Notes AAJ
Cosmic Rays and Mountain Operations

COSMIC RAYS AND MOUNTAIN OPERATIONSSince about the year 1900 it has been known that even the most carefully insulated electroscope would slowly lose its charge. This effect was thought to be due to ionizing radiation from ubiquitous traces in the ...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, China, Bogda Tien Shan

Bogda, Tien Shan. Our expedition with general leader Iwao Nakai climbed Bogda (5445 meters, 17,864 feet), the highest of the eastern Tien Shan, on June 9 and 10. All nine climbing members, K. Miyagawa, M. Nakazima, T. Fujibayashi, E. Ohno, S. Yama...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
North America, United States, Alaska, St. Elias, Faiweather and Peaks in the St. Elias National Park and Glacier Bay National Park

St. Elias, Fairweather and Peaks in the St. Elias National Park and Glacier Bay National Park. Many expeditions made their access to the mountains which lie within these parks or near them through Yakutat. Of eight expeditions, only three were tru...


Notes AAJ
A Choice of Mountaineering Books

A CHOICE OF MOUNTAINEERING BOOKSAs a step towards making the Library of the American Alpine Club more useful, as well as to stimulate a general interest in mountaineering literature, the Library Committee recently asked five members of the Club, k...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
United States, Washington—Cascade Mountains, Beacon Rock, East Face Closure

Beacon Rock, East Face Closure. The southeast face of Beacon Rock was closed in July of 1989. The Washington State Park Ranger, Steve Johnson, caught two climbers climbing near the east central buttress. As they were ascending a new route, the ran...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, Nepal, Manaslu, Three Attempts

Manaslu, Three Attempts. A large Japanese expedition with a film crew led by Yoshimichi Furuhata hoped to climb and descend Manaslu by the normal northeast-face route. The highest point reached was the site for Camp III at 7200 meters which Furuha...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
North America, Greenland, Cape Farewell Region, Pamiagdluk East, First Ascents and Repeats

Pamiagdluk East, first ascents and repeats. During two weeks of perfect weather in the second half of August Daniela and Hans-Jochen Hägele with Andreas and Sandra Holle repeated several of the routes put up by the 1994 Bayerland and 1996 Freising...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, India—Himachal Pradesh, Cathedral

Cathedral. Six of eight Japanese led by Keishi Saito reached the summit of Cathedral (6400 meters, 20,998 feet) by the north ridge on September 1 and 2. Base Camp was placed at the tongue of the Bara Shigri Glacier on August 12. Advance Base, and ...


Feature Article AAJ
A New Ascent in the Hayes Range

A New Ascent in the Hayes RangeBenjamin Greeley Ferris, Jr.COMING up on the boat to climb Mt. Hayes, we had a chance to study a picture of the second highest summit of the Alaska Range E. of Mt. McKinley, a peak about 13,000 ft., lying nearly 10 m...


Notes AAJ
Bolivia, General Information

General information. Unseasonably early snowfall arrived late in the climbing season, substantially increasing the avalanche risk. Local guides say the climbing season is moving earlier each year. Last year the weather was almost continuously bad ...


Feature Article AAJ
The Book of Shadows, The First Ascent of the North Face of the Trango Nameless Tower

The Book of ShadowsThe first ascent of the north face of the Trango Nameless Towerby ERIC BRANDWhen I finally crossed out of Pakistani air space on my way to Bangkok, I was overcome with relief. Our team had completed the first ascent of the north...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, Kyrgyzstan, Pamir-Alai, Ak-Su, Various Ascents and Terrorist Activity

Ak-Su, Various Ascents and Terrorist Activity. The members of our expedition were Robert Lange, Stefan Hiermaier, Radan Svec, Michael Meyer, Lutz Wenzel, and Roland Lämmermann. Before we had our “little” terrorist experience, we climbed several ro...


Accident Reports ANAM
Falling Rock Hits Climber—Despite Doing All the Right Things, Washington, Mount Rainier, Disappointment Cleaver

FALLING ROCK HITS CLIMBER–DESPITE DOING ALL THE RIGHT THINGSWashington, Mount Rainier, Disappointment CleaverOn July 29, Estee Fernandez (29) was descending the base of the Disappointment Cleaver with her partner when a two-foot diameter rock hit ...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
South America, Central Chile

Central Chile. The most important recent ascent in the central Chilean Cordillera was that of Juncal Chico (18,767 feet), which for some time has been the highest yet-unclimbed peak. After establishing camps at 14,000 and 17,000 feet, on January 1...


Book Reviews AAJ
Everest: The Unclimbed Ridge

Everest: The Unclimbed Ridge. Chris Bonington and Charles Clarke. Hodder and Stoughton, London, 1983. 132 pages, black-and-white and color photographs, maps, bibliography. £10.95.Chris Bonington’s latest expedition account, Everest: The Unclimbed ...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
South America, Chile, Southern Patagonia, Torres del Paine National Park, North Tower of Paine, Los Esclavos del Barometro and Other Ascents

North Tower of Paine, Los Esclavos del Barometro and other ascents. On December 31 Tina DiBatista and I (Slovenians) climbed a new route to the North Summit of the North Tower of Paine. We climbed a beautiful crack line to the right of the route A...


Feature Article AAJ
Eiger Direct, the John Harlin Route

Eiger Direct, the John Harlin RouteChristian Bonington, Alpine ClubTHE term “last great problem” must be one of the most over-used clichés in mountaineering talk or literature. In recent times a new “last great problem” has been found, attempted a...


Club Activities AAJ
Mountain Rescue Council, Seattle, Washington

Mountain Rescue Council, Seattle, Washington. Numerous American Alpine Club members were active as leaders and members in the Mountain Rescue Council, during the past year. This organization, born in Seattle, Washington, about 1947, has since beco...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Africa, Uganda, Sierra Club Ruwenzori Expedition

Sierra Club Ruwenzori Expedition. (Although this group made no first ascents, it is included here because the region has not been visited often by Americans.—Editor.) On this fifth in a series of informal expeditions sponsored by the Outing Commit...


Feature Article AAJ
The Himalayan Schoolhouse Expedition

The Himalayan Schoolhouse ExpeditionDavid B. DornanThe Aid ProgramThis expedition of 1963 was a continuation of the scientific, educational and mountaineering activities begun in 1960-61 by Sir Edmund Hillary, sponsored by the World Book Encyclope...