Alpine Journal 2006

This 111th volume of the Alpine Journal focuses on Tibet and the mountainous regions of western China, the scene of some of the most exciting exploratory climbing of recent years.

Mick Fowler recounts the first ascent of Kajaqiao, with his customary quota of suffering, Ed Douglas tells of a nervy climb up Xiashe’s north face, and the insatiably curious Tamotsu Nakamura penetrates further into the vast Nyainquentangla East.

Geologist Mike Searle examines the make-up of Tibet’s upwardly mobile mountains while John Dugger details the role of the Dalai Lama and the influence of Tibetan art in the creation of his celebrated Mountain Banners.

Other features cover the most outstanding achievements of 2005, including big new routes on Angel Falls, in Venezuela, on Nanga Parbat in the Karakoram, and on Cerro Torre in Patagonia.

Doug Scott regrets a lack of common humanity in the behaviour of Everest climbers.

Kurt Diemberger takes a look at the diaries of Hermann Buhl, his ropemate on Broad Peak.

Articles and reviews by top mountaineers and writers, including Simon Yates, John Arran, Nick Bullock, Steve House and Pat Littlejohn.
Eiger north face and escape to Tibet - a reflection on the life of Heinrich Harrer.

An invaluable record of notable climbs, region-by-region, over the past year.
More than 160 inspiring photographs, paintings and maps.

Editor’s Biography
Stephen Goodwin is a freelance journalist. He writes regularly for The Independent, the newspaper he helped launch in 1986 and for which he was staff correspondent, mainly covering politics, for 13 years. Since turning freelance he has won three Outdoor Writers’ Guild awards for excellence with features on Everest, ski-mountaineering in Turkey and porter welfare in the Himalaya.