El Capitan speed record holder dies while attempting a new route in the Sierra Nevada
Well-known American climber Jake Whisenant died in a fall while working on a new route in a remote area of California’s Sierra Nevada.
Rock climbing in Turkey: a guide to popular climbing areas
Rock climbing in Turkey offers access to a huge number of routes: in Geyikbayırı alone, there are more than 1300 single-pitch sport routes, with some reaching an impressive grade of…
European Health Insurance Card: how to get medical care while travelling in Europe
Have you ever been injured while surfing in France and needed stitches? Sprained your ankle while hiking in Poland? Or needed to see a doctor while on holiday in Greece…
Avalanche on Broad Peak kills 10 climbers: new tragedy on the world’s 12th-highest mountain
The avalanche that claimed the lives of 10 climbers on Broad Peak on July 30, 2026 became the latest tragedy in a long series of fatal incidents on the world’s…
Rockfalls in the Mountains: how to Identify a dangerous slope and reduce risks in mountaineering
When heading into the mountains, it is important not only to hope for luck, but also to understand the nature of the slopes. We look at how knowing the mechanisms…
Safe trad climbing indoors: the new Tarragó TAP system for placing friends and camalots
This concerns certified climbing holds designed for placing friends on indoor climbing walls, enabling training and instruction in self-protection techniques. The system will be presented on April 25 at the…
Petzl recalls NOMIC and ERGONOMIC ice tools due to risk of handle failure
Manufacturer Petzl has announced a recall of certain batches of NOMIC (U021AA00) and ERGONOMIC (U022AA00) ice tools due to a risk of handle failure that could lead to a fall.…
A rock climber died on the island of Kalymnos due to the destruction of old bolts
A fatal accident occurred on Kalymnos Island, Greece, on the route St. Savvas (7b+), a sport climb bolted in 2002 in the sector Jurassic Park.
Rocks of the Tuapse region, Black Sea coast of the Caucasus
The main update to the previously published material concerns the description of the canyon and waterfalls of the Kholodnaya Shchel River. Revised and expanded in March 2026.
The compact Beta Stick is designed for hanging the first hard-to-reach quickdraw
This unusual device, commonly known as a “stick,” officially called the Beta Stick, has become widely used in rock climbing and bouldering. The Beta Stick is often used to pre-clip…
What you need to know to climb the Breithorn massif (Pennine Alps)
Breithorn is a heavily glaciated mountain ridge with several summits, accessible from Klein Matterhorn via the Breithornpass col. Many novice mountaineers choose it as their first 4,000-metre peak. The massif…
Rock climbing in Digoria. Photos, area maps, and route descriptions
Digoria (North Ossetia) is a developing climbing area with equipped rock sectors for different skill levels, located in the scenic Aigadon Gorge.
Digoria. Two new climbing routes have been created on the Ryzhaya Skala massif
At the Ryzhaya Skala massif in Digoria, two new climbing routes have been established, belay ledges have been prepared for more convenient belaying, and the cliffs have been cleaned of…
Ice belaying in mountaineering and ice climbing
Protection Points — Ice Screws Today, the primary equipment used to build protection anchors on ice are ice screws. Modern ice gear is laboratory-tested and capable of withstanding high loads…
Legendary extreme athlete Felix Baumgartner, famous for his record-breaking stratosphere jump, has died in Italy
On July 17, 2025, in the Italian town of Porto Sant’Elpidio on the Adriatic coast, the life of legendary Austrian extreme sportsman Felix Baumgartner ended. At the age of 56,…
Connor Herson made the third trad ascent of the mega-pitch “Crown Royale” (9a)
Connor Herson has made the third ascent of one of the world’s hardest 100-metre trad multipitch routes, Crown Royale, in Jøssingfjord, first established by Pete Whittaker.
Rock climbing in South Korea
Climbing season in South Korea. I don’t remember where I got the idea, but I knew there were crags there. And there are plenty — areas scattered all over the…
Climbing Crestone Needle. Colorado, USA, North America
The approach to Cottonwood Lake and further toward the Crestones massif is a true test of endurance. In summer, under dry and sunny conditions, the trail feels endlessly long and…
In Spain, the tower of the historic Escalona Castle collapsed in front of terrified tourists
The terrifying moment a historic Escalona Castle in Spain collapsed was captured on video by eyewitnesses, shocking tourists as a cloud of dust and stone debris engulfed the surrounding area.
Sunglasses against the bright sun on snow in past centuries
If you find yourself in the high mountains or in the snow in bright sunlight without sunglasses, your eyes will hurt within five minutes, and after a couple of hours,…