Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
South America, Colombia, Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, New Routes

Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, New Routes. In January a group of six climbed in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. Our leader, George Montopoli, had been in the area three previous times and knew the mechanics. His friendship with the people of San ...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
South America, Peru—Cordillera Blanca, Taulliraju, Southwest Face, 1980

Taulliraju, Southwest Face, 1980. A strong Italian expedition in August 1980 climbed a new route on the left buttress of the southwest face of Taulliraju (5830 meters, 19,128 feet). The climbing was of great difficulty. They fixed rope on the firs...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, Tibet, Mount Everest, Summer Attempts

Mount Everest, Summer Attempts. While the monsoon weather was dumping large amounts of snow on the mountain, three summer attempts were made from Tibet: one by a Swiss expedition and two by small American teams. None were successful. American Davi...


Notes AAJ
Alaska Range, Geographical Note

Geographical note: While the well-known peaks in Denali National Park are often called “the Alaska Range,” these peaks form just one part of the immense Alaska Range, which contains many significant subranges, including the Hayes and Delta ranges,...


Accident Reports ANAM
Exposure, Bad Weather, Inexperience, Colorado, Longs Peak

EXPOSURE, BAD WEATHER, INEXPERIENCEColorado, Longs PeakIn December 1981, James Duffy (24) froze to death during a blizzard on Longs Peak. His companion, Michael O’Donnell (25), descended the mountain safely earlier. (Source: The New York Times, De...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, India—Himachal Pradesh, Mulkila V Attempt

Mulkila V Attempt. In late July we left the small village of Darcha to attempt Mulkila V (20,000 feet). After a three-day approach up the Milang valley, on August 1 Base Camp was established at 13,800 feet at the foot of the Milang Glacier. Camp I...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, India, Lahaul-Spiti, Traverse of the Himalaya

Traverse of the Himalaya. Bachendri Pal (the first Indian woman to climb Everest and a member of the Indian Mountaineering Foundation) led the Indian Women’s First Trans-Himalayan Journey, which made a successful traverse of the entire Himalayan c...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
North America, United States, Utah, King-on-a-Throne, Monument Valley

King-on-a-Throne, Monument Valley. A perpendicular, forked-summit tower, standing about 400 feet above the desert floor, had long intrigued me. A roadside marker points to it, saying: “King-on-a-Throne.” Springtime winds blasted us off the tower a...


Accident Reports ANAM
Slip on Snow, Inexperience, California, Mount Johnson

SLIP ON SNOW, INEXPERIENCECalifornia, Mount JohnsonAt 0700 on July 10, 1983, a group of ten climbers left a camp site five kilometers from South Lake to climb Mount Johnson.At 0730 crampons were put on prior to starting up a hard snow slope. The g...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
South America, Chile, Central Chile

Central Chile. A German expedition of the Alpine Arbeitsgemeinschaft made the first ascent of Cerro Punta Hoff (16,520 feet) in the Alto de Yeso region on the Argentine frontier early in 1962. The Germans, Percy Stulz and Fritz Uhlig, and the Chil...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, India–Garhwal, Changabang

Changabang. Andrew Rothfield, Peter Allen, Max Berry, Paul Anderson, Malcolm Noble, John Dunlop, Patrick Miller, Timothy Hughes and I were on Changabang during the post-monsoon period. We spent eight days from Lata, with 20 porters and 70 goats, t...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
South America, Argentine Patagonia, Fitz Roy, Czechoslovakian Route

Fitz Roy, Czechoslovakian Route. In February, 2000, Alan Mullin (Scotland) and I began the Czechoslovakian Route on the west face of Fitz Roy from the Polish Camp, a bivy site situated just above the Torre Glacier in its lateral moraine. This site...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
North America, United States, Wyoming, Wind River Range, Two Pinnacles, Brown Cliffs Region

Two Pinnacles, Brown Cliffs Region. On July 4 we climbed two pinnacles we believe to be first ascents. Bob Smith, Ben Franklin, Chris Haig and I climbed the snow gullies to the ridge containing Bonney’s Peak 234 to 236 above the Brown Cliff lakes....


Accident Reports ANAM
Fall on Ice—Ice Tools Pulled Out, Unropped, Quebec, Mont du Gros Bras

FALL ON ICE—ICE TOOLS PULLED OUT, UNROPED Quebec, Mont du Gros BrasOn February 22, J.S. (39) and M.L.(38) had finished the Gros Bras route at Weir and were packing up their gear when they decided to have a look at the rock climbs further along the...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, India—Garhwal, Changabang Attempt

Changabang Attempt. Jim Logan and I tried to make a post-monsoon climb of the Japanese route on the southwest ridge and face of Changabang, but turned back at 19,000 feet.Dakers Gowans


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
North America, United States, California—Sierra Nevada, Lone Pine Peak, Bastille Buttress

Lone Pine Peak, Bastile Buttress. To appreciate the size of Bastile Buttress, or even the immensity of Lone Pine Peak, one must personally come to grips with the terrain. The vast relief from the desert piedmont of the Owens Valley to the heights ...


Book Reviews AAJ
Lettres de H.-B. de Saussure à sa femme

Lettres de H.-B. de Saussure à sa femme, edited by E. Gaillard and H. F. Montagnier. 8vo., pp. 127, with frontispiece and notes. Chambéry : Librairie Dardel, 1937.With climbers what they have become, these letters are sweeter than mountaineering w...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
South American, Chilean–Argentine Patagonia, Paine Oriental or Paine Chico

Paine Oriental or Paine Chico. After being frustrated by bad weather in their attempt on a new route on the Torre Central del Paine, Italians S. Della Longa and G. Iezzi climbed the southeast ridge of Paine Oriental or Paine Chico (2460 meters, 80...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, Nepal, Kangchungtse (Makalu II) Attempt

Kangchungtse (Makalu II) Attempt. A 7-man Israeli team was led by Doron Erel. They got to 7400 meters at Makalu La via the normal route on October 13 a month after they had started. Strong winds drove them down and the climbers were too tired to m...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
North America, Mexico, Casualties on Popocatepetl

Casualties on Popocatepetl. About 5000 persons attempted the ascent of Popocatepetl on the week end of 15 October 1950, hoping to attend a religious ceremony in which the banners of mountaineering clubs in North and South America and Europe were t...