*

Ice climbing week!

2012-01-27T22:23:00.007+01:00

This past week I have climbed about 1000 meters of ice from WI4+ to WI5+ in four days and I really feel worked from hiking up and down the Fournel valley, climbing, drilling threads, setting up rapps, pulling ropes, but I'm really happy. I have climbed with Camilla who is relatively new to Ice and alpine climbing and she has been a champion. Now its weekend and I guess the ice falls will be over crowded so perfect time to recover, rest and catch up on emails and work stuff. If its sunny on Sunday I'm going sport climbing. I miss that so to day I brought my chalk bag... But as a camera bag... Boy that cake was unreal!

Ice outings and the Cerro Torre liberation

2012-01-25T21:41:00.010+01:00

The weather is great in the southern Alps and all options have been open. Sport climbing in the sun or ice climbing in the mountains. The ice came a bit late but now conditions are great. Fournel and the areas around are all having prime season right now. I have done a fair bit of sport climbing as well trying to stay in shape. In February I really hope to get out on some alpine outing in Chamonix. But for now its Ice climbing and volumes of it.

The great conditions are really having a positive effect on the motivation. I'm so psyched on climbing I just don't seam to get enough. I really appreciate the kind conditions allowing for both good ice and rock climbing, that I think is really rare.

Since last posting its been reported that David Lama has freed the recently chopped route on Cerro Torre. I was pretty hard on the guy last year when he was about to go up and add more bolts but that did not happen in the end and now he turned the tables around and came back and did it in GREAT STYLE. What a great effort and so nice to see he found the inspiration to do it the way he did it. Chapeau.

According to some media outlets there is a up coming story on the bolt chopping from Jason and Hayden in the making. It will be great to get there thought on the topic rather than all the opinions some (interesting and some pure spray) on various forums. To day a fatal blow was delivered on Supertopo by Leo Dickinson in this post.

http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=1725375&tn=720

The bolts finally chopped off Cerro Torre!

2012-01-20T08:59:00.009+01:00

If your next project is the Compressor Route on Cerro Torre, then you need to adjust to the new reality. The "via ferata" is gone! THE MAJORITY OF THE BOLTS HAVE BEEN SHOPPED¨! The route was finally cleaned on the decent by Hayden Kennedy and Jason Kurk. In an extraordinary feat the two climbed the route without using the bolts for progression other than the few placed by Salvatera and one added by Jasons partner last year.

I think this is comparable to the quantum leap it would mean for Himalaya Climbing if supplementary O2 would be banned. Mountains are meant to be climbed using the skills the team has with them. Its not KOSHER to bring down the mountain to a single teams current level of climbing skills. When opening new routes on mountains the FA has a huge responsibility to do it in the best of style, not forcing them self up the mountain at any cost leaving lots of fixed shit behind. Its no been confirmed with CLARETY that the younger generations can and will improve style and manners in the mountains.

This is great news for alpine climbing where style matters. Chapeau to the boys!

This is a quote from Rollo Garibotti posted on Supertopo:

http://www.supertopo.com/climbers-forum/1725375/Cerro-Torre-A-Mountain-Consecrated-The-Resurrection-of-th

"Since the title of the earlier thread regarding this ascent was wrong I figured it would be best to start a new one.

Here are the facts:

Hayden Kennedy and Jason Kruk made a very fast ascent (13 hours from the Col of Patience to the top) of the SE ridge of Cerro Torre on what for sometime we have been calling "fair means" style, which implies not using Maestri's insane bolt ladders. We presume they used some of Maestri's belays but in pitches only clipped 5 bolts, four placed by Ermanno Salvaterra on his 1999 variation and one placed by Chris Geisler on his and Jason's variations last season.

They followed an identical line to the one climbed by Chris and Jason last year, making a pendulum left in Chris's last pitch, to connect a number of discontinuous features over three short pitches to reach the top (5.11+ and A2) .

During the descent they chopped a good portion of the Compressor route, including the entire headwall and one of the pitches below. The Compressor route is no more.

I have already expressed what I think about chopping the bolts a number of times, including in a 2007 Rock and Ice article reprinted here:
http://www.pataclimb.com/knowledge/articles/CTbolts.html

A quote from that article:

When asked about the Compressor Route, the legendary Slovene climber Silvo Karo, responsible for two new routes and one major link up on Cerro Torre, responded, “That climb was stolen from the future. Without all those bolts the history of that marvelous mountain would have been very different. I am convinced that in alpinism how you have climbed is more important than what you have climbed, and I have no doubt that the best are those that leave the least amount of stuff behind.” Surprisingly, Maestri agreed with the last part of Karo’s statement. In his 2000 Metri della Nostra Vita, Maestri recounts that, before making the first rappel from the high point of his attempt (he stopped 100 feet below the summit) he decided to, “take out all the bolts and leave the climb as clean as we found it. I’ll break them all.” After chopping 20 bolts, and in the face of the magnitude of the enterprise, Maestri changed his mind. Mario Conti, responsible in 1974 for what is now known to be the first ascent of the Cerro Torre, agrees, writing in the 2006 book Enigma Cerro Torre, “Only by taking out the bolts one can imagine the mountain as it was, as it should still be.”

Now the mountain is much closer to being, in Conti's words, "as it was, and it should be".

I am impressed beyond words by Jason and Hayden's incredible ascent, and will be forever in-debt and grateful to them for taking this game-changing leap. The future of alpinism is bright when we have such young and brilliant "heroes".

Yesterday evening, walking out of the Cerro Torre valley for the hundredth and some time, I turned around many times to look up at a mountain, an incredibly beautiful peak, one that I could finally see as it truly is."

As this old article (http://www.planetmountain.com/english/News/shownews1.lasso?l=2&keyid=35788) just came out with regards to a "vote" held in El Chalten some time ago, in this news article http://www.planetmountain.com/english/News/shownews1.lasso?l=2&keyid=39055)

Further thoughts from me...

I think we need to accept and respect that Jason and Hayden made an ethical judgement call after improving the style in witch the route was climbed and it meant chopping the bolts for them.

With reference to the "voting article" linked to above my opinion is that a bunch of climbers that happens to hang out in El Chalten can't possibly "vote" on a topic like this and expect some one that follows in better style to take orders from the "voting" few, that's insane. HK and Kruk made a ethical judgement call and chopped the bolts. In a sport where style matters that's there call and not ours to judge.

As style improves so do we need to improve our skills if we want to follow. That some one once decided to rape the mountain can never justify the action. It can't possibly be controversial to say that it was a bad call to bolt it in the first place.

We (the climbers) have a universal responsibility to preserve the mountains and not try and get up them by any available means even if it hurts our ego, plans and ambitions. In due time some one will get it right and its for us to make sure that that can happen for them.

The fact that style will be improved by future generations has virtually never been more obvious than in this case. They restored the mountain to its original condition and we live to play by the mountains rules not ours.

Cerro Torre SANS Bolts!

2012-01-17T20:39:00.002+01:00

The feat of a life time was just pulled off in Patagonia by Hayden Kennedy and Jason Kruk when they bagged an ascent of Cerro Torres infamous Compressor route with out using any of the plus 300 bolts. In my view this feat is as much of a quantum leap as Reinhold Messners NO O2 of Everest. Its hard to understand the significance of this with out knowing the history of the route and the number of top climbers and super alpinist who has tried to do the Compressor route SANS bolts... Now its done and Torre is liberated.

This is a quote from Colin Haley on Facebook:

"BIG NEWS: Although Jorge and I unfortunately fluffed this weather window, today we got to watch history being made through a Canon G12 zoom lens at Norwegos: Hayden Kennedy and Jason Kruk made the first fair-means ascent of the SE Ridge of Cerro Torre. Although I'm not 100% sure about the details, I think they took about 13 hours to the summit from a bivy at the shoulder, which is amazingly fast considering the terrain. The speed with which they navigated virgin ground on the upper headwall is certainly testament to Hayden's great skills on rock. Bravo! They might be in the mountains several more days (more good weather coming), but I'm sure we'll hear the details soon!"

Photo: Cerro Torre from the start of Pendelumorama on Fitz Roy. copy David Falt 2012

The cool stuff that went down 2011

2012-01-15T17:02:00.005+01:00

Lots of rankings and lists are published at the end of each year. Then in March the Oscars of Alpinism is held in Chmonix under the flag of the Piolet d'Or. The following ascents in 2011 inspired me and I list them in no specific order. I guess we all have our own private preferences and no universally true list is possible to agree on but for sure some ascents I think pushed climbing forward or just transpired inspiration.

Awards...

1. Style, Speed & Spirit on the East Face of Fitz Roy

The free ascent of the 1350meter, El Corazon on the East Face of Fitz Roy in Patagonia, by Belgian climbers Nicolas Favresse and Sean Villanueva with a variation to avoid the A4 crux pitch. Unreal impressive. Belowe a picture of the mighty East Face.

http://www.planetmountain.com/english/News/shownews1.lasso?keyid=37987

2. Hard core cold on G1 in winter

The First winter ascent of an 8000 meter peak in Pakistan by Simone Moro, Cory Ricards and Denis Urubko. Done in light cool style. No fuss well executed. And the most impressive, the film and photos shot by Cory.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frebysJuv3Y

3. Determination pays dividen on K2

This award has to go to Vassily Pivtsov, Maxut Zumayev who finally with Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner bagged K2 via the rarely climbed NW ridge from China in a NO 02 light style expedition. All 14 8000 meter peaks have been bagged by this trio in exceptional style.

http://www.alpinist.com/doc/web11x/newswire-gerlinde-o2

4. Vision mission on Torre Egger

This has to be awarded to Bjørn-Eivind Årtun, the Norwegian alpinist who in December 2011 together with Ole Lied established the route Venas Azules up the South Face of Torre Egger in Patagonia. A line that many looked at but few dared even imagine to try. That ice looks as cool and futuristica as the Gadd/Emmet ice route Spray Away.

http://www.planetmountain.com/english/News/shownews1.lasso?l=2&keyid=38981

5. Staying Power on Trango

The shear will to get the job done and the route climbed was put on by the girls who established a great looking new route up Trango Tower. The girsl spent 38 days on the wall! Not bad and the line looks so nice.

http://www.alpinist.com/doc/web11f/newswire-russian-ukrainians-trango

6. So close yet so far, Caldwell on Daw Wall

Year after year they are up there in the fall trying not only to free the rout but I guess also them self by now from the daunting project on El Cap. With thousands of followers and live coverage of the progress this was a nail biter with an interesting debate about blogging live from efforts in the hill that reach as far as toe the NY Times!

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/10/sports/as-climbers-go-text-it-on-the-mountain-reaction-is-divided.html?pagewanted=all

http://www.climbing.com/photo/image/mescalito-interview.pdf

7. One Down whats next from Mayan?

On October 3rd, New Zealand’s Mayan Smith-Gobat free the iconic Salathé Wall (5.13b) on Yosemite’s El Capitan. This was no small feat and here second year trying. Last year Ben Dito shot some amazing photos of Mayan working the route that really inspired me to one day try a free big wall.

http://climbingnarc.com/2011/10/interview-with-mayan-smith-gobat-after-freeing-salathe-wall-yosemite/

8. Shark Attack on Meru...

One can only lift the hat for this super cool climb. What a line what an effort. Anker, Ozturk and Chin performed on there second attempt on this majestic mountain.

http://www.alpinist.com/doc/web11f/newswire-meru-sharks-fin-anker-chin-ozturk

9. What a season Korra pulled off!

Korra Pesce, has bagged a life time of wishes in a season and his understated style an low key approach to his passion is some thing may of us should be influenced by. We might not share views on some topics buts things he has pointed out are thing that got me think about alpine grading.

10. Community Service award for Giving back by Stve House

Apply and get up to speed by the best for the best.

http://www.planetmountain.com/english/News/shownews1.lasso?l=2&keyid=38978

http://www.planetmountain.com/english/News/shownews1.lasso?l=2&keyid=38888

The rest of the cool stuff...

alpinementors.org

http://www.planetmountain.com/englis...=2&keyid=38727

http://www.planetmountain.com/englis...=2&keyid=38626

http://www.alpinist.com/doc/web11x/n...est-slovenians

http://www.alpinist.com/doc/web11x/w...tsov-interview

Coming soon. Bets of 2011 alpine efforts!

2012-01-02T17:51:00.002+01:00

Lists and rankings seams to be in Vouge so I will follow the trend and list some ascents and efforts I think where the High Lights of 2011. Stay tuned for the up coming best of 2011 list.

3 girls, 38 days on Trango and a new route equals pure inspiration!

2011-12-11T18:16:00.005+01:00

Just super cool and super inspiring to read this story from the Ukraine/Russina girls who established a new route on Trango. For sure some fly under the radar that said they deserve no less credit!

http://russianclimb.com/trango_girls.html

Grandes Jorasses

2011-12-05T13:46:00.026+01:00

A detailed report will follow with pictures from the climbing later...

After the tragic accident on the decent from the “Shroud” route on the Jorasses where a Guide and his client where lost in a fierce storm, the weather cleared up and I felt a desire to go back and try the north face as there was obviously lines in better conditions than the “Bonatti-Vaucher” route where I had had an EPIC a few weeks earlier.

In order to move fast we needed to travel light and try to avoid spending two nights out in the open; so we started from Montanvers just before midnight after sleeping 6h in a warm room. As we knew the Bonatti start we opted to start up the north face the same way as before. It might be worth pointing out that its not super clear to me where the different line are located on that section of the wall at least not to me. Anyway, in my opinion it was the most natural line given the conditions we had during our trip. And its very much the same route as Julien Desecures climbed only we traversed in a few pitches under to avoid some of the lose rock in the dry gully I had been up.

We climbed the start in the dark and as we got to the steeper ground the sun was coming up over the horizon. It’s spectacular to see the magic light over the mountains. No one can have enough of that. I'm not sure exactly how much of No Siesta we actually climbed but it was most likely only the exit. No Siesta and Bonatti are really close to each other, that’s for sure. Anyway after the traverse and the ice ramp we headed out right on the Croz wall and found our way up the steep rock and mixed ground. It was steeper than Bonatti but more importantly the rock quality was better. That said it was still a bit lose and flakey... but still really good sustained climbing.

At around 4pm we reached a good ledge and where pretty wasted after 16 hours on the go so brewing up and getting settled in for the night felt great. It was not the Hilton but compared to the bivy options on Bonatti I'd say we had something better than any Hilton could offer! It was not super cold but given that we had skipped proper bivy gear we did not sleep that well. At 4am we brewed up two liters of tea that warmed us under our jackets. We left the bivy quite late (7ish). We had hoped to top out at around 3pm that day but we were a bit slow and the climbing was really sustained so we toped out just after 5.15 pm. We had climbed without water all day just downing Clif gels and Clif Blooks so the first thing we did was brew up plenty of nuun sparked tee and nourished ourselves with oatmeal and recovery powder, raisins and almond flakes.... Yummy....

Robert Jasper had encouraged me to take 70 meter ropes in order to reach better and safer belays so we did that. We brought one 8.2 mm dynamic rope and a 70m 6mm semi static tagline. We had no jumars but hauled on two pitches and I think that was just a pain in the ass. On one of the steep rock pitches I ended up clipping my pack in to a cam and then it was dragged up.... Going light was the right call even if it was quite cold. With the accident fresh in our minds and having had a rescue from the wall only a few weeks before it was a bit of a gamble to skip proper bivy gear but it paid off to climb with a small 28l pack both in terms of speed and comfort. The forecast was stable and we had "sms service" so we knew we where good. If you gamble on the margins you had better be prepared and know your gear is good for a night out even if the temperature drops below what has been predicted. We had plenty of gas so we kept warm by hydrating during the night. It worked for us.

After finishing brewing we started down trying to find the Bocalatte hut in the dark night. That was not such a great call as we managed to miss the hut and ended up spending a second night outside. That was not part of the plan but it was fine and quite flat and given how tired we where at this point it did matter that much where we had our bivy.

The climbing is for sure harder than that on the Bonatti route but the belays and climbing are better protected and the route had ice in the upper parts so it felt safer and less exposed. Not bad compared to the Bonatti epic. Even if I'm NOT right to claim a repeat of No Siesta it was a really great route we climbed on the great north face of the Jorasses and the way we climbed it, I'd say the grade weighs in at around ED3 (VI WI6 M7 A0) (compared to Jaspers free VI+WI6 M8 E5, I like the idea of an E grade for this type of route).

Climbing this variation of the Desecours variation was definitely a dream come true for me. IN ORDER TO AVOID ANY CONFUSION I'M NOT CLAIMING A NEW ROUTE WAS CLIMBED, JUST A VARIATION OF EXISTING ROUTES. I'm not claiming anything with this, I just want to distinguish it from the original No Siesta that was climbed in far better style by Korra/Mercier Griffith/Sim the Spanish Manuel Córdova/Mikel Zabalza, Robin Reverest and his friends to mention a few who climbed No Siesta this fall. I think this variation is an easier and natural line better suited for what we wanted to do.

Photo: Our approximate line of climbing in red and on yellow our Bonatti attempt with high point and bivy marked.

Another route I had dreamed about doing since I was a kid was the Gabarrou-Silvy on Aiguille Sans Nom north face (VI WI6 6c M9, 1000m the grade of the free Slovenian version), completing a winter ascent in March 2009. At that time I thought it was by far the best route I had ever climbed and compared to Petit (No) Siesta, I'd say Gabarrou-Silvy is much grander and a bit harder. The superlatives I can keep spraying out about that route are endless. Ok, its less exposed so yes its less committing and its less sustained; but the start is super hard and if you do it free I think it can conjure full-on action even for most of today’s hardcore, cutting edge superstars! Back in 2009 we pulled on some gear and did our best and I think the way we climbed Gabarrou-Silvy we said the grade was V WI6 M7 6C A0, at that time.

Two links with some info and photos of Gabarrou-Silvy.

http://www.alpinist.com/doc/ALP17/climbing-notes-clouet

http://e9climbing.blogspot.com/2009/03/winter-ends-in-happiness-on-on-sans-nom.html

This is a list with links to blogs from teams who all climbed No Siesta as the original or with slight variations.

http://willsim.blogspot.com/2011/10/no-siesta.html

http://jeffmercier.blogspot.com/2011/09/face-nord-des-grandes-jorasses-no.html

http://www.alpiguide.com/wordpress/?p=1948

http://montagnes-des-alpes.over-blog.com/article-face-nord-des-grandes-jorasses-no-siesta-85877547.html

http://">http://blogs.barrabes.com/ManuCordova/post.asp?idPost=4777

© Copyright 2011 - All Rights Reserved David Falt

Thanks to MOON CLIMBING, Patagonia, Boreal and Clif Bar

Rock&Ice to day Skälefjäll: A Threatened Crag in Sweden

2011-11-07T22:18:00.001+01:00

http://rockandice.com/news/1697-skaelefjaell-history-a-threatened-crag-in-sweden

Helen an I got a plan

2011-11-06T02:48:00.004+01:00

Helen and me on Cima Ovest

Our plan involves more of this....

And it will all play out here on this two magnificent towers in Tre Cime.

Lately... And the news flow where its all about Girl Power

2011-11-03T17:33:00.006+01:00

On a personal note...

Its fall and the climbing news is pouring in from all over the world in the same phase its pouring down snow outside my window. Its seams that every one except me is delivering record sends as soon as they leave there front door. So the other day I asked if could get a finger board from MOON. Having been a bit side tracked with an early start of the alpine season (I normally only do alpine stuff in winter). As you might have read I had a bit of an epic on the Bonatti-Vaucher just two pitches from the summit of Grandes Jorasses in what would have been a speed record of the route but that's life in the hills. I got some consolation when I managed to do the North Face of Matterhorn in 5hours and 45 minutes cutting off 6 hours and 15 minutes from my winter ascent of the same route a few years ago. Well enough about trivial escapades in the mountains. This season has been kind of weird for me. I don't think I have ever been so strong as this summer and yet I haven`t managed to do any thing harder than 7c+ on second go and a bunch of 7b+ onsights. Its REALLY time for me to get fit and try and break through that 8a+ wall. I hope the finger board, losing a few kg and starting climbing indoors will help me reach my goal to do a 8a+
during 2011.

In the news...

Following the climbing news some achievement's really stand out and are well worth commenting on. First of all the new 8b:ish route established ground up by Hansjörg and Vitus Auer on the South Face of Marmolada looks unreal cool. The route name is Bruderliebe (brotherly love) and the video footage shot from a helicopter is really impressive. If you have never climbed on the Marmolada south face I really recommend that you head out and try one of the many test pieces on the 1000 meter wall where many routes are 7b or harder.

Girl Power!

On the female front some cutting edge climbs have been delivered by Mayan Smith-Gobat, Sasha Digiulian, Lyn Hill and Hazel Findlay.

Sasha Digiulian (18) dispatched Pure Imigination, 9a in Red River Gorge on her 6th go and with this became the third female climber after Josune Bereziartu and Charlotte Duriff to send a 9a. I also noticed that Lyn Hill (50) has climbed Living in Fear, 8b in Rifle and I can't make up my mind who of the two has done the most impressive achievement. Being 50 and dispatching 8b or being 18 and doing 9a? Its weired that human nature so often is looking to compare achievement's in order to be able to digest them or relate to them. Do we really need to compare different individual achievement's? What do we gain from this endless and pointless comparing? Personal comfort I guess.

Personally I think Mayan is really inspiring to follow. This season she has freed the Salathé Wall 5.13b/c in the Yosemite valley. This is a historic route up El Cap. The first ascent was carried out by Royal Robbins, Chris Pratt, Tom Frost in 1961. The route is 35 pitches or 870 meters long. The first free ascent was done by Todd Skinner and Paul Piana who was "old school" and swinging leads. This was the second female free ascent (first Steph Davis in 2005). Then a few weeks later Mayan got back up the Salathé Wall but this time she avoided the crux pitches on the Headwall and opted to climb the 4-pitch variation on the left called Free Rider, opened by Huber in 1998. Mayan climbed the route in 14 hours!

An other girl that seams to be in the GO BIG mood on El Cap is Hazel Findlay who has climbed Golden Gate, a route freed in 2000 by Alexander and Thomas Huber. This is a 41 pitch monster with 5.13b climbing. Hazel climbed free but as a second, following Hansjörg Auer.

TOMMY DONE WITH PITCH 10

But I think the best is yet to happen on El Cap. I'm off course thinking about Tommy Caldwell who is continuing in his efforts to free the Dawn Wall, a huge undertaking which, when finally freed, will no doubt present a new level of difficulty in free big wall climbing. The route has around 7 pitches that weight in at around 5.14/5.14+. From what I have gathered Tommy and Kevin Jorgeson has spent plus 75 days over 4 seasons working the project. Sadly Kevin Jorgeson is not climbing with Tommy right now as he injured his ankel working one of the crux pitches. If things go according to plan Tommy will start heading up the wall for a push at the end of the month. Bets of luck!

Projecting

2011-11-01T20:01:00.006+01:00

Working on a super nice project called Coloscopie in St Lger its a endurance 8a with a short section that needs a bit of extra bite. Long time since I was so psyched on working a project after this summers set back in Ceuse when I totally failed sending Le poinçonneur des lilas 8a+. This one I'm quite sure I can dispatch in not too many days.

Dawn Wall Live with the Cadwells

2011-10-30T06:06:00.003+01:00

Inspiration is for sure live broadcasted from Tommy Cadwells attempt to send his long time project Dawn Wall on El Cap. If he manage to pull it off this year it will for sure represent a quantum leap forward in terms of free big wall climbing. Sadly his long time partner on the project is not there as Kevin got injured on the dyno problem. I really hope Tommy finish this one after spending about some 80 days (I think) working it.

For live updates:

Sport climbing in the sun

2011-10-27T22:09:00.005+02:00

The fall season is just getting started and I feel stronger again after a few hard indoor sessions as well as a few really good outdoor sessions despite 25 cm of fresh snow on the ground. Its time to get the draws up on a project and send the first 8a/8a+ of the year. Tarn, Tres Ponts, St Leger or Ceuse?

Photo: Sending a endurance 7B

Town to Town push in Zermatt

2011-10-22T10:49:00.004+02:00

Photo: http://www.wenger.ch

The past week was "hot" in many ways on Matterhorn with huge traffic early in the week. For me a bit to much with 9 guys heading up the North Face the same day. In the end we did a light town to town push, climbing the Schmid route in 5 hours 45 minutes from the approximate level of the Hurnli Hut to the summit and then back down to the running shoes we had stashed a few hundred meters under the Hurnli hut. Having been there earlier in the week I knew a light rack and single rope was the way to go. We simul climbed/soloed the route in 4 blocks from the Bergschrund. This was my second trip up the North Face, kast one was in winter and then we did it 12h from Hornli hut to Solvay hut. It was faster with less snow as it was more clear as where to go. Sdly a climber lost his life on the route during the sunday of that week. May his partner recover and he R.I.P

Bonatti-Vaucher on Grandes Jorasses and the rescue

2011-10-10T08:47:00.003+02:00

When Walter Bonatti passed away I was climbing the Swiss route on Cima Ovest with Helen and one thought that popped up in my head directly was to pay my respect to the great Bonatti by trying to repeat his little known master piece on the North Face of Grandes Jorasses. Situated between Pointe Whymper and Pointe Croz this part of the face is the home to some of the hardest mixed routes in the Alps such as No Siesta.

With a huge weather window open and the word spreading that No Siesta had been climbed by Korra Pesce/Jeff Mercier and Jonathan Griffit/Will Sim (including a number of other routes on various aspects of the face) the idea to go and try the Bonatti-Vaucher felt like a no brainier. In the guide book the route is described by Francois Marsigny as "More difficult than the McIntyre and easier than No Siesta". That's quite a grade range and quite an understatement as the Bonatti-Vaucher is much more sustained than the McIntyre. The route has seen very little traffic to date and might have as few known repeats as six in total.

We approached the wall in 4 hours on Monday the 3rd and felt super motivated. It was such a calming feeling to finally be off after all mental preparations. My partner had done both the North Face of Eiger (11th time up the NF of Eiger) and the North Face of Matterhorn with in the last week so we split the work load in to two parts where he would lead the "cardio" (little did we know there was really no such parts...) stretches of the route and I would do the technical pitches.

We departed our bivy at the base of the wall just before 7 am and made rapid progress up the first part of the route that seams to be the same as the start of No Siesta judging from tracks and pictures I've seen on Will Sim's blog. The conditions where not too bad and the "info" was that the upper parts would be in even better conditions, so thing looked good. But as we all know two different routes on the same face is never the same...

The climbing is exceptionally good on steep mixed ground with only one short section of slugging so always interesting and full on real climbing. As soon as you pass the traverse out left the route starts to bite back for real with some very sustained and interesting mixed and dry tooling. The upper parts are hard for the grade in my opinion and relatively exposed compared to other routes in the same grade range. The top section, at the same level as the crux on No Siesta some 50 or 60 meters to the right we found the hidden couloire bone dry with extremely lose and brittle rock. The belays at this section are impossible to place at a sheltered spot. We climbed on the right hand side and did not manage to divert out left as it was way to much lose rock falling straight on to the belay. We free climbed what I think is some of the A1 pitches and I'd say at present in the conditions we had they where about 6a+ish/M7ish. As you can't expect any protection its not comparable to the normal grading systems, its better to say 6a/M7 R/X (R/X very runout, where a fall at the wrong place will likely result in at least serious injury and possibly death).

At 3.20 pm we estimate that we where about 150/200 meters from the summit but decided to call it quits. We had enough of having the belay pounded with falling rocks with way to many close calls... Continuing would no doubt keep exposing the belay for more rock fall so we decided that getting off was the only sensible decision. Staring to abseil off the route did not seam like a possible option so we decided to try and retreat to a position where we would be less exposed and try and send a sms and ask PGHM to try and pick us up with a helicopter. We had very bad reception but around 6.30 pm we got in contact with PGHM and made it clear we where not badly hurt or in any immediate danger but in need to get off before a serious accident would be a reality.

Photo: Bomb shelter to hide under on one of the belays...

We clearly stated to the PGHM that we where equipped for a bivy with sufficient supplies of food, gas and bivy gear so the safest option for them would be to try and get us the next morning. We built a super solid (expensive) belay knowing that the "Secouriste" would take a huge risk clipping in to a belay built by some one he had never meet. This is some thing you have to think of if you call for rescue, the belay has to be bomber solid. The rescue guys takes a huge risk when they come for you so you need to know the belay can take an extra person who don't want to be there.

I REALLY want to take this opportunity to thank PGHM Chamonix for there swift assistance!

© Copyright 2011 - All Rights Reserved David Falt

Rescued off the Grandes Jorasses...

2011-10-06T23:33:00.003+02:00

In the next days I will post a some details with regards to the epic I had trying to repeat the Bonatti-Vaucher route on the The North Face of Grandes Jorasses earlier this week.

The spirit of purity and exposure

2011-09-15T20:01:00.030+02:00

Photo: Looking focused

Since I first climbed in the Dolomite's during the early 90s I have always had a special relation to the grey and yellow towers and the imposing walls. Driving through the lush valleys in the South Tirol, passing the beautifully flower decorated chalets fills me with joy and happiness. The Dolomite's is a place where I enjoy true happiness no matter whether I'm climbing or not.
The panorama captures the spirit of why we climb. Its simply irresistible not wanting to go climbing the spires and walls.

The Dolomite's is an easy access mountain range not totally lost to commercialism and over exploitation. Climbing in the Dolomite's can still be an affair between the climber and its abilities. Its not just about physical challenges, it's as much about the psychological challenge and the ability of the climber to protect the climb.

The ethics and standards set by the early pioneers have been kept by modern hardcore alpinists setting new standards and constantly raising the bars for what is possible to climb. There is no grade inflation and the topos are not always too detailed. Any climber on any level can find pure adventures far from the beaten track. As we all know love is hard to define but when its there you will know it's there and coming back to Tre Cime gives me that feeling of calm and belonging. The towers are huge and imposing but if you eat a bit of humble pie before you set off there is no limit to the amount of fun and scare you can have on the Tre Cime.

Earlier this summer when I was climbing in Tre Cime on the West Face of Cima Grande we enjoyed epic weather conditions, but still had a blast doing a fairly easy but steep route with little real exposure. I think one reason I love the climbing in the Dolomites is the sense of exposure and commitment, so this time I wanted the real deal. I have had my eyes on a few different routes on the Tre Cime but the huge roof of Cima Ovest is impossible not wanting to climb. There are three routes up the massive roof with the Swiss route being the only one within range of what I can do graded 7B+ in most topos. I'd say a better grading would be E7 6b. The other two routes, signed Alexander Huber is Belavista and Pan Aroma both graded 8C.

I had monitored the weather for quite some time as I was trying to get as fit as possible and now the window was there but not my partner from the last trip. So I asked Helen, a super talented young climber, if she would be up for venturing into the unknown of the North Face of Cima Ovest and its Swiss/Italian route. Helen was a bit of a gamble and wild card in terms of doing exposed big walls as she has not done much of that in the past, but something told me that Helen not only had talent but also drive and the right spirit to be able to pull off some thing like Cima Ovest North Face.

Having climbed with all sorts of people ranging from happy amateurs to some of the best alpinists in the world, I kind of knew Helen would not let me down but I had no idea how surprised I would be with her strength, talent, stamina and ability to suffer through an unplanned bivy at altitude with zero water, one Patagonia Nano Puff hoody and a bunch of Clif Shot BLOKS.

In a way it was "love" at the first bivy... "Love" in the sense that we where a perfect match. We both had our duties during the day and even if the deal was that I would lead all pitches there were plenty of pressure and exposure weighing on Helen. I had brought Helen to Cima Ovest and I knew I had to climb as fast and safe as possible close to the limit of what I can do on my own gear in alpine terrain and still be kind of comfortable so I also had my fair share of pressure. Any pitch in the Tre Cime is hard to lead but don't underestimate the hard work that comes with following on a traversing overhanging route for 10 pitches. Ohhhh MAN... was a frequent scream I would hear when I was hanging in the belay resting and preparing for the next pitch, but asap Helen showed up it was with a smile. As I sorted the gear Helen worked on route finding. MAN she was good at that!

Photo comment: A team is two and the partner is all you got on the wall. Helen was such a champion!

We set off from the parking at 05.10 am and started climbing around 07.00.... Not too sure as we had no working time piece... The climbing is really sustained and I had told Helen not to underestimate the "easy" pitches being graded under 7a.... I was more than right and the hardest pitch for me was as I had predicted the 6c+ pitch after the 7b+ "crux" pitch. In my opinion there is no 6b climbing on the route and the 7a+ in the roof was not too bad, neither was the crux pitch. The exposure and runouts are badass on the "easy" pitches. My personal grade for the route is E7/6B (5.12c R/X) or break down in French sport grading: L1 6Bish, L2 7A+, L3 6C, L4 6C+, L5 6C+, L6 7A+, L7 6B+, L8 7B+, L9 7A+ or 6C/A0, L10 6C.

We ended up at the top of the difficulties at around 5.30 pm (camera time) and decided it was enough for that day; Out of water and not that keen to pass the waterfall on Cassin and end up wet we decided to stay put on the bivy ledge. Alpine climbing is unpredictable and so is unplanned bivys... Helen was so pure and innocent before this trip started and being the old guy I felt quite bad having to break her virginity in terms of enduring an open bivy in "light duty David" style. In the morning as we got to the wall I convinced Helen we would be fine with only one belay jacket; two would have made it so much better!

Photo: At the belay where Belavista 8c meet our route I was greeted by the smiley guy and Three real bolts!

Now we where stuck and Helen was a true champion. I was waisted after a long day and she kindly let me warm up and get back to life in our communal Nano Puff the first few hours. I was starting to regret I had so little to drink during the day and as the night progressed and my SPRAY fiesta slowly died, I dozed off, while Helen was getting comfortable with here feats in the empty back pack.

Thanks Helen for a great first round. Let's get back out there and see what's around the next corner.... And newt time let's go all the way to the summit!

THANKS TO: Helen, PATAGONIA, MOON CLIMBING, CLIF BAR and BOREAL

© Copyright 2011 - All Rights Reserved David Falt

Stay tuned for the Cima Ovest story....

2011-09-13T23:56:00.005+02:00

I'm strong and I send!

2011-09-06T01:00:00.009+02:00

Summer sending in Gorge du Tarn!

August, September and October are usually my best climbing moths as I have had time to get in shape after the alpine season and lots of great climbing spots have there prime time and I'm not just thinking of Ceuse... I have really been struggling to send my long time project Le poinconneur des lilas so I decided to go to Gorge du Tarn and enjoy some of the really really really long sport routes they have but more importantly go onsight climbing.

Gorge du Tarn is mythic and for me it always seams to live up to my expectations, having been there a few times and watching the locals do the monster 80/90 meter routes in one single pitch, I decided it was time to pick up there game and try it out. Its wicked! You tie in with two 80 meter ropes like you where going to climb with a double rope. Off you go and climb the first 40 meters on one of the two ropes. When you reach the belay you clip the second rope in to a draw at the belay and pass it and clip the next two bolts, then when you have 3 point on your second rope you untie/drop the first rope. And voila you are free from lots of nasty rope drag and just press on to the next belay at 80 meters or higher... If higher the person belaying needs to tie the dropped rope in to the one currently used for climbing up there... Then when at the belay its like normal you re-thread and lower off to the first belay at 40 meter and re-thread. Having dropped the first rope above the 40 meter belay gives you enough free way to be lowered down. You obviously need two belay devices such as Gri-Gris or eddys. The simple solution is to just let the Gri-Gri stay on the rope going up when you lower off. DISCLAIMER: DO NOT TRY THIS BASED ON THIS CONFUSED DESCRIPTION.

Any way the style of climbing in Tarn is really cool and relaxed. The routes second pitch are almost always of way better quality than the first more accessible pitch. What I also like is that the second pitch almost always is clean from chalk and tick marks so its a much more pure onsight feeling. As I'm quite week and lack power but climb lots the long endurance routes suit me perfect and I really like the rock and style in Tarn, its like it was made for me. I think that if I'm to break the 8a+ wall its going to happen in Tarn on a 70 meter monster. I tried a few but decided not to get in to the redpoint coma and instead focused on climbing lots on slightly easier routes. That strategy really paid off big time and I think I did some of the best sport climbing efforts I have ever performed not only due to the fact that the style in Tarn suits me but also due to the fact that I have lost a few kilograms and started with some finger training. I'm now really psyched to see if I can manage to pull of a hard onsight on a big alpine wall... Time will tell... Until then get out and crush!

During August and the first days of September I climbed about 60 routes. In Gorge du Tarn I averaged about 240 meters of climbing a day above 7a for 8 days.

Working on/ Tried:

8A+ Philosophe, Gorges Du Tarn
8A+ Self control, 70 meters, Gorges Du Tarn
8A+ Le poinconneur des lilas, Ceuse
8A+ Premiers choux fleurs, 70 meters, Gorges Du Tarn
8A No Name in Tournoux, 50 meters

Some of the stuff I sent in August

7C+ Orange Sanguine, second go, 55 meters, Gorges Du Tarn
7C+ Le String a fredo, second go, 40 meters, Gorges Du Tarn
7C+ Vous Etes trop glo dites, 5th, Grand Bois
7C+ La grande arch, 7th... 40 meters, Hard for the grade, Fessourier

7C Archinide, second go, 35 meters, Gorges Du Tarn
7C Ecaille volante non identifiée (7c+ in topo but I'd say 7C). 55 meters, First try, Gorges Du Tarn. I should have tried to onsight it....

7B+ PP2, 90 meters in one pitch, onsight, Gorges Du Tarn
7B+ Stihliscime, 60 meters, onsight, Gorges Du Tarn
7B+ Hip Hop, onsight, Fessourier
7B+(7C in topo) Punishman Park, 30 meters 45° crack... second go, Ailefroide
7B+ Flash New sector, Ailefroide

7B La grand aventure, 80 meters in one pitch, onsight, Gorges Du Tarn
7B 200000 dans ta gueule, 80 meters in one pitch, onsight, Gorges Du Tarn
7B ??, 55 meters, onsight, Gorges Du Tarn
7B Rase ta pea Paulo, second go, Tournoux
7B Aller en chine, onsight, Ceuse
7B New sector, onsight, Ailefroide

7A+ Maxus Terrus, 60m, onsight, Gorges Du Tarn
7A+ Tarnosaurus, 80 meters in one pitch, onsight, Epic last 40 meters on only 5 draws... Run it out!! Gorges Du Tarn

The movie of Petit doing Black Bean on own gear!!!

2011-09-05T19:04:00.003+02:00

Just enjoy!!

Unreal good and cool!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fb22k-B08R4&feature=player_embedded

K2 North Pillar Summit by Vassily Pivtsov and Maxut Zumayev

2011-08-26T12:21:00.002+02:00

Photo by David Falt of Vassily Pivtsov at 5000 meters under the North Face of Kwangde, winter 2010

Why is not Vassily Pivtsov and Maxut Zumayev getting any head lines? Well they are low profile no spray climbers from a remote country only known for Borat to the masses. Having been on a winter trip to Nepal with assily Pivtsov trying a small peak I can only say he is truly a world class alpinist. Vassily Pivtsov and Maxut Zumayev has completed the 14 x 8000 meter peak quest in a style few can compare to.

In order to do Everest in the best possible style avoiding crowds they arrived at the North side 4 weeks ahead of the crowds and was descending from the summit as Sherpas was fixing ropes to the North Col. They had a close call as it was cold as fuck that early in the season and dehydration was sever after 3 day above 8000.

I have huge respect for Vassily Pivtsov and Maxut Zumayev. If I'm right this was there 8th try on K2 and I think they have been over 8000m on all 7 previous attempts. Thats a record in its self!!!! Out of the 7 tries in the past they have been to the North side before as well as an attempt in winter.

I also think they are among the fastest to finish of the 14 X 8000 meter quest.

Chapeau!!!!!

© Copyright 2011 - All Rights Reserved

Join The American Alpine Club!

2011-08-21T21:32:00.005+02:00

The Swedish Climbing Federation (SKF) is a pile of shit and sadly not of much of a benefit if you are a climber looking for an organization who will benefit your interests and provide a valid insurance outside the beaten track. SKF has fallen victim of its own ambition to please the feeding hand of governmental subsidises provided from Riksidrotts Forbundet. Tax funding for sports might be great but when the sports organization starts to divert all there focus to maximizing funding and not attending to the individual needs for its members you know its time to move on.

SKF is an umbrella organization where all forms of climbing is represented. This is bad for Swedish climbing as none of the different climbing activities is getting enough funding to do any thing that will benefit the development of Swedish climbing. The competition climbers complain they don't have enough funding for there activities but they travel, have an organization and team outfits...

The vast majority of the rapidly shrinking number of members are devote to climbing outdoors. So one would think its a no brainer to focus on there problems but thats not the case. Sadly vast amounts of the funding is funneled in to kids climbing on plastic and not doing that good on an international level (there is one or two exceptions). Not bad I just think that competition climbing can be better managed by the big climbing gyms and a specialized organization.

The Expedition funding SKF can provide is limited to about 2350 USD. So any one looking for a grant to go and explore a peak in the Himalayas or in Patagonia might get lucky with a 300 USD grant or unlucky and get zip.

After looking in to the services and offers a member of the American Alpine Club benefit from it was a no brainer to join. I was not sure if all benefits such as GLOBAL rescue insurance would apply to non US residents but swift a response from AAC assured me thats the case. On top of that I get discount on magazine subscriptions and with a number of retailers. But best of all I get the yearly American Alpine Journal. And I can browse it online so I wont where my hard copy out...

Nicolas Favresse: The hit machine!

2011-08-12T22:43:00.004+02:00

Nicolas Favresse and Adam Pustelnik has repeated what has been claimed to be the worlds hardest Big Wall route, set up by the Pou brothers in 2009. What is so impressive is how Nicolas Favresse seams to keep producing world class climbing in the true spirit of having fun and climbing hard. His free climb of the East Face of Fitz Roy via El Corazon was mind blowing. Watching them rapping off Royal Flush as we had bailed on the North Pillar was truly cool. The oOnions VS the Royals!

http://www.kairn.com/news_escalade_76198.orbayu-8c-9a-repetee.html

http://www.nicolasfavresse.com/spip.php?rubrique=12&id_article=102

http://www.planetmountain.com/english/News/shownews1.lasso?keyid=37987

Right now the best web cam in the world!

2011-08-08T20:14:00.002+02:00

Photo from Cima Grande a few weeks ago

http://www.umbriameteo.com/trecime/

Giving in

2011-08-07T20:27:00.006+02:00

Ok I have never done any specific training to improve my sport climbing abilities but if I'm to get any better I think I need to start with that as well as lose a few kg:s... Being fat and week is not a great combination...

http://www.moonclimbing.com/fingerboard-training-plan-c-334_353.html

Working Le poinconneur des lilas 8a+

2011-07-27T21:50:00.003+02:00

A Sunday outing on Cima Grande

2011-07-18T02:17:00.012+02:00

Photo: Cima Grade and Cima Ovest on a good day!

Photo: Cima Grade on a NOT so good day!

The Dolomites is a great place for hard and exposed climbing and I have a long lasting love affair with the area and I keep coming back each summer. This summer the focus is on Cima Grande and Cima Ovest. Tre Cime di Lavaredo is a superb group offering really hard routes like the 8c Pan Aroma set up by Alexander Huber om Cima Ovest. There are also a number of more reasonable routes up Cima Grande and Cima Ovest but they are all serious venues and really committing as its impossible to get off most them due to the fact the wall is so overhanging.

Photo: Looking down on the steep west face... The tagline just hanging in space...

We had our eyes set on the Italo/Svizzera route on Cima Ovest and on ISO 2000 on Cima Grande both routes about 500 meters and 7b ish. As you would expect from big alpine walls the routes are demanding and run out, protected by old pegs, the odd bolt but mainly with own gear. As we all know alpine routes are never predictable and the same goes for alpine weather. As we could not see an end to the rain we where fed up with waiting and opted for the "lesser" west face routes. Arriving way to late at the start in virtually no visibility and just a vague idea about the line (topo was still in the tent but I had a photo in my camera of the topo...) we had no real hopes of sending the route. But if you only try alpine routes in good conditions you will not end up doing much climbing so joking around we said lets do it the Slovenian way and just go for it. As I lead off light rain started to fall adding misery to the already cold (my guess it was about 5 to 7 degree celcius not counting wind) and damp conditions.

The route Via Marco Zambelli Franz, 7a was set up in 2006 and is a mostly bolted 10 pitch line possible to get off by rapping the line but you really need to clip in on a few points on the way down as a two pitches hangs over about 7 meters. The climbing is pumpy but the crux was quite delicate for being on a mountain route. All in all its a 3 star route and a great alternative for short days with marginal weather but be where is a big mountain and the West face is off the beaten track.

For now we just need to stay put and wait for dry conditions and see if our main objectives can come in to play.

Photo: Johan leading off a 6b+ pitch

Photo: Self portrait on a cold July sunday. Life is great in the vertical world of Cima Grande!

Photos: Johan following on the 7a crux pitch

Photo: Johan rapping of a steep pitch, I think it was hanging over about 7 meters

© Copyright 2011 - All Rights Reserved David Falt

En artikel pa Newsmill

2011-07-14T20:22:00.006+02:00

Det pagar en debatt pa Newsmill dar Benny Holmberg undrar om klattring "Är bergsklättring ett utdraget offentligt självmord?"

Jag har skrivit ett svar som kanske var lite langt men jag hopps det ar rellevant.

http://www.newsmill.se/artikel/2011/07/13/att-leva-livet-till-fullo-r-v-rt-risken-att-d

Punks steeling in Ceuse!

2011-07-12T22:14:00.006+02:00

First of all to all who is visiting any crag not just Ceuse. For fuck sake bring your trash back down and home or to a dumpster! The cliff is a place for recreation not a dumpster and litter will eventually close cliffs.

Right now the trail up to Ceuse is becoming more and more littered with candy wraps, toilet paper etc. If you need to have a pee or take a dump walk 20 off the trail and use a rock to cover up your mess.

The car park is not the camp site, use the designated camping! If this is not followed there is no doubt in my mind there will be issues with the local community. RESPECT the crag and keep it clean as well as brush holds on any route you climb.

Also a word of warning. Theft has become an issue again in the last days according to French website wwww.kairn.com

Its really sad to read that Florence Pinet who seams to be such a nice person and outstanding climber had all her climbing gear stolen there. Just watching Florence climbing was truly inspiring and I really felt inspired to pull harder on my project Le poinconneur des lilas.

http://www.kairn.com/news_escalade~75961.flash-info-belles-coches-pour-florence-pinet-vol-materiel.html?#n75961

Embarking on a ego mission

2011-07-11T23:33:00.005+02:00

I have never ever made a climbing trip where the goal and the point of the whole trip is to try and do one single sport route. I have been on many trips with one single aim but that's usually involving one big mountain with several options and not a small crag. But now I'm going to venture in to a new zone for me in terms of sport climbing. I will dedicate ten days to try and do a route that would bring my sport climbing to a new level if I can send it... This is no big deal for any one other than me and its not remotely interesting form any kind of climbing perspective as its just another ego redpoint project on a route that one or two top notch climbers probably would do as part of there warm up... But that's not important, climbing is personal and we all have our goals and reasons for climbing.

So I'm not expecting any parades or fanfares if I pull it off. And obviously that's not what I'm looking for as I'm not able to produce any sport climbing worthy of public mentioning... For me sport climbing and training is about personal gratification, having fun but more importantly its about getting fit for big routes on big mountains. By raising the bar for what I can do when sport climbing my firm belief is that I can try harder stuff in the mountains.

I think the best training for big alpine routes is to do a number of long endurance routes on lesser alpine walls and that is off course also part of my whole preparation regime but I'm really exited by the fact that I'm about to be dedicating ten days to one single sport climb. No matter what the project is I think that when you are embarking on a pursuit to tick off a defined project you need true passion and real dedication to pull it off. In order to endure the boring parts of the project I really feel strong about the big picture in order not to give up pack up and head home. Chances of success I think are so much greater when real passion is the driving force rather than doing things for any other reasons than what is 100 per cent right for you no matter what the rest of the world (or your sponsors or lack of sponsors) might think.

I mention sponsors as that seams to be a hot topic. I have seen several comment and threads about sponsoring, sponsored climbers on a number of climbing related web sites lately. The web site www.8a.nu is championing the theory that sponsored climbers are more inclined to accept a harder grade even if they really thing the route deserves a down grade, this in order to boost there list of impressive sends and ultimately to please there sponsors. I personally think this is utterly wrong. Most professional athletes are much less concerned with what the special interest media thinks and much more interested in how they can find motivation to dedicate time and energy to do specific project. I don't think there is any magic surrounding sponsoring its pretty simple and I think Will Gadd put down some interesting words on his blog. See link below.

http://gravsports.blogspot.com/2011/06/sponsorship-and-extreme-sports.html

Eiger X 2

2011-06-23T21:31:00.006+02:00

Had a nice trip up Eiger this Tuesday in 11 h 16 min (up and down...). Its really a nice mountain but I understand all the horror stories I have heard about the West ridge as its really not that easy to descend. I guess in a way this is "really" bad for my sport climbing with all that leg work... Pineapple diet for 10 days...

Working on La tordeuse de Mémèzes 8a in Entrygues

2011-06-19T19:25:00.007+02:00

On a good day even hard stuff is easy!

2011-06-16T23:50:00.004+02:00

Me on the start of Direct du coeur 7c+ last year

Last week I had some hard work sessions on two 8a projects I really like to do. One is a "short" (25 meters) bouldery route and at the same time really demanding position climbing. This route is called La tordeuse de Mémèzes in Entrygues. This is a great crag situated at 1600 meters and north facing so temps are cold even in summer. Its becoming quite popular among the hard core "kids" and over the past weekend Enzo Oddo (http://enzo-oddo.fr/news.php) sent an old 9a+ project there that looks really cool. On his blog there are some nice pictures. The other 8a project I was working last week is the extension (50 meters) to Direct du coeur a 7c+ in Tournoux an other north facing crag at 1850 meters also really good if you are tired of hiking up to Ceuse... But who is?

After the projecting I went to St Leger to met up with old friends and try out the north face but after two days of working hard routes I was spent and five consecutive days of climbing proved to be a great recipe for not getting any thing significant done but it was super nice to see old friends from the mid 90th....

One day of rest was what I needed both for my body and skin. So when I got Ceuse with the Depeche Mode song "Precious" blasting out I was really feeling on fire, ready to send my project Tout n'est pas si facile 7c+. I had tried to send this route twice in mid May and at first it felt super hard, powerful and bouldery and I had to work some moves on top rope before being confident enough to try it. The route is about 35 meters with a really cool bouldery start leading up to easy ground and on to a few "low percentage" moves. Its not so steep but really technical and sequency climbing. My style!

As I had never managed to do the start before with a big margin I told Britta who was belaying me to watch it so I wouldn't hit the ground and break my foot if I fell off. So guess if I was surprised when I had past the first crux in spree of moves and found my self on "the" good hold. The rest was fine to the last hard move where I popped off twice before sending just before it turned dark. I have to say I had a huge margin when I finally got it together. It felt like a 7b on a good day. Strange and I was struggling like a newbie two days earlier in St Leger. I guess on a good day even hard stuff is really easy.

Swedish action in Alaska

2011-06-07T12:20:00.008+02:00

Its not often I get psyched by Swedish alpinism but boy this time I'm super psyched. Magnus Kastengrean and Andreas Fransson pulled off a 33 hour accent of the huge Cassin Ridge on Denali and it included a 9h bivy. That's a top notch achievement by any standards. On top of that Fransson managed to ski a huge part of the South Face of Denali a few days before.

http://teton.outerlocal.com/skiing/1st-descent-of-denalis-s-face-outpost

Magnus on a cold day in Chamoinx, January 2011

The new speed record set the same day by UK Climber Will Sim and John Griffith shaved of about 20 min from Mugs Stumps old record.

http://www.alpinist.com/doc/web11s/newswire-cassin-speed-record

© Copyright 2011 - All Rights Reserved David Falt

Spring alpinism in Chmonix

2011-05-31T11:15:00.004+02:00

Bored or pushing the envelope?

2011-05-24T11:43:00.010+02:00

Climbing is growing and its getting more and more specialized. Climbing in "general" (climbers practicing all different disciplines) is practiced by few. Still I think the generalist are the among the best climbers, they master hard boulders, can find there way up brittle ice and bag an new line in the Himalayas and when resting they redpoint the odd 8a+ or 8b. Ok They may not not be frontrunners in any specific discipline but they are the climbers performing cutting edge accents. Its almost impossible to understand how hard it is to climb on the level of lets say Josh Wharton, Steve House, Ueli Steck, Simon Antamatten or Simone Moro. To perform at there level is in my opinion much more impressive and harder to achieve than being able to do a 9a.

Sadly the understanding among fellow climbers for the different disciplines seams to be lacking. Sport climbers live in there meta-ethical bubble and the same goes for other hardcore narrow focused climbers. I think all of us who are climbing would benefit if we tried to learn how to improve from other disciplines or specialists but there seams to be a funny kind of snobbism among climbers where no one is really interested in understanding the dynamics of other disciplines.

One example of this was displayed this week on a sport climbing website where the editor on his personal blog is congratulating a friend who toped out Everest using supplementary O2, Sherpas and fixed ropes. The editor who was the youth coach to the Everest summiter announces proudly to the audience that his former adept now is a world class alpinist.

I don't know if it was euphoria or lack of insight to what it takes to be a elite alpinist that lead to the statement but ist for sure misleading. I'm not trying to take any thing away from the happy coach and Editor but to put things in perspective. Each year about 500 to 600 people summit Everest. Out of that number one or two with out using supplementary O2. Attempts on Everest in pure alpine style is almost unheard of and that would be truly world class elite alpinism.

One of the worlds best alpinist Ulie Steck turned around Everest earlier this week at 8700 meters in a non O2 bid for the summit after warming up with a record speed accent of the South face of Shishapangma and then bagging Cho Oyo less than 3 weeks later.

This puts things not only in perspective it also tells us how hard it is to do world class alpinism and how far off the tourist accents of Everest are from being even remotely interesting for any one else than the person doing it.

Is Arnaud Petit Being bored???

An other endless debate that I to some extent think is reflecting the lack of understanding among climbers who focus on different styles of climbing is the "trad" vs "Sport" debate. Some times this is "just" a debate and some times its escalating to bolt wars. Action is great and I have nothing against chopping bolts if a bolted line is climbed clean. Improved style is just a natural evolution in climbing.

But what about this one?

An interesting hybrid of sport and trad climbing is on display right now in Ceuse a crag in south of France where local bad ass climber Arnaud Petit seams to be in to a new way of doing "trad" climbing on a sport route. Petit is trying to "trad" climb a 70 meter 8B+ (The Black beau). The start is a hard boulder in to a 7c+ route and so on for 70 meters... The lime stone is not offering a great deal of protection so some spectacular falls was taken. Since the start of the route is quite intense and Petit did not want to carry all the gear on the first part of the route he was pulling up the protection pieces on a tag line, hanging from a hold about 30 meters up where the route Les Colonettes, 7C+ ends... If or when Petit pulls off this A page is turned in the history of sport climbing in Ceuse.

What to do in Himalaya?

2011-05-20T23:51:00.008+02:00

Himalaya is one of the best places on earth with some of the best climbing in the world. Going there can be committing if you opt for an alpine style attempt. Not only do you need to deal with the usual expedition stuff you need to get it right in terms of weather, partners, objectives, strategy, gear, health, fitness, motivation and conditions. As you star listing the components you need to get right in order to accomplish the goal, you soon understand that the odds are starting to stack up against you.

So going for a route in alpine style in Himalaya is all about trying. Practice makes perfect. Well I have had quite some practice. Lets hope luck is with us this time. No matter how much you plan there is always the X factor. So staying motivated is key. I find motivation and inspiration in the planning of an expedition. Finding an objective and starting climbing it in my mind as I train and prepare is key.

As there is no such thing as a perfect trip and conditions swing faster than politics change direction I have opted for a new strategy this time. I have applied for a number of permits in 3 different areas of Pakistan. The targets are also very different and they all have interesting possible lines facing different directions. The idea is to start off by doing some thing fairly moderate to get fit and well acclimatized. Then the idea is to try and push the envelope a bit on some thing bigger and more committing in a ultra light and fast style.

It will be interesting to see how this multi permit strategy pans out. We have permits on the Choktoi Glacier, Baltoro Glacier and in the Charakusa Valley. All areas with huge potential and some awsome challenges.

Photo of Ledgeway to heven courtesy of: www.nicolasfavresse.com

Picture of an unclimbed summit just off Baltoro

© Copyright 2011 - All Rights Reserved David Falt

Warm up in Ceuse

2011-05-11T21:06:00.000+02:00

Commenting some thing again...

2011-04-15T20:30:00.000+02:00

Why do we climb?

href="http://www.moonclimbing.com/MOONBLOG/David%20Falt%20-%20Why%20do%20we%20Climb-n-998.html">

Deepeverest

2011-04-01T09:27:00.004+02:00

Aprils fool? Sadly not!

Striving for yet an other pointless record Swedish Anneli Pompe is claiming she is going to be the first Swedish woman to climb Everest with out O2. This is a false claim! In an email to me she has clearly stated that she will have a sherpa with her during the ascent who will carry O2 for her in case she feel she cant make it to the summit with out O2. So this time she can't blame beginners mistakes.

In order to claim a VALID non O2 ascent of any summit its commonly (ethical standard) accepted among climbers that the climber can't have any access to supplementary O2 during any part of the ascent. Sadly Pompe is trying to fool mainstream media agin (last time she was when she claimed she had reached the summit of Shishapangma when she knew she was not even close to the summit) and she might get away with it. Well who cares? Its a minor detail that she is having O2 with in a few meters in case she needs it. But its of huge importance.

Its pathetic and sad that Pompe make this kind of false claims but what pisses me off is that this kind of false claims will take away the opportunity for a future Swedish female climber to be the rightful first female climber to reach Everest with out supplementary O2.

What also is pathetic is that she can't see that real female efforts to do Everest with out 02 is getting diluted when posers like Pompe arrive and pollute mountaineering with her BS claims. Funny enough, iffy claims is a family tradition, Pompes hubby Fredrik Strang is equally pathetic with some questionable summit claims.

So no good luck, be safe and have fun!

Spring

2011-03-29T20:27:00.004+02:00

I was super psyched when Ben Moon and Shane @ MOON CLIMBING informed me that I would be part of the MOON Team this year. But I have to say I'm even more psyched now having receive some great stuff from MOON. Its not only nice looking stuff but its super comfortable to climb in. Since I climb allot in the shade and on "high altitude" (around 1500 to 2200 meters) I have totally fallen in love with the warm Birdman Cord pant and the Hoody (in Lime Green).

The spring season has taken off and sport climbing conditions are great. I feel stronger than last spring since I have enjoyed a great winter with no injuries. The plan is to try and climb as much as possible now and try and grab some good spring conditions in and do some thing alpine. The wish list is long...

One exiting spring event for me will be a photo and film shoot when I'm sport climbing. This will be super cool for me as I have never done it before and I have almost no pictures when I'm sport climbing. Locations is yet to be decided...

http://www.moonclimbing.com/menswear/pants-shorts/birdman-cord-11-p-13216.html

Life going Side ways in Patagonia (Part Two) The North Pillar of Fitz Roy

2011-03-15T09:46:00.029+01:00

Photo: The East Face to the left and the North Pillar of Fitz Roy

Well all good things always comes to an end. That's no big deal as long as it was fun. This one I can't really decide if it was all that fun... Climbing big mountains is stressful in many ways and thats part of the charm. Watching friends pull off monster ascents is usually inspiring but when I end up screwing up its kind of not so fun any more (sorry Magnus...). Dealing with defeat and still finding motivation is one of the most important virtues for an aspiring alpinist. All this pretty much sums up our semi epic attempt to climb the huge North Pillar of Fitz Roy.

Doing it different

Patagonia was tough to figure out and as we had tried and failed twice we opted for a more "traditional" approach when attempting the North Pillar of Fitz Roy. Traditional meant going heavy and having the second man jugging with the monster back pack. We dedicated a full day for the "approach" instead of a few hours. The North Pillar on Fitz Roy can be climbed and approached in different ways. We decided to try a start called Pendulorama 6b/A1 that leads on to the Kearney-Knight 7A/A0.

The Pendulorama start did not come with the best set of recommendations, it was rather the other way around. Not even the FA like the route, how ever I have to defend the route. It was way better than expected. As the name indicates its about moving side ways between systems of cracks.

We left El Chalten for the 4 hour hike up to our camp in the afternoon, hiking in a relaxed fashion with quite heavy packs. For dinner we had brought take out food, stake sandwiches and home made chocolate cake from the Chockolateria. Food de lux!

Photo: In camp the night before taking off on the North Pillar

The day before starting on a big route is always kind of different. Some times I'm feeling relaxed and some times the stress of the daunting task a head of me puts me in a state of mental discomfort. Before starting on the Super Canaletta I was on fire. Before starting on the Red Pillar I was nervous. Its strange how the mind is playing games with you. The Super Canaletta is an all in kind of route. The Red Pillar a non committing venue till I was feeling kind of iffy. What's really behind this? Before the North Pillar I was feeling great. We had a relaxed start and left camp at around 7:ish after having had an super dinner the night before.

The approach to Pendulorama is quite long in terms in altitude gain. I think we did plus 1700 meters. The initial hike is on moderate snow down to the elusive glacier (we had that one dialed now) and up a long snow slope to some easy climbing. Before we tied in, we melted some snow (by far not enough) and filled up a water bag and a bottle. Looking at this in hindsight we did not melt enough water in order to stay sufficiently hydrated. Bad judgement call!

Photo: Slugging up the snow slope to the start of the route

Standing under the pillar was a cool feeling. Fitz is one hell of a mountain and the North Pillar offers great climbing the only down side was being surrounded by so many other climbers. We had done a few easy pitches and the real climbing was about to start. Erik was leading and I was jugging with the not so nice pack. Climbing in Patagonia is hard work both in terms exposed climbing and ferrying all the shit you need to compleat an ascent. Jugging up the steeper pitches was no fun what so ever and really not my thing. I love alpine climbing where I can move fast and be on the move not spending endless amounts of time on belays. This was a new world for me.

Photo: First pitches on Pendulorama

The upper pitches on the first day offered some harder climbing and Erik had to resort to aiding a few moves on the A1 pitch before starting working on the tension traverse. As darkness fell I reached the belay and we switched on our head torches and prayed we where close to the ledge above the block. Erik left the bely but the ledge was not close (in the dark)... We found nothing good to sit down and rest on for the dark hours of the night but it was 10.30 pm so we opted for a tiny flatish spot where we could sit with our legs crossed . At this point I had started vomiting... The fun was on!

Photos: Starting to be fun on Fitz

The bivy was one of the "best" miserable bivys I have endured. It was fairly warm and not to windy. I even managed to reed a few pages of The Elementary Particles by Michel Houellebecq during the night as I could not sleep. Sadly we had run out of water so our noodles was boiled in 0.5 L of waters. We had hoped to find snow on the ledges but the snow was a no show so hydrating was not going to happen any time soon.

Photos: Last pitch of the dat or in the night... And finding a bivy...

We left the bivy at around 7.30 climbing two pitches to the big ledge where we found some snow to melt. The weather and the conditions where great only I was feeling down and beaten from the vomiting and lack of proper hydration. What lay ahed was 18 pitches of superb climbing to the top of the pillar but by the time we had melted water the time was 11ish. I was not to keen on continuing up the pillar and then getting on to the head wall and go over the summit as I was not well. The prospect of two more days on the move feeling sick felt risky. The time was also factoring in for me. In an ideal world we should have been at the brew edge the night before and had a good nights rest and we should have left early. That would not have mattered so much if spirits was up. Any way for me this was game over.

Photos: Morning at the bivy, Finding snow to melt and resting at the brew stop before calling it quits

Bailing was not a no brainer. We had two options. We opted for the couloir normally used to reach the North Pillar. Rapping that one during the day did not look to good. The freezing levels where above the summit and there was no question whether or not there would be rock fall. The question was how bad would it be. Had I know how bad it would be I would have opted to continue climbing to the summit. NO DUBT! It was a huge mistake to bail. A few rapps down the couloir (it was partly a real water fall showering us) the bombardment started. We where in the middle of an open couloir with no where to hide when Erik called out ROCKS!!!! I looked up and could see a huge block coming straight at us. We ducked and the rock hit about 50 meters above us and we where "only" hit by smallish stuff. We had 3 or 4 solid helmet hits and Erik had a big hit on his back pack. Wow that was not cool. We both freaked out and the only thing we could do was to continue dow trying to find some shelter.

About 45 minutes later the next big one came down. This time we where in a slightly better position but still this was as bad as things can go. For me this was one of the most horrific rock falls I had ever been through when climbing. When we finally hit the glacier we moved out as far as we could from the wall and the rock fall. Sitting down we both said that this shit was the kind of stuff that would make one want to stop alpine climbing.

Photo: Erik finally down and safe

For me this was clear reminder why I never climb in the alps in summer. I hate hot days on glaciers. I hate rock fall. I hate crowded mountains (the rocks in the first fall came from someone on the ridge above us). Still I love alpine climbing and I can't wait to get back out but for me the time to do alpine routes is in winter.

I will be back in Patagonia but I will be going in the cold season. Patagonia was great and I had a great time and the best possible partner. I also like to lift my hat for Magnus Eriksson and Tomas Melling who did a magnificent ascent of the North Pillar a week before we tried via Mate, Porro y Todo lo Demás and linking it with the head wall and being part of the first teams (a slovenian team toped out a few hours ahed) ever topping out Fitz Roy via that route. These guys had this shit figured out!

Photo: Self shoot before rapping off

Photo: Rapping off

Photo: Descending climbers from Fitz Roy

© Copyright 2011 - All Rights Reserved

Life upside down in Patagonia (Part one)

2011-03-08T12:14:00.030+01:00

Photo: The Cerro Torre and Fitz Roy group from the road

I have to start by pointing out that going to Patagonia was breaking with protocol. There is nothing in summer alpinism I like. Its hot, its wet, its crowded and when conditions are good rock fall is constant. Its out right not my thing. Any way an opportunity cam along and I tagged along... Well I have to admit I was exited given that I was going with Erik a Swedish friend who I like allot.

We had no other plan than trying some thing that was in condition if conditions allowed. I think that was a good call. We kind of geared up for having the flexibility to go up to the Torre valley as well as up the Fitz Roy area. But in reality we got tide down to the Fitz Roy area.

After arriving with a not so nice cold I spent some time resting. A window opened and we probed around among the Patagonia veterans as whether they thought the Super Canaletta would be a viable option and the overall feedback we got gave us enough good vibes to shoot for it. How ever the Isoterm sky rocketed the next 36h but we figured that it would still be possible.

Being a lazy ass climber I had no desire what so ever to go with a big pack and lots of gear. So "Light duty David*" (The definition of Light Duty is: "not designed for heavy or demanding work") managed to convince poor Erik that a few Clif bars, Clif Blooks and one epi gas was more than enough to bring along on such a straight forward route...

We brought a quite light rack, one 7.7 mm Sterling rope and one 7mm semi static tag line (not sure this set up was that smart) no bivy gear but a reactor. Our pack where feeling great = light. I was really psyched at the prospect of climbing this epic line on on of the finest mountains in the world. Our aim was to climb the route in 12 to 15 hours and use an other 7 hours for descending the mountain. All great in theory. How ever one small detail was that we under estimated the time from our camp to the start of the climbing with about 5 hours. Marginal one can think in the big scheme of things but on a "food and energy budget of 24 hours" this kind of mistakes are making a clear and unwanted dent in the over all game plan.

Any way approaching (the only thing we did to much of on this trip) the route we manage to venture out in to the Glacier in the dark and get more than lost. Suddenly we found our self surrounded by 30 meter leaning serac towers. Things started not only to look bad in terms of getting to the start of the climb in due time but more urgently the danger factor was growing so fast that it was no longer fun.

At one point we found ourself standing on a collapsed snow bridge about 10 meters down in to a bad "vibing" crevasse trying to move in the right hand direction but some thing prevented me from doing that and as I was passing Erik and moving in the opposite direction, trying to get us to more solid ground (a highly relative term at this point) the whole bridge was shaking and 10 meters to the right about half a ton of ice fell down on the spot I just avoided. Wow that was way to close! Luck is some thing you earn. So far we had done nothing to earn any luck. The prospect of getting out fast was not look to bright as we had no real point of reference to navigate against. I was thinking to my self: "Wholly fucking shit this is as bad as it gets and it will take about 200 years before we get spitted out at the end of the valley". What a way to go... Well no time to reflect on what might happen. We moved as swiftly and as GENTEL we could on the fragile and shaking ice towers, doing some interesting climbing, down climbing, traversing and and finally we had a solid target to navigate against. After about 2 hours of utter fear, terror completely lost in a labyrint of lurking death we found our self on solid ground filing quite stupid and tired. I felt like I had just got off a major epic route and still we had 2 hours to the start of the Super Canaletta. Wow we really did not nail this one!

Photo: The point of exit on the glacier...

Finally at the start of the route we had more or less given up all hopes of climbing the route but still I wanted to have a closer look for future reference. I think Erik was mentally quite spent as he managed to fall asleep under a boulder on the glacier for 10 minutes. I was wire on caffein powered Clif Shots and adrenaline so I hiked up to get in a better viewing position. The route was out. No connecting snow or ice on the first 600 meters and most definitely not on the first 1100 meters of the route. The upper parts looked dry but to get there would be a daunting task far from the simul soloing we had hoped for. Bailing after sending the approach! Thats a new one! But it felt good the route was in horrific conditions. On a side note I could not detect any debris from falling rocks on the "avi cone" leading up to the bergscrund so I think it would be fine to start this one even quite late in the day but one might need to observe the start more to get a better understanding for what's right.

Photo: A dry Super Canaletta

Back at camp Erik is now punished for my light duty mania and we have to descend back to El Chalten to get more food and supplies. I feel like an idiot returning to town in the middle of a huge weather window. And its far... It sucks. I hate hiking and I hate approaching. The next afternoon after resting, eating and hydrating we hike right back up and we are now shooting for a pure rock route.

Photo: Approaching the Red Pillar on Mermoze

The Red Pillar is on the paper a straight forward rock route with bolted belays and even some bolts right next to splitter cracks. It was "kind of" established by Kurt Albert (bolted by Albert) and features some quite hard crack climbing 7b:ish. A wee bit tired we go to sleep in our high camp after downing some frozen margaritas mixed by Blake Herrington and Scott Bennett. Thanks guys! We don't sleep much a few hours tops. The going up a hill again. The hate the hill feeling is being an all to well know feeling at this point. We are back doing what I hate. Approaching. This time the packs are not that light even if we are going for a day trip. The rack was big. I have bleeding blisters. Erik is carrying the big pack... Light duty David is contributing with...

We soon hit the glacier and i find it quite wet in my trail running choose, I also feel like a idiot. Who in his right mind is approaching a big rock route via a big glacier in trail running choose? Armed with only one axe and one ski pole (no crampons). This is starting to go down hill. As we head up the 200 meter 55° snow slope Erik firs (not to happy, I suggest a few times we untie) with Crampons its evident we blew it again spending to much time approaching.

Photo: Crossing the bbergschrund rapping in running choose felt better than heading up in them as you see its huge...

We managed cross the bergschrund on the wrong side of a rocky island but still reach the first belay quite easy. We did a few pitches but my motivation is out the window as my bleeding blisters makes it unbearably painful to where the tight rock choose. Erik leads a splitter 5.12 crack and I see true happiness in his eyes. Maybe I was selfish not pushing on. Maybe I should not have left my running choose tide in to the first belay to dry out so I could have endured the route jugging... But did we even have jumars with us? Can't remember. Any way we head back to camp beaten up and tired after being approaching for the last 4 days. Erik decides to stays in camp but I continue down the 4 hour hike to El Chalten to dry out and try and cut away all the blisters in a sterile environment.

Photo: Heading up the Red Pillar

Photo: Splitter Erik on a splitter 5.12 crack on the Red Pillar

Photo: Back down on the glacier under the East face of Mermoz and the Red Pillar

* "Light duty David" was invented by John B Gleason, not sure it was a compliment...

© Copyright 2011 - All Rights Reserved

Patagonia Story coming sooon

2011-03-01T05:53:00.007+01:00

Cerro Torre Shape up

2011-02-04T16:57:00.002+01:00

So from what I understand David Lama is giving up his rap bolting project on Cerro Torre. Guess the shit storm was not that fun after all. One can only salut his call to give up that utterly stupid project. I wish him all the best in his effort to do Cerro Torre by fair means.

Gear tip for Cerro Torre to fend off idiots

2011-01-22T23:30:00.005+01:00

Looks like it will be hard getting the essential stuff through customs...

Better do a re inventory of the rack for Cerro Torre this year. As its been reported that David Lama is back on Cerro Torre to bolt from the summit down. I guess the prick needs a tope rope. This must mark an all time low in modern climbing history. Go tope rope on a hill with in your league and play with kids sharing your shitty values. Don't pollute the mountains with this kind of shit.

Add the following if you are heading out there any time soon...

Bolt Cutter

Hack Saw

Fixed key to remove Bolt Hangers

Pepper Spray to fend off Guides jamming the Compressor route so David Lama can tope rope Cerro Torre

Knuckle Brace to hit any one related to David Lama his climbing sponsors and Red Bull

Be ware SHIT happens in big mountains. Tents blow up all the time when Epi gas bottles default. Ropes getting cut down due to safety for non jugging climbers. Gear get stolen. All sorts of shit happens. In 99 per cent of the cases this is just pure evil but right now I don't give a shit if any thing happens to the David Lama Circus.

I would not think twice before cutting his haul bags off or any other added trash up there if I pass it.

This self absorbed prick is as unwanted as EBOLA and add as much value to climbing as a shit bag coming off El Cap.

Winter ascent of Kantengri

2011-01-21T22:07:00.003+01:00

A few members of the Kazakhstan National team pull of a stunningly fast winter ascent yesterday at 14.02 local time. Kazakh hard men Vassiliy Pivtsov, Sofrygin Alexander and Gabbasov ldar pulled off the 3e ever winter ascent of Kantengri. The most northerly placed summit over 7000 meters. Round trip Almaty - Summit - Almaty 13 days! This peak is hard to bag in summer and is well know for its harsh conditions.

The fattest Slob on the MOON team 2011

2011-01-18T19:57:00.005+01:00

I have received some fun... some exited... some a wee bit bitter... comments to the fact that a NO boulder guy like me is going to be part of the 2011 MOON Climbing team. I'm not a boulder climber at all. Yet... I'm not up and coming at all. I'm a very mediocre sport climber. I'm more of a fat slob. I'm trying to be an alpinist but I mostly fail on my projects (thats kind of the concept in alpinism). But I try. I try as hard as I can to be active in as many different areas of climbing as I can. I share my different experiences from climbing with you on this blog and else where... I write about climbing. I have opinions about climbing. But most important I have fun climbing and I love climbing!

bedside manners...

2011-01-08T16:35:00.004+01:00

Photo from Chamonix January 6th 2011

What about your bedside manners? Well I guess thats kind of irrelevant for climbing but it might tell us some thing about you as a climber... I listed what I have by my bed and what I brows through before lights out and sweet Patagonic dreams arrive.

Alpin Klattring 09
Doug Scott & Alex MacIntyre, Shishapgma
Copper Bracelet from Nepal
A Lamp...
A Black Berry
A picture of Arnaud Petit on Tough Enogh
2 page print of the pitch by pitch topo of No Siesta on Grand Jourasses
Atomised by Michel Houellbecq
NEO No 6 (a political magazine from Sweden)
Rock & Ice No 190, 187, 186
Alpinist 30 the Latok Issue
Hippie bracelet from Tanzania
Rock & Ice 187
Voltaren Cream
Eiger topo
Gorge du Tarn topo
Vanity Fair No 602
Alpinist 31
Neo No 5
Vertical x 4
Alpinist 32
Vanity Fair 596, 597, 583
I Pod ear phones
A Bunch of topos: Chamonix, Berner Oberland, Valais, Ecrin, Kandersteg, Patagonia, Cholatse etc etc

Chamonix climbing yesterday

2011-01-05T18:09:00.008+01:00

The Digital Crack Tower on ca 3650 meters on the Cosmiques Ridge

Had a great outing yesterday on Aiguille du Midi but man it was freezing cold up there and with the wind on the bridge even putting the crampons on was a daunting task. Passing the Digital Crack tower was magic. Digital Crack is the highest located 8a in Europe. We rapped off the bridge and did a short but quite interesting route on the NW Face. I have climbed it a few times in the past but never in so dry conditions. Still great climbing.

Rapping in to the abysse...

Great mixed pitch on the NW Face of Midi

Frosty conditions

Arriving at the Cosmiques Ridge in magic light

Last Sport Climbing of 2010 to day at 1400 meters

2010-12-31T17:56:00.009+01:00

To day offered great weather so it was to tempting not to go sport climbing in the sun even if the Ice conditions are unreal good. In the sun it was T shirt on 1400 meters. That's hard to beat given that some of the worlds best Ice climbing is less than 10 minutes away. "Blind Faith" a first ascent signed by Jeff Lowe 300 WI 6 looks like its in great condition, as well as the monster route Les "Racines du ciel" 300 m VI WI 6+ 6b A2... But to day was all about casual sport climbing in the sun, doing laps on a 40 meter 6c in winter friction boots...

10 minutes down the road from perfect sport climbing

Looking great but HARD Le cimetiére des élephants 350 m VI WI6+ 6b+

Bonne Année tous!!!

Ice

2010-12-29T11:25:00.009+01:00

A few Ice climbing pictures I shoot with my birth day present a Lumix LX5. I'm still playing around with it and trying to figure it out but so far I love it. I found this camera on http://ianparnellphotography.blogspot.com and thought it would be perfect for what I do so I put it on top of my wish list and voila lets hope I will be better at getting good quality shoots from my trips. This pictures was from a route we thought was unclimbed but it turned out to be the 3rd ascent (the FA was done Jan 2010). Route: 250 meters III 5a WI5+. I think we will be back and try the unclimbed ice tubes on the far right in the last picture in this post.

Action and attempts 2010

2010-12-17T09:21:00.030+01:00

Sadly the HTML thing on the blog is fucked up and no links work. I'm sorry for that and I'm trying to fix it.

With out taking any credit from any one or diminishing any efforts I think its fair to say that 2010 will not go down in the history books as one of the most productive years for cutting edge alpinism. How ever a few bright stars are shining stronger than ever. This is no ranking of efforts or in any way a complete list of outstanding efforts. Its just climbs and events I think are worth mentioning one more time in this brief summary of 2010.

1. Colin Haley is the first person I like to feature. It would be almost rude not to start out this summary with out starting by mentioning Colin. The frenzy of Colins climbing is truly outstanding and inspiring. His raid in Alaska this spring with Bjørn-Eivind Årtun was all but ordinary. They did a simul solo of Cassin Ridge (Denai) in 17 to the top. Then the team pulled off a huge First Ascent on the South West Face of Foraker. They named the new route Dracula. During the summer Colin and Mikey Schaefer made a significant ascent of the Diabolo Traverse on Devils Thumb (on the BC-Alaska border). Colin also managed to go to Yosemite and in November he pulled off a Solo ascent of Cerro Standhardt via the EXOCET Route. Productivity numbers are up!

Photos Colin Haley

http://colinhaley.blogspot.com

2. Last years Piolet d'Or winners (with Jed Brown) Kyle Dempster and Bruce Normand teamed up for a visit to western China. The result has been covered extensively in all major climbing media. I'm sure there new route on Mt.Edgar is a sure bet for an other Piolet d'Or nomination. If for some political or other bizarre reason this climb is not nominated for a Piolet d'Or the event will lose all its credibility once again. This will be interesting to follow. I once again lift my hat for my friends!

The stunning line on Mt.Edgar, photo Bruce Normand
http://www.alpinist.com/doc/web10f/newswire-dempster-normand-sichuan

3. Lunag II First ascent of summit and route

I guess this is a clear candidate for the Piolet d'Or. Looks like great climbing and executed in great style. This French team is no doubt composed by some strong guys. Mathieu Maynadier, Sebastien Ratel, Mathieu Détrie and Maxime Belleville. Look at the cool video!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPsfk9tq-a4

4. Giri Giri Boys on Mt.Logan

Mt. Logan's east peak via its virgin 8,500' southeast face—what some called the continent's biggest and most significant remaining alpine challenge I-TO (ED+: WI5 M6, 2500m)

http://www.alpinist.com/doc/web10s/newswire-logan-giri-giri

4. Cholatse via Russians

This ascent looks hard and like huge undertaking. Only thing I'm not sure of is how it was climbed. Looking at the pictures it looks like they used some kind of capsule style with aid and short fixing. But non the less it looks great and it was done in winter

http://www.Mountain.ru/article/article_display1.php?article_id=4411

5. Chad Kellogg has soloed what looks like a exposed new line on the famed South Face of Aconcagua 6,962m.

http://www.climbing.com/news/hotflashes/solo_new_route_on_aconcagua_south_face/

6. The all female ascent of Amin Brakk i Pakistan

Ukrainians Marina Kopteva (leader) and Anna Yasinskaya, teaming up with Russian Galina Chibitok summited Amin Brakk after climbing its west face via the Czech Express route (A3-А4 27 VI 70?), according to RussianClimb.com. A repeat but a great effort and one of few interesting ascents in Pakistan during 2010.

http://explorersweb.com/everest_k2/news.php?id=19512

Cool efforts:

Brittish Annapuruna 3 looks like an outstanding problem...

http://annapurna3expedition.blogspot.com/

Latok 1 Futuristic line and classic problems...

http://www.alpinist.com/doc/web10x/newswire-giri-latok-update

Dawn Wall Project Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson

http://tommyandbecca.blogspot.com/

Community Service gold medal: Rolo Garibotti for his on-line Patagonia top

http://www.pataclimb.com

Best clean up effort: Rolo Garibotti for clering off the bolts left by David Lama on Cerro Torre...

http://www.supertopo.com/climbers-forum/1319502/Bolts-chopped-on-Cerro-Torre

Comeback kid of the Year:

Steve House looks like he is back in great shape after having had a massive accident and missing out on his K2 attempt.

Books of interest:

Freddie Wilkinson http://www.amazon.com/One-Mountain-Thousand-Summits-Tragedy/dp/0451231198/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1292583237&sr=1-1

Steve House http://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Mountain-Steve-House/dp/097906595X

Blogs of interest apart from this one...

http://verticalcarnival.blogspot.com

Lost:

Too many great guys where lost in 2010 all missed by partners, friends and loved once.

Coming up this weekend Coolest ascents of 2010

2010-12-15T23:16:00.003+01:00

I will try to list some ascents I think are some of the best efforts in the greater ranges during 2010. Any "nominations" drop me a line. Having some issues with the HTML coding on this post will put it up ASAP its fixed.

Crash of the Titans - Normand/Dempster hit it big with a huge FA on Mt. Edgar East Face

2010-11-29T10:08:00.031+01:00

Chapeau for 2/3 of last year's Piolet d'Or-winning Xuelian West team! E9climbing is proud to report (FIRST and with exclusive photos) that Bruce Normand Kyle Dempster has been in action again in the mountains of western China, this tilme in Minya Konka range in Sichuan province.

This compact line of peaks includes, in addition to Minya Konka itself (at 7556m one of the most imposing and dangerous peaks on the planet), more than 10 peaks in the 6000m range which have seen one ascent or fewer.

Warming up.... With a First ascent of W Face of Mt. Grosvenor (6376m)

This much eyed peak has fended off some great names in the past. Knowing when to strike seams to one of the Normand Dempster teams talent's. Dempster and Normand completed the central couloir on the W Face of Mt. Grosvenor (6376m) explaining to me that because most snow falls in summer in the mountains of Sichuan, autumn is the season to find ice, and the dry corner which turned back previous parties (notably Mick Fowler in 2003) was WI4+ ice. The pair climbed the route from base camp (4300m) in a single 24-hour push in cloudy weather, strong wind and occasional snow. From BC at 3am they had climbed the crux (5700m) by noon and continued in the upper couloir (remininscent of the Supercouloir, with two additional steep sections) throughout the afternoon. Sunshine through the wind-torn clouds greeted the climbers onto the summit at 6pm.

Like the first-ascent party (Roger Payne and Julie-Ann Clyma, SW Ridge, Nov 2003), they made some progress down the increasingly corniced NE Ridge until dark. After that, 15 rappels down the precipitous N Face took them to an upper glacier basin at 2am, where they bivouacked before returning the BC the following day.

Picture: Kyle Dempster on the First Acent of teh W Face of Mt. Grosvenor

Huge First Acsent on Mt. Edgar

Edgar History

Sadly most of us get a chilling feeling up or spine when we hear Mt.Edgar. This mountain will always be remembered for the tragedy that took place in June 2009, when the US team of Johnny Copp, Micah Dash and Wade Johnson was killed in an avalanche while trying to approach the SE Face.

On the E side of the range, it is approached from verdant valley floors at only 1500m. With over 300 days a year of misty, rainy weather, and 2000m of preciptous slopes and blown-out river gorges between the fields and the mountains, this region shrouds its peaks in a special brand of mystery. Edgar had seen one ascent, by a Korean party in 2003 which found a route from the south, while its E Face was of course the subject of an iconic picture by Tamotsu Nakamura. In May 2009, the Russian/Kyrgyz team of Sasha Ruchkin and Misha Mikhailov tried to find the a way to climb this face, but failed because they could not see it.

The Rose of No-Man's Land (M6, WI5) Eastish Face of Mt.Edgar!

Relying again on drier November weather, Dempster and Normand approached the face somewhat blind, spending their first day in misty forests and canyons, and their second navigating up unstable, vertical-sided river cuts to the foot of a small glacier at 4100m. On their third day, clear sunshine revealed a long approach up a narrow glacier to the base of the face, which the climbers were surprised to find beginning at 5500m.

They found that the E Face is a scoop with a dry, SE-facing side below the true summit, a shaded, NE-facing side with several thin ice lines, and a central drainage gully catching everything which falls off the cornices rimming the face. On day 4 they climbed ice and steep snow to begin the serious climbing with an M6 dry-tooling pitch, a line they chose to avoid the drainage gully. Three pitches of steep, thin ice followed, to a snowfield yielding only a sitting (and spindrift-washed) bivouac.

The fifth day served up cloudier but still stable weather, and more thin then non-existent ice and mixed lines up and to the left of the face, leading finally to an exit col at 6200m. A very windy night ensued. Day 6 required a long ice traverse into the S Face and up to the rounded S Ridge, which the climbers followed to the summit at 2:30pm. By this time, the stormy wind had replaced reasonable morning weather with a white-out, resulting in a fast and blind descent into a high glacier basin.

On day 7 the team worked its way down this glacier, climbing and rappelling a first-descent line in low to zero visibility and finding the easiest going between rock and ice on the true left. On the eighth day, in thickly falling snow down to 3500m, the pair found their steep, morainal descent gully give suddenly onto a road, where they were able to hitch a ride out in a classic Chinese Dongfeng truck. Although not a very direct line, their route The Rose of No-Man's Land (M6, WI5) does seem to be the only safe one on the face.

Kyle under the East Face of Edgar

Kyle on thin ice.... on Edgar

Kyle covering some nice ground on Edgar

As good as it gets in climbing? Bruce high on Edgar

Steeeep and mixed on Edgar. Kyle leading some hard stuff

Its getting harder... Kyle leading and NOTE THE Ice Axe by his feet...

Kyle playing in a perfect runnel on Edgar

Kyle climbing stuff on Edgar that would either get him laid or divorced....

Rout on Edgar!

2nd ascent of Mt. Edgar, climb by Kyle Dempster (USA) and Bruce Normand (UK).

Day 1 (Nov 7): rainy day. Walk from upper Xinxing (2050m) to lower base camp (3200m). 1 local porter carrying equipment.
Day 2: cloudy day. Scrambling in unstable river drainages from 3200m to upper base camp at 4100m on glacier below E Face of Mt. Edgar.
Day 3: sunny day. Roped walking/climbing/glacier travel in glacial gully from 4100m to 5500m directly below E Face.
Day 4: sunny day. Ice and snow-climbing from 5500m to 5800m. 1 dry-tool pitch M6). 3 ice pitches (WI5) to 6000m. Sitting bivouac in E Face.
Day 5: sun and some clouds. Steep/vertical ice and mixed climbing for 5 pitchesfrom 6000m to exit col at 6200m.
Day 6: sunny morning, snowy afternoon. Ice and snow-climbing on S Ridge from 6200m to summit (6618m, 2:30pm). Descent by S Ridge and southerly glacier to 5700m, roped glacier walking/climbing. (summit 12th Nov)
Day 7: cloudy morning, snowy afternoon. Descent of glacier (roped glacier walking and rappelling) from 5700m to 4300m.
Day 8: snowing. Completion of descent (rappelling and hiking) from 4300m to road at 3400m and return to Xinxing. (return to Moxi 14th Nov).

The team was sponsored by:

http://www.outdoorresearch.com
http://www.thebmc.co.uk/

Copy and all rights reserved by E9climbing.blogspot.com (All pictures by Bruce Normand)

The Red Bull PR Strategy - Cerro Torre melt down

2010-11-23T23:14:00.004+01:00

I have to say that Red Bull is doing a fantastic job in terms of their PR strategy when managing the complete melt down created by David Lama and his documentary team. I mean staying low profile and hoping this will blow past them is for sure a smart move if you are looking at it from a PR point of view. Now that strategy might fool one or two and might keep main stream media away from picking up the story but it will do little or nothing when it comes to restore the Red Bull brand in the eyes of the climbing community.

All the contradictory information out there about the added bolts right beside perfectly fine splinters and new bolts on belays strongly suggest they have permanently change on of the most controversial routes in climbing history. And not for the better. They have not as intended opted for a better style, they have just degrade to conquering the mountain blinded by ambition.

What surprises me is that they seams to get a way with saying nothing. Guys who was pretty eager to balance the picture in the first round of the debacle is notably silent right now and I'm not only thinking of fellow athlete Will Gadd (who has nothing to do with this). Also the climbing media seams to be deferring from asking the uncomfortable questions.

It will be interesting to follow this well rehearsed circus as its moves along.

Cerro Torre and Super Topo comments

2010-11-20T20:03:00.003+01:00

First of all Chapeau to Rolo Garibotti for standing up and speaking up. I'm not sure I'm the best person to sum this up but I will give it a shoot. This is my subjective view of the latest development in the Cerro Torre/Red Bull controversy.

First of all Rolo is know to be a reliable source and a climber withe great judgement. His track record in Patagonia is one of the most impressive out there.

Rolos latest report after coming dow Cerro Torre lately is to put it mildly conflicting with statements given from the Red Bull team to climbing media such as Alpinist. Its also in sharp contrast to what has been reported to Will Gadd and published on his blog.

Its impossible not to think of the "old" controversy when Josh Wharton and his partner shopped off one bolt on the top part of the Compressor route after completing a new variation avoiding a huge (if my memory serves me right) number of the bolts, that dispute ended with a hospital after a proper fist fight. So one thing is sure ethics matter in Patagonia!

A few questions raised in the Super Topo thread that kind of define the essence of the hole issue (in no specific order):

- Is it legit to add protection when you set out to do a classic in a better style than its previously has been climbed in?

- When you have belays with lots of old slings and pegs is it not better for general safety to clear it and bolt it?

- Who shall be blamed? Red Bull, David Lama, the Austrial UIAGM Guide or the hole bunch?

- Style VS progress and what price shall be paid?

Some of the topics raised remain unanswered but there is a strong consensus that Rolos removal of the added bolts was the right call.

Climbing style is an other strong consensus point. I think its fair to say that no one in the thread is in favor of diluting the style for the sake of a a film.

Adding bolts to belays is controversial any where in the world. Adding bolts to a route on the route thats has been at the epicenter of controversy since it was first claimed to have been climbed is just to much. Lama was clear that no bolts had been added to the actual climb and he is yet to speak out but there is nothing that suggest Rolo is wrong and that would leave the Red Bull team in a pretty ugly mess.

One point mad is that old slings and pegs can be removed, bolts can't. It can never be right to bring big crews on the hill if the price is paid by other who will follow and encounter added bolts and trash.

I think the iconic American climber Jim Donini sums it up well in just a part of one post.

"Style matters because climbing doesn't. If there were a cure for cancer on the top of Cerro Torre any means to get there would be justified. Climbing has evolved via knowledge, training, equip. etc. As climbing evolves style should follow."

In sharp contrast... El Cap and Cerro Torre...

2010-11-16T23:20:00.007+01:00

In one end of the world on one big wall one of the coolest efforts seen in long time is playing out as i post. I'm off course referring to the Caldwel/ Jorgeson effort on El Cap. In an other end of the world one an other big wall one of the saddest stories of modern times is take a new turn. I'm off course referring to the David Lama debacle on Cerro Torre.

Bolts chopped on Cerro Torre

"Under the auspices such a topic title I wish I could report that I have chopped some of Maestri's bolts, but I have not. The bolts I chopped two days ago are some of the many that David Lama's film crew placed last summer.

Above the col of Patience (the shoulder) I came across 20 “David Lama-Red Bull bolts”, as opposed to the 12 reported by Lama himself and the person responsible for placing them, the Austrian mountain guide Heli Putz. Because of time constraints I could not make an in-detail inspection of that section of the route, so I am guessing there were a few more. Of those 20 bolts, I managed to chop 17. In contrast to what Lama and Putz reported, all bolts were very much on the route, drilled in existing belays or in the middle of pitches, all in places where natural protection is readily available and where for more than 30 years climbers have climbed by.

Heli Putz had also reported to Will Gadd that the rappel line he bolted below the col of Patience (the shoulder) followed an independent line. This also proved to be incorrect. More kool-aid or whatever fizzy drink his employer manufactures to cover up for his own idiocy. The rappel line Putz bolted follows the same buttress that the normal rappel line follows, sharing the first two anchors, which he retro-bolted and later takes a more direct line to the ground, following a line that is often used by climbers to rappel when conditions are very dry. Next to each of his bolted anchors there are old rap stations on natural gear. Because of bad weather I was unable to chop those anchors. In that section I saw 20 bolts, but likely there are more, in contrast to the 14 reported by Lama and Putz.

Also worth noting Lama and the Red Bull film crew left 5 haul-bags of stuff on the mountain last season when they bailed out of town, including the 700 meters of fix line on the route. About a month later they hired three Argentine guides to clean up their mess. They did a great job and managed to pull most everything off the route, with the exception of two haulbags (not one as reported by Lama and Putz). Just four days ago two Argentine climbers brought down in disgust those two remaining haul-bags and hopefully will hold their contents up for ransom.

In his response to the debacle Lama wrote saying that for his second attempt to free the Compressor route during the 2010-2011 season they would take a different, lighter approach. However reports suggest that the team size has been increased rather than reduced, so again in this case Lama’s statement might be but a diversion.

With the level of misinformation that the Red Bull crew is dishing out their fancy fizzy drink is fast becoming the modern Kool-aid. Dont drink it!"

Sad to have to thank some one for this kind of clean up. But job well done! Chapeau! I think this is as sobering news for the climbing world as the sad speed story on K2 or the "lost" Swedish girls on Shishapagma. Pathetic that so many seams to be motivated by fame rather than style. With the ethics out the widow one have to ask one self set off to the hills? What the driving force? What is the reward for the effort? Is it a headline in a magazine or is it an ever lasting memory? I'd opt for the the memory.

Source Rolo Garibotti post on Supertopo: www.supertopo.com/climbers-forum/1319502/Bolts-chopped-on-Cerro-Torre

www.alpinist.com/doc/web10f/newswire-flash-bolts-cut

Some interesting points on this issue from Rock&Ice to me copied from Facebook:

Rock and Ice magazine David ... always interesting opinions! ... Not to divert the discourse, but what is the difference between Caldwell and Jorgeson adding bolts to existing routes (which have been climbed for decades) in order to make a free climb, and the bolts that were added on Cerro Torre? Not trying to take anything away from Caldwell and Jorgeson, of course ... but since you brought up the comparison ...

David Falt I don't know how many bolts Caldwell and Jorgeson have added but one difference if they pull it off is that they have achieved what I would say is a quantum leap in terms of free big wall climbing. Then I think some one can go there and try and repeat it in a better style and cop off what ever bolts they don't need. On Torre they are not improving the style some thing Caldwell and Jorgeson are trying.

This is NO JOKE!

2010-11-16T00:04:00.004+01:00

Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson have taken off on their official bid to free climb the Dawn Wall on El Cap. Caldwell and Jorgeson's 19-pitch line will arguably be the hardest of its kind in the Yosemite Valley and a quantum leap forward for climbing in the valley.

I wish them luck on what is possibly one of (if not) the greatest achievement on El Cap since the Nose was climbed!

http://www.alpinist.com/doc/web10f/newswire-flash-dawn

http://kjorgeson.blogspot.com/

I guess this is no joke... Or?

2010-11-12T23:32:00.002+01:00

AddVenture - Exclusive course package

Rjukan Adventure, Fredrik Sträng and Addnature presents an exclusive ice climbing course package, for winter 2010 / 2011. Instructors are two of the Scandinavia's most experienced ice and alpine climbers, Andreas Spak and Fredrik Sträng, and together they have more than 30 years of climbing and adventures behind them.

Source: www.rjukanadventure.no

Hurlyburly a future classic!

2010-11-07T22:51:00.002+01:00

There is few things that stick with me for years. One of those rare things is the movie Hurlyburly (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119336/) and my time spent in LA watching the movie. Its feature some of the finest actors of my time and is a fantastic screen play. My long lasted love and affection for this movie got a unexpected love infusion this weekend.

I'm now a even bigger and more devoted fan after getting some inside to what kept fueling Mr. Penn during the shooting of the movie. This is a movie I can see over and over again with out getting bored. But from now on it will have a personal meaning to me and i want to to pay a special tribute to Director Anthony Drazan and his wife for there humanitarian efforts and social commitment to the people of Nepal.

It seams like its now my destiny to make sure this movie will stay in the memory of the climbing community. Having tried a few times I know this is quite some task but its now an official mission to forge a new line of some degree of importance up a peak in Nepal in honour of the Drazan family and the movie.

Hiking on Kilimanjaro

2010-10-31T16:45:00.006+01:00

I just came back down after leading an amazing grup of 3 beginners in high altitude trekking to the summit of Kilimanjaro 5895 meters in "record speed". We sett off on our summit bid from Karanga Camp at 3943 meters 07.00 and got to the summit at 5895 in 7h 25 min and back to Kosovo camap at 4750 in 1h 25 min Friday the 29th.

I will post some thoughts on hiking on Kilimanjaro and the safety and schedules suggested by most operators and local guides.

Trip notes:

Arrive in Arusha.

Day 1. Depart from the Machame Park Gate to the Machame camp at around 3000 meters. Its about 1200 altitude meters and took us a bit less than 4 hours of trekking in slow comfortable phase with plenty of time to shoot.

Day 2. Departed around 08.30 for Shira Camp at around 3837m. This is a easy and soft day and we reached camp well before lunch still hiking in a slow phase and making sure no one in the group had any significant increased pulse or laboured breathing.

Day 3. Departed around 08.30 and stayaed just under the Lava Tower for an early lunch and then up and down to Barranco camp. Apart from summit day this was the only real full day of hiking. It took us about 5 hors in of hiking time in slow phase.

Day 4. Late departure (09.00) so we could charge toys with the solar panels. This day we did the Barronco wall and reached Karanga Camp at about 3945 meters in 3h. All of us in the group was feeling strong and with an average of 86 in Oxygen saturatio we felt ready for the final push. With the SAT @ 86 we where at the same number as the night before so we decide to go straight from this camp to the summit. It is a big day with 1950 meters of altitude gain in a day. Our local guide had summitted about 150 times but this was his 3rd ever from Karanaga camp.

Day 5. Departing Karanga Camp at 07.00. We summitted Kilimanjaro 5895 meters at 14.25 after doing 1950 meters of altitude gain in 7h and 25 min including a lunch stop at Stella Point for about 20 min. We descended to a camp (Kososv 4750) just above the Barufo camp in 1 hour and 25 minutes and sat down for tee and snacks. We stayed for the night in this camp at 4750 meters and decended to the Mweka Gate the next day in 5 hours.

Remarks:

I monitored the Oxygen saturation and pulse on the group 3 times a day and logged them in a book in order to keep track of performance and health. We all hiked with out ever being out of breath or going very fast. Having a good system of layering that allows you to ventilate and never get wet or cold helps save lots of energy. We worked hard on this.

Hydration and energy. Its key to stay hydrated. We all used 3 liter camel back that we all finished with in the day. On top of the 3 liters we drank as much tee as possible and each night we brought an extra liter of water to bead. During the day and night we had electrolyte spiked water by NUUN. For supplementary energy we used CLIF SHOT BLOKS and Clif Bars.

On summit day we used Caffinated CLIF SHOT BLOKS and Gels as well as Clif Bars. We had 4 liters of NUUN water. Plus a group supply of 3 liters of hoot tee. We supplied all local staff with Clif products to have them go at even phase.

I'd say if you have some kind of climbing background you may be batter off opting for the route called Western Breach starting from the Lavav Tower. Its similar in difficulty to the Barronco wall. One thing to think of is to do this with a small group that can stay close together in order to avoid having rocks falling down on fellow hikers. You don't need ropes but a helmet can be of use.

In general all trekking times outlined in the different guides and maps are hugely over estimated for any one with a very basic fitness level. With the exception of me no one in my group had any previous experience with high altitude hiking. On person had summitted Mt Blanc, one of the other two started preparing and hiking in July. The only reason not to do longer days is to have a few day around 4000 meter to get acclimatized. But be prepared for short soft days.

We opted for doing the summit during the day and I think thats way better than stumbling around at night. Its in general less wind during the day and you avoid wasting energy walking around in the dark, some thing few hikers are used to. One other bonus was that we where alone on the summit! The down side might be visibility on the summit but we had great visibility! Again, layering, hydration and energy food has to be well thought out if you are accending 1950 meters in one push. On the summit day my group was divided in to two groups so I acted as "floater" and moved between the front part and the back adding about 310 extra altitude meters to the 1950 meters so I was a bit tired at the end of the day.

Equipment:

I used ultra light (Gore-Tex) La Sportiva trail running shoes for the entire duration of the trip including summit day. The rest of the group opted for light weight Gore-Tex La Sportiva trekking boots for better ankle support on the summit day all other days they used ultra light trail running shoes.

We all used Patagonia Merino Wool for base layer and socks. We all used the ultra light Patagonia Rain Shadow line for protection. As warming layers we all used the Patagonia R1 Pullover. We all had a Patagonia R3 and a PrimaLoft jackets for warmth at breaks and stops. We all used the Patagonia Simple Guide Pants and Patagonia Alpine Guide Pants. Make sure you have a few extra to change with as its extremely dusty and dirty. I used CRUX eVent shell and a CRUX Torpedo sleeping bag. We all had light 40/45 liter back packs with taped seams. Non of us found gaiters to be of any use.

If you have lots of gadgets to charge you are better off bringing a HET POWER 50 Battery as a back up to your solar gear.

http://www.humanedgetech.com/shop/product.php?productid=184&cat=4&page=1

Thanks to Clif Bar and Patagonia

And who said its over? Or where to start?

2010-10-19T19:11:00.003+02:00

A friend sent me some great shoot from Ceuse to day, I was meant to go but felt "fluish" so I stayed at home trying to gather some energy for my up coming trip to the top of Africa. The sport climbing season is still very much on and projects are getting ticked! If you live in Sweden (or Finland) you have most likely switched to suicidal mood or you enjoy the famous "stick" on the boulders. I don't know about that boulder thing. Steve House published a picture from the seasons first dry tooling day. We all live in very different realities.

I will miss climbing and the great conditions while in Africa trekking but looking forward to a casual trip with friends and some altitude.

Eiger

2010-10-14T20:09:00.008+02:00

I just had a great time climbing the North Face of Eiger in 15h with Olov a Swedish young gun. Olov has racked up quite an impressive alpine CV in "no" time. Since we had never climbed as a team before we opted for a casual assent with one bivy. We stopped at the Death Bivy for hydration and food at lunch time and then moved up to the bivy spot at the start of the traverse of the Gods. Climbing with Olov was a great pleasure and we had a great time and even during the early hours of the night.

Its was kind of accidental that we ended up doing the Eiger since I have never really looked at the Heckmaier route as an interesting option other than as a winter route. This time of year my attention on Eiger has been the Young Spider and now should be the perfect timing but sadly the ice is not formed. The Heckmaier was how ever a superb route and I think the conditions where good. If we would have been more tuned in as a team we would have done it in a day with out even having to stress. I think we will be back in winter for a 10 h accent.

An alpinist best friend...

2010-10-03T17:26:00.002+02:00

When figuring out what to do and where to go this is one of the single most important instrument to understand what weather you are going to be facing.

The Name of the Game

2010-10-01T13:41:00.007+02:00

As I have written on this blog before there is an ongoing inflamed debate in Sweden about route naming and naming ethics. To day Alpinist (www.alpinist.com/doc/web10f/newswire-route-names-ban-sweden) is running a story on this issue.

I have been harsh against the Swedish Climbing Federation and on solid grounds. When DN one of the major daily Swedish newspapers published a story about an upset climber (Hess) and some loud politicians called for banning of "offensive" route names. A few politicians suggested banning climbing on cliffs with offensive route names.

The first response from the Chairman of the Swedish Climbing Federation was to agree that banning offensive route names was a viable solution. How ever after internal discussions the Federation issued a more sober statement basically saying that route naming is not some thing they can influence. The statement was also filled with some BS/PC (Bull Shit/ Politically Correct) statements meant to calm the situation and promise to look at the possibility of issuing a naming policy document. bla bla bla...

Now it seams further gasoline is put on the fire as there is a bit of a misunderstanding with regards to what the Federations position is and isn't. I'd say the Federation is with out a strong position and thats right. Some other think the federation is in favor of restricting naming rights. I think its fair to say that the position the Federation has is that its not there business. Its an issue for the FA, guide book authors and publishers.

In terms of my core argument the freedom of speech and freedom of expression over ride all access issues. But more important what is the world coming to when route naming is becoming political territory? Route naming is a corner stone in the climbing culture and no one has any right to tell the FA what a route can be called. Route names is an essential part of the climbing history and shall be preserved.

Its pathetic to bend over for political pressure and accept any kind of regulation or starting issuing policy documents.

Powered by skill or doped with O2?

2010-09-14T21:15:00.002+02:00

The use of banned substances and O2 in high-altitude mountaineering
seems to be both widely spread and a fully acceptable way to get to
the summit, but for how long? A "sports"-specific ban on O2 may well
be lurking around the corner. Does WADA have the power to upset the
whole industry of guided and O2-assisted climbs on the world’s highest
mountains? Will this new world order have any impact on the race to
become the first woman to summit all 14 8000-meter peaks?

While it’s a fair assumption that the history of mountaineering won’t
change, in the future summiting an 8000-meter peak using O2 may well
be considered as doping. An O2-powered ascent of Everest made today
can propel any aspiring newbie to the highest echelon of
mountaineering, at least in the eyes of the mainstream media and thus
of the average adventure-sports follower. Summiting Everest, at any
cost, still seems to make you mountaineer to the world, to the extent
that speaking engagements and lecture tours can become your new source
of income. [Aside: this media perception issue is on its own an
important one, but will not be pursued here.] The climbing world,
however, will not notice an ascent of Everest performed without some
special style and grace, and no recognition can be expected in the
“real” climbing media. If, then, a team that scales the West Face of
Gasherbrum 4 in alpine style and powered only by Clif bars, skill, and
the determination to summit in style will indeed achieve the
recognition it deserves from the people who matter, what is there to
complain about?

The WADA doping policy is the cornerstone of the UIAA’s own
anti-doping policy. In the future, the UIAA’s anti-doping policy may
well affect parts of the climbing world other than the competition
scene. This appears to be a development few have foreseen and one that
many will despise. It is easy to dismiss the doping issues in
high-altitude alpinism by saying that it is an “out-of-competition
activity” and that it’s nobody’s business to regulate what goes on up
there. But is climbing in the Greater Ranges really an
out-of-competition activity? Countries such as France and Kazakhstan
both have national teams for alpinism. Enormous funds are raised every
year on the back a declared ambition to set or break a record of some
sort.

Then there is the "race" among some female alpinists who are in
a de facto competition to become the first woman to scale all 14 peaks
over 8000 meters. True, this is not an organized competition with
judges sitting in lawn chairs in BC looking at the athletes through
big scopes while they kill themselves in the name of a record, but it
is still a race for the glory, recognition, sponsorship, book deals,
money and record claims which are without a doubt up for grabs. Then
there are also the destroyed opportunities for future generations to
achieve great firsts by fair means. I think it is fair to say that for
most climbers, as for most fans of more traditional sports, what it
all boils down to at the end of the day is: shall we encourage
cheating or go for the cleanest possible way?

The UIAA’s own Medical Committee and Doping Committee currently seem
to have some internal conflict over how to respond to a potential WADA
sports-specific ban on the use of supplementary O2. The UIAA Medical
Committee alone has been unable to answer any questions related to the
issue without having some of its members contradict each other. There
is to date simply no official policy statement which an outsider can
obtain with regard to the use of O2, and not even an unofficial
statement on which the committee members are agreed. The only clear
thing is that there is no consensus within the UIAA of how to handle
the O2-doping question.

I think it would be fair to say that it is impossible to dispute the
fact that using O2 is performance-enhancing, in fact at any altitude.
Add prescription drugs to this mix and we are definitely in murky
waters. At least in any other sport we would be in very murky waters,
but the acceptance of using for example Acetazolamide, sold under the
trade name Diamox, is almost universal. Who has not had Diamox in
order to speed up acclimatization, without thinking of it as actively
trying to enhance performance? Would we do this as readily in the full
knowledge that taking Diamox for any purpose other than treating a
symptom is a violation of the WADA code? Here we will not go into a
discussion of the use and abuse of the corticosteroids, of which the
best known is Dexamethasone, or of the new Wunderkinder of
high-altitude performance, Viagra and its relatives. Suffice it to say
that Acetazolamide (Diamox) is a banned substance according to the
WADA 2010 list of prohibited substances. O2 is not.

So how likely is it that O2 will be part of a future WADA list of
banned substances? This is hard to say, but conversations with a
number of WADA officials show they are well aware of the controversy.
This means they both understand the implications of adding O2 to the
list of banned substances and are at the same time keen to get rid of
the issues associated with the use of O2 in high-altitude
mountaineering. While it seems highly unlikely that a general O2 ban
could happen, a sports-specific ban may well be a reality in the near
future. One WADA official said off the record that the agency is being
approached by a considerable number of people who oppose that fact
that records can be claimed on ascents of mountains while assisted by
O2. The same official also confirmed that the UIAA seems to be
seriously divided in terms of how to handle the issue, and lobbying
efforts from those both for and against the use of O2 are being
mounted. One other WADA official, however, indicated that a
sports-specific ban would be likely to appear only if the UIAA were to
approach WADA to request this.

What would be the future in the event of a sports-specific ban on O2
use?

Doping controls by UIAA officials on the South Col? A medical
facility in Askole where blood samples are registered and DNA tested?
It would not be going out on a limb to say that this is not going to
happen. Some of the most significant implications, however, are those
concerning the 8000-meter "tourist industry," underpinning as it does
a not insignificant fraction of the local economy on both sides of Mt.
Everest. Today the industry of guided, O2-assisted ascents of
8000-meter peaks is driven largely by the fact that "Joe the Plumber"
can come and play at being a fully-fledged alpinist without any
previous knowledge or experience, and still have an Everest summit to
his name. The only drawback is noticed when he looks at his bank
statement. He is virtually guaranteed speaking engagements given that
he did some kind of "first on Everest” – first plumber, first to
summit with a batman toy, first to summit without knowing how to start
a Jetboil, or first to summit without ever having been higher than the
Empire State Building. Might this industry, for good or bad, suffer a
substantial blow? How cool is it to say “Hi, I climbed Everest.” when
you have to add “and by the way I used doping all the way”? Even the
most dubious outfitter would have to inform his clients that the trip
he was selling comes with the waiver that the ascent can’t be claimed
as a clean one because doping is a key element to success. Could or
would the UIAA try to ban the issuing of summit certificates for
climbs done on O2? Or would anyone comply at all if it’s killing
business?

To wrap up, it is worth pointing out that the end of this debate is
not going to hinge on the personal ambitions of some people at WADA
and the UIAA – it’s a question going to the core of how high-altitude
climbing is defined. Is that important enough for each of us to take a
position, or are we happy to let it be determined for us by some media
figures, some commercial operators, and the national mountaineering
associations of a few Himalayan nations? On a personal note, I think
keeping O2 out of climbing, if it could have any real impact, would be
a great way to keep the mountains clean, both literally and
figuratively.

Accident Report

2010-09-13T19:56:00.002+02:00

I had a bit of a epic sport climbing on Saturday and I spent the time (24h) in Hospital thinking about what went wrong. First of all it was a normal day. Good warm up and I was feeling super psyched after doing a 60 meter 7b+ On sight. The route I wanted to try next had a line of people waiting so I went for a 7b to the right. A steep looking corner. The bolt line was on the left wall of the corner and looked quite straight forward. As lots of stuff in Ceuse this route was bolted with some distance but not looking unsafe. I got to the last bolt under the belay and it was far to the belay so I tried to rest a bit. Going for the last meters I had to cross the corner to the right and now at the same level as the belay I had to do a few traverse moves to clip the bely. But then shit happen.

The biner in the belay was blocked and i down climbed to rest and go up and put a draw in the belay. How ever the holds at the belay was not that good so I started to pump out as I was climbing above the belay on the left to see if I could clip from left above. This did not work so I decide to try and dyno to some thing that looked like a good hold way above the belay to the right. Not a great call... I fell and got my left foot behind the rope and fell head first.

How did I manage to screw up like that? Well part of the answer is found in the way the route is bolted. Having a 30 meter bolt line on the left hand wall and the belay far from the last bolt and on the right hand wall its kind of a no brainer that a foot can get stuck if one is falling off.

I ended up slamming in to the left hand wall and got pretty badly beaten up. On the ground I had BAD neck and back pain. But I walked down under my own power. I decide that it was a smart thing to go and have an x-ray as I was getting more and more stiff. Nothing was broken just badly beaten up and stiff.

For safety when belaying I think http://www.powernplay.de/ can be of great help. This accident would not have been prevented if the belayer would have done any thing different but quite a few accidents could be avoided with good communication and constant observation.

Latok is off! But a humanitarian effort is underway!

2010-09-06T19:26:00.003+02:00

Given the fact that the Giri Giri boys had to much snow in July and its kept pouring down ever since my idea of trying Latok late in the season in order to find it in as dry conditions as possible kind off fell flat to the ground. So the trip is postponed until early May 2011.

But the main factor is off course the state of the country and the huge need for help. Together with my sponsors we have decided to try and shift the energy towards a humanitarian effort. We are still hammering out details and bouncing around ideas in order to figuring out how we best can put our energy and resources at work. This is great as I have Visa and tickets so I think given all the nice people are giving us climbers it would be great to be able to help out.

Will Gadd rules!

2010-08-25T22:41:00.003+02:00

"I do a lot of public speaking (demotivational only—there's far too much motivation in the world already)" Will Gadd

"Claiming to climb anything with Oxygen is BULLSHIT" Steve House

"The real "narcissist" is he who short cuts the experience and training necessary to climb that high by fair means and instead will do anything it takes (i.e. use O2, fixed ropes, sherpas, etc.) to get to the top.That is the person "who only cares for himself" in my opinion.Getting to the top of the highest summits used to be something that had to be earned, but now is simply purchased. And yes, the last time I checked, climbing was still dangerous." Vince Anderson

A few comment with regards to

A mountain of hype: Everest

Don't believe what they tell you: Climbing Everest is no big deal

http://explore-mag.com/article/place...-hype-everest/

Lets go now!

2010-08-25T10:01:00.000+02:00

I Just have to be able do this 7b+ project on 5th go or I will throw my quick draws down the mountain and blame lack of motivation on 8A banning me! With out Glory-card all the fun in climbing is gone!

Some Sport climbing pictures

2010-08-23T19:21:00.012+02:00

A super nice 7c+/ 5.13a 35m ressi! Losts of fun working this one and there is so much more to do at this spot!

Brev fran Jarfalla kommun

2010-08-20T13:59:00.005+02:00

Hej David

Tack för ditt brev. Debatten fortsätter på många ställen, men jag är inte helt sätter på att den är så konstruktiv som jag tycker den borde vara. Och det kommer bara bli en fortsatt smutskastning av mitt namn. Jag har försökt att åtminstone föra en diskussion och jag mer än någon tror jag vill att klippan ska förbli öppen. Huruvida du skulle stängas av från forumet har jag inget med att göra. När jag läste ditt angrepp på mig var du redan "User Deactivated" (vilket du dock inte verkar vara i alla fall ;)).

Jag är anställd i Järfälla kommun, kan tycka ett om tryck- och yttringsfrihet personligt som jag är en stor anhänger av, men samtidigt är det mitt jobb jag gör där. Jag har försökt att vara så konstruktiv som möjlig på 8a. De kommer aldrig stänga klippan med den formella orsaken att namnen är kränkande och det förvaltningsrättsliga kommer att bli sekundärt. Om de gör är det för att just ta fighten och få massor av publicitet, även vid en förlust. Jag tror man kommer använda en annan ursäkt för att uppnå det resultat man vill (fornminneslagstiftningen, nedskräpning, nedslitning av naturreservat mm). Hur som är det accessen på Gåseborg som är på spel.

Viste du om att Nazistisk klotter var vanligt vid klippan och byggningar däromkring mellan 1980 och 90, dvs när lederna kom till? Jag är inte intresserad av att peka ut någon eller skapa misstanker som kanske inte har någon grund, men konstaterar att många äldre Järfällabor ved om detta och därför blir detta en himla grej. Det finns en thors hammare inristat på toppen. Sånt kan lätt komma upp senare i debatten och då riskerar klättersamhället stå med ett än mer tydligare nazistsympatistämpel.

Jag ska läsa vad som står på din blogg, men jag avstår från att deltaga, det får du gärna nämna där om du vill.

Mvh Steffen

Svar till Steffen:

Aven om du lyckas lura nagra som foljer 8a med ditt snack sa ar jag inte sa lattlurad. Och denna typ av mail kommer sa klart att vara en del av Forbundets inlaga om ni nu pa nagot satt skulle fa for er att ens forsoka stanga Gaseborg. Sedan maste du ta dig en funderar pa hur du ska begransa tillgangligheten till gaseborg? Tilltradesforbud maste rimligen galla toppen sa da gar det inte att gifta sig dar langre. Eller ska du bara stanga de vertikala delaran? Du later orovackande intresserad av att stanga Gaseborg for politiska vinster trotts att du sager tvart om.

Namnpolitisering NEJ TACK!

2010-08-19T23:21:00.004+02:00

Debatten fortsatter pa www.8a.nu om namnen i Gaseborg. 8a tycker att vi ska ga politikerna tillmotes och andra namnen. Skriv om historien!

I brevet fran forbundet star det foljande: "Oavsett hur åsikten formuleras kommer förbundet aldrig varken vilja eller kunna bestämma hur namn får sättas eller återges i förare."Dvs inget kommer andras. Sossen som ar Jens nya kompis Steffen Oxenvad hojtar om pahopp pa 8a och tycker det ar synd att jag papekar det olampliga i hans onskan att lagga sig i vad vi klattrare doper lederna till. Mitt ganska ironiska inlagg riktat till honom valjer han dock att inte kommentera i sak.

Renet juridiskt ar han sa klart ute pa tun is utan att sjalv verka veta om det. Men han har ju gjort politik av namn pa klatterleder sa han bryr sig nog inte om att kolla upp hur hans politik ska kunna implementeras. Tack gode gud att han ar kommunalpolitiker. Dom har som tur vad inget inflytande over den juridik som paverkar denna fraga.

Nu till det viktiga. Detta ar en fraga om yttrande- och Tryckfrihet. Inte om tillgangligheten for klattring i Gaseborg. Slaget ar forlorat for bade Steffen Oxenvad och Jens. Ingen policy kommer andra pa namnen oh ingen kommunalpolitiker besitter nagon forvaltningsrattslig mojlighet att forhindra klattring pa Gaseborg med hanvisning till vad som ar en privat utgiven trycksak.

Sedan sager Steffen Oxenvad att flera skrivit till kommunen annonymt. Well jag har skrivit till kommunstyrelsens ordforande i mitt namn. Sa du har fel pa den punkten ocksa. Det ar saklart korkat av mig att ge denna Steffen publictet genom att namna honom vid namn men jag gor det for jag tror att de roster han kan vinna hos Hess och hennes polare kommer han forlora hos klattrare.

Why would I even mention 8a.nu?

2010-08-18T21:30:00.004+02:00

One way to deal with defeat is to get back on the horse and try again. To day I was banned from the site. A friend noticed it as I was out climbing. On facebook the boycott group is has some just criticism. 8a has its issues and its good sides. The good thing is the information exchange and route log data base. The bad side is the inability to lead a news site and the discussions that follows. His inconstancy and lack of ability to follow a stringent line and absorb other peoples arguments.

8a is claiming it has a anti chipping policy but you can't mention that one of the members in the Swedish Royal climbing Family is out there chipping away. He is a "legend" (if you ask Bjorn Stromberg) and a friend so lets not talk about that.

Some one asked why I even bother posting at the site and the only reason is to balance the picture 8a is painting. I'm not always right and as far as I know no one is right when it comes to climbing. It can be done as one like but some things are better than others. Style ethics etc.

I doubt I will be missed by many if any but I will kind of miss it. I mean for crying out loud what a fuck is wrong when you cant buy other peoples argument or at least accept them? Will I be back? I guess so...

Stewart Green comment on the Naming Issues in Sweden

2010-08-15T18:53:00.003+02:00

Som interesting comments and thoughts from Stewart

http://climbing.about.com/b/2010/08/14/swedish-climbing-federation-proposes-ban-on-offensive-route-names.htm

The Swedish Climbing Federation has gone mad!

2010-08-13T19:22:00.004+02:00

If I did not know better I would have guessed that it was a April fools joke gone bad or that the Chairman of The Swedish Climbing Federation was on a intoxicated bender but its a fact. The Swedish Climbing Federation has via its chairman announced in National media that "they" the Federation will release a name policy for climbing routes. Offensive names shall be banned!

Interesting enough the chairman of the Swedish Climbing Federation has no board approval for this policy initiative. And at least two board members are disputing the proposed naming policy. From a technical point of view one can argue that the chairman has no right what so ever to start implementing or working on a policy unless told to do so by the general assembly.

All this after a local socialistic political activist wants to shut down a crag in Stockholm after finding the route names offensive. The theme on the crag is referring to Nazism. One of the routes is named Hitler. The description is "Short and evil".

First of all The Swedish Climbing Federation has nothing to do with the naming of routes and should have much more important things to devote its time to. The names appear only in a printed topo not on the crag. The topo is protected by the laws ensuring freedom of speech. Where is the world coming at when politics will decide route names?

Route names is a integral part of a creative process when putting up new routes. It can in a way be seen as a way to participate in the public debate commenting on what's going on around us but also as a prank. Good or bad. The political argument to close the crag is that the names marginalize the Natzi regime we all grew up to despise. If one buys that argument how can the world accept Charlie Chaplin? Shall we ban his mocking of Hitler? Shall we return to book burning?

A fun detail is that the climber finding the names offensive and who alerted the national media is carrying the family name Hess. I hope for her sake she is not related to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudolf_Hess

Latok VS the World

2010-08-09T23:44:00.002+02:00

Once again Latok showed its visitors off. This time it was the Giri-Giri boys who where sent home with out getting very far. If I understand things right they first opted for a line on the North Face and I assume it must have been in the same area where Maxim tried. Then had a go at the ridge.

The North Face has an interesting line at its right hand up some feature that looks a bit like a "ramp" only it looks STEEP and exposed but it leads direct to the summit. This must in a way be the ultimate line on Latok. Is it to futuristic? I don't think so it looks kind of smart but way harder than the line we are opting for.

Looking at this link is interesting, almost fun... Why would any one in the right frame of mind even contemplate this project? Well its love.

R.I.P Fredrik Ericsson

2010-08-07T00:19:00.002+02:00

To day was a sad day for Swedish alpinism. Yet agin we lost a great talent to K2. Last time it was Daniel Bidner. All thoughts goes out to his friends and family. Fredrik was one of very few truly good Swedish alpinist/skiers and the fact that he was on a summit push with Gerlinde speaks volumes about his abilities.

Thanks Fredrik!

R.I.P

Alberto Zerain to solo Everest Hornbein couloir

2010-07-18T00:32:00.003+02:00

Wow a guy opting for the real deal on an 8000 meter peak and off season. I can only lift my hat and send my best wishes! And he cant be more spot on in his view of the current state of affairs in the 8000 meter game.

Whatever happened to the road being more important than the goal, Alberto asks:

“People fix far too much rope on most 8000ers,” Zerain stated in a press release. “It's beyond securing their own line on difficult passages...most climbers today let others do the job and focus only on the summit instead of on the way they climb."

With most crowding on the normal routes, Alberto said, "anyone wishing to be face to face in pure harmony with the mountain should look for a route far from the normal itineraries.”

http://explorersweb.com/everest_k2/news.php?id=19503

Countdown

2010-07-16T23:53:00.006+02:00

Photo credit: Novellón/Pereze 2009 R.I.P Oscar

Its time to go back to Himalaya and have a go at the infamous North Ridge of Latok. We have tried to find out how the Giri-Giri boys have been doing but no news so far. No matter what the outcome is I think its one of the most beautiful mountains in the Himalayas and the potential for futuristic line seams endless.

If all goes to plan we will try the US (Lowe, Kennedy and Donini) line. We have planned for a long expedition and expect to wait for our shoot for quite some time so our huge Mountain Hardwear Space Dome will be filled with goodies and books. I cant wait to tie in under the huge and winding spur with my 5.10s on, knowing that its going to be some very long and exhausting days ahead.

The final preparations will include the current trip to the Dolomites and the Peuterey Integral on Mt Blanc so we arrive acclimatized to plus 4000 meters.

Packing for the 2010 Latok Expedition

2010-06-24T07:05:00.002+02:00

In the next two weeks we will nail dow the final details of our Latok Expedtion and ship out our gear and some goodies. Its still snowy at Baltoro and Hispar and given that we think a low snow year or low snow conditions is key to get a fair shoot at the North Ridge we will opt for a late departure and climb in to mid October. Hopefully we will be trading some lower temps for better snow conditions and cold but stable weather. Only guessing and hoping. Guess that this strategy will leave us quite lonely as most teams visiting Pakistan will be long gone when we arrive.

Training is going as planned and my motivation is starting to build for each day I look at the pictures of Latok and its mighty faces.

17h on the Cassin Ridge

2010-06-15T08:05:00.001+02:00

Colin Haley and Norwegian Bjorn-Eivind Artun climbed up and over the West Rib, got on the Cassin and banged it out in 17 hours. That’s the second fastest ascent to date, with Mugs Stump still holding the record at 15h.

Well done guys super cool!!

www.wildsnow.com

Babylon reality show

2010-06-14T01:48:00.000+02:00

Glad to be alive

2010-06-09T22:39:00.003+02:00

Today I had as close of a call one can have and still get back home alive. I was sport climbing with friends at a super nice cliff, up a via ferata trail. It's an "up in the air" and exposed place where you think twice when moving around. After warming up on 6b+ and 6c+ I looked at a nice looking 7a line. I went for an onsight and at the top I was tired, without any quick draws left (I usually use one or two quick draws to attach myself to the chain). I clipped the chain with my locking carabiner and threaded the rope, grabbing the chain and prepared to lower off. Looking down at my harness, only holding the chain with my left hand, I see that I'm not attached to ANYTHING. This is about 40 meters up and I clip in the figure 8 knot in to my locking carabiner and lower off feeling like shit and quite shaken up landing on the ground.

Lesson: ALWAYS LOOK TWICE AT WHAT YOU DO AT THE BELAY. You can never be too safe!

David spraying away

2010-06-08T03:29:00.001+02:00

Having only ambition one is left to spraying away... Well what's new we know you or I know me...

What a bad day!

2010-05-24T01:36:00.002+02:00

It's mid season sport climbing and the shape is still not in sight. I still suffer from the finger injury I got last fall. To day was all time HIGH in terms of having a shitty day. I screwed up on the warm up and never got in to the send game. I had initial high hopes but I managed to end the day with out doing any thing at all! Thats a all time low this year. I guess thats a way to slowly get in shape.

I don't know what to do but I guess all things will come back at some point. And if nothing happens I guess I have to ask my sponsor for new shoes. New gear always helps!

The only good thing to day was the sun!

http://laytonkorclimbing.com for donations and the possibility to climb a classic with guys like Tommy Caldwell, Conrad Anker, Steph Davis etc etc.

And last week Swedish Eiger pioneer (first ever Swedish accent of Eiger) and Big Wall lover Mikael Sribhadung made a charity accent of Mescalito on El Cap with Tommy Caldwell and raised 4000 USD for Layton. Mescalito is one of the longest routes on the big stone and the 4 day accent was remarkably fast given that this was the teams first climb together. Back in the early 90th Sribhadung was a rising star in Sweden and a true all round climber comfortable on sport climbing, Ice, Big Walls and In the Himalayas. After years of absence from the big walls of the world Sribhadung is now back for the second time in a year on El Cap and in great style. Only time will tell but I think a big wall project in Pakistan is on the Sribhadung radar.

On his Facebook status Stewart M. Green comments on the accent: "Thanks Tommy Caldwell for guiding Swedish climber and businessman Mikael Sribhadung up Mescalito on El Capitan in Yosemite last week for a $4,000 donation to the Layton Kor medical fund...both of you guys rock!!"

All of you out there go to the site and make a small donation!

En post pa Svenska. Sorry internal Swedish BS

2010-05-11T13:45:00.004+02:00

Med minskat intresse foljer jag div bloggar och siter som alla behandlar olika aspekter av klattring. Grabbarna pa TBS skicka i vag varens kanske roligast inlagg nar dom peppa upp sig for Stockholmsveckan i Fontan. Man kan bara lyfta pa hatten nar nagon lyckas vara sa rolig. Och detta ar val ett av de fa ljusen i klattersveriges morker.

Sverige och svensk klattring kanns som den trampat vatten de senaste 30 aren. Svensk klattring har aldrig varit direkt cutting edge sett i ett internationellt perspektiv aven om manga svenskar verkar tro det. Svensk Himalaya klattring har en pinsam historia som helt saknar spektakulara milstolpar som mater sig med de stora klatternationernas bedrifter (enstaka forsok har undantagsvis skett och da tanker jag framst pa Braod Peak). Samma sak galler i princip all svensk klattring med undantag for Big Wall prestationer. Av nagon marklig anledning tycks svenskar kunna presstera bra pa Big Walls runt om i varlden (Gronland, Patagonien, Himalya och USA). Detta ar bade gladjande och imponerande. Vad kan det bero pa att Big Wall team testat spektakulara nya linjer pa Gronland och i Himalaya men knappt nagon motsvarighet gar att hitta hos de som klattrar alpint?

Det ar ju inte sa att det saknas svensk aktivitet i Himalaya men i princip all aktivitet ar koncentrerad normalleder pa berg som redan ar klattrade pa langden och bredden. Kanske beror det pa att alla vill bli "kanda" aventyrare sa att de kan salja bocker och halla foredrag. Kanske beror det pa att det verkar enklare att bestiga Everest an att gora Shivling. Fast jag tror det beror pa att ingen vill kopa en bok om Shivling och det skulle inte leda till en plats i TV4s morgonsoffa. Symptomatiskt for dessa 8000 meters klattrare ar att de alla tycks vara helt omedvetna om hur pinsamt mediokra deras prestationer ar sett ur ett internartionellt persoektiv. Men av nagon anledning sa funkar det i Sverige. Utvecklingen ar skrammande och nar jag laser att den svenske pajasen som brande satellite timmar pa att snacka med media under olyckan pa K2 (2008) nu ska kora guidade turer till Everest sa blir jag morkradd. Ar denne uppenbart inkompetenta person kapabel att leda andra pa Everest? Ar nogon verkligen kapabel att guida pa Everest? Knappast men lagligt ar det. Man kan ju bara hoppas att det inte slutar som i High Crimes. Eller ar det just det som behovs? En rejal olycka for att fa slut pa galenskaperna? Jag vet inte om detta "aventyrar fenomen" vi ser i Sverige beror pa landets avlagsna geografiska placering eller om det bara ar bristande sjalvinsikt/sjalvkritik.

Ett roligare "topic" ar det som nu debatteras friskt pa div forum och bloggar. Allt startade nar Hanna Melin kasta ut fragan om det ar ratt eller fel att ta bort borrbultar fran en led nar den gatts pa egna sakringar. Det ar som vanligt The Usual Suspects som deltar och inget fel i det. Alltid lika stort underhallningsvarde men ocksa total avsaknad nagon typ av historisk aterkoppling. Jag saknar en medvetenhet om svensk klattrings rotter nar debatterna rasar pa div siter och forum. Allt borja inte efter ar 2000.

Men i foreningssverig ska ju alla kunna gora allt pa lika villkor sa det ar inte en sa forvanande utveckling. Med detta ar det inte sagt att den inte bor bekampas. For vad ar nyttan av en okad klatterpoppulation? Vad ar nyttan av fler posers i Himalaya? Vad ar nyttan av fler personer som tror att toppen pa ett berg ar den punkt dar de fasta repen tar slut? Vad ar nyttan med fler klattrare som inte sjalva kan lagga sakringar och forflytta sig pa ett naturligt satt i bergen? Vad ar nyttan med klattrare som tror att klattring ar begransat till 10 borrbulara eller tejpbitar pa en plyfa vagg?

I debatten som Hanna startatde sa laste jag att nagon (red) tycker att avgorandet om bultarnas vara eller icke vaar ska avgoras demokratiskt i samforstand... Suck! Personligen tycker jag att att den som klattrar en tur i basta stil ar den som satter ribban for vilken etik som ska galla. Hela det har dravlet med att anpassa klattringen till en niva som passar den konfort zone som individen fortillfallet befinner sig i ar det basta sattet att sabba for framtida gennerationer.

Eller som Shawn Boye uttryckte det: "Desire is not an acceptable argument for adaption of an ethic when one is not capable of accomplishing their goal; all things have their time."

Yet an other sad day for Female Himalaya Climbing

2010-04-29T20:59:00.004+02:00

Annapurna has historically been conservative when granting climbers access to its summit. Its a notorious hard cookie to crack and for many of the aspiring collectors of the big 14 Annapurna has been left to the bitter end of the game. Annpurna is a special mountain as it sees little of the sad 8000 meter tourism. Its also unique among the 8000 meter peaks as some of the finest alpine style achievements has taken place on its South Face.

Sadly 2010 this all changed. Never has so many climbers summited Annapurna in a season but the style is pathetic. To day the climbers have set camp at the foot armed with fixed ropes and massive army's of Sherpas and helpers. They don't go in circles they move backwards. The style to day is "heavier" than on the mountains first assent some 50 years ago. It tells you all you need to know about the French expedition lead by Herzog and all you need to know about to days posers. I might be naive but one would think that with today's technology and gear it wold be easy to show that progress has been made. But the girls racing to bag all 14 seams to be so blind sighted by the strive to be the first so they forget all about style. Or maybe they never knew how to distinguish good style from bad.

Eun-Sun Oh "became" the first female "alpinist" to "claim" an accent of all 14 summits higher that 8000 meters. I say this with brackets as I think the REAL game is still on and that's the game to reach the summit by Fair means meaning NO 02 and in style. This doped and supported Korean circus is a disgrace to female mountaineering much like the disgrace Swedish mega poser Annelie Pompe brought on Swedish alpinism when she went out in the biggest national news paper and made a false summit claim on Shishapangma.

Its sad with the focus on summits and the collecting of peaks when style is forgotten and blind ambition is the new yardstick to measure achievements with. My advice is: Bitches get real and go light and do some thing you master with out fixed ropes, O2, Sherpas and all the other shit you bring to become famous.

My reporting in Alpinist on Piolet d'Or

2010-04-16T17:32:00.000+02:00

http://www.alpinist.com/doc/web10s/newswire-piolets-dor-2010-identity

Piolet d'Or and its Identity crisis

2010-04-12T22:57:00.004+02:00

The Piolets d'Or 2010

Photo: David Falt

The revived version of the controversial Piolets d'Or event held its second event since its abrupt ending a few years back in Chamonix Mont-Blanc and Courmayeur over the weekend of April 7th to 10th. Last year the event was back in a new promising format with a career award. Group Haute Montnage (GHM) had also joined forces with the Alpine Club in the UK and created the Spirit of Mountaineering award to honour alpinists who risk everything in order to rescue fellow climbers. Last year the award was given to 4 out of 5 nominees based on what was perceived as different categories. I was how ever quite disappointed that the Nuptse accent who I think was the fines but did not top out (Benoist and his partner did a judgement call and returned from the ridge when all interesting climbing was finished due to feeling they where approaching the limit) did not get an golden axe.

This year five outstanding accents was nominated all meeting the standards of the charter adapted by GHM. The GHM charter is the guide line for the jury when they are deliberating and selecting the final award winning candidates.

The new career achievement award was given to Reinhold Messner who was quite vocal in his criticism of modern high altitude climbing and the focus on 8000 meter tourism. Messner made an interesting observation when he pointed out that todays Basque and Japanese (both female) expeditions working on Annapurna are much heavier in style and tactics compared to the expedition lead by Maurice Herzog 1950. Hertzog who was present in Chamonix and participated in a panel discussion with Messner agreed that some of today's expeditions performance is not that impressive. The achievements of the nominees how ever impressed both Hertzog and Messner who both praised the light style chosen by all nominated teams.

In the press briefing I asked Messner the following questions:

- Messner Is the Piolet d'Or important?

" This is like the Oscars for alpinism, its a celebration of the alpine tradition. Alpinism starts where tourism stops. To days trade routes on the 8000 meter peeks climbed by commercial expeditions using fixed ropes, camps and Sherpas are pure tourism that has nothing to do with alpinism. The Piolet d'Or celebrate Alpinism that's whats beyond this tourism."

- Messner on the development of Alpinism

"To day its not about being a hero. This is some thing that belongs to the past where mountaineers where received as hero's up on there return from the mountains. To days hero's are climbers like Chris Sharma and Adam Ondra. The internet has changed the focus on what's interesting to the younger generations."

"To days alpinist can't find much unknown terrain but they find new lines that are technically hard and a the same time intelligent. When Hertzog and other climbers went to Himalayas nothing was know about the next valley or what the human body was able to with stain."

This years golden axes were given to two of the five nominees. The jury motivation this year was quite different in comparison to last year`s. The motivation this year was that these two expeditions best meet the criteria outlined in the GHM charter. Christian Thrommsdorff who is the chairman of GHM emphasised that two winners just got more than the other three rather than looking at it as the other nominees did not measure up to the charter. I found this quite lame and I think that in the end this unclear approach will dilute the importance of the event. I also think it can open up for new controversies. All accents nominated was great achievements and for some one to put one in front of an other on quite vague grounds makes the Jury look quite silly in my opinion.

I would argue that GHM must opt for a format where they award in categories. In its current format and given the outcome of this years event I think that more and more climbers will decline nomination as its kind of interesting to be par of some thing that is "changing" its format from year to year.

The Piolet d'Or is struggling to find a new identity and time is essential if this award wants to stay relevant and interesting to the climbing community. "The new Oscar style as Christina Trommsdorff describes the event will only stay relevant and avoid future controversy if the award criteria and process is clear and predictable. I also think jury presentations should be open to the public." That was one comment from a nominee.

Finlay it was hugely disappointing that the Alpine Club did not award one or two of the extraordinary sacrifices made in 2009 in the Himalayas in terms of mounting rescue missions to fellow climbers.

The 2010 winners was

Cho Oyu (8201m) southeast face, Nepal. The Kazakh climbers Denis Urubko and Boris Dedeshko climbed a very difficult and direct new route on this 2600-meter wall, during a 10-day round trip from base camp in May. With this climb, they discovered a bold and difficult new way to the summit of a popular Himalayan summit. For Urubko, the climb was a stylish conclusion to his quest to climb all 14 of the world’s 8000-metre peaks.

Xuelian West (6422m), north face, China. Bruce Normand from Scotland and Americans Jed Brown and Kyle Dempster are among the first climbers to explore the north side of this impressive massif. After climbing several virgin faces during acclimatization, they completed the first ascent of the 2650-metre north wall of Xuelian West, with five days of difficult and insecure technical climbing.

Rock Trip

2010-03-30T17:24:00.003+02:00

Off on a road trip to enjoy some of the best sport climbing in south of Europe. I hope the weather will cooperate so I can get some nice climbing done. This will be my sport climbing comeback after my tendon injury last October. Spring is here and so its time to jump on the bike and start getting fit for Latok. On the fun side. The other day I got 9 boxes of gear from Mountain Hardwear for our Latok Expedition. Lots of great stuff and I can't wait to get out and test my new clothing system. Might get a shoot in Alaska as I will skip the Oscars in Chamonix and go for trip to Mt Hunter.

Photo: Courtesy Maxime Turgeon

Piolet d'Or 2010 The Alpinism Oscars

2010-03-02T15:48:00.005+01:00

What's the point in having an "Oscars" for Alpinism? If we look at the Piolets d'Or in the same way we look at grading, something which is highly subjective and only interesting to climbers who aspire to do the route being graded, it can be a fun event to follow. First of all, we have to remember the controversy that has surrounded this event in the past. Having a few guys telling a few other guys that they did a route unworthy of the award is crazy. It’s all a strange game and some climbers try to make a statement by refusing to be nominated while others try to be part of the circus and influence the outcome.

I'm in the latter category. For me personally, it's a fun event and a great way to meet friends, socialize and climb. The organizers have tried to take the edge off some of the past emotions by introducing a new format where five or six teams are nominated and more than one award can be given, for example in categories emphasizing "technical difficulty", "commitment" and "exploration". I guess in theory one team can grab all three awards but this is a highly unlikely scenario. In this year's bag is a nice mix of great achievements, some maybe better than others, some more hyped than others but the key element is that they are all great achievements, illustrating the beauty of the pure alpine challenge and in the age of relentless commercialism, over-hyping of 8000m 'heroes' and even blatant fraudulence to gain entry to this club, the appeal of the alpine ideal should not be allowed to dim.

To further widen the event and make it less about comparing and judging, the organizers have also included a "life-time achievement" award. Last year's recipient, to everyone's joy, was the rehabilitated Walter Bonatti. This year, Reinhold Messner will be honored with the award, and again I think few will object. It's hard to see that this can really upset anyone as long as it recognizes style before public glory.

I personally will pay most attention to the "Spirit of Mountaineering" award. This is given to climbers who risk it all in order to try and save fellow climbers stuck where no one else can get to them. This might not be the coolest award in alpine climbing, but in my opinion, and up against the possible style squabbles separating the achievements of the Piolet d'Or contenders, it is only truly interesting and unequivocally deserved award on offer.

At the end of the day, the Piolet d'Or is like most things in life a matter of taste and choice. I think that, independent of who walks away with the axe(s), it's a great way to promote alpinism and alpine climbing. I think it's a great way for climbers who do not prioritize the running of a well-oiled PR machine to end up in the spotlight and receive some public recognition for their efforts in the Greater Ranges, which remain an enduring bastion of adventure on our over-civilized planet. Let's face it: at the end of the day, an award has a huge value to the recipient, not only privately, in terms of that recognition for many years of quiet striving, but also commercially. It might not change the world, but it can certainly change the opportunities to find sponsors and partners for future projects, and thus act as a springboard for a climbing career.

5 nominees in contention for the 18th Piolets d’Or

2010-03-02T10:32:00.003+01:00

The jury of the 18th Piolets d’Or has named the five nominee ascents out of 52 accents undertaken on mountains all over the world during 2009. There is no big surprise among the nominated climbs and unlike last year there is no report of climbers who has declined to be nominated. It will be interesting to see how the jury will handle the new format of the Piolet d’Or where three awards are given out, one for the most technical accent, one for the most committing and for exploring unknown territory. Also notably in this years selection is the heavy representation of climbers from the former eastern block. Maybe this is a sign that the era of siege style accents is becoming part of the history.

THE ASCENTS

Cho Oyu, 8201 m - Nepal

Kazakhs Denis Urubko and Boris Dedechko opened a new route on the South East Face in May (Nepalese side). With this ascent, Urubko becomes the fifteenth man to have successfully climbed all fourteen 8000ers, and the ninth person to do it without oxygen. At 36 years of age, the Kazakh has taken nine years to accomplish this feat. He did not choose the easy option when opening a new route, alpine-style, on three 8000ers including this one, an ascent which won him a Piolet d’Or Asia.

Name of the route: Kazakh Dedechko-Urubko

Length: 2600m

Difficulty announced: M6, 6b, A2/A3

Date of the ascent: from 11th to 15th May 2009

Chang Himal, 6750 m - Nepal

At the beginning of November, Brits Nick Bullock and Andy Houseman successfully completed a first on the central pillar of the North Face of Chang Himal, not far from Kanchenjunga. The two men took five days to climb this technical route of 1800 metres of mixed difficulty evaluated at M6. The route had previously been attempted without success in 2007 by Slovenian climbers.

Name of the route: Bullock-Houseman

Length: 1800m

Difficulty announced: M6

Date of the ascent: from 29th October to 2nd November 2009

Gongga North-West Peak 6134m - China

The first ascent of this summit, situated in Sichuan province, was successfully completed in May by Russians Mikhail Mikhailov and Alexander Ruchkin. They climbed the 1100 metre rock pillar over five days. It presented mixed difficulty on the lower section and a fabulous free-climb on the upper section. These two alpinists, members of the expedition to the North Face of Jannu in January 2004, specified that they used no bolts to open this route. They were awarded the Russian Piolet d’Or for this ascent.

Name of the route: Carte Blanche

Length: 1100m

Difficulty announced: 6c free climbing, mixed climbing with an ice passage of 75°

Date of the ascent: April 2009

Xuelian Feng (West), 6422 m China

Over five days, Americans Jed Brown and Kyle Dempster along with Scotsman Bruce Normand completed a first accent of the North Face of the previously unclimbed west summit of Xuelian Feng (Chinese Tien Shan). This was a ground up alpine style accent involving hard mixed, ice and rock climbing on a beautiful spur in an are where not much climbing has been done.

Name of the route: The Great White Jade Heist

Length: 2650m

Difficulty announced: ice 5, rock 5.7, mixed M6.

Date of the ascent: from 26th to 30th August 2009

Pic Pobeda, 7439m Kirghizstan

At the end of August, Russian climbers Vitaly Gorelik and Gleb Sokolov opened a difficult new route on the North Face of Peak Pobeda, the highest summit in the Tien Shan massif. The two men climbed a difficult 2400 metre buttress alpine-style in seven and a half days, in bad weather conditions, until they reached a minor peak along the long summit. They then took one and a half days to descend. They encountered numerous passages of black ice and delicate zones of mixed terrain which slowed their progress. Sokolov, 56 and Gorelik aged 42 are both experienced Russian alpinists. They were both members of the victorious K2 expedition in 2007.

Piolets d’Or 2010 and the nominees are....

2010-03-01T13:21:00.004+01:00

Its time for the annual event of the Piolets d’Or to revel the nominees. The Oscars of Alpinism. It will be interesting to see who gets on the short list but I have a hunch Bruce Normand, Kyle Dempster and Jed Brown will be on the list.

The life time achievement will be awarded to Messner and who can complain? What an outstanding alpinist who has been lead by style rather than blind ambition. It will be interesting to see who is on the list of nominations as you might remember I did a short list of some worthy candidates late 2009. I think we will see a few of the names from my short list.

Some nice climbing but what....

2010-02-21T16:41:00.003+01:00

The condition in the Alps are bad, it just keeps snowing and snowing. Not even the Ice climbing is that great since avalanche conditions are sketchy to judge. How ever the last week has offered some nice ice climbing. I did a nice but scary WI6:ish route and then in the spells between the snowing I got some sport climbing done. I'm not in great shape after my finger injury in October last year but its getting there and the finger seams to be heeling alright .

One can only hope the snowing stops and that some of the big routes in the Alps get in good condition so some nice and hard routes can get climbed. I feel really keen to go for some longer routes this winter, like Grand Pillier de Angle or some thing on the South face of MTD like Patagonic.

Mountain Hardwear and some rock climbing

2010-02-13T20:00:00.004+01:00

Understandably I'm pleased that our Latok expedition has been selected for the 2010 Mountain Hardwear Expedition Sponsorship Program. To receive backing from one of the worlds leading outdoor manufacture is huge and I think it will help us not only on the mountain but also in other areas.

I had hoped that by now I would have ticked off Kwangde and be on my way of some of this winters projects in Chamonix but the conditions in the Alps leave quite allot to wish for. Alpinism is a waiting game so I'm not to worried yet but at some point real frustration will kick in. We are planning to try some long hard mixed routes as tune up for Latok so a change in the weather pattern would be nice.

In the mean time I entertain my self with Ice climbing and to day with some sport climbing. It will sound strange but the "stick" on the south facing cliff at 1600 meters was horrible to day. Way to warm!

Mountain Hardwear Announces Expedition Sponsorship Recipients for 2010

2010-02-10T21:51:00.000+01:00

Mountain Hardwear Announces Expedition Sponsorship Recipients for 2010;

2009 recipient is named National Geographic Adventure’s Adventurer of the Year

Richmond, CA (February 10, 2010) – Mountain Hardwear, a leading mountaineering and outdoor clothing and equipment company, announces the recipients of the 2010 Expedition Sponsorship Program. Mountain Hardwear will give total of $10,000 to help fund five 2010 expeditions.

2010 Expedition Sponsorship Recipients

Latok I, North Ridge – David Falt, Krister Jonsson and Marco Koupiainen

The group will travel to Pakistan from July to August 2010 to attempt an alpine style first ascent of the North Ridge of Latok I (7145m), a 2500m climb comprising of complex, steep terrain through rock, ice and mixed climbing. The North Ridge of Latok I is one of the most notorious unfinished projects in the Himalayas. The team plans to carry enough supplies to last up to 15 days on the route, allowing them staying power to sit out potential bad weather. The team members each have roughly 20 years of climbing experience in Scandinavia, the Alps, Yosemite, Himalaya and Alaska.

Jankuth, West Face – Malcolm Bass and Pat Deavoll

From September to October 2010, the team of two will attempt a first ascent of Jankuth (6805m), in Northern India on the Gangotri Glacier. In September 2004, Pat, Malcolm and three others attempted the ascent, but were shut down on two different routes due to inclement weather. Inspired by Jankuth, the highest mountain left unclimbed in the Gangotri region, Pat and Malcolm will call upon the time honored Garwhal ethic of self sufficient exploration choosing a “fast and light” climbing approach.

Ski Kyrgyzstan 2010 – Nathan Rowland and Ollie Nieuwland-Zlotnicki

Ski mountaineers Nathan Rowland and Ollie Nieuwland-Zlotnicki, both current residents of Aspen, CO, will travel to Kyrgyzstan in May 2010 for a circumnavigation of the Al-Dyrtr and Kary Sars glaciers in the Tien-Shan Mountains with multiple first ascent and descent attempts. The project ventures into a remote area of Kyrgyzstan that has rarely been visited or explored.

Trek for a New Nepal – Allegra Fisher, Caroline Pihl and Sarah Mortati

Wilderness explorers Allegra, Caroline and Sarah plan to be the youngest women, and the first Americans, to complete a traverse of the Great Himalayan Trail in Nepal. From November 2010 to April 2011, their goal will be to traverse Nepal from east to west while documenting the educational and environmental development potential along the newly created 1,600km Nepali portion of the Great Himalayan Trail.

2 Wheels 4 Education – Eleanor Moseman

Beginning in April 2010, Eleanor, a photographer who has been living and working in China, will attempt to complete a year-long, solo bicycle journey around Asia while raising money and awareness for two charities, Girls Education International and Stepping Stones China. She plans to document the journey through China, Mongolia and Russia through her photography, a book, and eventually, a cycling guidebook. Eleanor was inspired to raise awareness for female equality after noticing the obvious differences in rights between the male and female genders, and the disadvantages most females face living in China. www.2wheels4girls.com

Team Leader for Operation Denali Is Named National Geographic Adventure’s Adventurer of the Year

2009 Expedition Sponsorship recipient, Marc Hoffmeister, the team leader for Operation Denali, was named one of National Geographic Adventure’s Adventurers of the Year. Operation Denali, an expedition of six wounded Iraq war veterans, sponsored in part by Mountain Hardwear and our Expedition Sponsorship Program, put an assault on Denali in June 2009. For more information about Operation Denali, visit the Mountain Hardwear blog: http://blog.mountainhardwear.com/2009/11/marc_hoffmeister_national_geog.html

About the Expedition Sponsorship Program:

Mountain Hardwear was founded by a small group of people who are passionate about mountaineering, alpine adventures and outdoor activities. Mountain Hardwear's sponsorship program was founded to encourage people to explore the outdoors and to push our products to perform in physically demanding environments. The program gives equal consideration to all who apply, with a goal of motivating adventurers to follow their passions and chase their dreams.

ABOUT MOUNTAIN HARDWEAR:

Mountain Hardwear, Inc. makes cutting edge mountaineering and outdoor equipment, apparel and accessories for ultimate performance in extreme conditions. Established in 1993 by a group of outdoor industry veterans, Mountain Hardwear is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Columbia Sportswear Company based in Richmond, Calif. Mountain Hardwear distributes its products through specialty outdoor and sporting goods retailers throughout the United States and over 40 countries worldwide. Mountain Hardwear has won numerous product and customer service awards since its inception, reflecting the company’s commitment and passion toward innovation. It’s our relentless drive to create the absolute best that makes us who we are. Mountain Hardwear. PERFORMANCE ELEVATED™. www.mountainhardwear.com