Accident Reports ANAM
Frostbite, Inadequate Equipment – Alaska, Brooks Range

FROSTBITE, INADEQUATE EQUIPMENT—Alaska, Brooks Range. During the ski traverse of the Brooks Range by the Antioch College “Challenge/ Discovery” group in the early spring of 1977, four members of the team experienced frostbite and evacuation was ne...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
South America, Peru—Cordillera Blanca, Cajavilca

Cajavilca. The Canadians John Ricker, Lisle Irwin and Dr. Karl Tomm were joined in the Quebrada Ulta by Scots David Todd and James Gardner. The latter two unsuccessfully tried a new route, the south ridge of Contra- hierbas. The whole group then a...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, China, Kun Lun Shan, Kongur Tagh (7,719m), Northeast Ridge, New Route

Kongur Tagh (7,719m), northeast ridge, new route. Kongur Tagh’s summit is on China territory close to the border of two big mountain systems, the Pamir and Kun Lun. It is supposed to be the highest mountain of Pamir. In spite of its altitude, Kong...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
North America, United States, Alaska, Mount Kimball, Alaska Range

Mount Kimball, Alaska Range. In August a party of ten from the Alaska Alpine Club hiked in sometimes drizzly, usually foggy weather from the terminus of the Can well Glacier at the Richardson Highway, across the upper Gakova Glacier and down an un...


Accident Reports ANAM
Falling Rock, Off Route, Stranded, Alberta, Rocky Mountains, Mount Louis

FALLING ROCK, OFF ROUTE, STRANDEDAlberta, Rocky Mountains, Mount LouisOn July 26, a party of two attempted Greenwood Route (III, 5.7) on the south Face of Mount Louis. They had difficulty following the route and found the climbing much more diffic...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, India, Kumaon and Garhwal, Maiktoli Ascent

Maiktoli Ascent. Lavraj Sinh led an Indian team from Almora, Kumaon to the summit (6803 meters) on September 21 via the south face. The 12-member team approached the mountain from the Sunderdhunga Valley in the south. They established three camps ...


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

Arcturus, Northwest Face of Half Dome. Late in the afternoon of July 18, Dick Dorworth and I arrived at the base of the northwest face of Half Dome. It was like a furnace there. The spring, as we had feared, was dry, but luckily we discovered a tr...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
South America, Peru—Cordillera Blanca, Huascarán Norte, Northeast Ridge

Huascarán, Northeast Ridge. Our expedition of 18 climbers was in the region in August, mostly in the Quebrada Llanganuco. On August 13 Montserrat Jou, Ricard Cots, Joseph Salvans and Xavier Sola climbed the normal route on Chopicalqui. Pisco Oeste...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, India, Tharkot, Kumaon and Hathi Parbat, Garhwal

Tharkot, Kumaon and Hathi Varbat, Garhwal. Indians made several ascents in 1963, which were not reported in the A.A.J., 1964. On June 1 Tharkot (20,010 feet) was climbed by K. P. Sharma, B. B. Ambastha, K. S. Thapa and the Sherpas Lhakpa and Hisse...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
North America, United States, Washington, Cascade Mountains, Gothic Peak, West Face

Gothic Peak, West Face. The Sultan Basin road goes by the base of the west face of Gothic Peak, long an objective of mine. On July 9, Gary Rose and I started up through the wet brush so characteristic of early morning climbs in this area. Soon a s...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
South America, Peru, Cordillera Blanca, Huascarán High Altitude Research

Huascarán High-Altitude Research. Dr. Makoto Hara led his second Japanese high-altitude research expedition to Huascarán. (The first had been to Tharkot in Garhwal in 1977.) Two physiologists and a nurse also accompanied the 33 men and four women,...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
South America, Bolivia, Ancohuma

Ancohuma, 21,030 ft., in the Cordillera Real of Bolivia, has after the lapse of a number of years been climbed again, also by German climbers. Messrs. Erwin Hein and Hans Weber succeeded during a week’s trip from Sorata in ascending the mountain f...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
North America, United States, Wyoming—Wind Rivers, Lizard Head, East Face

Lizard Head, East Face. Highest peak in the Cirque of the Towers region, 12,842-foot Lizard Head is a long scramble from Lonesome Lake, but the “east face, overlooking Bear Lake, is a series of overhanging upside-down ledges, impossible to contemp...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
North America, United States, California, Sierra Nevada, Conness, Plan B

Conness, Plan B. In June Paul Teare and I went in to Conness with a plan to climb the Harding Route, while keeping a keen eye on the possibility of something new. We realized our fate when we saw two climbers above us heading toward the Harding Ro...


Accident Reports ANAM
Avalanche, Washington, Mount Rainier

AVALANCHEWashington, Mount RainierThis accident occurred as a RMI guided team was descending from the summit. Two rope teams were clipped into the same fixed line when the avalanche occurred. The avalanche caught the first rope team, which pulled ...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
Asia, Tibet, Palung Peak, Siguang Peak, Cho Oyu, Attempts and Ascents

Palung Peak, Siguang Peak, Cho Oyu, Attempts and Ascents. Together with my wife Marija I joined the Croatian Cho Oyu Expedition led by Darko Berljak. Above basecamp we worked separately. We wanted to climb a new route on the northwest ridge of the...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
South America, Peru, Two Other Attempts on Siulá Chico

Two Other Attempts on Siulá Chico. A solo attempt by the German Fritz Stammberger and another try by a Japanese expedition from Kansai University of seven climbers led by Hiroshi Sugihara met with very little success.


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
North America, United States, Alaska, St. Elias, Southwest Ridge

St. Elias, Southwest Ridge. Josef Hassler and I made the eleventh ascent of Mount St. Elias, the fourth of the southwest ridge and the first in alpine style. We took eight days round trip from Base Camp. We were flown from Yakutat by Mike Ivers on...


Climbs And Expeditions AAJ
North America, United States, Alaska, Denali National Park, Mt. McKinley's Northwest Face, Father and Sons Wall, The Great White Fright

Mt. McKinley’s northwest face, Father and Sons Wall, The Great White Fright. Having barely survived the crux of any Alaskan trip, we dragged ourselves from the acrid atmosphere of the Fairview and flew to Kahiltna base camp. Exchanging hangover fo...


Accident Reports ANAM
Fall on Rock, Failure of Rappeller, Climbing Unroped, North Carolina, Crowders Mountain

FALL ON ROCK, FAILURE OF RAPPELLER, CLIMBING UNROPEDNorth Carolina, Crowders MountainIn April 1981, a person was rappelling from Crowders Mountain when he knocked off an unroped climber. (Source: T. C. P. Zimmermann)AnalysisWhile there are no furt...