From Around the World: new routes and wild K2 stats!

Here is an update on what has been going on outside of Canada this summer. On May 29 and 30, American climbers John Frieh and Jess Roskelley made the first ascent of No Rest For the Wicked IV+ AI6 M7, a hard new route up the West Witches Tit in SE Alaska. For the full report visit Planet Mountain.

John Frieh and Jess Roskelley on No Rest For the Wicked IV+ AI6 M7 Photo John Frieh & Jess Roskelley

John Frieh and Jess Roskelley on No Rest For the Wicked IV+ AI6 M7 Photo John Frieh & Jess Roskelley

Cecilia Buil from Spain and Anna Torretta from Italy made the first ascent of La Gioconda 160 m WI 6 in July, a new ice climb on the glacier Cerro El Marmolejo 6,109 m, Chile. For the full report visit Planet Mountain.

Cecilia Buil and Anna Torretta at the belay of La Gioconda Photo Buil and Torretta

According to Pata Climb, in mid-March 2014 Erich and Stefan Gatt climbed a fin like tower between Colmillo Norte and Aguja Volonqui which they called Pizarra Escondida. They called their route Alfajores, Chauras y Demás III 5.10.

Aguja Volonqui East and South face Source: Pata Climb

Luca Schiera and Matteo De Zaiacomo visited the Ak-Su Valley in Kyrgyzstan and climbed two new routes. The area has a seemingly unlimited potential for new routes. Check out the details at Planet Mountain.

Mountains in the Ak-Su Valley Photo Luca Schiera, Matteo De Zaiacomo

Luca Schiera and Matteo De Zaiacomo on the summit of Pik Slesova (Russian Tower) 4,240 m

U.K.’s Iain Small climbed a new, bold E7 on Creag A’Bhancair in the U.K. called The End of Innocence. Visit UK Climbing for the full story.

The End of Innocence

DMM reports, “Pete Robins has made the first ascent of probably the most obvious line at the Little Orme crag.The Pink Star 5.14 follows the rising left-to-right crack through the arching steepness at the right hand-side of the cliff. Standing underneath the line it appears more as a horizontal roof.” Visit DMM for more on the story.

Pete Robins on the middle section of The Pink Star during an earlier redpoint attempt Photo Ray Wood

K2 Statistics for 2014: 48 summits, 32 reached the top on July 26. For every two climbers, one high-altitude porter/Sherpa summited. Nearly 40-per-cent of climbers who reached the summit did so without supplemental oxygen. Success rate: nearly 80-per-cent of climbing reached the summit, a new record, everyone made it down to basecamp with the exception of the death of Miguel Angel Perez at camp four. The first all-female ascent of the mountain added to the six female ascents so far this year. For more on K2 visit Explorers Web.

K2's south side Green is the Abruzzi Ridge and Orange is the Cesen Route

After his one-day ascent of Biographie 5.15a at Ceuse, France, Alex Megos opened a new route called Et dieu créa la Flemme 5.14d. Read about his climb at DPM. Watch this short video about one week with Alex Megos.