UKC

I'm writing a short article on notable climbs of this year. It will focus on mountaineering (including big cliff winter climbing because I think Papert and Vidar Eilertsen's "Finnmannen" on Senja might be included) and should be international. Does anyone have a route that springs to mind? It doesn't have to be the hardest - but perhaps something else about the story - the style of the ascent; somewhere totally novel etc. makes it jump out.

I just wonder if there is something amazing I've missed because it didn't for example get reported in the English language mountaineering press, or was a low key trip.

And obviously Steck on Annapurna will be the first.

In reply to TobyA:

- Ines Papert solo FA of Linkhu Chuli (bold push on high 6000er misunderstood to have been climbed in the 60s)
- Guy McKinnon solo west face of Tutoko (biggest of the Last Great Problems of NZ)
- Ditzler & Claus FA Celeno Peak (highest unclimbed mountain in North America)

In reply to Damo:

Thanks Damo, the NZ one is the mountain in the Darrens with huge effort just to get to base of it isn't it? I remember reading about that ascent. The others I will look into!

In reply to TobyA:


Well, yes and no. It's tough hike up a cold river, but not a long or hard way by NZ backcountry standards, as far as I can tell. One of the things about the climb is the way Guy found it 'easier' than the mythology would have had it. Partly this is because Guy is a very good alpinist, with lots of relevant experience, on his third 'look' at the route, but it's partly also about how we collectively accept judgement about things we really don't know about first-hand, and how standards have progressed.

This is actually similar to the Papert climb in that Linkhu was thought to have been climbed by a French team in the 60s. Quite a few of the peaks in the Rolwaling area have murky histories (Kang Nachugo was also thought to have been climbed before Gottlieb-Puryear did it, but it had not been, and Trakargo possibly *was* climbed before they did it) and the French account had never rung true to me when I'd researched it years ago. Their account just didn't really match what we can now see of the terrain, but I'd just let it slide. Papert's climb made it clear.