The editors of the American Alpine Journal, the annual magazine published by the American Alpine Club, have started a new podcast: The Cutting Edge.
Tag: Climbing (Page 2 of 2)
The American Alpine Club, the country’s oldest and largest climbing and mountaineering member organization, has hit a new benchmark of over 20,000 members. Record membership comes at a time when climbing is blossoming across the US, especially in urban areas and indoor climbing facilities.
… an expedition team of three women climbers – led by Lakpa Yangjee Sherpa, along with Yangdi Sherpa and Pashang Lhamu Sherpa – is climbing the highest summit with the slogan of ‘Mountaineering for Women’s Self-reliance’.
10 years ago, on 11 January 2008, Sir Edmund Percival Hillary, the New Zealand mountaineer, explorer, and philanthropist, passed away. He and Tenzing Norgay were the first to conqueror of Mt Everest.
Seth Sicroff, writing for Nepali Times:
During the 1960s and 70s Nepal was known as the recreational and spiritual jewel of the world, a destination that was on everyone’s ‘bucket list’. In large part, that allure was due to the achievements and the promotional effort of Edmund Hillary. The so-called hippies matured into the generation that fought to protect the environment, promoted recycling, and planetary sustainability. They were inspired by Nepal, but Hillary was the catalyst.
Hillary’s son Peter Hillary, a world-class adventurer and humanitarian in his own right, wrote of the liberating effect of his father’s achievement on Mt Everest: ‘While Ed Hillary and Tenzing Norgay just wanted to climb the mountain because no one had reached the summit, it never occurred to them that this daring climb into the physical and physiological unknown expanded the realm of possibility for every one of us down near sea level the fact that we too could climb the world’s highest mountain if we wanted to … we are all liberated by the successes of others, because their successes show that it can be done.’
From the press release:
Top athletes recognized by the 2018 Climbing Awards include Alex Honnold, Margo Hayes, and John Roskelley. Conservation and volunteerism awards will go to Sally Jewell and Ellen Lapham.
Alex Honnold, winner of the 2018 The Robert and Miriam Underhill Award, is best known for his bold free-solo ascents in Yosemite as well as visionary ascents in Zion, El Potrero Chico, and Patagonia. Margo Hayes, winner of the 2018 The Robert Hicks Bates Award, is a climbing prodigy who as a teenager successfully climbed two 5.15a routes; considered among the most difficult routes in the world ever climbed by a woman.
Honorary Membership
For having had a lasting and significant impact on the advancement of climbing.
Recipient: John RoskelleyThe Robert and Miriam Underhill Award
For his vision and commitment to achieving new standards of climbing.
Recipient: Alex HonnoldHeilprin Citation
Recognizing those who have worked to maintain and strengthen the American Alpine Club.
Recipient: Ellen LaphamThe Robert Hicks Bates Award
Recognizing a young climber with outstanding promise.
Recipient: Margo HayesThe David R. Brower Award
Recognizing leadership and commitment to preserving mountain regions worldwide.
Recipient: Sally Jewell
We start off the year with news of new regulations out of Kathmandu, Nepal. The motivation is obviously one of safety, however this will be controversial.
The government has revised the Mountaineering Expedition Regulation under the Tourism Act barring people with complete blindness and double amputation, as well as those proven medically unfit for climbing, from attempting to scale mountains.
The Council of Ministers which passed the revised regulation yesterday also stated that Sirdars, mountain guides and high-altitude workers, who accompany expeditions to the top of the climbing peaks, including Mt Everest, shall get summit certificates.
More coverage by Tamara Hardingham-Gill, CNN:
Nepal has amended its mountaineering regulations, prohibiting foreign individual climbers from scaling all mountains in the country without an escort.
Double amputee and blind climbers are also banned (with the exception of those who obtain medical certificates) as part of the new guidelines, which were implemented in a bid to reduce accidents and climbing-related deaths.