The news

Interview with James Pearson after the first ground-up repeat of Is not always Pasqua E9 at Collina di Interprete (Monti Sibillini, Marche, Italy) and the first ascent of Pazienza E8 7a.

On 2 January 2014 the Americans Joel Kauffman, Neil Kauffman and Mikey Schaefer made the first ascent of Super Domo (V 600m WI5 M6) up the East Face of Cerro Domo Blanco in Patagonia.

The Lucky Monkey video by American climber Cheyne Lempe.

Enrico Bonino introduces B & B - Azione indecente, a new dry tooling area Cogne (Aosta), Italy.

Mountain Guide Giampaolo Betta introduces three ski mountaineering itineraries in the Apuan Alps: Carcaraia up Monte Tambura, Monte Sagro and Canale delle Rose on Monte Pisanino.

During the Christmas holidays Stefano Ghisolfi repeated Grandi gesti 9a at Grotta dell'Arenauta, Sperlonga, Italy. Furthermore, at Pietra di Bismantova he managed to flash an 8b+.

At Kandersteg in Switzerland Robert Jasper and Wolfram Liebich have made the first ascent of The Black Death, a new ice and mixed route graded WI7/M8, E5, 250m.

At the end of 2013 British rock climbers Tyler Landman and Pete Whittaker made the first ascents of two notable, unclimbed lines on Britain's gritstone: the boulder problem Smiling Buttress at Curbar and Headless Horseman Arête at the Roaches.

Quintessential winter climbing in Scotland: Ben Nevis and the classic routes Point Five Gully and Tower Ridge introduced by the Mountain Guide Mike Pescod.

Ralf Dujmovits and Darek Zaluski have abandoned their winter ascent of Nanga Parbat via the Diamir Face. Those still attempting the first winter ascent of Nanga Parbat are Simone Moro, Emilio Previtali and David Göttler, as well as the Poles...

Nicolas Durand introduces Abella de la Conca, a beautiful crag in Catalonia, Spain, with circa 200 sport climbs from 3a to 8c+.

A brief and by no means complete journey through the stories and the climbs of 2013, while waiting for new year.

The alpinists Gerhard Fiegl and Simon Gietl have made the first ascent of Schwarze Witwe (WI6 M5, 800m) up the North Face of Hohe Warte, Zillertal Alps, Austria.

On 23/12/2013 Austrian alpinists Hansjörg Auer and Much Mayr made the possible first winter ascent of the N Face of Hahlkogel (2655m) in the Ötztal Alps.

Colin Haley from America and Rolando Garibotti from Argentina have grabbed the first ascent of La SuperWhillans, a striking ramp up the East Face of Cerro Marconi Central in Patagonia.

Simone Moro, Emilio Previtali and David Göttler landed in Islamabad yesterday and in a few days time will reach Rupal Base Camp beneath Nanga Parbat (8125m), while a few days ago Ralf Dujmovits and Dariusz "Darek" Zaluski reached Base Camp...