Alpinist 23

Area Profile: Valle Cochamo
Tales of Chile`s untouched, 1000-meter granite walls have quietly circulated
among the cognoscenti for a decade. But as many have found, you might have to
go through fire and water to get there. Daniel Seeliger delves into the
exploration of Chile`s El Dorado, while Crispin Waddy, Thomas Tivadar, Sabine
Tittel, Cole Taylor and Boguslaw Kowalski relate their adventures in South
America`s promised land. Daniel Seeliger

Going Square
People like their mind-bending addictions in a variety of ways. The question
for one young alpinist is: Which one is strongest? Colin Haley

K2-The Russian Route
To many alpinists, K2 is the world`s hardest mountain. What to make of a team,
then, that climbed its hardest route with two grandfathers and no oxygen?
Siege style in the Death Zone with Grandpa Shabalin. Pavel Shabalin

Life Is Lilac
The world`s best big-wall soloist finds that color, like every other
sensation, feels more intense when you`re alone. Silvia Vidal

Stripped
When the bottom fell out for one climber, she decided to confront her fears
full-on. The results surprised even her. Steph Davis

Vertical Vision
It was his signature European big-wall free climb – until someone desecrated
it. Redemption with a view in Italy`s Dolomites. With photographs by Michael
Meisl. Alexander Huber