Climbing News
The world of climbing is busy with competitions, hard repeats and first ascents. Here are a few of the stories making headlines.
The Tepui
Rolando Larcer, Maurizo Ovigliz and Luca Giupponi made the first ascent up the North Face of Akopan Tepui in Venezuelza, Escalador Selvetica, 5.13a, 630 m, spending seven days on the wall. “Being back to the real world, the frenzy of everyday life and our work commitments, is tiring. I miss the days of relaxing at base camp, lying on the rocks, reading a book, with the song of tropical birds being the only sound. No internet, no phone or text message beeps, no contact with the world that we had left. It is precisely for this reason that we will start as soon as possible for some other goal, trying to regain that sense of adventure and freedom that we left down there in Venezuela, in the magical world of the Tepui,” said Oviglia.
More from Scotland
February has been filled with more first ascents in Scotland. Iain Small and Murdoch Jamieson made the second ascent of Vishnu, VII, 7, on Beinn Eighe’s Far East Wall. First climbed by Andy Nisbet and Andy Cunningham in February 1988, it took 25 years to be repeated. Roger Everett and Simon Richardson climbed the new Impulse Grooves, VI,7 on the Arctic Monkey buttress on Lurcher’s Crag on Cairn Gorm. Murdoch Jamieson and John Orr made the first winter ascent of The Route of All Evil, IX, 8, on Beinn Eighe. Catherine Hendrie and Ian Bryant made the first ascent of The S Word, V, 5, a new ice route on the West Face of Beinn Dearg. Neil Wilson and John Mackenzie made the first ascent of Hogwarts Express, IV, 4, on Sgurr na Muice in Strathfarrar. Pawel Wojdyga and Ian Bryant made the first winter ascent of Ben Nevis’ 1944 Route, VII, 7, on South Trident Buttress. Tim Chappell and Henning Wackerhage made the first ascent of Freebird, V, 6, on South Craig at the head of Glen Prosen. Willis Morris and Euan Ryan climbed the new The line of Best of a Bad Bunch, VI, 7, on the West Buttress on Beinn an Dothaidh.
Zion Ice
Zion, the sandstone playground, was never an ice climber’s destination. In 2013/14, Scott Adamson and Angela VanWiemeersch climbed at least 12 new routes, some over 200 metres. A new guidebook to the frozen waterfalls will be release next winter.
Climber’s Blogs
Climbers sporadically update their blogs, but when they do it is worth taking a look, here are six blogs updated within the last month.
Will Gadd Becca Frangos Leslie Timms Raphael Slawinski Sarah Hueniken Gord McArthur
Hueco Rock Rodeo Video
The 2014 Hueco Rock Rodeo was a huge success with a record number of competitors. The official video was released this week. For more on the Rodeo see here.
Sources: Planet Mountain, Climbing, Jesse Huey, Scottish Winter