Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Kangze'gyai (ca 5,800m), West Face Asia, China, Qinghai, Qillian Mountains

Kangze’gyai (ca 5,800m), west face. Kangze’gyai (a.k.a.Tuanjiefeng), the highest peak in the Qilian Mountains, is located in Tianjun County within the Haixi Autonomous Prefecture of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. From the town of Xining it t...

| Published 2009 | Author Huang Zonghua


In Memoriam AAJ
John Denison Baldwin, 1902-1946

JOHN DENISON BALDWIN 1902-1946“Dan” Baldwin, who died in Sydney, Australia, on 26 September 1946, was the first president of the Harvard Mountaineering Club, in the winter of 1924-1925. Until recently he had been a member of the American Alpine Cl...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
South America, Peru, Cordillera Blanca, Caraz II, South Face

Caraz II, South Face. It was reported that, during the summer of 1997, Britons A1 Coull, Mark Kendrick and Muir Morton established the Superduper Couloir (TD, ice/mixed 80-90°, 500m), a fairly direct central line on the south face of Caraz II (602...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
South America, Columbia, Central Andes, La Cresta

La Cresta, Central Andes. Luis Fernando Toro, from Manizales, and I did on December 29, 1980 the second ascent of La Cresta, 5100 meters (16,733 feet) by my altimeter. This peak in the Huila group, was first climbed by Sergio Gaviria and two Spani...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
North America, United States, Utah, Zion National Park, Zion Canyon, The Narrows, Freak Show, and Sheer Lunacy

The Narrows, Freak Show, and Sheer Lunacy, First Free Ascent. In the spring, I climbed a new seven-pitch route called the Freak Show, located in the mouth of the Narrows, about a ten-minute walk up the paved path from the Temple of Sinawava. The r...


Accident Reports ANAM
Wyoming, Grand Teton National Park, Symmetry Spire

Wyoming, Grand Teton National Park, Symmetry Spire. On July 7, Bill Byrd of the Exum Mountaineering concession was guiding Joe Roundtree (23) and Jerry Kelly (21) on the Southwest Ridge. They had completed about two thirds of the Ridge and Byrd wa...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, India, Kumaon and Garhwal, Chandra Parbat and Indradhanush, Attempts

Chandra Parbat and Indradhanush, Attempts. An 11-member Indian team from Dimdoot, Calcutta, led by Debasish Kanji, attempted these peaks in the Gangotri area during the months of May and June. They established their last camp at 6100 meters on the...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
North America, United States, Washington, Cascade Range, The Blob, Plan 9

The Blob, Plan 9. In August, Erik Wolfe and I battled our way into the remote Crescent Creek Basin of the Southern Pickets to climb the south face (IV 5.10) of The Blob (a.k.a. The Rake). Our route, the only one on the face, took a prominent, clea...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
North America, United States, Idaho, Sawtooths, Mt. Cramer, North Face

Sawtooths, Mt. Cramer, North Face. Last year while climbing other remote routes in the Sawtooths, I caught a fleeting view of this overlooked face and was awestruck. We had to get a closer inspection. In mid- August Jimmy Watts and I took the boat...


Book Reviews AAJ
Rock 'n Road: Rock Climbing Areas in North America

Rock ’n Road: Rock Climbing Areas in North America. Tim Toula. Chockstone Press, Evergreen, Colorado, 1994. $30.00.Comment: This includes lists of climbing stores, guidebooks, gyms, guide services, boot repair outfits. This is either the world’s l...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Antarctica, Mawson Peak, Heard Island, South Indian Ocean

Mawson Peak, Heard Island, South Indian Ocean. An Austrian expedition led by Dr. Ross Vining and William Blunt made the second ascent of Mawson Peak, the highest point (2745 meters, 9005 feet) of an active volcano called Big Ben. Heard Island is u...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, India, Himachal Pradesh, Dharamsura and P 19,500

Dharamsura and P 19,500. Twelve climbers from Calcutta, led by Sailendra Nath Bhattacharya, established Base Camp at 13,500 feet at Samsi. On June 24 Pulak Majumdar, Asoke Sarkar, Tara Chand and Nirat Ram climbed the difficult southeast ridge of D...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
South America, Argentine–Chilean Patagonia, Cerro Torre, East Face, 1986

Cerro Torre, East Face, 1986. A nine-man Slovene expedition led by Stane Klemenc has completed what must be one of the most difficult climbs anywhere. Janez Jeglic, Silvo Karo, Franc Knez, Pavle Kozjek, Peter Podgomik and Matjaž Fištrovec complete...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, Nepal, Gaurishankar Attempt

Gaurishankar Attempt. Six Poles led by Tadeusz Preysner made an unsuccessful attempt on the south face of Gaurishankar but were driven back by avalanche danger. Four climbers reached 19,700 feet on April 22.Michael J. Cheney, Himalayan Club, and E...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
South America, Argentina, Cordillera de la Totora, Ascents in the Cordillera de la Totora

Ascents in the Cordillera de la Totora. This big but little-known range in San Juan has many unclimbed peaks. There were some ascents in the late 1970s, including the highest peak, Cerro de la Totora (5770m). Some years ago, a Spanish team climbed...


Accident Reports ANAM
Loss of Control—Voluntary Glissade, Faulty Use of Crampons — Colorado, Rocky Mountain National Park

LOSS OF CONTROL—VOLUNTARY GLISSADE, FAULTY USE OF CRAMPONSColorado, Rocky Mountain National ParkOn September 25, 1984, about 1600, Douglas Rovirra (27) was glissading Taylor Glacier with crampons on when he caught a crampon in the snow, lost contr...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
South America, Chile, Cordillera Sarmiento, Angels Wings, Attempt, and Exploration

Angels Wings, Attempt, and Exploration. The first person to bring the Cordillera Sarmiento to the attention of the climbing world was Jack Miller (U.S.), who flew over the range on a rare clear day in 1990, photographing the peninsula. He returned...


Accident Reports ANAM
Fall on Snow, Weather, Geology, Colorado, Maroon Bells, Bell Cord Couloir

FALL ON ROCK, INADEQUATE BELAY–ROPE RAN OUTColorado, Boulder Canyon, AnimationOn May 24, Eric Gurvin (19) sustained injuries to his back, ankles, and wrist when he fell 20 to 30 feet when the person lowering him ran out of rope and dropped him.He ...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
North America, Mexico, Neuvo León, Parque Nacional Cumbres de Monterrey, Cañón de la Huasteca, Cañón de San Judas, Pico José Pereyra, Peyote Brujo

Cañón de la Huasteca, Cañón de San Judas, Pico José Pereyra, Peyote Brujo. Paul Vera is a local climber in Monterrey who invited José Pereyra (Venezuela) to climb in the area. Francisco Medina (Mexico) was invited to a meeting at Paul’s house, whe...


Book Reviews AAJ
Nanga Parbat

Nanga Parbat, by Ulrich Ling. 52 pages, 24 photographs, 3 maps, and 1 sketch. Munich: Bergverlag Rudolph Rother, 1953. Price, DM. 3.80.This inexpensive, small paperbound volume was brought out in early August, just a month after the actual ascent ...