Mountain Profile: Logan Massif

When the great Canadian alpinist Hans Gmoser first saw the Logan massif from a distance, he exclaimed, "I wonder if I, if my friends are strong enough to climb such a monster!" Rising from one of the world's largest nonpolar icecaps, with 13,500 feet of vertical relief, over a dozen peaks and subpeaks, countless ridges and faces, and an immense high-altitude plateau, Logan is more like a separate planet than a mere mountain. Joe Josephson unveils the 85 years of climbing history surrounding Canada's highest point. Allen Steck, David P. Jones, Dave Nettle, Steve House and Jeremy Frimer recall individual adventures within an infinite geography of snow, rock, ice and the human mind. Joe Josephson

Editor's Note

Shadows and Icons. Michael Kennedy

Namesake

The etymology of the Beer Walls and the Dry Wall. Don Mellor

Contributors

Letters

Of missed opportunities, demythologized legends and revisionist history.

The Climbing Life

A whisky flask goes missing, a climber stares down Death in Hueco, and two brothers spend a lifetime watching clouds.

Escape Route

A hardman cries—but only five times (and once on his favorite mountain). Andy Kirkpatrick

First Ascent

Not all classic climbs have grandiose heroic tales. Peter Haan narrates the comedy of antics and errors that created Yosemite's beloved Wheat Thin. Peter Haan

Full Value

After growing up together, two young Pacific Northwest climbers confront the consequences of a recent Cascades winter ascent. Jens Holsten

Off Belay

Help save the Bird. Marty Roberts

All That Is Gold

Amid the adventures of fatherhood and the terrors of "Scottish full conditions," Ian Parnell discovers that even small moments and peaks can seem Himalayan at times. Ian Parnell

Light and Shadow

During 10 expeditions to the Cordillera Blanca, Leigh Ortenburger (1929-1991) lugged heavy camera equipment at high altitude to capture some of the most aesthetic (and dangerous) features in the mountain landscape. Glen Denny depicts the effort and imagination that went into these photos, while Keese Lane recounts a few remarkable climbs. Glen Denny

On Belay

Find out what Jim Martinello did on his summer vacation. Jim Martinello