Ice climbing: the birth of the 7 Sixt Fer a Cheval 30 years 1/2
If you like iceclimbing in France, then go to La Grave and the Diable valley in Oisans, Freissinières and Fournel in the Hautes-Alpes, Gavarnie in the Pyrenees.... Read More...
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MOUNTAINEERING
Charles Dubouloz about his Grandes Jorasses’s solo ascent : “a huge personal achievement”
We spoke to Charles Dubouloz, as he is back from his bold solo ascent of Rolling Stones on the north face of the Grandes Jorasses. The French alpinist describes... Read More...
Solo climb : Charles Dubouloz ticks one of the hardest routes of Grandes Jorasses North Face
He spent six days and five nights in the shadow of the Grandes Jorasses: from 13 to 18 January, Charles Dubouloz climbed the North Face solo via the Rolling Sto... Read More...
Alaska : Ines Papert and Luka Lindic on Mount Huntington
Last Spring 2021 Ines Papert and Luka Lindič made the first ascent of a difficult mixed route on the West face of Mount Huntington close to Denali, Alaska. The ... Read More...
K2 ski descent: can drones revolutionize climbing the highest mountains ?
Drone pilot Bartek Bargiel never thought that his drone would be used to save lives before this expedition: he was there to film his brother Andrezj Bargiel's a... Read More...
Age of the Nepalese K2'S FIRST WINTER ASCENT ANNIVERSARY
It was a year ago, on January the 16th, 2021. In the midst of the pandemic, with its restrictions, and after a very difficult year for the expedition bus... Read More...
The alpinist: Don’t look down The dazzling life of Marc-André Leclerc
There are missed appointments that leave their mark. In 2015, I had the chance to discover Squamish, where many high-level climbers were invited by their sponso... Read More...
The new trend of winter himalayism Modern winter himalayism 2/2
When 10 Nepalese climbed K2 together on 16 January last, some said it was the end of an era: the last page in the history of winter climbing seemed to be writte... Read More...
Everest, Nanga Parbat, Manaslu, Cho Oyu winter attempts MODERN WINTER HIMALAYISM 1/2
Four groups of climbers are currently battling fierce winds, loads of snow and extreme cold on four Himalayan 8,000ers. However, few of them would fit in the us... Read More...
Free solo : Dave MacLeod on the north face of Ben Nevis
He is one of the great specialists in Scottish mixed climbing, where ice is sometimes scarce, but frost is abundant on the rock. Dave MacLeod is a regular on Be... Read More...
Energy Deficiency : the north-east pillar of Tengkangpoche Tengkangpoche north pillar first ascent story 3/3
On the north east pillar of Tengkangpoche (6487 m, Nepal), the first attempt to climb in early October by Tom Livingstone and Matt Glenn ended in a bad fall in ... Read More...
Potential Energy : An Abortive Attempt Tengkangpoche north pillar first ascent story 2/3
Travelling to Nepal's Thengbo Valley last autumn, Tom Livingstone and Matt Glenn finally made the coveted first ascent in 20 years of the North Pillar of Tengka... Read More...
Cogne : first Italian-style ice Cogne Ice Opening 2021
The ice season traditionally opens with the first real drop in temperature, but also with an event that is well known to ice-climbing enthusiasts: the well-name... Read More...
Full of energy : a last-minute alpine trip to Nepal Tengkangpoche north pillar first ascent story 1/3
It is a major route that the British Tom Livingstone and Matt Glenn managed to climb at the end of October, on their second attempt and in 7 days to the summit... Read More...
Maurice Herzog and the first ascent of Annapurna – a tarnished legacy ?
The first ascent of Annapurna, on June 3 1950, was a major mountaineering accomplishment that added to the recovery of a post-war France. The French climbe... Read More...
Nirmal Purja, star of Netflix’s 14 peaks : nothing is impossible
The idea of climbing all 14 peaks over 8,000 metres in less than a year seemed totally unrealistic: that's why Nirmal Purja, aka Nims, called his challenge 'Pr... Read More...
Climbing Rolling Stones on Grandes Jorasses North Face by Tom Livingstone Part Two
Britain's Tom Livingstone made a name for himself in 2018 with his ascent of the north face of Latok I in Pakistan, along with Slovenians Aleš Česen and Luka S... Read More...
Taming Rolling Stones on Grandes Jorasses North Face by Tom Livingstone Part One
Britain's Tom Livingstone made a name for himself in 2018 with his ascent of the north face of Latok I in Pakistan, along with Slovenians Aleš Česen and Luka S... Read More...
LAST TRACK IN THE SNOW Tribute to French climbers Thomas, Gabriel and Louis disappeared in Nepal
Their tracks are lost on what seems to be a small snowy ridge.On the few photos released by the rescue team, we can guess the route taken by the three climbers... Read More...
14 peaks : when Netflix meets Nirmal Purja
When the one who climbed 14 peaks of more than 8000m in 7 months as well as the K2 in winter meets the one who changed the the cinematographic production codes... Read More...
The North Face Summit L3 50/50 Down Jacket Review
Test conditions
Chilly departures on ski touring, ice climbing belays.
Unboxing
This jacket is amazing and at first glance, somewhere between a good old down ja... Read More...
First ascents in Hindu Kush for Georgian Climbers Rosh Gol Valley
The Georgian team Archil Badriashvili/Giorgi Tepnadze continues to open new technical routes on high summits or to clear virgin faces. This summer, with Baqar G... Read More...
Three french mountaineers missing in Nepal
Three french climbers from the GEAN (Groupe excellence alpinisme national) of the FFCAM (Fédération des clubs alpins et de montagne) have been missing since 26... Read More...
Yasushi Yamanoi, 13th Piolets d’Or Career Award
The 13th Piolet d'Or career award, which will be presented in Briançon at the end of November, has been awarded to the 56 year old Japanese climber Yasushi Yama... Read More...
class struggle at the top
Last week was marked by a surprising debate. Some people wondered if the top of a mountain was the highest point or the more comfortable little flat spot below... Read More...
The truth about Manaslu
Manaslu has been the talk of the town. Summit, not summit? One is tempted to say, it's over. In a post published on October 13, the Himalayan Data Base, the ven... Read More...
“The mountaineering world is no more sexist than the rest of society” Lise Billon
Alpinist and mountain guide Lise Billon spent the summer in Peru with rock climber Mélissa Le Nevé (the first woman to send Action Directe, 9a, in May 2020) ... Read More...
Karakoram : Link Sar First Ascent Movie
Standing at 7041 Metres, Link Sar is said to be the last great unclimbed mountain of the Karakoram range in Pakistan. The Mountain has seen 9 failed attempts s... Read More...
Everest Express: acclimatizing at home
Is it possible to climb Everest in three weeks or Manaslu in a fortnight under acceptable margins of safety? The short answer is yes, it is, as long as climb... Read More...
Piolets d’Or 2021: mountaineering under the sign of adaptation and creativity
After a year 2020 marked by lockdown and closure of borders, we awaited the Piolets d'Or 2021 prize list with impatience mixed with curiosity. The result? A h... Read More...
Himalaya: Manaslu’s true summit rediscovered!
No fewer than 200 people have attempted to climb Manaslu since early September. No fewer than 100 people claim to have reached the summit in the last few days.... Read More...
Mont Blanc in a Day: A Marathon Day Out at 4,810 m Alpine Greatest Climbs
Mont Blanc via the Goûter Route attracts a lot of people, from all horizons and with all levels of ability. The idea of climbing the route in a day, either a... Read More...
The Last Mountain, the story of Tom Ballard who disappeared on Nanga Parbat
Tom Ballard was the son of mountaineer, Alison Hargreaves who perished on K2 in 1995. Mother and son, two of the greatest climbers of all time, died at almost ... Read More...
The Tricot – Bionnassay – Mont Blanc Ridge Traverse A magical alpine line
Have you ever wanted to take an adventurous hike up to the mont Blanc via a beautiful route off the beaten path? If so, then come with us to Val Montjoie, along... Read More...
The Alpinist : The life of Marc-Andre Leclerc
Attention blockbuster in the making ! The American majors are now interested in mountains and mountaineering, surely following the worldwide success of Free Sol... Read More...
Seconds Out : Vic Saunders and Mick Fowler in the boxing ring Structured chaos
Famous since he and Mick Fowler opened the Golden Pillar at Spantik in August 1987, British climber Victor Saunders has always remained humble. So much s... Read More...
A JOURNEY IN MONT-BLANC BETWEEN FRANCE AND ITALY DRAW THE LINE #1
Incredible but true! Taking the Julbo team's mountain athletes and their community to the peaks together was a daring gamble. Through polls, votes, quizzes ... Read More...
Magnificent new lines climbed on Ushba and Ailama in Georgia
The two Georgian climbers, Archil Badriashvili and Giorgi Tenadze, made a name for themselves in 2019 when they climbed the Nanga Parbat in spring and then mad... Read More...
Pakistan climbing season is on : Crisis and Opportunities
In every crisis lies an opportunity, they say. This could be the case in the Karakorum mountains where, against all odds, the summer is looking promising. Afte... Read More...
Nepal Himalaya : The Season of COVID and Secrecy
Nothing went as planned in Nepal this season, as the Himalayas opened their doors to the world again after a year-long gap due to the pandemic. Covid spread in... Read More...
Millet Trilogy 15+ backpack
Getting started
At first glance, this Millet Trilogy 15+ bag is a strange object. Is it a trail bag with its large shoulder straps and helmet holders? Is it ... Read More...
Advocacy for a new Himalayanism : Should the rules for expeditions to Nepal be changed? Part 1
The queues of Everest candidates have made visible an unattractive aspect of the current Himalayas: too many fixed ropes and extreme merchandising have made ... Read More...
Chris Bonington, the Himalayas unbridled
From the south faces of Annapurna and Everest, to the Central Tower of Paine and Shivling : whether as lead mountaineer or expedition leader, Chris Bonington i... Read More...
The Golden Pillar Story of a first ascent in Spantik
The Golden Pillar of the Spantik owes its name to the orange-pink marble which captures the light of the setting sun. It has often been compared to large alpine... Read More...
Marc Batard : why I gave up on Annapurna
The ascent of Annapurna (8,091 metres) will not take its place among the “Everest sprinter’s” list of accomplishments. At 69 years of age, Marc Batard, who h... Read More...
Carlos Soria, the Spanish veteran mountaineer who attempted to climb Dhaulagiri at the age of 82
Carlos Soria is not the only person in their eighties to have attempted to climb the highest peaks in the world, but he has already done 12 of the 8000ers and ... Read More...
The Matterhorn, up the Zmutt Nose in winter : “what fires my imagination in mountaineering is the adventure”, Mat Détrie.
The ascent party made up of Pauline Champon, Mat Détrie, and Louis Pachoud repeated the Zmutt Nose route on the north face of the Matterhorn from 24th to 26th F... Read More...
A FIRST FOR THE GMHM ON LES DRUS : “I HAD NEVER COME ACROSS SUCH A STEEP FACE IN THE ALPS”, LEO BILLON
Four members of the French Army’s High-Altitude Military Group (GMHM) opened a way on the west face of Les Drus, from the 18th to 22nd February, in four bivvie... Read More...
An historic ascent overshadowed by tragedy : The Nepalis’ response to what happened on K2
The ascent of K2 in the dead of winter was a historic first. Yet, it came with 5 deaths, including 3 bodies yet to be found. It was a story entailed with riva... Read More...
Yvon Chouinard : Some Stories HIS STORIES OF MOUNTAINS AND BUSINESS
New book column ! Yvon Chouinard left his mark on El Capitan and Fitz Roy, and established the emblematic brand, Patagonia, having started out forging climbing... Read More...
What remains of his 1980 solo ascent of Everest ? Reinhold Messner speaks out on the changing face of alpinism
41 years ago, Reinhold Messner climbed Everest for the second time. He did it right in the middle of monsoon season, without the aid of oxygen and alone on the... Read More...
Colin Haley : Reflections on Hard Solo Climbing Part 2/2
Colin Haley, a strong American climber and, until recently, a committed soloist, confesses to the following. Soloing is almost like an art form in itself, a f... Read More...
