The news

Gressoney calls for the Red Bull Snowthrill: it's ski time! On 13 March the Red Bull Snowthrill embarks in Italy for the first time ever!

The 21st Pierramenta, the great 4 stage ski mountaineering competition around the French Beaufortin massif, was won by the French duo Stephane Brosse and Patrick Blanc and Francesca Martinelli and Roberta Pedranzini

Ines Papert and Harald Berger win in Norway and in doing so win the overall Ice Climbing World Cup 2006.

At Stanage John Welford makes a rare fifth ascent of Careless Torque Fb 8a+ while Tyler Landman repeats The Ace Fb 8b. Ryan Pasquill makes an impressive flash of Curbar's End of the Affair E8 6c.

Rich Simpson makes 6th ascent of Careless Torque Fb8a+, while Tyler Landman makes first repeat of Ben Moon's Voyager Fb 8b at Burbage North.

At 11.00 am an avalanche swept onto the Ski Mountaineering World Championship race course at Artesina, Cuneo, N. Italy.

Linea di Eleganza, the route first climbed by Elio Orlandi, Horacio Codò and Luca Fava in February 2004 on Fitz Roy, has been repeated for the first time and freed in one single push at 5.12+ by the Americans Tommy Caldwell, Topher Donahue and Erik Roed.

In February 2006 Robert Jasper and Markus Stofer made the first ascent of the Staubbachwasserfall in Switzerland’s Lauterbrunnental.

Scott Muir from Scotland has just made the second ascent of one of America’s hardest mixed routes, Jedi Mind Tricks M13, Colorado, USA

The Red Bull Snowthrill Monterosa is fast approaching, the most important freeride event which will vibrate Monte Rosa's slopes from 10 - 16 March

At the end of January Mauro "Bubu" Bole repeated Game over, Albert Leichtfried's M13 at Drylands, Innsbruck, Austria.

A strong young Belgian team comprised of Nicolas Favresse, Olivier Favresse, Seán Villanueva, Mike Lecomte and Philippe Ceulemans has made a rare repeat of Riders on the Storm, situated in the Torres del Paine and undoubtedly one of the crown jewels in Patagonia's repertoire of classic climbs.

All participants of the Red Bull Snowthrill Monterosa, the most important freeride skiing competition which will vibrate the slopes of Monterosa from 26 February to 4 March.

On 10/02 in Grenoble the golden ice axe, the mountaineering oscar 2005, was awarded to Steve House and Vincent Anderson for their new route up the Rupal Face on Nanga Parbat.

Interview with Swiss mountaineer Ueli Steck, nominated for Piolet d'or 2005 for his solo ascents of Cholatse (6440m), Tawoche (6505m) and Ama Dablam (up to 5900m).

At the start of January two Swiss climbers, 19-year old Gabriel Grünenwald and 23-year old Simon Oswald, made the first and second full repeat of The Flying Circus, Robert Jasper’s multi-pitch M10 at the Breitwangfluh, Kandersteg