Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
South America, Peru, Southern Peru, Chichiccapac and Other Peaks, Cordillera Carabaya

Chichiccapac and Other Peaks, Cordillera Carabaya. I joined Steve McAndrews of the American Andean Ski Expedition and Ian Harverson of the Australian Andean Expedition for a short visit to the Carabaya in mid-October. Our approach was a direct eig...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Antarctica, Pilot Peak, Lerrouy Island, and Mount Jules Verne, Pourquoi Pas Island, 1991

Pilot Peak, Lerrouy Island, and Mount Jules Verne, Pourquoi Pas Island, 1991. Our expedition traveled to Grahamland in the yacht Pelagic. We were American Skip Novak, Briton Hamish Laird, Kenyan Julia Crossley, Irishwoman Tara Machey, Belgian Andr...


Accident Reports ANAM
Inadequate Protection—Rappel Failure, Knot Parted, Washington, Tonasket Crags

INADEQUATE PROTECTION—RAPPEL FAILURE, KNOT PARTED Washington, Tohasket CragsOn July 24, 1989, Gary Hickenbottom (39) plunged 12 meters to the ground, breaking both legs and a heel, when his rappel ropes parted. (Source: Gary Hickenbottom)AnalysisI...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, USSR, Pik Kommunizma, Pamirs

Pik Kommunizma, Pamirs. With successes on the 7000-meter peaks in the Pamirs now becoming commonplace, I have only two reasons to report our experiences. The first is to emphasize how accommodating the Soviets have been in assisting foreign mounta...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
South America, Peru, Vilcanota and Cordillera de Caravaya

Vilcanota and Cordillera de Caravaya. In July 1955 the Italians, 72- year-old Piero Ghiglione and Francesco Zaltron, ascended Vilcanota, 18,521 feet, by the southeast face. [All altitudes are those given by Ghiglione. It is the opinion of members ...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
North America, Canada, Canadian Arctic, Nunavut, Asgard, North Tower, West Face Attempt

Asgard, North Tower, West Face Attempt. On July 7, Swiss Jean-Michel Zweiacker, Denis Burdet, Cédric Choffat and Pierre Robert began an attempt on the west face of Asgard. They tried a line between “Valkyrie” and “Hyperborea.” They climbed ten pit...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, Nepal, Pumori Pre-Monsoon Attempt, Ascent and Tragedy

Pumori Pre-Monsoon Attempt, Ascent and Tragedy. Two Germans and an Austrian led by Christof Drechsel attempted to climb Pumori (7161 meters, 23,494 feet) by the normal route. They reached a high point of 6300 meters on March 24. Some time later, a...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, USSR, Chimbulak Area, Zailisky Ala Tau, Tien Shan

Chimbulak Area, Zailisky Ala Tau, Tien Shan. Steve Goodwin, Steve Lenartowicz, Eric Pirnie, Norman Rodd, my wife Moira Snadden and I attended the Soviet International Camp at Chimbulak in the late winter of 1988. The mountains of the Chimbulak are...


Notes AAJ
North America, Rocky Mountains of Canada, Lake Louise

Rocky Mountains of CanadaLake Louise was named for Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll, who died December 3rd, 1939, at the age of ninety-one. She was a daughter of Queen Victoria, her husband, the Marquis of Lorne, becoming Governor-General of Can...


Accident Reports ANAM
Wyoming, Wind River Range, Mt. Sacajawea

Wyoming, Wind River Range, Mt. Sacajawea—On July 20, 1955, Thea Welsh, Tony Prauses (34), and Damon Phinney (27) left their camp in the Titcomb Lake Valley below Fremont Peak at 6:00 a.m. to climb Mt. Sacajawea. Their route was a steep couloir up ...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
North America, United States, Wyoming, Grand Teton National Park, The Cathedral Group, Various Ascents

The Cathedral Group, Various Ascents. The north face of the Middle Teton was the scene of some new route activity in early August. Buffalo Gals (III 5.10), an excellent four-pitch crack climb on good rock, was climbed by Ron Johnson and Renny Jack...


Accident Reports ANAM
Fall on Rock, Climbing Unroped, California, Joshua Tree National Monument, Echo Cave

FALL ON ROCK, CLIMBING UNROPED California, Joshua Tree National Monument, Echo CoveOn May 1, 1993, at 1413,1 was notified of a climbing accident in the Echo Cove area of Lost Horse. I arrived on scene at 1425 and got to the victim at 1435.1 found ...


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

Nanga Parbat, Diamir Face Attempt. A Bulgarian team led by Anna Pencheva saw their chances of success diminished when at 8050 meters two of their members, heading for the summit in the tracks of Wellig and Kammerlander, had to help a South Korean ...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, India, Zanskar, Haftal Kangri (6,178m), Northwest Face

Haftal Kangri (6,178m), northwest face. On August 4 Simon Deniel, Pauline Parmier, Elsa Pommarel, and I made a probable first ascent of a peak referred to by locals as Haftal Kangri. This peak is located above the east side of the Haftal Valley, w...


Accident Reports ANAM
Slip on Snow—Alberta, Rocky Mountains, High Rock Range, Mt. Bishop

SLIP ON SNOW—Alberta, Rocky Mountains, High Rock Range, Mt. Bishop. Peter Vermeulen, Herb Kariel, and a companion were descending the SW face of Mt. Bishop on October 26, 1975. At about 1600 hours, while traversing a gently sloping wind slab about...


Accident Reports ANAM
Avalanche, Lost Equipment, Stranded, Yukon, St. Elias Mountains, Mount Logan

AVALANCHE, LOST EQUIPMENT, STRANDEDYukon, St. Elias Mountains, Mount LoganOn July 28, a party of four climbers were involved in an avalanche at about the 4600- meter level on the East Ridge of Mt. Logan, a short distance above their camp. Although...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, Nepal, Malahangur Himal (Khumbu), Pharilapcha-Machermo Peak (6017m), First Official Ascent

Pharilapcha-Machermo Peak (6,017 m), first official ascent. The first authorized ascent of this recently permitted trekking peak in the Khumbu valley was made from the west in spring 2003. The team comprised Isrofil Ashurly (Russia), Marcelo Rey B...


Book Reviews AAJ
Mountain Search and Rescue Techniques

Mountain Search and Rescue Techniques, by W. G. May, illustrated by Linda Boley, with foreword by Tom Hornbein. Boulder, Colorado: Rocky Mountain Rescue Group, Inc., 1973. 324 pages.This is surely the most complete and authoritative book on mounta...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Europe, Alps, Supplemental Notes on Early American Ascents, Mont Blanc

Supplemental Notes on Early American AscentsMont Blanc. Through the kindness of M. Paul Payot, of Chamonix, the editor has received a copy of his father’s (Venance Payot) Oscillations des Quatre Grands Glaciers de la Vallée de Chamonix (Geneva, 18...


Club Activities AAJ
A.A.C., New York Section

AAC, New York Section. The events of 9/11 here in New York overwhelmed everything else that had transpired before or since in the Section. Virtually everyone knew someone or had friends who were directly affected by the tragedy. Particularly grati...