On the morning of June 2, a party of four descended the Cruise Gully to attempt Scenic Cruise, a 13-pitch 5.10d trad route on the North Chasm Wall. The group planned to climb as two parties of two. While leading pitch five, a long 5.10 finger and ...
Before (left) and after photos showing the ice pillar that partially collapsed and the resulting slide path. Around 8 a.m. on January 18, a guide and three clients departed Ouray for ice climbing in the Uncompahgre Gorge. From U.S. Highway ...
Climbers often consider hypothermia and frostbite as part of their risk assessment. Yet, heat-related illnesses can be a significant and often bigger threat in many regions. Heat illness is a preventable condition ranging in severity from mild hea...
On August 22, two climbers completed Meteor (multi-pitch sport, 5.8) and multiple rappels to the base of the climb. After separating during the hike back to the car, Climber 2 realized his partner was delayed. He hiked back up and located Climber ...
On February 8, two seasoned climbers were planning to climb Sleeping Giant (5.10a), a ten-pitch mostly bolted climb. Finding the route already occupied with a party of five, with a single lead climber, AC (37) and his partner warmed up on nearby s...
The north face of San Jacinto Peak rises more than 9,000 feet above the desert floor. The Snow Creek route follows obvious gullies to the summit. Photo by Blake Douglas On April 24, Riverside Mountain Rescue Unit (RMRU) received a call-out at...
Riverside Mountain Rescue Unit (RMRU) performed multiple rescues on Lily Rock (a.k.a. Tahquitz Rock) during 2020. Two of the incidents involved climbers underestimating routes and calling for help when they became stranded. On May 5, a leader ran...
Anyone reading this book understands the value of wilderness medical training. Fortunately, climbers have numerous ways to obtain formal education. Wilderness medicine is now both an industry, with multiple private schools, as well as its own medi...
On February 9, near the end of a good weekend of climbing, my partner/wife (female, 61) and I (male, 61) headed to Hidden Tower to climb Sail Away. A party of four was just starting that route, so instead we set up to climb Split, a 5.6 hand crack...
A climber on Double Dip at Echo Rock. The top anchor is high and to the right of the climber. Photo by Kailey Cox On February 8, our group of friends of varying abilities began climbing in the Echo Rock area of Joshua Tree. One of the climber...
On July 12, Ramiro Mosquera (24) was climbing with a group of friends on Bye Crackie (5.7), a 60-foot sport climb. After cleaning the anchor, Ramiro was being lowered when his belayer lost control of the brake strand threaded through a tube-style ...
Avalanche on Independence Peak. The approximate crown line and injured skier’s location (X) after the slide are shown. The skier was carried about 1,000 vertical feet. Two skiers, male and female, both in their late 20s or early 30s, set out ...
On May 7 around 1:30 p.m., the Inyo County Sheriff’s Office received notification of a fall victim with critical injuries in Pine Creek Canyon. The patient was reported to be near the top of an unnamed scrambling route, approximately 500 feet off ...
On June 10, Inyo SAR was notified of an overdue climber (age 59 and experienced) in the Mt. Humphreys area, west of Bishop. His wife reported that the climber’s intended itinerary was to ascend the North Couloir (ice and snow up to 50°+) and desce...
Some friends and I went to Lembert Dome on August 4. I was a moderately experienced sport and gym climber but new to trad climbing. One friend climbed the first pitch of Northwest Books (5.6) and left the gear for me so I could “pinkpoint” the rou...
Bailing off a steep route is a nearly inevitable outcome if you climb enough walls, so it’s best to know how to get down safely before you find yourself dangling in space, wishing you knew what to do. Yosemite climbing rangers advise the following...
Two climbers attempting the West Face of Leaning Tower in June decided to descend after arriving at Ahwahnee Ledge (the top of the fourth pitch), due to excessive heat and sun. While rappelling the very overhanging first pitch with the haulbag, Cl...
On June 4, Alex and Jane (pseudonyms) started their afternoon of climbing on Mockery, a bolted 5.8 route. Jane began leading, but a few bolts up she asked to get lowered. The climbers switched roles and Alex ascended the route to the bolted anchor...
The number of accidents and searches on Mt. Shasta was down from the last couple of seasons, most likely due to COVID-19 and the associated forest closure and stay-at-home orders, which kept people off the mountain for a while. In 2020, the U.S. F...
Pioneer Peak looms over the Knik River, northeast of Anchorage. The north face is a broad pyramid laced with gullies, starting at 500 feet above sea level and rising to the summit at 6,398 feet. The classic route follows a direct line to the summi...