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![]() ![]() profileThe Matterhorn
So archetypical it's nearly a cliche, the Matterhorn has retained its power over the imagination for more than a century. Herve Barmasse and Luca Maspes spin Cervino's tale, while Alessandro Gogna, Marco Barmasse, Catherine Destivelle and Patrick Gabarrou recount their adventures on the world's most iconic peak. climbing noteseditors notecontributorslettersLetters
![]() Irate Italians, bellicose Bulgarians, a pissed-off Brit: impassioned readers sound off from around the world. facesAlexander Ruchkin
Russian climber Alexander Ruchkin seeks out untouched rock from the Himalaya to the Arctic, yet the peaks of Central Asia remain to him a perpetually unknown country—and the home to which he always returns. climbing lifefirst ascentIrene's Arete
In 1957 a pioneering physicist teamed up with a bookish medical student to establish a Teton classic. But Irene's Arete is more than a route; its a testimony to a woman's transormation. sharp endThe Sharp End
Ueli Steck's first lead gave him an appreciation for self-reliance and autonomy. Good thing: the solos that followed would demand both. off belayfeatures contentPassion and Beauty
Over thirty years, a photographer's quest for the perfect image has led to encounters with climbing's most striking places and people. Herein, some of the results. Killing Legends
When a writer discovers one of climbing's legendary historical figures still getting after it, his research turns into an unplanned-for adventure. But what if he kills his own subject. Victors of the Unwinnable
Mountaineering awards have existed for hundreds of years, but in the past decade one attempt to reward the essence of climbing has dominated the stage: the Piolet d'Or. A three-time nominee explores the reality of this quixotic, and controversial, award. The Ark of the Winds
To the climbing media, the enduring controversy of Cerro Torre's 1959 "first ascent" represented the point of the north face. For three of Patagonia's most devoted aficionados, however, it was simply the most beautiful line they could imagine. Sum Equals Zero
Nanga Parbat's Rupal Face offered one man the chance to push beyond his limits. The danger would come if he failed to emerge from his own success. |