Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, Nepal, Nampa South or Rokapi

Nampa South or Rokapi. The British Northumbria Himalaya Expedition, led by Richard Godfrey, climbed Rokapi (22,447 feet) by the southwest ridge. The summit was reached on October 10 by Thomas Herley and Kevin McLane from Camp IV. Early in the appr...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
North America, United States, Idaho, Grand Aiguille, South Face

Grand Aiguille, South Face. Since the original ascent of this “unclimb- able” granite monolith in 1948, all subsequent climbs had been made by the chockstoned chimney on the west face or by an easier detour to its right. Because of its proximity t...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
South America, Chilean and Argentine Patagonia, Peaks above the Southern Patagonia Icecap

Peaks above the Southern Patagonian Icecap. Since I have not reported for the past several years, I am sending the information now. On January 20, 1967 I made the first ascent of Cerro Cono (c. 8200 feet), a lovely climb, which was mostly Grade IV...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
North America, United States, Oregon, Beacon Rock

Beacon Rock. In June Bill Antal and I climbed the headwall of Pipeline on Beacon Rock, a discontinuous dihedral system of vertical and overhanging rock. The six pitches were on clean rock and consisted of relentless laybacking, stemming and jammin...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, Pakistan, Choktoi I Attempt

Choktoi I Attempt. Malcolm Howells, Barry Whybrow, Jim Curran and I attempted Choktoi I (20,229 feet) in July. This small, attractive granite peak lies between the Choktoi and Nobande Sobande glaciers. We made reasonable progress until a nine-day ...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
North America, United States, California-Sierra Nevada, Artesian Route, Charlito Dome, Kings Canyon National Park

Artesian Route, Charlito Dome, Kings Canyon National Park. Situated next to and just south of the famous Charlotte Dome is a large south west-facing slab. A right-facing comer on its upper half and a peculiar spring of water halfway up mark the ro...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Antarctica, Sentinel Range, Mt. Bentley, Northeast Ridge, Ascent

Mt. Bentley, Northeast Ridge, Ascent. The most notable ascent in the Sentinel Range this season was on Mt. Bentley (4145m), well north of Vinson Massif. Americans Wally Berg and Bob Elias were installing weather beacons and surveying on the Embree...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, Pakistan—Karakoram, P 22,160 or Choricho Attempt, 1975

P 22,160 or Choricho Attempt, 1978. Our objective was Choricho, so called by the locals as it lies just south of the Choricho Glacier, northwest of Payu Peak. We were Will Thomson, John Hardie, Alan Thomson and I. In mid-June, after marching up th...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
North America, Canada, Alberta, Rocky Mountains of Canada, Mt. Murchison

Mt. Murchison. First ascent of S. tower (C.A.J., xxv, illust. 4 facing p. 26). September 4th, 1938. E. Cromwell, Miss G. Engelhard, E. Feuz, Jr. From a camp just below the two lakes in the valley directly S. of the tower, 3.5 hours to base of peak...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, Nepal, Pumori Winter Ascent via East Face

Pumori Winter Ascent via East Face. A Japanese expedition climbed a new route on the east face of Pumori. Hiroshi Aota and Yoshiki Sasahara made a quick alpine-style ascent that took them to the summit on the third day, December 3. The leader Kazu...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
South America, Chilean and Argentine Patagonia, Monte Sarmiento, Western Summit, Tirra del Fuego

Monte Sarmiento, Western Summit, Tierra del Fuego. The third Italian expedition led by Giuseppe Agnolotti to attempt the western summit of Monte Sarmiento from October 27 to November 20 got to within 125 feet of the summit but could not climb a fi...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, Pakistani-Afghan Frontier, Attempt on Tirich Mir

Attempt on Tirich Mir. The Italians Riccardo Varvelli, leader, Pier Franco Giraudi, Paolo Mosca, Giuseppe and Agostino Perrod failed to climb Tirich Mir by its west ridge. Leaving Shagrom (9200 feet) on July 17, they set up Base Camp (15,100 feet)...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Antarctica, South Georgia, 1989-1990

South Georgia, 1989-1990. Our expedition spent three months on the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia. It was jointly led by Stephen Venables and me; the other team members were Brian Davidson, Lindsay Griffin a film-cameraman Kees’t Hooft. The...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
North America, Canada, British Columbia, Macabre Tower, South Pillar, Cascade Range

Macabre Tower, South Pillar, Cascade Range, British Columbia. In July, Steve Must, Jai Condon and I climbed the south pillar of Macabre Tower in Cathedral Provincial Park. I had tried the route in 1991 with Rob Harris but we were halted by lack of...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, Nepal, Khumbu Himal, Hungchi, Attempt

Hungchi, attempt. Recently brought on to the permitted list, this 7036m mountain on the Nepal-Tibet watershed south of the Nup La had never received an official attempt before last autumn. Takatsugu Shiro’s six-member Japanese party from Osaka att...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, Nepal, Nuptse East, South Buttress Attempt

Nuptse East, South Buttress Attempt. Christophe Moulin, Gérard Vionnet, Patrick Berhault and I hoped to climb Nuptse East in the post-monsoon. The south (central) buttress is imposing with 1000 meters of rock at the foot of the 2600-meter face. Be...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
North America, Greenland, Greenland Icecap, South to North Unassisted Crossing

Greenland Icecap, South to North Unassisted Crossing. It was reported that on June 13, Norwegians Rune Gjeldnes and Torry Larsen, who had made the 540-mile west to east traverse in 1994, became the first to traverse Greenland south to north, a 1,6...


Accident Reports ANAM
Fall on Snow, Descending Unroped, Alaska, Chugach State Park

FALL ON SNOW, DESCENDING UNROPEDAlaska, Chugach State ParkOn the evening of August 7, 1978, Mark Figura (24), Bob Mintz (27), and Ralph Duerre (35) were enroute from Eklutna to Girdwood on a glacier trek. Figura was descending the 700-foot Raven H...


Accident Reports ANAM
Equipment Failure — Ascenders Came Off Rope, Fall on Rock, Inadequate Self-Belay, California, Yosemite Valley, El Capitan

EQUIPMENT FAILURE—ASCENDERS CAME OFF ROPE, FALL ON ROCK, INADEQUATE SELF-BELAYCalifornia, Yosemite Valley, El CapitanOn May 27, Robert Jatkowski (30) was cleaning pitch 28 of the Shield, while his partner, Uwe Reissland (38) waited at the belay ab...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, India, Ladakh, Pologongka, First Ascent

Pologongka, First Ascent. It was reported that Britons Mike Ratty, Richard Law and Trevor Willis, plus their LO, Narindar Chakula, made the first ascent of Pologongka in August, 1997.Ratty had been granted permission for the peak in 1995 only to h...