--The American Alpine Institute Guide Class of 2008 just finished their training in the Northwest. The six new guides completed nearly four weeks of intensive training with senior guides Michael Powers (IFMGA, AMGA Rock, Alpine and Ski Guide, former Technical Director of the AMGA) and Jason Martin (AMGA Rock Guide, Single Pitch Instructor Program Director). The new guides come to us with extensive experience in places as varied as the Alaska Range, the Canadian Rockies, the Patagonia Ice Cap and the Tetons. We are excited to have this excellent new group of guides working for us with climbers throughout our programs.
SIERRA:
--The summer Sierra Season has begun. AAI Guide Paul Ivaska is in the process of blasting up peaks throughout the range with climbers of all abilities. His current schedule includes trips to the East Buttress, East Face and Mountaineers Route on Mount Whitney, to long climbs on Temple Crag and to the striking Bearcreek Spire.
ALASKA RANGE:
--First ascents and strong repeats have dominated the climbing news this season in Alaska. For an update on all the ascents, click here.
--A team of extremely strong Japanese Alpinists that refer to themselves as the Giri Giri Boys split into two groups in the Alaska Range. After the divide, a smaller trio of climbers made a historic link-up by climbing Denali's Isis Face (Alaska Grade 6: M4 5.8 A1, 60 degrees, 7,200') as well as the mountain's Slovak Direct (Alaska Grade 6: 5.9, 100 degrees, 9,000'). The incredibly strong team made both of these difficult ascents in eight short days. Unfortunately, the other half of the Gri Gri Boys did not fare so well. In an apparent tragedy, Tatsuro Yamada, age 27, and Yuto Inoue, age 24, disappeared on the Cassin Ridge. To read about the successful link-up, click here. To read about the search for the missing climbers and the rescue effort, click here.
--AAI teams are currently all over Denali. Team 2 summited on May 30. Teams 3 and 4 are at 14,000 feet and are preparing to move up. And Team 5 is moving up to the 11,000 foot camp. For the most up to date dispatches, click here.
--Not exactly in the Alaska Range, but AAI Guides Dylan Taylor, Andrew Wexler and former guide Joe Stock just finished a grand Alaskan Ski adventure through the Alaskan Tordrillo range. They found excellent conditions in this amazing environment. To read about it, click here.
NOTES FROM ALL OVER:
--In Bolivia, AAI Guide Andrew Wexler has begun the Takesi Trek with a handful of climbers. This trek climbs up over a 16,000 foot pass and then drops down toward the Amazon valley. To follow the team's progress, click here.-- Here's a weird one. A woman inadvertently found a new hotspring while hiking in Yellowstone National Park. While walking she put her foot through what appeared to be solid trail and into a pool of 170 degree water. The woman was treated at a nearby hospital and the trail was closed until it could be safely reopened. To read about it, click here.
--Over Memorial Day weekend, septuagenarian Miin Bahadur Sherchan reached the summit of Mount Everest. At age 76, Sherchan became the oldest person to ever summit the tallest mountain in the world. To read more about his ascent, click here.
--Uli Steck received the 2008 Eiger Award for his speed ascent of the Eiger Nordwand. This is the first year this annual prize has been awarded. It joins the ranks of the other foreign climbing awards such as the Piolet d'Or, the Cristal, and the Jedynka. In the United States, Climbing magazine awards Golden Pitons to worthy ascents on an annual basis. Many critics believe these awards do little to nothing for the sport of climbing and should be abolished. To read more, click here.
