The American Alpine Club Announces 2024 Cutting Edge Grant Winners

PC: Nelson Neirinck

May 2024

The American Alpine Club and Black Diamond Equipment are pleased to announce the 2024 Cutting Edge Grant recipients. The Cutting Edge Grant continues the Club's 120-year tradition by funding individuals planning expeditions to remote areas featuring unexplored mountain ranges, unclimbed peaks, difficult new routes, first-free ascents, or similar world-class pursuits. Five recipients have been awarded a total of $20,000 for this cycle, with objectives featuring a low-impact style and leave-no-trace mentality looked upon with favor. Black Diamond Equipment is a proud sponsor of the Cutting Edge Grant and a key partner in supporting cutting-edge alpinism.

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PC: Fanny Schmutz

Chantel Astorga will receive $4,000 to attempt the Direct East Face of Mount Shivling (6543m), located in the Gangotri Valley of the Garhwal Himalayas of India. Astorga and her team had attempted the route in 2023. Astorga has previously received the Cutting Edge Grant and McNeill-Nott Grant, and has put up the first ascent of the southwest face of Nilkanth, also in the Central Garhwal. She is known for her first ski descent of the Seattle Ramp variation to the West Rib of Denali, and her first female solo of the Cassin Ridge. 

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Dane Steadman, PC: Fletch Peterson

Dane Steadman will receive $3,000 to attempt the first ascent of Yashkuk Sar, in the northern Karakoram, from its north side. The objective was the product of a strong desire to climb in the Karakoram, especially a technical route on a mid-elevation peak in the less traveled regions, coupled with Google Earth wanderings and internet scouring. The team, which evolved over time due to injuries, now consists of Steadman, his primary climbing partner, Cody Winckler, who also lives in northern Wyoming with Steadman and shares his passion for winter climbing, and August Franzen, a resident of Valdez, Alaska, who Steadman has yet to share a rope with but whom Steadman and Winckler have been wanting to climb with for a while. In 2023, Steadman was part of a Cutting Edge Grant team that put up a new route on the northeast face of Pik Alpinist, Kyrgyzstan.

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Pc: Gardner and Hennessey, living large

Sam Hennessey will receive $4,500 to attempt the north face of Jannu East, an alpine big wall rising 2400m from schrund to summit. It has only been attempted twice (by Hennessey’s team), and the peak is unclimbed by any route. In 2022, Hennessey was part of an astonishing record-breaking speed ascent of Denali’s Slovak Direct in 17 hours and 10 min. 

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PC: Mathilde Sjostedt.

Ethan Berman will receive $4,000 to attempt the Southeast Pillar of Ultar Sar (7388m), located in the Batura Muztagh Karakoram, Pakistan, and often referred to as the "Walker Spur" of the Karakoram. As Colin Haley put it after his 2007 attempt, "With the route proper more than 3100m tall, it makes the North Ridge of Latok 1 look small by comparison, and while not as technical it is still sustained real climbing—very little simple slogging." It has been attempted by several strong parties since 1992, with a high point of ~6500m by the Giri-Giri Boys in 2011. Besides the sheer scale of the route, the main difficulties will be sustained mixed climbing from 6500-6900m. Berman has previously received an AAC Live Your Dream Grant. In late 2022, Berman and Maarten Van Haeren put up the first ascent of the northeast face of Khang Karpo (6,646 meters) in Nepal.

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Chris Wright will receive $4,500 to attempt the north face of Chiling II, which Wright calls “one of the most handsome unclimbed north faces on the planet.” Wright met his climbing partner Stian Bruvoll while guiding in Norway’s Lofoten Islands, where they quickly connected over an enthusiasm for the particular style of Arctic alpinism, which is nothing if not an acquired taste. They started dreaming up bigger things, and are excited for Chiling II, which should offer almost five thousand feet of exceptional, hard climbing in lightweight, alpine style. In 2019, Chris Wright, alongside Graham Zimmerman, Steve Swenson, and Mark Richey, accomplished the Piolet D’Or winning first ascent of Link Sar, a 7,041-meter peak buried deep in the Pakistani Karakoram and long considered one of the world's greatest unclimbed mountains. 

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Applications for the Cutting Edge Grant are accepted each year from October 1 through November 30.

Contact:

Shane Johnson, Chief Marketing Officer: [email protected]

Eddie Espinosa, Community Programs Director: [email protected]

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Presented by:

New Route on White Sapphire

Cerro Kishtwar (center), White sapphire (right). Photo by Vitaliy Musiyenko.

A Story from the 2023 Cutting Edge Grant

By: Sierra McGivney

On October 6, 2023, Christian Black, Vitaliy Musiyenko, and Hayden Wyatt summited White Sapphire, a 6,040m peak in India's Kishtwar Himalaya. The new route was named Brilliant Blue (850m, AI3, M7+). To attempt this mountain, the team received $8,000 from the American Alpine Club's Cutting Edge Grant, made possible by Black Diamond. They climbed the route free and in alpine style. This is the third ascent of White Sapphire.

Pack mules descending the valley on our hike to basecamp. Photo by Vitaliy Musiyenko.

AAC: In 2022, you received the Live Your Dream Grant to attempt a line in British Columbia on Mt. Bute. How did you transition from a Live Your Dream–style expedition to a Cutting Edge–style expedition in just a year?

Christian Black: The funny thing was we just needed an idea. Expeditions are challenging to plan. It all came from our friend giving us the idea—something to dream about, on the other side of the world as opposed to in America or Canada.

AAC: White Sapphire has seen two first ascents previously, via the west face in 2012 and the south face in 2016; how did you choose this peak and, more specifically, the line?

CB: I've always struggled to plan what to do in an area I haven't been to. There's just too much information out there. The story is that I met a guy who had spent his whole life going on expeditions. He had a whole list of unclimbed things he never got around to. He was trying to find people to do them. And he approached me and said: You're a big-wall climber with alpine climbing experience. You should check out this peak. I've got photos of it, and it's pretty cool looking. So, the original intent was to climb the big-wall rock face on White Sapphire, knowing that we had to be flexible to the conditions. We ended up climbing more of an alpine route because we went later in the season, and it had snowed and gotten cold. But to answer your question, it was a gift from someone who has done a lot of cutting-edge expeditions and is out of the game now. He had said: I'm aged out and happy to pass on the torch of ideas if you're interested in going to the Himalayas. The Himalayas are such a large place; you'll never know what to do unless you go once, so you just need a reason to go.

Hayden starting a simul-block up midway up the steep snow and ice of the lower section of the route. Photo by Christian Black.

AAC: Who gave you the idea?

CB: It was Pete Takeda [the editor of Accidents in North American Climbing.] I'm like a bad historical knowledge climber, so I didn't know much about him until later. But, I mean, obviously, he's legendary.

AAC: What type of climbing did you encounter on White Sapphire?

CB: We first encountered 2,000 vertical feet of steep snow and ice with moderate mixed climbing toward the top, anywhere from 60 to 80 degrees snow, and AI3 climbing. Then, it was more like M4 and M5 climbing to the top of the snow part. The upper headwall that goes up the direct north face of White Sapphire Peak ended up being a little over 200 vertical meters of climbing and seven or eight pitches of fairly sustained, steep dry tooling. And so there were about two pitches of M7+, a few of M6 and M5, and some alpine ice and snow mixed in.

AAC: How was the quality of the ice and the rock?

CB: It was really good. The rock up there is not granite; it's a gneiss. I studied geology, so I noticed, but you can't tell from far away. It forms cracks differently. It climbed quite a bit differently, but the rock was very solid. Except for one pitch, all the rock was pretty good.

AAC: Can you walk me through from when you left advanced base camp on October 5 until you returned on October 7?

CB: Yeah, so I might back up a bit because we had two attempts on the peak, the first one thwarted by a broken stove when we were 100 meters from the summit. It adds to the lore of the story. The moral of the story is the fuel mix in India is a little different, so it didn't work well with our stove and caused it to overheat. We learned a hard lesson about not taking a backup stove. That was our first attempt, but I'll fast-forward to the successful second attempt.

Starting to rappel from the notch after first attempt. Photo by Vitaliy Musiyenko.

We came down on that first attempt and had a few days at base camp. The weather looked like it would be good again, so we packed our food and some stoves and hiked up there. We waited about six days of weather for a good window to appear at our high camp. We left around three or four in the morning on October 5 from our advanced base camp at 15,800 feet. Then, we had a two- or three-hour glacier approach to the base. After that, we started simul-climbing the lower, less steep section of steep ice and snow. We did about a 1,300-foot simul-climb pitch. Vitaliy led that, and then Hayden led the second half of the ice and mixed climbing to the notch that day. We camped there that evening in our little corner bivy.

The following day, October 6, we woke up and took our altitude med concoction that gave us superpowers. What we had initially climbed as four pitches of steep mixed climbing the first time—we aided a lot of that and left in some of the crucial pins—this time, I suggested we climb it free. We ended up free climbing all of that terrain and didn't aid climbing anything. We did it in two 50-meter pitches. And that got us to our high point. From there, we continued to the summit. There was no terrain harder than those first two pitches. The headwall pops out directly on the small summit. We ended up being on the summit around 7:45 p.m. It was dark by that time of year, so we spent about an hour up there, melted some water, took photos, and enjoyed our time. Then we rappelled in the dark back to our bivy. The next day, we had a slow morning and rappelled back down to our base camp. It was an uneventful third day, which was nice.

AAC: What do you think was your biggest emotional hurdle on the trip?

CB: Oh, man, there were a few of them. A big one for all three of us was definitely the stove breaking on our first attempt. At that point, we were only ten days into our 26-day expedition and were 100 meters from the top. We thought it would be unbelievable if we did this first try. That would leave us with two weeks to climb whatever else we wanted. Accepting the reality that it was unsafe to go up without water was hard for us. We had less than a liter of water to share between three people, which would have been our ration for the whole day. Especially knowing now what the upper terrain is like, I'm super glad we didn’t go that first time. The climbing was still hard and would have taken a long time. Being dehydrated up there is not a safe thing that any of us would be willing to do. So that was a hard truth to accept.

Excited to be at notch bivy before sunset! Photo by Christian Black.

Luckily, the saving grace is that Hayden, Vitaliy, and I are all close friends. Vitaliy and Hayden didn't know each other before the trip, but I'm close friends with both of them. We all have very similar approaches to safety-related decisions. We were all on the same page about flexing the bail muscle. Other than that, we each had our moments of need, which the other two were naturally able to step in and take care of, which was nice.

AAC: How did you end up picking your team?

CB: Hayden is one of my best friends. We worked on the Yosemite SAR team together for a few years. I met him there, and we climbed El Capitan several times together. We just got along energy-wise. Over the past couple of years, we've gotten to go on multiple, more extensive trips together. One of those trips was to Mt. Bute on the Live Your Dream grant. This summer, we went to the Cirque of the Unclimbables for a month. If you're going to be in gnarly places, you want to be with good people. I only climb with my friends in those scenarios—honestly, in most scenarios.

Vitaliy, I met through messaging online. When I worked in Kings Canyon as a park ranger, he had put up a bunch of routes in the Sierra that I kept seeing his name on and was interested in doing. I messaged him to gather information. We ended up linking up on a climb the following year. We had an epic time. We did The Nose in a day as our first climb, and he took a 100-foot whipper. It was really scary, but we both reacted in a way that felt right. It built a lot of trust between us. Even though we haven't always lived in the same place, we'd casually link up for outings. We know each other as solid partners who know their stuff and are easy to get along with.

Photo by Christian Black.

AAC: That's great it worked out so well. It sounds like you had a good team.

CB: Yeah, that was the best part, for sure. You can't compare any experience to doing this with your two best friends. It's just so fun!

AAC: Do you have any fun anecdotes or funny moments from the trip?

CB: The funniest moments were just like how horrible we felt at various times. That is how we each process hard experiences in the moment. You can't help but laugh at it. And that's why we like each other as climbing partners, because none of us take it seriously.

A funny moment for me was when we made it to the bivy notch on the first attempt. It was pretty late, and I had fallen asleep multiple times on the last two pitches. We got up there, and I was boiling the water. It was dark, I was in every puffy layer I owned, and I was ten times more tired than I'd ever been in my whole life at 19,000 feet. I'm holding the Jetboil upright, and my purpose in life has never been more apparent. I hold the Jetboil. If the Jetboil isn't held, the water spills, and we don't drink water. I had an internal moment of reflection, like, wow, life has never been simpler than it is right now. There are only so many times when your life boils down to doing an incredibly simple task. For 45 minutes, that was my whole life.

The first mixed pitch out of the notch bivy. I'm [Christian Black] contemplating how to navigate the unprotected slab to gain the cracks. Photo by Vitaliy Musiyenko.

AAC: Is there anything else you want to add about the trip?

CB: The only thing I have to add is I feel so appreciative of a good team and good friends to be out there with and make hard decisions with. That was our biggest takeaway. We had a two-part goal going into the trip: A) we obviously wanted to come back alive, and B) become better friends. We achieved those goals through the roof. We have a lot of trust in each other. It's a cool medium to experience friendship in.

*Christian Black is writing a feature article for the 2024 American Alpine Journal about this expedition.

The Cutting Edge Grant is Powered By:

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Four New Routes on Baffin Island, Canada

Noah Besen Climbing. Photo by James Klemmensen.

A Story from the 2023 Cutting Edge Grant

By: Sierra McGivney

Noah Besen didn't expect to find the Atlantic Ocean frozen in the middle of July outside of Qikiqtarjuaq, a hamlet on Broughton Island, in the Nunavut territory of Canada, off the coast of Baffin Island.

Billy Arnaquq, a local outfitter and guide, remarked, that there was a lot more sea ice than normal for this time of year. The plan had been to kayak to Coronation Glacier, about 75 or 80 kilometers from town, and then hike up and into the glacier. From there, they would attempt to ascend granite walls accessible from the glacier. Besen and the rest of the team, James Klemmensen, Shira Biner, and Amanda Bischke, wanted the expedition to be as human-powered as possible, but there were apparent limitations. They couldn't unfreeze the ocean…And they had about 1,000 pounds of gear. 

About 20 kilometers south of town, the ice was beginning to break up, so the trip was still very much within reach. Arnaquq snowmobiled them out with a big load of their gear to the southern limit, where they stashed their equipment on a little island. They wanted to start the expedition with a human-powered effort, even if it meant changing their original plan. He snowmobiled them back, and they began their journey, walking across the sun-pocketed ice with day packs back to their stashed gear, seals and icebergs lining the way. 

“That was the first big crux,” said Besen. 

Noah Besen in the front and Shira Biner in the back of the boat. Photos by James Klemmensen.

Once on the island, they decided to wait out the ice breakup, thinking it would only take a couple of days. A week passed, so they took matters into their own hands and planned a “staged gear shuttle.” The 24-hour sun poured over them as they dragged their gear to the ice's edge. Dry suits on and boats packed, they individually heaved their boats until the ice cracked and they plopped in. Four days later, they saw the Coronation Glacier flowing into the ocean.

Ten kilometers up the Coronation Glacier, they made their basecamp, where the glacier splits into two forks, surrounded by huge rock cliffs. They would stay on the glacier for 20 days. Now, the climbing would begin.

The team spent days on the glacier with binoculars in hand, scouting out different possible rock climbs and sometimes hiking for hours to get a better angle on certain features. Klemmensen and Besen found a route near their base camp and “just went for it.” 

“We brought enough stuff that we're like—if it doesn't make sense, we have what we need to … just epic back down,” said Besen. 

Twenty hours of climbing on multicolored alpine granite later, the two put up a new route, Salami Exchange Commission (800m, V 5.10). They slept on the top of the wall and spent the next day returning to base camp. 

Photo by James Klemmensen.

Blank chossy walls near camp stymied Bischke and Biner, so they decided to venture to another section of the glacier. Four thousand-foot walls loomed over them as they searched for a choss-free wall to climb. A lower feature snagged their attention. Psyched, they put up a new route, The Big G (350m, III 5.8 ).  

Storm clouds gathered, and rain descended on the team, staying for a week. The days drizzled by. Once the week was up, the rain cleared, and the walls dried. Besen and Klemmensen started another epic.

From far away, Escape from Azkaban looked heinous; blocky rocks and blank faces seemed to greet the two, but once up closer, perfect splitter cracks formed the route. The route was 650 meters and had the most challenging climbing on the trip, with the grade of IV 5.10+.

“It proved to be the best alpine rock I've ever climbed in my whole life,” said Besen. 

The journey back was the inspiration for the name. After topping out, they descended an easier-looking route involving some scrambling. They popped out on a side glacier that connected to the main Coronation Glacier that their base camp was on. Glaciers are constantly moving, creating, and ever-changing. This side glacier had carved out a canyon with raging river rapids, between 60 and 70 feet deep, completely impassable.

At three in the morning, the two ate the last food, mulling over their unfortunate circumstances. The sun hovered on the horizon—all hours normally considered night appearing like sunset—allowing endless daylight hours for their epics. They journeyed around the river and onto a boulder field with water running underneath it. 

“The name came from us feeling trapped and needing to escape,” said Besen. 

Photo by James Klemmensen.

Bischke, Biner and Besen attempted another route, but unfortunately, had to bail. The rock had become very loose, so they decided to put in a couple of bolts and abandon the project. After returning, both groups finished the trip together on one last attempt.

Cerulean water pooled on the sides of the glacier, forming deep, bottomless basins in between the bedrock and the glacier. Besen, Bischke, Biner, and Klemmensen stared down at the water, the rock on the other side just out of reach, but they started to get to work. Besen had brought his dry suit on the glacier in case they might have to ford a raging river. They constructed an anchor using ice screws and lowered Besen into the water. 

“I didn't have to swim that much. I got into about my chest, and I was able to lean, reach, and scurry up,” said Besen. 

From there, they built a Tyrolean traverse and shuttled across and soon found themselves at the base of a cliff. The crux of their climb brought them to a steep hand crack. They topped out farther from the ocean than their previous climbs, seeing the Penny Ice Cap stretch across the expanse. They called the climb Raise the Drawbridge (400m, III 5.10-).

They rappeled down in the dark; it was the first time Besen had experienced true night the whole trip. The season was changing. Their journey was coming to an end but was not over yet.

Photo by James Klemmensen.

By the time they reached the rock that bordered the glacier, the sun began to rise. They still had one more crux: the glacial basins. Crossing back onto the glacier, the ice was tilted upwards, forcing Besen and the team to climb out of the water. Besen had only brought Crocs with him besides his mountaineering boots. There was only one real solution. Besen donned his Crocs, fitting his crampons to them, and shimmied up the other side. He set up a zipline for the others to come down. 

They strolled into basecamp, the glacial ice gleaming, and watched an unbelievable sunrise.

“It was a beautiful moment, too, because we all had this awesome success on this route together,” said Besen. 

The way back was quiet save for laborious gear shuttles and near encounters with polar bears. Big polar bear footprints were left in the sand at their camp near Qikiqtarjuaq. Luckily, Arnaquq had spotted the polar bear 300 meters from their camp and warned them to go uphill. Nothing was destroyed or taken, just a clear path the bear had taken through camp. Once they made it to Qikiqtarjuaq, the group camped and waited out their delayed flights. 

From right to left Noah Besen, Shira Biner, Amanda Bischke. Photo by James Klemmensen.

“For a lot of climbers, us included, Baffin Island has taken on this sort of mythical sense,” said Besen. 

Recent films featuring climbing adventures on Baffin Island, like Sean Villanueva O'Driscoll’s Asgard Jamming and Dodo‘s Delight, inspired the group. After Googling, they stumbled upon a painting by the late Corey Trepanier of the Coronation Glacier. They studied his reference photo, noting the large granite walls surrounding the mass of ice. From there, the idea of this trip started to take form. 

There is still so much potential for exploration on Baffin Island. “This area is really special. I think that more teams or even stronger teams—because we're not pro athletes by any stretch—should go and check it out because we didn't even do the biggest, craziest things at all. There's a lot more to be done,” said Besen.

If you have a cutting edge idea, apply to the Cutting Edge grant today! 

New Route on The Northeast Face of Pik Alpinist, Kyrgyzstan

Photo by Jared Vilhauer.

A Story from the 2023 Cutting Edge Grant Recipients

By: Sierra McGivney

Dane Steadman (25), Jared Vilhauer (42), and Seth Timpano (41) traveled to the Western Kokshaal-Too in the Tien Shan Mountains of Kyrgyzstan in September 2023, powered by the American Alpine Club's Cutting Edge Grant to attempt three possible objectives. 

Vilhauer and Timpano had known each other since 2010, when they met in Antarctica. The two had climbed quite a bit together: two trips to Alaska, two trips to India, and a lot of ice climbing over the years. The trip was originally just the two of them, but they decided to bring on Steadman to have three people on the trip.

"He's young and keen, and Jared and I are in our 40s, and it's always good to have some younger energy there just to keep it going," said Timpano. 

Each brought something to the team: Timpano has a lot of experience at altitude and climbing steep ice, Jared is an ultrarunner, and Dane is the strongest mixed climber. Each climber had their own strengths, making a well-rounded team. As summer faded into falling leaves and cooler temperatures, they were soon headed for Kyrgyzstan. 

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In Seth's Words:

Photo by Jared Vilhauer.

We chose this timeframe based on two factors: 

1) The temperatures are significantly cooler than mid-summer and, therefore, better for ice climbing objectives.

2) The weather seems more stable with less afternoon convective build-up and precipitation. 

However, when winter does come early to the Tien Shan, it can make travel into and out of the region challenging, and most people said we should be out of there before October.  

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The East Face of Pik Alpinist was a pipe dream, the least likely of the three objectives they had set their sights on. The photos used for their trip planning showed that the ice up the face of Pik Alpinist was not continuous. The trip as a whole was nebulous, an idea dependent on exploration. They didn't know what they would face until they were in Kyrgyzstan. 

After a week of travel— flying halfway across the world, then driving over bumpy roads deep in the Tien Shen Mountains—the three stood looking at Pik Alpinist. They got excited. Unexpectedly, the ice was in. The other two objectives were explored but were not viable for this season. They would attempt to climb Pik Alpinist. 

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In Seth's Words:

After ten days of acclimating and window shopping for different objectives, we set our sights on an elegant and sustained ice line on the Northeast Face of Pik Alpinist (5482m). Given the steep ice climbing on the route, we determined our best strategy was to attempt the route without carrying bivy gear. We left our bivy at the base of the wall at 3 a.m. and crossed the bergschrund (the terminal crevasse), or 'schrund, shortly after that. Using 70m ropes, we made 16 pitches, many of which required 10+m of simul-climbing through difficulties up to AI4 on the steeper pitches and 60+m of simul-climbing on the lower angle sections. 

Dane in the red puffy. Photo by Seth Timpano.

Dane in the Yellow; Olan's musk (our mascot) is the name of the marco polo sheep horns. Photo by Seth Timpano

Jared climbing below. Photo by Dane Steadman.

Dane in the yellow jacket, Seth in the blue jacket. Photo by Jared Vilhauer.

Photo by Seth Timpano.

Photo by Jared Vilhauer.

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"[It] was some of the best ice I've ever climbed in the big mountains," said Timpano.

Seth in the blue with white pack. Photo by Dane Steadman.

This was due to the freeze-melt cycle that mimics waterfall ice. The ice was similar to what a climber would find in Montana, Wyoming, or Colorado, sticky and good enough quality for V-threads. However, the rock–compact limestone—proved hard to protect. The crack systems in the wall were brittle and shattered, so they mainly relied on ice anchors. 

As the team ascended, pulling past the mixed crux, the sun began to descend, illuminating the Taklamakan Desert, one of the harshest deserts in the world. All of the days put in planning, scouting, trekking, and traveling for two days of climbing—for this—were coming to a head. They knew they were in for a long night, but the summit was within reach. 

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In Seth's Words:

Dane with the red backpack. Photo by Jared Vilhauer.

We gained the summit ridge at 8:15 p.m. and stood on the summit in the dark at 8:30 p.m. on September 24. We simul-climbed down the upper part of the route and then made 18 rappels using our 70m ropes on mostly V-thread anchors. The limestone rock was particularly compact and made rock anchors challenging, both on the way up and down. However, we did leave a few stoppers and piton anchors when the ice was too thin or nonexistent for safe ice anchors. We crossed the 'schrund 26 hours later, making for a 27-hour round trip time on this objective.

Alpine climbing is inherently tricky to grade due to the number of factors that can affect the perceived difficulties (acclimation, health, weather, etc.). Nonetheless, we are calling our new route Trophy Hunt (AI5+, M5, 1100m 'schrund to summit height).

Generally, we found good weather and cold enough temperatures for most objectives, except for those facing due south. We snuck out just before a winter storm covered the roads in snow on September 30.

Finally, we would like to thank the American Alpine Club for supporting this expedition through a Cutting Edge Grant.

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"I've received a handful of these over the years, and it's an honor to get it, but it also makes it possible for us, non-sponsored climbers, to do a rad trip," said Timpano.

This grant is made possible by Black Diamond. We encourage all climbers who are pursuing cutting edge ascents to apply for the Cutting Edge Grant, which is open from now until December 31, 2023.

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The American Alpine Club Announces 2023 Cutting Edge Grant Winners

PC: Nelson Neirinck

March 2023

The American Alpine Club and Black Diamond Equipment are pleased to announce the 2023 Cutting Edge Grant recipients. The Cutting Edge Grant continues the Club's 120-year tradition by funding individuals planning expeditions to remote areas featuring unexplored mountain ranges, unclimbed peaks, difficult new routes, first-free ascents, or similar world-class pursuits. Six recipients have been awarded a total of $39,000 for this cycle, with objectives featuring a low-impact style and leave-no-trace mentality being looked upon with favor. Black Diamond Equipment is a proud sponsor of the Cutting Edge Grant and a key partner in supporting cutting-edge alpinism. This year we are also grateful for the support of big wall luminary John Middendorf.

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Jackson Marvell will receive $8,000 to attempt the north face of Jannu in Nepal (7,710m). This line was climbed nearly two decades ago by a Russian team in siege style over two years. Marvell and his team will be attempting an alpine-style climb of the route. After an attempt in 2021, Marvell felt confident an alpine-style ascent was possible. In 2022, Marvell and his group were turned around due to unfavorable weather. They are excited about another attempt. 

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Seth Timpano will receive $8,000 to attempt Pik Koroleva in Kyrgyzstan (5,812m). He has found two unclimbed lines, both of which would be highly technical and require sustained climbing on a rarely climbed mountain. Timpano has first ascents in India, Alaska, and Kyrgyzstan. In 2010, Timpano received the McNeill-Nott Award, and in 2014 he received the Lyman-Spitzer Grant now called the Cutting Edge Award.

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Christian Black will receive $8,000 to attempt White Sapphire in Kishtwar, India. White Sapphire (6,040m) lies near the more famous Cerro Kishtwar. Black is drawn to the peak for its technical challenge, beautiful line, and the opportunity to explore with a small team in good style. Christian Black received the Live Your Dream Grant in 2022 for his expedition to British Columbia to attempt a new route on Mt. Bute. You can read more about it here. Vitaliy Musiyenko (bottom left) and Hayden Wyatt (bottom right) will be joining Christian on White Saphier.

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Noah Besen will receive $6,000 to climb in Coronation Fjord on Baffin Island, Canada. Besen wants to attempt an adventurous, human-powered expedition to an area on the remote east coast of Baffin Island containing 1,000-meter cliffs on which there have been no previously documented climbing expeditions. All routes climbed will be first ascents. Through university studies of the Coronation Glacier area, Besen has determined there are several areas with massive rock faces for potential big-wall free climbs. This expedition will require climbing, paddling, and wilderness and safety skills to succeed.

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Lindsey Hamm will receive $6,000 to visit the Charakusa Valley in the Karakoram, which has produced cutting-edge climbs for nearly forty years. This will be Hamm’s second trip to the Charakusa. In 2022, she, Dakota Walz, and Lane Mathis established a first ascent on a formation between Spanster Brakk and Naisa Brakk (which they named Ishaqu Brakk): Pull Down the Sky (15 pitches, 5.11 R). This year, Hamm along with Holly Mackin, Stephanie Williams, and Thomas Bukowski will attempt routes on Naisa Brakk (~5600m) and Spanster Brakk (height unknown). 

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James Gustafson will receive $3,000 to attempt Desdemona Spire (2,150m) on the Stikine Ice Cap of Alaska. The first and only recorded ascent of Desdemona, done in 1975, was completed by Carla Firey, Paula Kregel, Craig Lingle, Jim McCarthy, and Craig McKibben. Their line was largely a glacial route with one rock pitch on the north ridge. After Gustafson contacted the first ascensionists, he realized it is unclear which peak the 1975 team climbed, due to whiteout conditions and conflicting descriptions, meaning Desdemona may be still unclimbed.

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Applications for the Cutting Edge Grant are accepted each year from October 1 through November 30.

Contact:

Shane Johnson, Chief Marketing Officer: [email protected]

Eddie Espinosa, Community Programs Director: [email protected]

The American Alpine Club Announces 2022 Cutting Edge Grant Recipients

PC: Priti Wright, K6 Central

March 2022

The American Alpine Club and Black Diamond Equipment are pleased to announce the 2022 Cutting Edge Grant recipients. The Cutting Edge Grant continues the Club's 100-year tradition and seeks to fund individuals planning expeditions to remote areas featuring unexplored mountain ranges, unclimbed peaks, difficult new routes, first free ascents, or similar world-class pursuits. Four recipients have been awarded a total of $37,000 for this cycle, with objectives featuring a low-impact style and leave-no-trace mentality being looked upon with favor. Black Diamond Equipment is a proud sponsor of the Cutting Edge Grant and a key partner in supporting cutting-edge alpinism.

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PC: JThompson

Chantel Astorga will receive a grant for $10,000 to attempt a new route on Lunag Ri (6,895m) in Nepal. Chantel, alongside Anne Gilbert Chase & Jason Thompson will hope to establish a new line on Lunag Ri in alpine style. Chantel recently grabbed the first female solo ascent of the Cassin Ridge in under 15 hours on Denali in 2021. Anne, Jason, and Chantel established a new route on the unclimbed SW Face, Mount Nilkantha (6,500m), India in 2017.

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Jerome Sullivan will receive a grant for $10,000 to attempt the first ascent of Pumari Chhish East (6,850m) in the Pakistani Karakoram. Pumari Chhish East is one of the major unclimbed technical summits of Karakoram. Located on the Hispar glacier, it presents three characteristic granite pillars and a 2,000m face. Jerome will attempt the climb alongside Martin Elias, Victor Saucede, and Jeremy Stagnetto. Recently the team climbed K13 west by the new route Harvest Moon. Jerome & Jeremy did the first ascent of the southeast ridge of Cerro Murallon (Patagonia) and the first ascent of Pyramid Peak in the Revelation Range (Alaska).

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Alan Rousseau will receive $10,000 to attempt an alpine style ascent of the North Face of Jannu (7,710m) in Nepal. Given its aspect, elevation, and sheer scale (3,200 vertical meters), Jannu is considered one of the most complex alpine objectives in the world. The upper north face headwall has yet to see an alpine style ascent. Jackson Marvell will join Alan on this attempt. Jackson & Alan climbed a new route on the east face of Mount Dickey Ruth Gorge Grinder (1,600m, M7, AI6+) and repeated Trailer Park on London Tower (3,000' WI6, M6), both located in the Ruth Gorge of the Alaska Range.

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Priti Wright will receive $7,000 to attempt a new route on K7 in the Pakistani Karakoram. Priti & Jeffrey Wright will attempt the unclimbed peak K7 Central (6,858m) by establishing an entirely new technical route in alpine style. During Priti and Jeff's first Karakoram expedition, they were successful in establishing the first ascent of K6 Central (7,155m) in 2020.

FA of K6 Central, Priti and Jeff Wright. PC: Jeff Wright.

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The American Alpine Club has inspired and supported cutting-edge climbing achievements for over 100 years. From funding the first ascent of Mt. Logan in 1925 and the exploration of the Karakoram in 1938 to the 2006 first ascent of Nanga Parbat's Rupal Face, and the countless expeditions in between, the AAC has stood to encourage climbers to push their physical and mental limits, supported their pursuits, and celebrated their accomplishments.

The Cutting Edge Grant continues this tradition, aiming to fund advanced climbing athletes in pursuit of world-class climbing and mountaineering objectives.

The Cutting Edge Grant is sponsored by Black Diamond Equipment, whose equipment has helped climbers and alpinists to reach their summits for decades. Black Diamond Equipment is an integral partner in supporting climbers of all abilities and disciplines, with a long history of supporting climbers and their dreams through grants like the Cutting Edge Grant.

Applications for the Cutting Edge Grant are accepted each year from October 1 through November 30.

Contact:

Shane Johnson, Chief Marketing Officer: [email protected]
Eddie Espinosa, Community Programs Director: [email protected]

About American Alpine Club

The American Alpine Club is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization whose vision is a united community of competent climbers and healthy climbing landscapes. Together with our members, the AAC advocates for American climbers domestically and around the world; provides grants and volunteer opportunities to protect and conserve the places we climb; hosts local and national climbing festivals and events; publishes two of the world's most sought-after climbing annuals, the American Alpine Journal and Accidents in North American Climbing; cares for the world's leading climbing library and country's leading mountaineering museum; manages the Hueco Rock Ranch, New River Gorge Campground, Samuel F. Pryor Shawangunk Gateway Campground, and Grand Teton Climbers' Ranch as part of a larger lodging network for climbers; and annually gives $100,000+ toward climbing, conservation, and research grants that fund adventurers who travel the world. Learn about additional programs and become a member
at americanalpineclub.org.

AAC Announces 2021 Cutting Edge Grant Winners

Photo credits: Kurt Ross of Jess Roskelley on Baba Hussein, 2018 Cutting Edge Grant Recipient

The American Alpine Club and Black Diamond are pleased to announce the 2021 Cutting Edge Grant recipients. The Cutting Edge Grant continues the Club’s 100-year tradition and seeks to fund individuals planning expeditions to remote areas featuring unexplored mountain ranges, unclimbed peaks, difficult new routes, first free ascents, or similar world-class pursuits. Objectives featuring a low-impact style and leave-no-trace mentality are looked upon with favor. For the 2021 grant cycle, Black Diamond is a proud sponsor and partner in supporting cutting-edge alpinism. $25,000 has been awarded to six recipients.

Ryan Driscoll will receive a grant to attempt the North Face (aka The Medusa Face) of Mount Neacola in Lake Clark National Park, Alaska.

Nick Aiello-Popeo will receive a grant to attempt the unclimbed 6,000-vertical-foot West Face of Ganesh I (7,422 meters/24,350 feet; also called Yangra). This Himalayan giant is the highest peak in the Ganesh Himal in eastern Nepal, on the Tibetan border. The mountain has only seen one recoded ascent, from the north in 1955. Himalayan historian Damien Gildea described the objective as “one of the biggest unclimbed faces in the Himalaya.”

Matthew Cornell will receive a grant to attempt the West Face of the North Horseman, and the West Face of Pyramid Peak in Alaska's Revelation Mountains.

Vitaliy Musiyenko will receive a grant to attempt new routes on the North Face of Melanphulan (6,573 M) and the South Face of Nuptse in the Khumbu Region. Musiyenko had previously been awarded the Cutting Edge Grant in 2020, but the expedition was postponed due to COVID-19 travel restrictions.

And lastly, Sam Hennessey will receive a grant to attempt the East Face of Jannu East.

The Cutting Edge Grant is sponsored by Black Diamond, who’s equipment has helped climbers and alpinist to reach their summits for decades. Black Diamond is an integral partner in supporting climbers of all abilities and disciplines, with a long history of supporting climbers and their dreams through grants like the Cutting Edge Grant. Applications for the Cutting Edge Grant are accepted each year from October 1st through November 30th.

For more information, visit americanalpineclub.org/cutting-edge-grant

For more information on Black Diamond, visit blackdiamondequipment.com

AAC Announces 2020 Cutting Edge Grant Winners

The AAC is pleased to announce the 2020 Cutting Edge Grant recipients. The Cutting Edge Grant continues the Club’s 100-year tradition of supporting athletes in pursuit of world-class climbing and mountaineering objectives.

The Cutting Edge Grant seeks to fund individuals planning expeditions to remote areas featuring unexplored mountain ranges, unclimbed peaks, difficult new routes, first free ascents, or similar world-class pursuits. Objectives featuring a low-impact style and leave-no-trace mentality are looked upon with favor. For the 2020 grant cycle, the AAC awarded $15,000 to three recipients.

Nick Aiello-Popeo will receive a grant to attempt a new route on the west face of Ganesh in Nepal. Aiello-Popeo and Justin Guarino are planning to make their ascent in lightweight alpine style. Aiello-Popeo added, “Ganesh shares its name with the Hindu holiday Ganesh Chaturthi which celebrates Ganesha, a deity with the head of an elephant. Of Ganesha’s many attributes, he is revered as the ‘remover of obstacles.’ There could be no better theme for an alpine-style expedition!”

Vitaliy Musiyenko will receive a grant to attempt unclimbed routes on both Melanphulan and Nuptse in the Khumbu region of Nepal. Musiyenko will attempt these ascents with Connor Chilcott, winner of the 2020 McNeill-Nott Award, and said, “Success will require top-notch fitness, abilities to climb difficult ice and rock, as well as knowledge on how to quickly and efficiently aid climb. It appears to be a perfect cutting edge challenge.”

And, lastly, Kurt Ross will receive a grant to attempt a new route on a 7,000m peak in the Eastern Karakoram. Ross and partners Jackson Marvell and Matt Cornell have committed to climbing in lightweight alpine style, adhering to Leave No Trace ethics throughout the trip. They are training for success in some of the most dramatic mountains in the world.

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February, 2020, Golden, CO—T​he American Alpine Club (AAC) is pleased to announce this year’s Cutting Edge Grant recipients. The Cutting Edge Grant continues the Club’s 100-year tradition of supporting athletes in pursuit of world-class climbing and mountaineering objectives.

The Cutting Edge Grant seeks to fund individuals planning expeditions to remote areas featuring unexplored mountain ranges, unclimbed peaks, difficult new routes, first free ascents, or similar world-class pursuits. Objectives featuring a low-impact style and leave-no-trace mentality are looked upon with favor. For the 2020 grant cycle, the AAC awarded $15,000 to three recipients.

Nick Aiello-Popeo will receive a grant to attempt a new route on the west face of Ganesh in Nepal. Aiello-Popeo and Justin Guarino are planning to make their ascent in lightweight alpine style. Aiello-Popeo added, “Ganesh shares its name with the Hindu holiday Ganesh Chaturthi which celebrates Ganesha, a deity with the head of an elephant. Of Ganesha’s many attributes, he is revered as the ‘remover of obstacles.’ There could be no better theme for an alpine-style expedition!”

Vitaliy Musiyenko will receive a grant to attempt unclimbed routes on both Melanphulan and Nuptse in the Khumbu region of Nepal. Musiyenko will attempt these ascents with Connor Chilcott, winner of the 2020 McNeill-Nott Award, and said, “Success will require top-notch fitness, abilities to climb difficult ice and rock, as well as knowledge on how to quickly and efficiently aid climb. It appears to be a perfect cutting edge challenge.”

And, lastly, Kurt Ross will receive a grant to attempt a new route on a 7,000m peak in the Eastern Karakoram. Ross and partners Jackson Marvell and Matt Cornell have committed to climbing in lightweight alpine style, adhering to Leave No Trace ethics throughout the trip. They are training for success in some of the most dramatic mountains in the world.

The Cutting Edge Grant is supported in part by Global Rescue, the world’s leading provider of integrated travel risk and evacuation memberships. CEG recipients are additionally awarded a one-year, full Global Rescue membership—an upgrade to the standard AAC rescue coverage. Upgraded benefits include: $500,000 of rescue evacuation; repatriation back to the US; deployed Global Rescue Personnel; and more—a service intended to help AAC members climb hard and return home safely.

The AAC has inspired and supported cutting-edge climbing achievements for over 100 years. Applications for the Cutting Edge Grant are accepted each year from October 1st through November 30th.

For more information, visit a​mericanalpineclub.org/cutting-edge-grant.
For more information on Global Rescue and their memberships, visit globalrescue.com.

2019 Cutting Edge Grant Recipients Announced

Chantel Astorga. Photo: AAC member Anne Gilbert Chase

Congratulations to this year’s recipients of the 2019 Cutting Edge Grant! The Cutting Edge Grant continues the Club’s 100 year tradition of supporting climbing athletes in pursuit of world-class climbing and mountaineering objectives. This year’s winners are Sam Hennessey, Chantel Astorga, and Chris Wright. Read about their objectives and then listen to the latest Cutting Edge podcast to hear Chris Wright and Graham Zimmerman talk about their wild new route, the tactics and gear required, and the two climbers' strong partnership, which will take them back to Pakistan this summer for a second attempt at one of the world's great unclimbed peaks.

The Cutting Edge Grant is supported in part by Global Rescue, the world’s leading provider of integrated travel risk and evacuation memberships. CEG recipients are additionally awarded a one-year, full Global Rescue Membership—an upgrade to the standard AAC rescue coverage. Upgraded benefits include: $500,000 of rescue evacuation; repatriation back to the US; deployed Global Rescue Personnel; and more—a service intended to help AAC members climb hard and return home safely.

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January 29, 2019, Golden, CO—The American Alpine Club (AAC) is pleased to announce this year’s recipients of the 2019 Cutting Edge Grant. The Cutting Edge Grant continues the Club’s 100 year tradition of supporting climbing athletes in pursuit of world-class climbing and mountaineering objectives.

The Cutting Edge Grant seeks to fund individuals planning expeditions to remote areas featuring unexplored mountain ranges, unclimbed peaks, difficult new routes, first free ascents, or similar world-class pursuits. Objectives featuring a low-impact style and leave-no-trace mentality are looked upon with favor. For the 2019 grant cycle, the AAC awarded $20,000 to three recipients:

Sam Hennessey ($8,000) to attempt the North Face of Chamlang (7300m) in the Eastern Himalaya of Nepal. Rob Smith, Seth Timpano, Michael Gardner, and grant-winner Sam Hennessey will attempt the unclimbed North Face this coming Autumn, in alpine style. The north face is an impressive feature, rising nearly 2000m directly to the summit ridge. The face has received attention almost yearly for the last decade, with no teams making serious progress due to poor climbing conditions, bad weather, or both. Hennessey has climbed technical routes all over the world, from the Himalaya to Patagonia.  

Chantel Astorga ($6,000) to attempt Pumari Chhish South (7350m) in Pakistan's Hispar Karakoram. Astorga and Anne Gilbert Chase will attempt the unclimbed 2700m South Face in mixed climbing conditions and with an alpine style approach. In 2018, Astorga and Chase completed the first female ascent of Denali’s Slovak Direct (5.9X M6 W16+, 9,000’). They also completed the first ascent of the unclimbed SW face of Mount Nilkantha in India, with Jason Thompson. 

Chris Wright ($6,000) to attempt an unclimbed 7000m peak in the Eastern Karakoram Range, Pakistan. The grant will fund expedition expenses for Wright and Graham Zimmerman. They will be joined by Mark Richey and Steve Swenson in attempting the first ascent of the peak in alpine style. Wright, Zimmerman, and Swenson previously attempted the peak but were unsuccessful due to uncooperative weather. Wright describes it as, “A stunning, oft-tried, yet unclimbed granite monster in a seldom-visited valley in the heart of the Karakoram...it is undoubtedly one of the most compelling undone peaks of the greater ranges.” Wright has been climbing for 17 years, including 11 expeditions to technical routes in the greater ranges. He holds numerous first ascents in Alaska, India, Nepal, Norway, and more.

The Cutting Edge Grant is supported in part by Global Rescue, the world’s leading provider of integrated travel risk and evacuation memberships. CEG recipients are additionally awarded a one-year, full Global Rescue Membership—an upgrade to the standard AAC rescue coverage. Upgraded benefits include: $500,000 of rescue evacuation; repatriation back to the US; deployed Global Rescue Personnel; and more—a service intended to help AAC members climb hard and return home safely.

The AAC has inspired and supported cutting-edge climbing achievements for over 100 years.  Applications for the Cutting Edge Grant are accepted each year from October 1st through November 30th. 

Climbing & Splitboarding Adventure Grant Updates

We’re excited to announce the following climbing and adventure grants are now open for applications, meaning we’re awarding over $40,000 to climbers and backcountry snowboarders in the next few months!

• CUTTING EDGE GRANT
  The Cutting Edge Grant seeks to fund advanced and capable climbers planning expeditions to remote areas featuring unexplored mountain ranges, unclimbed peaks, difficult new routes, first free ascents, or similar world-class pursuits. Awards will typically fall in the $5,000 to $15,000 range, however award amounts will vary based on project and budget. Open through November 30th—learn more & apply.

• JONES ADVENTURE GRANTS
  The Jones Backcountry Adventure Grant & the Jones Live Like Liz Award support splitboarding expeditions with strong exploratory and adventure components. The project objective may focus on a single descent/summit or a tour/traverse of a region. Each grant recipient will receive a $1,500 cash award plus a Jones splitboard, skins and backcountry touring backpack. 

  The Jones Live Like Liz Award is open only to our female riders, while the Jones Backcountry Adventure Grant is open to all AAC members. Open through November 30th—learn more & apply.

• COPP-DASH INSPIRE AWARD
  EXTENDED DEADLINE! Established in the memory of Jonny Copp and Micah Dash, the Copp-Dash Inspire Award provides $20,000 in climbing grants to assist small teams tackling difficult climbs in the great mountains of the world and multimedia instruction to help them to share their ascents through a blend of storytelling elements. Open through November 30th—learn more & apply.
  

  Not a fit for these grants? The Live Your Dream Grant and others will open for applications this winter and spring, so stay tuned.

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2018 Cutting Edge Grant Recipients Announced

The AAC is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2018 Cutting Edge Grant. This grant seeks to fund individuals planning expeditions to remote areas featuring unexplored mountain ranges, unclimbed peaks, difficult new routes, first free ascents, or similar world-class pursuits. Objectives featuring a low-impact style and leave-no-trace mentality are looked upon with favor.  For the 2018 grant cycle, the AAC received awarded $20,000 to four recipients:

Kurt Ross ($6,000) to visit a seldom traveled region within the eastern Pakistani
Karakoram to establish a first ascent on the unclimbed peak, Karmading Brakk via
the Lachit Valley. This 6000m peak is an untouched gem, so striking it certainly
would have been previously attempted had it not been for historically restrictive
military control in the area. With these military restricts lifted, and the government
currently granting permits to climbers, Kurt and his team are ready for action.

Alan Rousseau ($6,000) to attempt the remote north face of Chiling II (6400m), in
Zanskar-Kashmir- Kishtwar region of Himal India. With a difficult, mostly
unsupported approach and hard climbing at altitude, this objective represents a
step forward in Alan’s climbing and likely one of the harder north faces he and his
team have ever attempted.

Whitney Clark ($5,000) to lead an all-woman team to the Zanskar-Kashmir-
Kishtwar region of Himal India to attempt the main summit of Arjuna’s (6230m)
West Face. Their chosen route takes the team up a steep 1400m unclimbed buttress, which lies to the left of all current established routes. The peak is accessed via a complex icefall, followed by technical high-alpine climbing. It is their goal to climb the route free and operate in a fast, light ethic.

Ryan Johnson ($3,000) to travel to the Alaska Range to attempt the East Face of Mt. Hayes (4215m). Ryan attempted the line in 2013 but extreme cold and illness
shut down the expedition. The line on Hayes is primarily an ice hose, with a 600m
steep mixed section.

The Cutting Edge Grant is supported in part by Global Rescue, the world’s leading provider of integrated travel risk and evacuation memberships. CEG recipients are additionally awarded a one-year, full Global Rescue Membership—an upgrade to the standard AAC rescue coverage. Upgraded benefits include: $500,000 of rescue evacuation; repatriation back to the US; deployed Global Rescue Personnel; and more—a service intended to help AAC members climb hard and return home safely. For more information on Global Rescue and their memberships, visit: https://www.globalrescue.com/

AAC Announces 2017 Cutting Edge Grant Award Winners

The American Alpine Club is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2017 Cutting Edge Grant award. The Cutting Edge Grant, a new evolution of the AAC’s historic Lyman Spitzer Award, continues the Club’s tradition supporting climbing athletes in pursuit of world-class climbing and mountaineering objectives.

The Cutting Edge Grant is supported in part by Global Rescue.

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January 12, 2017, Golden, CO— The American Alpine Club is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2017 Cutting Edge Grant award. The Cutting Edge Grant, a new evolution of the AAC’s historic Lyman Spitzer Award, continues the Club’s tradition supporting climbing athletes in pursuit of world-class climbing and mountaineering objectives.
 
The Cutting Edge Grant seeks to fund individuals planning expeditions to remote areas featuring unexplored mountain ranges, unclimbed peaks, difficult new routes, first free ascents, or similar world-class pursuits. Objectives featuring a low-impact style and leave-no-trace mentality are looked upon with favor. For the 2016/17 grant cycle, the AAC received 33 grant applications and awarded $20,000 to three recipients.

• ANNE GILBERT CHASE - ($8,000) to attempt the first ascent of the Southwest face of Mt. Nilkantha (6596m), a major peak of the Garhwal division of the Himalayas, in the Uttarakhand region of the Indian state of Uttarakhand. The route contains 1,500m of technical climbing from base to summit and features steep rock and ice mixed climbing with numerous objective hazards. Mt. Nilkantha has been climbed only a few times via the North and West Ridges while the more impressive Southwest face is yet to be completed.
  

• JEROME SULLIVAN - ($6,000) to attempt the first ascent of the East face of Monte San Lorenzo (3706m) on the border between Argentina and Chile in Patagonia. Various parties have attempted the face yet no one has succeeded -- cornices and seracs top the 4km wall, leaving little safe lines. The primary objective is a steep and technical buttress on the East face of the Cumbre Central.
  

• CLINT HELANDER - ($6,000) to attempt the first ascent of the South Pillar of Panbari (6905m) located in the Peri Himal region just north of Manaslu in Nepal. Panbari, though close to the popular and accessible Manaslu trekking circuit, has seen little attention from climbers. The South Pillar begins with a web of couloirs that weave upward for 1000m with the technical pillar beginning at about 5300m with steep snow, ice and mixed climbing expected, with the rock being fractured granite.

The Cutting Edge Grant is supported in part by Global Rescue, the world’s leading
provider of integrated travel risk and evacuation memberships. CEG recipients are
additionally awarded a one-year, full Global Rescue Membership—an upgrade to the standard AAC rescue coverage. Upgraded benefits include: $500,000 of rescue
evacuation, repatriation back to the US, deployed Global Rescue Personnel, and
more—a service intended to help AAC members climb hard and return home safely.

The American Alpine Club has inspired and supported cutting-edge climbing achievements for over 100 years. From funding the first ascent of Mt. Logan in 1925, to the exploration of the Karakoram in 1938, to the 2006 first ascent of Nanga Parbat’s Rupal Face, the AAC has stood to support climbers who push their physical and mental limits and celebrated their accomplishments.

New AAC Grant for Advanced Athletes

We're proud to announce a new climbing grant, the Cutting Edge Grant. The Cutting Edge Grant, an evolution of the Lyman Spitzer Grant, seeks to fund advanced and capable climbers planning expeditions to remote areas featuring unexplored mountain ranges, unclimbed peaks, difficult new routes, first free ascents, or similar world-class pursuits. 
 
Cutting Edge awards are intended to more significantly contribute towards total expedition costs. Awards will typically fall in the $5,000 to $15,000 range. Learn more.

Hayden Kennedy and Kyle Dempster Receive First Annual Alpina AAC Cutting Edge Award

Photo: Kyle Dempster

On behalf of Alpina Watches and the American Alpine Club, Hayden Kennedy and Kyle Dempster have been selected to receive the first annual Alpina AAC Cutting Edge Award for their outstanding 2012 accomplishment in establishing two new routes in Pakistan's Karakoram, the east face of K7 and the south face of Ogre I.

The Alpina AAC Cutting Edge Award will be presented each year to one climbing team who, with the aid of an AAC climbing grant, demonstrates excellency in skills and accomplishment in cutting edge climbing objectives and who upholds the values of the American Alpine Club, acting as world-class ambassadors to American climbing both domestically and abroad. Hayden and Kyle's 2012 achievements in Pakistan were funded in part through the AAC's Lyman Spitzer grant.

Read about the ascents. 

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Honoring the deep traditions of style, ethics, and the “Brotherhood of the Rope,” The Alpina AAC Cutting Edge Award will recognize one climbing team who, with the aid of an AAC climbing grant, demonstrated excellence in climbing, upheld the values of the American Alpine Club and Alpina Watches, and acted in a manner befit a world-class ambassador to American climbing both domestically and abroad. 

“Alpina is a great partnership for this new award. Both the AAC and Alpina believe in high standards of performance and promoting those climbers who employ exceptional style both on and off the mountain,” said Phil Powers, CEO of the American Alpine Club. “The Cutting Edge Award celebrates great climbing achievement with an emphasis on admirable camaraderie within the team, and a real respect for the environments which they travel.”

“Climbing has no boundaries and no nationality. Climbers from all over the world share the same human, ethical and sports values, because the mountain demands and deserves them” says Guido Benedini, Alpina Watches CEO. “Being a Brand born in the Swiss Alps in 1883, since more than a century, we regard it as our responsibility to support mountaineering values and the protection of the Alpine environment. We are therefore extremely proud to give our contribution to the AAC by supporting the Alpina AAC Cutting Edge Award and by becoming their Official Watch”. 

2016 Lyman Spitzer Cutting Edge Award Winners Announced

January 4, 2016, Golden, CO—The American Alpine Club is excited to announce its 2016 Lyman Spitzer Cutting Edge Awards. This grant, made possible by the generous support of Lyman Spitzer Jr., promotes state-of-the-art, cutting edge climbing through financial support of small, lightweight climbing teams attempting bold first ascents or difficult repeats of the most challenging routes in the world.

"The committee was especially impressed with this year's objectives and team strengths," commented committee chair Paul Gagner. “The two teams below represent the spirit and intent of the award and the AAC is very happy to support their dreams." 

The two Shagrilas - Chris Wright & Tico Gangulee will travel to the Kullu Himalaya in India to fill in blanks on the map. The team has several objectives, all unclimbed. According to one US climber who saw the peak on a 2011 ski expedition, “I have no idea if this peak has a name or not but it was drop dead gorgeous. I just remember thinking the potential for rad alpine climbs up this valley would be endless." 

Unclimbed, often tried Link Sar - Rob Duncan, Jesse Mease, Marcos Costa will travel to the head of the Charakusa glacier in the Pakistan Karakoram, with two objectives in mind. The first and primary objective is the still unclimbed 7,041 meter summit of Link Sar, a complex and stunning peak. After this ascent the team will move to the Choktoi Glacier to climb Ogre II via the NE ridge a route attempted and climbed this past year to just below the summit. The AAC and Spitzer committee wish both teams good luck. 

The AAC offers numerous grants with differing criteria, from the locally administered Live Your Dream grants, to mountain fellowship grants for climbers under the age of 25, as well as Cornerstone Conservation grants that keep our local climbing areas healthy. For a full list of grants visit the American Alpine Club website at americanalpineclub.org/grants.