Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
North America, United States, Washington—Cascade Mountains, Index Town Wall, Waterway Left Route

Index Town Wall, Waterway Left Route. On July 18, Les Davenport and I completed a route about midway between Beckey’s Town Crier Route (A.A.J., 1967, 15:2, p. 350) and Jim Madsen and Ron Burghner’s Golden Arch Route, so named because the route fol...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, Nepal, Langtang Lirung

Langtang Lirung. A post-monsoon expedition from the Turin section of the Italian Alpine Club was organized to celebrate the first century of the Club. Its objective was Langtang Lirung (23,770 feet), twice unsuccessfully attempted by the Japanese....


Accident Reports AAJ
Asia, Nepal, Manaslu Tragedy

Manaslu Tragedy. A Catalan expedition from Spain attempted to climb Manaslu (8156 meters, 26,760 feet) via the standard northeast face but varying the route above 23,000 feet to follow a more direct line to the summit. The expedition’s leader, Enr...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
North America, United States, Alaska, Kichatna Spires, Kichatna Spire, as Good as it Gets

Kichatna Spire, As Good as It Gets. In July Nathan Martin and I completed a new route up the center of the central buttress on Kichatna Spire’s east face. This was the sixth ascent of the peak, with each ascent creating a new route. The east face ...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
South America, Venezuela, Andes

Venezuela. In February, 1940, A. E. Gunther and K. W. Barr made an expedition into the Sierra de Merida and together made the ascent of Pico Bolivar by a route which appears to be followed regularly by many native climbers. On February 3rd Gunther...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
North America, Canada, Interior Ranges, Central Howser Tower, South Face

Central Howser Tower, South Face. On August 15, Bruce Adams, Jim Cameron and I climbed the excellent, clean south face, a route I had twice been stormed off in attempts with Andrew Embick. The first two pitches are up the ice gully between the eas...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, Nepal, Attempt on Annapuran I

Attempt on Annapurna I. After an approach march of eight days from Pokhara, a strong German expedition led by Ludwig Greissl arrived at Base Camp at 14,100 feet on the West Annapurna Glacier. The other members of the party were Helmut Müller, Rein...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, Nepal, Makalu West Buttress, One-Day Solo Ascent

Makalu West Buttress, One-Day Solo Ascent. I spent from April 8 to 25 with Iman Gurung and Onggel Sherpa fixing rope on the west buttress of Makalu up to 7750 meters. I left my Base Camp at 4950 meters at two P.M. on April 26 for the final climb. ...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
South America, Peru–Cordillera Blanca, Alpamayo Attempt

Alpamayo Attempt. We four Canadians, Scipio Merler, Fips Broda, Jack Cade and I, attempted Alpamayo in early June, approaching it from Palo Seco and the new road being built to Safuna. That road should be ready in 1973, making it possible to drive...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
North America, United States, Utah, Cottontail Tower and Echo Tower, Fisher Towers, 1988 and 1989

Cottontail Tower and Echo Tower, Fisher Towers, 1988 and 1989. I soloed a new route up the south face of Cottontail Tower in nine days with one bivouac. Intifada (VI, 5.10, A6) tours the south face and connects with Ed Webster’s solo route for the...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
North America, United States, California, Yosemite, Half Dome, Northwest Face

Half Dome, Northwest Face. In August, Doug Robinson, Dennis Hen- nek, and I climbed the normal route entirely on nuts and runners. We avoided fixed pitons in all places except for a tension traverse on the first zig-zag where a nut placement would...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, India—Himachal Pradesh, Menthosa, Deo Tibba, Indrasan, Ali Ratni Tibba

Menthosa, Deo Tibba, lndrasan, Ali Ratni Tibba. I was leader of the Army Mountaineering Association Himachal Pradesh Expedition, which consisted of 27 members of the British Services. British Army Gurkhas were also included. We aimed to climb four...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, Pakistan, Nanga Parbat

Nanga Parbat is again in the limelight as a group of Germans set out to try the ascent again late in March of this year. The party is led by Willi Merkl, the leader of the German-American Expedition of 1932, and is composed of Fritz Bechtold, Pete...


In Memoriam AAJ
Phyllis Beatrice Munday, 1894-1990

PHYLLIS BEATRICE MUNDAY1894-1990With the death of Phyllis Munday on April 11, 1990 at Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada, the American Alpine Club lost an Honorary Member (since 1967) and the Alpine Club of Canada lost its Honorary President.Phyl w...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Wuse Shan, Another Day Asia, China, Qonglai Shan

On February 10, 2010, Li Lan and I summited Wuse Shan (“Five Colors Mountain,” 5,430m) via the south face. The North Face sponsored our climb. The peak had been attempted several times, but we believe our ascent was the first. We named the r...

| Published 2010 | Author Yan Dongdong


Accident Reports ANAM
Loss of Control—Voluntary Glissade, Fall on Snow, Wyoming, Grand Teton National Park, Amphitheater Lake

LOSS OF CONTROL—VOLUNTARY GLISSADE, FALL ON SNOWWyoming, Grand Teton National Park, Amphitheater LakeGrand Teton National Park dispatch received a phone call at 1345 on August 4, from Josh Howell who was requesting assistance for an injured climbi...


Book Reviews AAJ
Ordeal by Piton: Writings from the Golden Age of Yosemite Climbing

Ordeal by Piton: Writings from the Golden Age of Yosemite Climbing. Steve Roper, editor. Palo Alto: Stanford University Library Press, 2003.290 pages. Paperback. $20.00.We are fortunate to have had Steve Roper to chronicle the evolution of Yosemit...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Yangmolong and Jarjinjabo-Xiashe Massifs, Exploration Asia, China, Shaluli Shan

In May and June 2005 I undertook two treks over a six-week period, the objective being to expand on the exploration and reporting of Tom Nakamura. During these journeys I climbed a couple of small peaks above 5,000m, but more important took ...

| Published 2011 | Author Paul Kiernan


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, China, Qonglai Shan, Siguniang National Park, Jiang Jun Feng, Bipeng Valley, First Ascent

Jiang Jun Feng, Bipeng Valley, first ascent. Chris Chitty, Pat Goodman, Ari Menitove and I were to travel to the Qionglai Range to explore and make first ascents in the Shuangqiao Valley. However, during planning before we left for China, we heard...


Feature Article AAJ
Freedom, With Boundaries

Freedom, With BoundariesThe following is condensed from an opening address to the delegates of the Innsbruck Congress.Tom FrostDuring the golden age of Yosemite big wall climbing in the 1960s, we loved the movement, the beauty of the creation, and...