Accident Reports AAJ
Asia, India—Garhwal, Chaukhamba II Tragedy

Chaukhamba II Tragedy. An Italian expedition hoped to climb Chaukhamba II (7077 meters, 23,220 feet). The group, led by Mauro Farina, was composed of Alberto Tegiacchi, Domenico Chindamo, Giovanni Pensa, Ruggero Gheller and Pietro Carboni. At the ...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, Pakistan, Charakusa Valley, Farol Peak, First Ascent

Farol Peak, first ascent. The first ascent of the highest summit of Farol Peak, Farol West (6,370m) was made in 1991 by British climbers Neil Wilson and me. We climbed the 1,000m south face at Scottish III, reaching the summit at 3 a.m. We began r...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
North America, Greenland, Agpatut and Ino, Alfred Wegener Peninsula, West Greenland

Agpatut and Ino, Alfred Wegener Peninsula, West Greenland. We had the opportunity to join Jordi Riera, who had sailed all the way around Spain and then non-stop to Greenland in a 30-foot sailboat. We flew and joined him in Umanak. For a month we s...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, Nepal, Mahalangur Himal - Khumbu Section, Phari Lapcha (6,017m), Northeast Face, Attempt; Dawa Peak (5,920m), Snotty's Gully, Third Ascent

Phari Lapcha (6,017m), northeast face, attempt; Dawa Peak (5,920m), Snotty’s Gully, third ascent. Andy Turner and I attempted a new line up the left side of the northeast face of Phari Lapcha. However, we were repelled by difficult mixed ground, c...


Book Reviews AAJ
Shadow Buttress

Shadow Buttress, by Showell Styles. London: Faber and Faber, 1959. 255 pages. Price 15s.This well-written novel tells the story of a brilliant Scottish rock-climber who suddenly faces progressive blindness as the result of a war injury. The effect...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
North America, United States, California, Sierra Nevada, Aiguille Extra, East Buttress, near Mount Whitney

Aiguille Extra, East Buttress, near Mount Whitney. This hiding giant surprisingly had only one route on it, which follows an obvious large dihedral. Kenny Cook and I hiked on July 1 from Whitney Portal to the base of our proposed route, the unclim...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
North America, United States, Utah, Zion National Park, Streaked Wall, Latitudes, Second Ascent

Streaked Wall, Latitudes, Second Ascent. It was reported that in early November, John Varco and Bryan Gilmore made the second ascent of Latitudes (VI 5.9 A4+) on the Streaked Wall. Varco first teamed up with Greg Grasso to climb, fix and haul to R...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
North America, United States, Wyoming, Devil's Tower

Devils Tower. A record number of climbers ascended the Devils Tower on a record number of routes during 1964. There were 79 parties of 196 individuals on 19 routes. Ten first ascents (marked with asterisks below) were made. Statistics follow.Name ...


Accident Reports ANAM
Fall on Rock, Inadequate Equipment—Rope Diameter Too Small for Belay Device, North Carolina, Crowders Mountain, David's Castle

FALL ON ROCK, INADEQUATE EQUIPMENT—ROPE DIAMETER TOO SMALL FOR BELAY DEVICENorth Carolina, Crowders Mountain, David’s CastleOn September 25, 1994, Dante Taylor (26) was solo climbing about 1800 on the cliffs near David’s Castle. He could not find ...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
South America, Argentine and Chilean Patagonia, Cerro Piramide

Cerro Piramide. It was reported that Germans W. Lolblinger and E. Hass climbed this snow peak on December 5. (High Mountain Sports 154)


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
North America, United States, California—Sierra Nevada, Chiquito Dome, Elegance

Chiquito Dome, Elegance. With some intentional vagueness, I report that Chris Vandiver and I climbed the south face of Chiquito Dome in November. For those who chance their way onto this fine route, there awaits a menagerie of climbing experiences...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
North America, Contiguous United States, California, Sierra Nevada, Third Recess Peak, Northeast Buttress, Previously Unreported

Third Recess Peak, Northeast Buttress, Previously Unreported. Third Recess Peak is the unnamed peak on the right as you hike up into Third Recess. Lara Wilkinson and I climbed the Northeast Buttress (IV 5.10, 1,600') in June, 1994, in 11 pitches. ...


Accident Reports ANAM
Fall on Snow – Wyoming, The Tetons

FALL ON SNOW—Wyoming, The Tetons. Brian White (30), Bradley Rich and David Tippets were descending from the Grand Teton on June 19. The party had climbed the Exum route to the summit and were descending the Owen Spaulding route, which had patches ...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
North America, United States, California—Sierra Nevada, Humdinger Dome, No Zukes

Humdinger Dome. No Zukes follows a small, easily visible dihedral on a dome just southwest of P 9053. When the left-facing dihedral merged into a shallow groove, we climbed right past a bolt, left past a bolt up to the crack. From here Alan and I ...


Accident Reports ANAM
Wyoming, Grand Teton National Park, Grand Teton

Wyoming, Grand Teton National Park, Grand Teton (1)—At 1:00 p.m. on June 25, Ralph Miller (26) reported to the Jenny Lake Ranger Station that his climbing partner, Dr. Philip O. Nice (42), of Hanover, New Hampshire, had suffered an attack of extre...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
North America, United States, Arizona, Vulture Peak

Vulture Peak. This dominant 600-foot pinnacle is located about ten miles southwest of Wickenburg. After a few days spent in preparing the route on the east face, in October 1967 Larry Treiber and I took two days on the actual climb with a bivouac ...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, Nepal, Hiunchuli, East Face, Terra Nostra

Hiunchuli, East Face, Terra Nostra. Tadej Golob, Dujan Polenik and Tomac Jeras climbed the 1200-meter Terra Nostra (ED VI+ A2) on the previously unclimbed east face of Hiunchuli (6441 meters) in October. Polenik and Jeras fixed ropes on the first ...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
North America, United States, Washington—Cascade Mountains, Cutthroat Peak, South Face of the South Buttress

Cutthroat Peak, South Face of the South Buttress. Our route starting at the large obvious chimney above and left of the snowfield below the south face was first climbed by Steve Marts, Fred Stanley, and me. About 300 feet of enjoyable unroped clim...


Accident Reports ANAM
Fall on Ice, Climbing Alone and Unroped, Alberta, Roche a Perdix, Drambuie Deamon

FALL ON ICE, CLIMBING ALONE AND UNROPEDAlberta, Roche a Perdix, Drambuie DeamonOn December 16,1.R. attempted to solo climb Drambuie Deamon, a 95-meter water ice Grade 3 or 4 route, depending on the chosen finish for the climb. He had been climbing...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
South America, Chile, El Tapado and Other Peaks

El Tapado and Other Peaks. The Asociación de Andinismo de La Serena sent a large expedition to the neighborhood of Cerro Tórtolas, in Coquimbo province. Besides performing several ascents to high peaks by standard routes, the 28 expedition members...