Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, Nepal, Annapurna IV, Central Rib of the North Face

Annapurna IV, Central Rib of the North Face. Our climbing team consisted of John Collett, Doug Kosty, Tim Schinhofen and me as leader, with Sherpas Pemba Norbu, sirdar, Dawa Onchu, Ang Dorje and Lhakpa Temba. In support were Dan Bridges, Bill Dail...


Accident Reports ANAM
Fall on Rock, Amanita Mushrooms — Wyoming, Tetons

FALL ON ROCK, AMANITA MUSHROOMSWyoming, TetonsAt 0915 on August 10, 1984, Larry West (37) and Darell Nielson (36) left the Lupine Meadows parking area for a climb on the Petzoldt Ridge of the Grand Teton. Nearing the spring on the first switchback...


Feature Article AAJ
The Centenary of the Alpine Club

The Centenary of The Alpine ClubJohn C. Oberlin, Henry S. Hall, Jr., Francis P. FarquharSome Englishmen made an ascent of the Finsteraarhorn on August 13, 1857 and talked over a favorite project as they went along—the formation of an Alpine Club. ...


Feature Article AAJ
The Ghost of a Chance, An Account of the First Ascent of Mount McKinley's Father and Son's Wall

A Ghost of a ChanceAn account of the first ascent of Mount McKinley’s Father and Son’s Wallby Steve HouseSometimes a project lurks in a climber’s mind for years. You dance with it to the beat of your ambitions and the ebb and flow of your confiden...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
North America, United States, Alaska, "Adjutant," Northwestern Chugach, 1972

“Adjutant”, Northwestern Chugach, 1973. Overlooked in the report of 1973 Alaskan climbs was the first ascent of “Adjutant” (8350 feet), the easterly companion of “Alabaster” (A.A.J. 1967, 17:2, p. 335). On July 26, Bob Spurr, Bill Barnes, Jr., Jac...


Accident Reports ANAM
Falling Rock, Failure to Hear Warning, Inexperience with Area, Poor Position, No Hard Hat, Oregon, Smith Rocks

FALLING ROCK, FAILURE TO HEAR WARNING, INEXPERIENCE WITH AREA, POOR POSITION, NO HARD HAT Oregon, Smith RocksOn April 5, 1986, there were three climbing groups on the same area in Smith Rocks. Party 1 (consisting of two), while climbing the upper ...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, India—Kashmir and Jammu, Hagshu Tragedy, 1986

Hagshu Tragedy, 1986. A four-man British team, Stephen Biggs, Ian Kerr, David Woolbridge and Ian Fox, passed a police post on September 25, 1986, headed for Hagshu. They have not been seen since and are presumed dead.Kamal K. Guha, Editor, Himavan...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
North America, United States, Wyoming, Tetons, Buck Mountain

Buck Mountain (11,400). First traverse on August 15th, by the writer. Ascent from south fork of Avalanche Canyon by northeast ridge; descent by old route (east face). Register placed on summit. The route of ascent was the first new one on Buck Mou...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
South America, Chile, Central Patagonia, Volcán Melimoyu

Volcán Melimoyu. This ice volcano, exactly 2,400m (7,874') high, is located by the sources of the Palena river in Chilean Patagonia. (Editor’s note: more specifically, Volcán Melimoyu [44.08 S, 72.88 W] is in the northern part of Chile’s XI’s regi...


Book Reviews AAJ
Knots for Mountaineering

Knots for Mountaineering, Camping, Climbing, Utility, Rescue, Etc., by Phil D. Smith. 24 pages, 5 pages of illustrative diagrams. Pamphlet-bound. Twenty-nine Palms, California: The Desert Trail, 1953.This booklet covers 55 knots, hitches, etc., ea...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, Nepal, Lhotse Shar

Lhotse Shar. A Korean expedition was composed of Han Gwang-Geol, leader, Cha Jae-Woo, Kim Young-Soo, Ma Jong-Ho, Kang Sung-Do, Chun Young-Ho, Ahn Seung-Ho, Kwon Chun-Sik, Lee Young-Hak, Park Jae-Wook and Jung Yuong-Jin. They climbed the normal sou...


Accident Reports ANAM
Fall on Rock, Rappel Error—Rappelled Off of End of Rope, No Knot in End of Ropes, Darkness, Communication Breakdown, Nevada, Red Rocks, Oak Creek Canyon

FALL ON ROCK, RAPPEL ERROR–RAPPELLED OFF END OF ROPE, NO KNOT IN END OF ROPES, DARKNESS, COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWNNevada, Red Rocks, Oak Creek CanyonOn February 10, Sheila Matz (50+), RH (Bob), JU (Joanne), MG (Marilyn), PB (Phil), MG (Mike) and JS ...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
North America, Canada, Yukon Territories, Weisshorn, Southeast Ridge Attempt

Weisshorn, Southeast Ridge Attempt. The southeast ridge of the Weisshorn was attempted by the Kluane National Park Warden Service, led by Jürg Hofer and me. The ridge presented more difficulties than we had estimated. A very dangerous double corni...


Feature Article AAJ
High Tension on Thalay Sagar

High Tension on Thalay SagarStraight up the north faceby Mikhail Davy, Russia translated by Maxim RivkinMay 31, 1999. It had been six hours since I started my way along the moraine toward Base Camp on Lake Kedar Tal. My backpack, full of climbing ...


Accident Reports ANAM
Washington—Mt. St. Helens

Washington—Mt. St. Helens: On May 18, 1952 a party of four, three with limited climbing experience and graduates of the elementary climbing course of the Seattle Mountaineers and the fourth a good skier but with no climbing experience, were on des...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
South America, Peru, Franco-Swiss Peruvian Andean Expedition

Franco-Swiss Peruvian Andean Expedition. The Franco-Swiss Peruvian Andean Expedition, composed of Dr. Roger Bretton (Annemasse, Haute Savoie), Robert Gréloz (Annemasse and Geneva) and René Dittert (Geneva) was joined in Peru by Félix Marx, a Swiss...


Accident Reports ANAM
Fall on Ice, Ice Tools Pulled through Melting Ice, Inadequate Protection, Weather, Colorado, Rocky Mountain National Park, Hallett Chimney

FALL ON ICE, ICE TOOLS PULLED THROUGH MELTING ICE, INADEQUATE PROTECTION, WEATHERColorado, Rocky Mountain National Park, Hallett ChimneyOn May 13, my partner and I (32) set out for Hallett Chimney. The weather was warming, and a sunny day expected...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, Nepal, Lobuje East, West Buttress

Lobuje East, West Buttress. A full article on this climb appears earlier in this Journal.


Accident Reports ANAM
Fall on Rock — Slack in Rope while Simul-Climbing, California, Yosemite National Park, Commitment

FALL ON ROCK – SLACK IN ROPE WHILE SIMUL-CLIMBINGCalifornia, Yosemite National Park, CommitmentOn June 17, Floyd (47), an experienced climber, was with two partners, belaying them from above. They were simul-climbing and slack developed between th...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Africa, Madagascar, Tsaranoro Atsimo, Avanà

Tsaranoro Atsimo, Avanà. Between October 1 and 7 Italians Paolo Stoppini, Paolo Tombini, Alberto Zucchetti, and I climbed a new route on the east pillar of Tsaranoro Atsimo. We christened out route Avanà, which in the local language means rainbow....