After watching all the spills in the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, many climbers wondered about IOC’s 2007 decision to monitor climbing as the first step to full inclusion in the Olympics.
In Vancouver, during a plenary session, it was announced that after provisional IOC recognition in 2007, the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) has passed the two-year “observation period”. This according to the Italian website Planet Mountain and The Adventure Blog.
The IOC had already announced at their final meeting before the Vancouver Olympics they had granted “full recognition” to the IFSC as the governing body for sport climbing and the primary continue reading
A brief update on the mid-winter climbing season. The Southern Hemisphere is in focus with Mts Kilimanjaro, Vinson and Aconcagua receiving the usual attention. Thus far it has been a safe season albeit with death.
The commercial outfitters are in full swing with multiple expeditions to these three of the seven summits. Word has it they are sold out and doing well. The local outfitters are also doing well reporting good business. This is impressive given the world economy. Somehow climbers always find a way to climb.
Aconcagua
After a difficult start for many teams including an early season death, most are now continue reading
Ever wonder who was first to summit K2 or how many women from India have made it to the top of Everest or some other nuance of climbing statistics?
Well Eberhard Jurgalski has updated his website for 8000m climbs up to 2009. You can download a huge number of spreadsheets with summit, route, nationality, death and more records from all 14 8000m mountains including Everest.
A great resource for research or just for interest.
Thanks Eberhard,
Alan
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A combination of Friday the 13th and Vertical Limit …
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Climbers of all skills know of the Eiger. This 13,025′ peak in the Swiss Alps has been a topic of legend and tales for centuries. The North face has been lusted and sought out by climbers and was featured in the Clint Eastwood classic, the Eiger Sanction. It was first climbed in 1938 and 64 climbers have died attempting the steep and dangerous north face.
With this drama background, the new movie, NORTH FACE is set to open on January 29 in New York and across the US in February. See the full list here.
From the press kit:
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Multiple news agencies are reporting on 1 dead and 2 climbers missing on Mt. Hood as of Saturday, December 12. They left the Timberline Wy’east Day Lodge at 1:00 a.m. Friday morning for a 12 hour climb up the Reid Glacier but never returned. Friends alerted Search and Rescue (SAR) when they failed to return as scheduled.
Yesterday 26 year-old climber Luke Gullberg was found dead near 9,000 feet. Climbing gear was found strewn randomly on the glacier. Angles in this area reach 60 degrees. 30 SAR personnel were involved in the efforts on Saturday and reported the area was avalanche continue reading
The climbing season on the highest mountain outside the Himalayas has just begun and the first death has already occurred. American climber, Michel Miniesll died during his descent.
The 39 year-old climber had attempted the summit twice and on his third attempt was returning via the Polish Glacier, normally a technical route. He is reported to have become lost in a snowstorm. Already this season nine climbers have been evacuated for various physical reasons.
Aconcagua is located in Argentina near the border with Chile. It is the highest mountain in South America at 22,841′ and one of the 7 Summits. It is continue reading
We lost another great climber in November, Lino Lacedelli at age 83.
He and Achille Compagnoni were the first two men to summit K2 on July 31,1954 – a year after the first Everest summit. He died in his hometown of Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy.
Their summit brought great pride to Italy. However, as is usually the case in significant mountaineering events, this first was also immersed in controversy.
Lacedelli and Compagnoni made their way up K2 establishing a high camp at 8,100 meters. Two additional climbers providing support by carrying additional oxygen bottles were supposed to rendezvous with them at the high camp.
However, continue reading
One never to give up, the former record holder for the oldest Everest summit, Japanese Yuichiro Miura, is now targeting another summit at age 80 – in 2013. This according to a report today from AFP. He wants to climb the north this time after previously completing two successful south-side climbs.
Late last week he lost his record to Nepalese Min Bahadur Sherchan who produced birth certificates to verify his claim that he was the oldest person to top out Everest with his summit last year. He was 76 at the time.
Miura-san is most famous for being the man who skied continue reading
I am extremely excited to announce that starting today, I am a regular blogger for Outside Magazine’s Online website. After watching my annual coverage of the Everest climbing season the past few years, plus the content on my own site from my own adventures I was approached by Editor Joe Spring to join their team. I am honored to join such excellent bloggers as Stephen Regenold of the Gear Junkie.
In addition to sharing my experiences and a passion for mountaineering, this is also a wonderful opportunity to raise visibility for Alzheimer’s causes. I am most grateful to Outside for supporting continue reading
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