunae, new variation Washington, Stuart Range

Scott Bennett, Graham Zimmerman, and I climbed a new variation on Colchuck Balanced Rock (8,200’), which connects the start and crux ofLet it Burnwith the end and crux of the west face. From a narrow ledge atop Let it Burn’s fifth pitch, we mov...

| Keywords Colchuck Balanced Rock
| Published 2012 | Author Blake Herrington, AAC


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Colchuck Balanced Rock, west face, first winter ascent Washington, Stuart Range

In late January 2012, Nathan Farr and I likely made the first winter ascent of the west face (300m, 5.11+) of Colchuck Balanced Rock (8,200’) in the Stuart Range. We approached on skis for the first four miles, then followed a well-established ...

| Keywords Colchuck Balanced Rock, winter ascent
| Published 2012 | Author Blake Herrington, AAC


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Aasgard Sentinel, The Valkyrie Washington, Stuart Range

The granite walls and peaks of the Stuart Range have seen prodigious new route activity in the last few years, with the rock generally excellent and often studded with knobs and fins when the cracks peter out. After climbing the north ridge of...

| Keywords Cascades, Acid Baby, Mt. Stuart
| Published 2012 | Author Blake Herrington, AAC


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Big Kangaroo, south face, Skinny Start; Going Down Under Washington, North Cascades

On July 27, Mike Pond and Matt VanBein climbed a three-pitch variation 30m right of the Kearney-Thomas route, which they called Skinny Start (850’, III 5.11). The two climbed solid granite splitters and left-facing corners (5.10+) before headi...

| Keywords Big Kangaroo
| Published 2012 | Author Mark Allen, AAC


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Big Kangaroo, south face, Walkabout Washington, North Cascades

In winter of 2004, the Big Kangaroo wall was burned into my memory. The golden, sheer, 850’ face is not like any other wall in this area. The glacier-sculpted southern cirque had left a broad cathedral-like remnant—the central wall as the ma...

| Keywords Big Kangaroo, Washington, Cascades
| Published 2012 | Author Mark Allen, AAC


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
The Elkhorns, Eastern Rib of Van Patten Butte; The Wallowas, Traverse Lake cliff, attempt; new route potential Oregon

A review of the past 30 years of AAJs reveals only a smattering of new alpine rou­tes in Oregon, all on Cascades volcanoes. Yet the largest walls of granite and limestone in Oregon lie to the east of the state’s rain divide. Tucked away in th...

| Keywords Wallowas, Elkhorns, Cascades, Oregon
| Published 2012 | Author Matthew C. Morriss, AAC


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Fairview Dome, The Arsonist California, Tuolumne Meadows

Erik Anderson and Bob Jensen added a route on the north side of Fairview Dome, left of Burning Down the House. The Arsonist (III 5.11) climbs six new pitches of sustained edging and smearing. Easier ground for several pitches leads to the top. ...

| Keywords Fairview Dome
| Published 2012