The news

The docufilm The High Life that tells the story of Sarah Cartier and her young family, the hut wardens of Refuge de la Charpoua below Les Drus and Aiguille Verte in the Mont Blanc massif.

The video of French climber Sébastien Bouin making the first ascent of Nordic Marathon, a 130m 9b/+ at Flatanger in Norway.

At Siurana in Spain Pietro Vidi has reepated Last Night (9a), while at Margalef the 20-year-old Italian repeated Bumbayé (8c+).

Finnish alpinist Juho Knuuttila (27) has added two new mixed climbs on the SW Face of Rånkeipen close to Narvik in Norway. 'Arctic Circus' (M6, WI6) was first ascended with Alexander Nordvall (29), while 'Polar Vortex' (M6, WI6) was established rope-solo. Knuuttila provides the details.

After three years of effort, on 30 December 2022 Alviero Garau and Davide Lagomarsino completed the first ascent of 'Crysalis by Grenke' (550m, 7a+ max, 6a+ obligatory) up the SE Face of Punta Giradili close to Baunei in Sardinia.

The deadline for the 2023 First Ascent Expedition Award is 28 February 2023. Promoted by the UK-based charity GRIT&ROCK, the annual expedition grant pool of USD10,000 is aimed at supporting female advancement in mountaineering

At Saint Léger du Ventoux in France Austrian climber Eva Hammelmüller has repeated 'La ligne claire' (8c+).

Alex Txikon, with Pasang Nurbu Sherpa, Gelu Sherpa, Maila Sherpa, Mantere Lama Sherpa, Gamje Babu Sherpa and Chepal Sherpa, summited Manaslu in winter and without supplementary oxygen. This is the first integral winter ascent of the 8th highest mountain in the world, i.e. during the astronomical winter.

Austrian climber Angela Eiter introduces Bat Cave, the new crag at Buzet in Croatia she bolted with climbing partner Bernie Ruech

Brette Harrington has made a rare free ascent of Mezzogiorno di Fuoco (8b max, 7c obligatory, expo, 270m) on Punta Giradili in Sardinia, Italy.

From 29 October to 16 November 2022 Rebeca Cáceres, Nadine Lehner and Isidora Llarena established a new route on Cerro Arenales above the Northern Patagonian Icefield. In order to do so, the three women completed an 150km autonomous traverse through this remote region. Lehner provides the details.

The video of Spanish climber Edu Marin completing the first repeat of Wogü in the Rätikon massif, Switzerland, in 2016. The 250m 8c multipitch was established by Beat Kammerlander in 1998 and freed by Adam Ondra in 2008. 

The petition to protect Cochamó Valley in Patagonian Chile has reached over 99000 signatures, while the Chilean government is considering applying Santuarios de la Naturaleza, or Nature Sanctuary status, to a small part of the valley.

The video of Michaela Kiersch sending her first 9a, Dreamcatcher at Squamish, Canada.

Watch Italian climber Stefano Ghisolfi bouldering at Bishop, USA in November 2022. During his trip he sent his hardest problem to date, Goldfish Trombone V14/8B+.

At Masua in Sardinia Maurizio Oviglia, Cecilia Marchi and mountain guide Marco Bigatti have rebolted two multi-pitch routes, 'Non spezzarmi il cuore' and 'Hard o Soft?'. The two climbs are located on the Parete del Sol Levante, an incredible rock face of unparalleled wild beauty overlooking the sea. Oviglia reports