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The American Alpine Club Announces 2024 McNeill-Nott Winners

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  • A Tribute to Michael Gardner

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    American Alpine ClubA
    Michael Gardner 1991-2024 We are deeply saddened by the death of Michael Gardner: a great alpinist and a vibrant life.  Michael was on an expedition funded by the AAC’s Cutting Edge Grant, attempting the unclimbed north face of Jannu East in Nepal with his long time climbing partner Sam Hennessey, when he fell to his death on October 7th, 2024. We are grateful that Hennessey is safe after the incident.  There have been so many tributes to Mike in the last few days that attest to his incredible empathy, enthusiasm, dedication to the craft of climbing, pure motivations and lack of ego. Indeed, his quiet pursuit of the mountains on his own terms means his legacy is not flashy, but found in traces and in the background—he was climbing and skiing for the sake of the craft, not for recognition. Yet he was repeatedly the preferred partner for Cutting Edge Grant recipients like Hennessey, and his name appeared again and again in the American Alpine Journal over the last few years, for his new routes, fast ascents of iconic faces, and creative ski alpinism. Rather than listing his great ascents here, and reducing him to a list of accomplishments, we encourage all who knew him, all who were inspired by him, to dive into the AAJ stories that feature him—as a way to walk, for a brief moment, alongside him in the memories of some of his greatest life experiences in the mountains. The mountains called him back again and again, whether it was to put up a new rock route on Mt. Owens, Renny Take the Wheel (1,500’, 8 pitches, IV 5.11), or envision the first ascent of Hot Cars and Fast Women (850m, M6+) with Hennessey on Denali’s Ridge of No Return. Mike and Sam were also simply fast. Their second ascent of Light Traveler (M7) on the southwest face of Denali in 2018 was not only the fastest for this route at the time, but for any of the four routes generally considered to be most difficult on Denali’s south and southwest faces: the Denali Diamond, McCartney-Roberts, Light Traveler, and Slovak Direct. In 2022, they upped the ante when they joined up with Rob Smith to climb the Slovak Direct in 17 hours and 10 min. In next year’s 2025 AAJ, his more recent mountain adventures will live on, testifying to the kind of life he shaped for himself, including a new route on Mt. Hunter, a massive ski link-up in the Tetons, and a new route on the Grand Teton.  Reading through these stories, you can see the creativity and quiet passion he brought to his climbing, and to his life.  Describing his conflicted relationship to the mountains in an article for Alpinist in 2022, Mike writes how, when he climbs: “An indescribable awareness of place and peace takes hold. On the other hand, there are consequences to devoting yourself to the mountains. I know them intimately, and yet year after year, death after death, I continue to climb.” We can’t know if Mike would have thought it was all worth it. All we can do is honor the incredible void his death has left behind.  Our thoughts are with Michael’s family and climbing partners. https://americanalpineclub.org/news/2024/10/18/a-tribute-to-michael-gardner
  • Review of the Lowa Renegade GTX Mid Hiker

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    GrippedG
    Nikki Marks shares her thoughts after a multi-day hike in Newfoundland's Gros Morne National Park The post Review of the Lowa Renegade GTX Mid Hiker appeared first on Gripped Magazine. https://gripped.com/gear/review-of-the-lowa-renegade-gtx-mid-hiker/
  • 45 Climbing Quotes You Should Know

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    GrippedG
    Some of the most inspirational words from climbers around the world The post 45 Climbing Quotes You Should Know appeared first on Gripped Magazine. https://gripped.com/profiles/45-climbing-quotes-you-should-know/
  • Rap station in a garage

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    devnullD
    Looking to set up a belay/rappel station in my garage just for practice, trying out new things, and general faffery. I'm not super handy but can work my way around simple power tools. Anyway, my current plan is to: drill holes into a piece of 2x4 install tee nuts at the back (or maybe threaded inserts at the front, or failing that, nuts at the back.) install the hangers using M12 bolts (as per hanger specs) screw that unit directly into wall studs in my garage using deck screws slap on some quicklinks to the hangers and call it a day Thoughts? Hanging a picture frame is one thing, but supporting body weight is another entirely! I suppose it doesn't have to, but it'd be nice for it to be able to.
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    UK ClimbingU
    https://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?n=773910
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    climbingC
    https://www.climbing.com/news/pakistan-big-wall-soloed/
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    EpicTVE
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DKqcP4aFt4
  • Jonathan Siegrist First to Repeat Martial Law 5.15a

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    GrippedG
    https://gripped.com/news/jonathan-siegrist-first-to-repeat-martial-law-5-15a/