The news

The organisers of the Piolet d’Or mountaineering award have published the 'big list' of most significant and innovative climbs carried out in 2023. The honoured ascents will receive the Piolets d'Or 2024 award during the celebration at San Martino di Castrozza (Italy) from 8 - 11 December 2024.

Nemuel Feurle, Jacopo Larcher and Babara Zangerl have all repeated 'Seventh Direction' in the Rätikon, Austria. The 220m 8c multipitch on Drusenfluh was first ascended in 2022 by Alex Luger.

Swiss mountaineer Dani Arnold is the twelfth recipient of the Paul Preuss Prize, awarded each year in memory of the bold Austrian alpinist. Instated in 2013, past winners are Reinhold Messner, Hanspeter Eisendle, Albert Precht, Hansjörg Auer, Alexander Huber, Beat Kammerlander, Bernd Arnold, Heinz Mariacher, Catherine Destivelle, Thomas Huber and...

26-year-old German climber Lara Neumeier has made the first repeat of 'Nimm Dir Zeit' (140m, 8a+) on Roter Stein in Austria.

Watch American climbers Amity Warme and Brent Barghahn making a ground-up free repeat of El Niño - Pineapple Express (5.13c, 25 pitches)⁣ on El Capitan in Yosemite, USA.

On 27 August 2024 Italian mountain guides Niccolò Bruni and Gianluca Marra made the first ascent of 'C'era una volta il West' on Rognon Vaudano, below Dent du Géant in the Mont Blanc massif.

Earlier this summer an international team comprised of Martin Krasňanský, Michal Mikušinec and Tomáš Buček from Slovakia and František Bulička from the Czech Republic made a rare repeat of 'Grand Diedre Desplomando' on Trango Tower, aka Nameless Tower, Karakorum, Pakistan. The 1100m big wall was first ascended in 1987 by...

The preliminary details of the climbing expedition to Greenland by Matteo Della Bordella, Symon Welfringer, Silvan Schüpbach and Alex Gammeter, which resulted in the first ascent of 'Odissea Borealis' (1200m, 35 pitches, 7b) on the hitherto unclimbed NW Face of Drøneren

On 01/09/2024 the Italian-Polish mountaineer Filip Babicz climbed the four ridges of the Matterhorn in 7 hours 43 minutes and 45 seconds. Furggen Ridge ascent, Hörnli Ridge descent, Zmutt Ridge ascent and Lion's Ridge descent, without external support and gear stashes on the mountain.

On 30/08/2024 German climber Lara Neumeier, belayed by Nadine Wallner, redpointed 'Headless Children' (8b, 250m) on Schijenfluh in the Rätikon massif.

German climber Alexander Megos has made the third ascent of 'Move' at Flatanger in Norway, suggesting an upgrade to 9b/+.

Swiss climber Katherine Choong has made the first female ascent of Zahir (8b+, 300m) at Wenden.

Francesco Favilli and Filippo Zanin, two expert Italian mountaineers, died while climbing the south face of the Marmolada, Dolomites.

Jacopo Larcher and Barbara Zangerl have made the first repeats of 'The Gift' (8c, 350m) on the Drusenfluh the Rätikon massif in Austria.

The Ettore Canzio Bivouac at Colle des Grandes Jorasses in Val Ferret and the Lorenzo Borelli Bivouac at Aiguille Noire de Peuterey in Val Veny, Mont Blanc massif, are temporarily unfit for use. The Italian Academic Alpine Club, owner of the huts, provides the details.

On the south face of the Marmolada in the Dolomites Bernardo Rivadossi and Massimo Faletti have established 'Ego Land'. Freed by Rivadossi and Luca Bana, the 410-meter multi-pitch offers difficulties up to 8c/c+ max (7c+ obligatory) and is one of the most difficult in the Dolomites.