Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Sami Sar (Peak 6,032m), North Ridge Pakistan, Karakoram, Ghujerab Mountains, Karun Koh Subgroup

COVID-19 appeared to settle down during November, and Takuya Mitoro and I decided to go climbing overseas. It would be our first trip for at least two years. With the summer season in the Karakoram already passed, we opted to try some winter ascen...

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| Published 2021 | Author Kazuya Hiraide


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Giants Foot, Northwest Face, Death of a Sinner United States, Montana, Beartooth Mountains

On October 20, I reached the summit of the Giants Foot (also known as First Wall) in East Rosebud Canyon via the previously unclimbed northwest face. I climbed the route alone over 12 days of effort (climbing and shuttling gear). I used siege ta...

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| Published 2021 | Author Matt Ward


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
West St. Marys Peak, Snyelmn Pillar United States, Montana, Mission Mountains

Snyelmn Pillar seen from the outlet of Sonielem Lake. Peak Y is in the background.  Photo by Spencer Gray In early September, Damian Mast and I hiked to a north-facing pillar above the south shore of Sonielem Lake in the Mission Mountains Tri...

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| Published 2021 | Author Spencer Gray


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
A Peak, East Face of East Subpeak (Gemini Point), Feefyefoh United States, Montana, Cabinet Mountains

In late July, Kate Mylan and I climbed the high-quality fall line of the east face of the east subsummit (~8,400’) of A Peak in the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness. Castor Sally, a route I climbed with Alex Marine in 2020, is to the right of this new...

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| Published 2021 | Author Spencer Gray


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Laila Peak, Northwest Face Ascent and Partial Ski Descent Pakistan, Karakoram, Masherbrum Range

On May 10, shortly after their expedition to Yawash Sar II (see report here), Jedrzej Baranowksi and Andrzej Bargiel (Poland) reached the summit of Laila Peak (6,096m, 35°35'29.83"N, 76°24'38.70"E). Due to difficult conditions on the last section ...

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| Published 2021 | Author Lindsay Griffin


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Yawash Sar II, First Ascent and Ski Descent Pakistan, Karakoram, Ghujerab Mountains, Khunjerab Group

In the spring, a Polish expedition traveled to far northern Pakistan to attempt unclimbed Yawash Sar II (6,176m), which had been attempted by Krzysztof Wielicki, solo, in the summer of 2019. The team trekked from Shimshal via Boesam Pass to a base...

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| Published 2021 | Author Jerzy Wala


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Passu Diar, Northwest Face; Passu North, First Ascent via South Flank; Darmyani, South Ridge Pakistan, Karakoram, Batura Muztagh

James Price near the top of the south ridge of Darmyani with the Passu Glacier below. The Batura Wall rises more than 4,500m from the Hunza Valley to the south and stretches around 40km without ever dropping below 6,000m. I first set eyes on ...

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| Published 2021 | Author James Price


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Gasherbrum II, First Ski Descent of French Spur; Gasherbrum I, Ski Attempt Pakistan, Karakoram, Baltoro Muztagh

Following acclimatization with climbs and ski descents in the southern Rakaposhi Range and Eastern Hindu Raj (see report here), Boris Langenstein, Aurélia Lanoé, Guillaume Pierrel, and I transferred to Skardu, trekked up the Baltoro Glacier, and...

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| Published 2021 | Author Tiphaine Duperier


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Darchan and Garmush I and II: New Routes and Ski Descents Pakistan, Karakoram and Hindu Raj

The 2021 ascents on Garmush Zom I (left) and II. The snowy summit on the far left is Garmush Zom North. After four canceled flights and a week in the hot atmosphere of Islamabad, waiting for our skis to arrive, Boris Langenstein, Aurelia Lano...

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| Published 2021 | Author Tiphaine Duperier


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Storskiva, West Face Norway, Lofoten

In 2020, on satellite images, I spotted the cool looking west face of Storskiva (848m) on the island of Moskenesøya, in the far west of Lofoten. It seemed very hard to reach due to steep sea cliffs guarding the approach on both sides. I was able t...

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| Published 2021 | Author Juho Knuuttila


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Sandneshatten, New Routes Antarctica, Queen Maud Land, Orvin Fjella

The French Groupe Militaire d’Haute Montagne (GMHM) once again sent a team of mountain soldiers to Queen Maud Land for exploratory ascents during November and December. Jacques-Olivier Chevallier, Didier Jourdain, Sebastian Moatti, and Jordi Nogeu...

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| Published 2021 | Author Damien Gildea


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Illampu, West Face, Mental Ward Bolivia, Cordillera Real

Part of the west face of Illampu (6,368m), showing (1) Nada Mañana, (2) Mental Ward, and (3) Koroska Smer. Other routes not shown. At around 8 a.m. on July 30, Brad Ward (no relation) and I stood together on the summit of Illampu (6,368m), ha...

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| Published 2021 | Author Matt Ward


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Nenana Mountain, Squidward Direct Alaska, Alaska Range, Hayes Range

On August 25, Ethan Berkeland, Matt Capp, Brons Gerrish, and I flew with TEMSCO to the Hotel Glacier to attempt a new route on a satellite peak of Nenana Mountain (7,881’). Acknowledging that our weather window was tight and having landed in ove...

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| Published 2021 | Author Tristan O’Donoghue


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
West Fork of Ruth Glacier, South Buttress Attempt and Condition Update Alaska, Central Alaska Range

From May 8–12, Gabriel Messercola, Robert Paulsen, Freddy Romero, and I attempted to climb through the icefalls at the head of the West Fork of the Ruth Glacier in an effort to climb the 1954 Thayer Route on Denali’s South Buttress. [Editor’s No...

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| Published 2021 | Author Ryan Wichelns


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Warbonnet Peak, Golden Eagle Feathers United States, Wyoming, Wind River Range, Cirque of the Towers

Photo by Will Saunders Golden eagle feathers are sacred to many and hold a place of prominence on a warbonnet. They carry strong medicine and guide the wearer toward courage, strength, and hope. In 2012, I witnessed two golden eagles dance to...

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| Published 2020 | Author Michael Abbey


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Dhaulagiri, Northwest Ridge, Attempt Nepal, Dhaulagiri Himal

The unclimbed northwest ridge of Dhaulagiri is at least 6km in length and around 4,000m high. Although the average angle is not steep and there are long stretches of straightforward snow slopes, the ridge starts with a steep 500m rock buttress. It...

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| Published 2021 | Author Lindsay Griffin


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Rokapi (Kap Chuli), New Route and First Winter Ascent Nepal, Western Nepal, Api Himal

Photo by Roger Nix From December 21 to 23, John Kelley (USA) made the second overall and first winter ascent of Rokapi (a.k.a. Kap Chuli, 6,468m, 29°50’52.60”N, 81°2’19.20”E) in the Api Himal. Climbing alone, Kelley established base camp on N...

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| Published 2021 | Author Lindsay Griffin


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Mariyang, Southwest Face and West Ridge Nepal, Western Nepal, Kanti Himal

Mariyang (6,528m, 29°41’35.29”N, 82°53’13.89”E) is an impressive but little-known summit in the Kanti Himal, on the Nepal-Tibet border west of Danphe Shail (6,103m). It was added to the official permitted list in 2014 and until 2021 had no known a...

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| Published 2021 | Author Lindsay Griffin


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
A Peak, North Face, The Stumbling Stone United States, Montana, Cabinet Mountains

When I met Gunner Madsen in March 2021, he had only been climbing in the gym for 11 months, but was stoked to begin trad climbing. I decided to mentor Gunner with the intent of getting him ready for a route on the Elephants Perch in the Sawtooths ...

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| Published 2021 | Author Kelty Godby


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Seldom Seen Spire United States, Idaho, Sawtooth Mountains

On September 8 and 9, Ky Hart and I climbed a new route on an unnamed spire in the Sawtooth Mountains. The north-facing wall of the spire rises above the cirque that drains the north face of Decker Peak, a few miles south of Redfish Lake and the E...

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| Published 2021 | Author Matt Ward