Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, Pakistan, Nanga Parbat, Rupal Face Attempt

Nanga Parbat, Rupal Face Attempt. Because of sickness and frostbite suffered on the south face of Aconcagua, five of the planned Spanish expedition could not go to Nanga Parbat and only Luis Fraga could join me. After only two days’ march from Ram...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
South America, Argentine-Chilean Patagonia, Aguja Rafael, West Face, and Saint Exupéry, North Face and Upper East Ridge

Aguja Rafael, West Face, and Saint Exupéry, North Face and Upper East Ridge. On January 25, my wife Sue Harrington and I climbed 14 pitches up the British-American route on the west face of Aguja Rafael, which has also at times been called Torre I...


Accident Reports ANAM
California, Yosemite National Park

California, Yosemite National Park. On 29 August Tom Gerughty (21) was cleaning the last pitch of Sickle Ledge Route on El Capitan while using Jumar ascenders. He reclipped the right Jumar at the start of the pendulums and the left Jumar released ...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, Nepal, Dhaulagiri Winter Attempt by Koreans

Dhaulagiri Winter Attempt by Koreans. A Korean expedition led by Cho Jung-Sol ended its attempt on the normal northeast ridge on December 25 at 8025 meters, only 42 vertical meters below the summit. Strong wind and cold forced the summit-attack te...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, Russia, Siberia, Altai, South Kurai, Various Ascents

South Kurai, various ascents. In May Marc Bullock, Matthew Freear, Tim Moss, Nancy Pickup, Michael “Spike” Reid, and David Tett traveled to the South Kurai, becoming almost certainly the first non-Soviet mountaineers to visit this area of the Sibe...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, China, Everest Attempt

Everest Attempt. Our team included ten climbers: leader Thomas Fitzsimmons, Bob Berg, Jim Frush, Dave Hambly, Kurt Hanson, Ray Nichols, Greg Thompson, Warren Thompson, John Yaeger and me; two climbing doctors: Mike Colpitts and Anton Kakusa; four ...


Book Reviews AAJ
Im Banne des Nanga Parbat

Im Banne des Nanga Parbat. 80 pages of photographs, with foreword by Dr. Karl M. Herrligkoffer. München: J. F. Lehmanns Verlag, 1953. Price, D. M. 7.50.


Accident Reports ANAM
Fall on Rock, Kentucky, Red River Gorge

FALL ON ROCKKentucky, Red River GorgeOn April 17 M. Tucker was climbing above bolt three when he fell approximately 30-40 feet while climbing Elephant Man (5.13b). He suffered fatal head injuries. (Source: Edited from: www.redriverclimbing.com


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, Tibet, Everest, Post-monsoon Attempts

Everest, post monsoon attempts. In complete contrast to the spring, only three expeditions attempted Everest from the north. All were unsuccessful and no one managed to climb higher than 7800m. Two teams were on the standard North Col-north ridge ...


Book Reviews AAJ
Mountain Holidays

Mountain Holidays, by Janet Adam Smith. 194 pages, with two maps and 32 additional pages of illustrations. London: J. M. Dent and Sons Ltd., 1946. 15/-.Janet Adam Smith, like her husband, Michael Roberts, is known to many readers on both sides of ...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
South America, Chile, Famatina Ridge, La Rioja

Famatina Ridge, La Rioja. This range is the highest of the Sierras Pampeanas, a Precambrian ridge. The major summit is Famatina or Cerro General Manuel Belgrano (6096 m).There are many minor summits around the principal. One of these, of 5800 mete...


Book Reviews AAJ
The Beckoning Silence

The Beckoning Silence. Joe Simpson. Seattle:The Mountaineers Books, 2003. 315 pages. Paperback. $18.95.Of course Joe Simpson would have to cap off his climbing career with an ascent of the notorious north face of the Eiger. As anyone who’s followe...


Book Reviews AAJ
The Mont Blanc Range Topo Guide

The Mont Blanc Range Topo Guide. Volume 1. Michel Piola. Editions Equinoxe, Vernier, Switzerland, 1988. 207 pages. Maps, 30 black-and-white photographs. Softcover. Translated from the French by Jules Mills. French francs 111 (approx. $20).This exc...


Accident Reports ANAM
Fall on Ice, Equipment Failure — Carabiner, Fall on Ice, Colorado, Vail, Rigid Inseminator

FALL ON ICE, EQUIPMENT FAILURE—CARABINER, FALL ON ICEColorado, Vail, Rigid InseminatorOn December 7, Jim Amidon (31) and Joe Crotty (30), both experienced ice climbers, set out to ice climb in the Designator area. Around 2:00 PM Jim Amidon fell 85...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, China, Tien Shan, Tomurty, Far Eastern Tien Shan, First Ascent

Tomurty, far eastern Tien Shan, first ascent. The National Defense Academy Alpine Club of Japan organized an expedition to the Tien Shan to commemorate its 50th anniversary. The objectives were to climb Tomurty (4,886m), the highest virgin peak in...


In Memoriam AAJ
John Andrew McCown, II, 1918-1945

JOHN ANDREW McCOWN, II 1918-1945John McCown was born in Philadelphia on July 4th, 1918. He was educated at Wm. Penn Charter School, from which he graduated in 1936, having been a three-letter man as well as a member of the Senior Honorary Society....


Accident Reports ANAM
California, Tahquitz Rock

California, Tahquitz Rock. On November 4, John Suppe (18), Stuart White (19), and John Bahr (18) were climbing on Tahquitz Rock. Suppe was leader; he had had five seasons general mountaineering experience, including one summer of rock climbing in ...


Accident Reports ANAM
Fall into Crevasse, Exceeding Abilities — Alaska, Mount McKinley, West Buttress

FALL INTO CREVASSE, EXCEEDING ABILITIESAlaska, Mount McKinley, West ButtressOn the morning of July 5 at approximately 0100 the “Death March 2000” expedition left basecamp to begin a climb of Mount McKinley. At 0330 Kelly Thomas (35) fell into a cr...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, China, Kun Lun, Mt. Manse (6,355m), Mt. God Tang (6,013m), Mt. Ye Zi (6,046m), Mt. Lazio Tagh (6,045m), First Ascents

Mt. Manse (6,355m), Mt. God Tang (6,013m), Mt. Ye Zi (6,046m), Mt. Lazio Tagh (6,045m), first ascents. Our Finnish Kun Lun Expedition set off with a donkey caravan from a Tadjik village on August 4, for a 24-day journey to attempt virgin peaks of ...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
North America, United States, Alaska, Middle Triple Peak Attempt, P 8055 and P 6000, Kichatna Mountains

Middle Triple Peak Attempt, P 8055 and P 6000, Kichatna Mountains. Chuck Comstock, John Harpole and I were landed on July 5 by Jay Hudson on the Caldwell Glacier in a gutsy landing with our first objective, the east buttress of Middle Triple Peak,...