We’re proud to have members like Yvon among our ranks. Check out the video, “Take Charge: Taking the First Step to Protect Nature,” below.

Want to climb in Alaska? Argentina? Africa? If you’re 25 or younger, the AAC’s Mountain Fellowship grants can help you attempt the climbs of your dreams. Mountain Fellowships are awarded twice each year, and the next deadline is coming up fast: April 1.

Recent Mountain Fellowship winners have climbed new routes in Chile, British Columbia, and Malawi. Could you be next? Find out more and download an application here.

Temporary repairs to the Piedra Grande hut on Pico de Orizaba.

The Mexican Federation of Mountain Sports and Climbing (FMDMyE) is working to repair the roof of the Refugio Piedra Grande on Pico de Orizaba, which is North America’s third-highest mountain and a popular training climb for U.S. and Canadian mountaineers. The Piedra Grande hut is located at about 14,000 feet on the 18,490-foot volcano near Mexico City; it serves as base camp for the standard Jamapa Glacier route on the north side of the peak.

In February, members of FMDMyE made two trips to the hut to complete preliminary repairs to the roof, which has been badly damaged by high winds, causing numerous leaks. In May, the president of the FMDMyE, Alfredo Velázquez, plans to lead another group to complete more permanent repairs. However, the federation has raised only about one-third of the estimated budget for the job, and is seeking additional funding.

Contributions for the repair of the Piedra Grande hut can be sent to the FMDMyE account in Mexico:

Bank: HSBC
CLABE (routing number): 021180040380302196
Account: 4038030219
Federacion Mexicana de Deportes de Montaña y Escalada, A.C.

I had the great pleasure last weekend of traveling to the Horseshoe Ranch in Arkansas to give a joint presentation along with Jeremy Collins, to benefit the AAC. I was a little bit dubious about the prospect for climbing in Arkansas, as I had not heard much about it, but I was pleasantly surprised to find a true sandstone frontier offering the full gamut of challenges, from Bouldering, to Sport Climbing and even some spectacular Trad-climbs. I arrived a day early to get in a little climbing with Jeremy, and by the end of the day my forearms felt like they had been beat to a pulp by a meat tenderizer, by the endless supply of steep gymnastic climbing. Between burns, I pulled out my video camera and tried to convey through moving pictures the vibe of Arkansas cragging. That evening, I edited a video to show at the presentation.

People were psyched to see their home area on the big screen, were very supportive of the AAC and just generally psyched to come together. Nearly a hundred and fifty people rallied to the show and everyone was amped for the entertainment, beer and door prizes. Jeremy showed his amazing film “Border Country” for the first time, and also shared some of his classic climbing related cartoons. Jeremy is in my opinion the single greatest climbing artist on the planet. He really is a visionary…constantly striving and breaking new ground as a climber and artist. After Jeremy, I showed my multimedia shebang, which includes several original short films and slides from all around the world, including Africa, Pakistan, Brazil, Argentina and some local adventures as well. I find events like this rejuvenating. It’s nice to know people are psyched and inspired by some of my crazy adventures, and it’s always nice to give back to the climbing community that has truly given me everything. We rallied some new members to the AAC, and showed people a good time, so I think it was a success on all accounts.

Being a member of the AAC is about taking part in something larger than your self. It’s about shared values, and shared passion. I’ve been getting my inspiration from the Journal since I knew what a climbing shoe and camalot were, so it’s always an honor to represent the AAC and I look forward to helping the club reach out to new members whenever and however I can. These are my people, this is my community.

Off Belay.

Cedar Wright.

Arkansas in a day! from Cedar Wright on Vimeo.

Make some popcorn, pop open a frosty beverage, and settle in for half an hour in front of the computer. This video trip report is well worth your time.

Mason Earle, a 2009 AAC Mountain Fellowship winner, traveled to Chile’s Torres del Paine in January and February with Britons Pete Rhodes and George Ullrich to attempt an all-free route on the El Cap–size east face of Cerro Catedral. The trio of young climbers planned to start up La Escoba de Dios and then strike off for a corner and crack system to the left. In the end, they climbed 15 pitches (nine of them new) and did some very impressive free climbing (several 5.12 pitches) despite horrendous conditions. You can read a news story about the attempt by AAJ associate editor Lindsay Griffin here. The video below, produced by Pete Rhodes, offers a great look at the action, complete with miserable cave living, jumar whippers, nasty spindrift, and some very serious climbing.

Incidentally, this same Patagonian peak was the scene of an award-winning film by AAC member John Catto, who filmed his teammates Charlie Fowler, Pete Gallagher, and Max Kendall as they completed the first ascent of La Escoba de Dios in 1992. You can get a taste of the film via this old National Geographic Explorer clip at YouTube. Meanwhile, check out Pete Rhodes’ superb film of the 2010 expedition:

We’ll let Cedar’s video tell the story, posted on Vertical Carnival:

Arkansas in a day! from Cedar Wright on Vimeo.

The striking upper northeast face of Mt. Ambition in British Columbia. McNeill-Nott Award winnes Nate Farr and Blake Herrington will attempt the north ridge, visible along the sun-shadow line in upper right. Photo by John Scurlock

The AAC has selected three expeditions to receive 2010 McNeill-Nott Awards. These annual grants, cosponsored by Mountain Hardwear, preserve the memory and spirit of Karen McNeill and Sue Nott, who died on Mt. Foraker in 2006. This year, three grants totaling $5,000 have been awarded to small teams planning adventuresome new routes.

In late spring, Nate Farr of Camas, WA, and Blake Herrington of Denver, CO, will attempt the north ridge of Mt. Ambition in the remote Spectrum group of British Columbia’s Coast Mountains. This peak has had only one previous ascent, and the mile-long, mostly technical north ridge likely has never been attempted. The majority of the mountains in the area are unclimbed, and if the two climbers have time they hoped to attempt the first ascent of other peaks.

In April, Clint Helander and Seth Holden of Anchorage, AK, will return to the Revelation Mountains in Alaska, where they’ve already done the first ascents of the Ice Pyramid (2009) and Exodus (2008). This summer, the duo hopes to complete the south ridge of the Angel, a line attempted six times by the well-known climber David Roberts; the peak has only been climbed once. They also may attempt an unclimbed peak called the Apocalypse (the highest unclimbed summit in the Revelations) and the first ascent of the west face of Mt. Mausolus.

Mike Ybarra of Woodland Hills, CA, and Seth Timpano of Lewiston, MT, will attempt the southeast face of Singu Chuli (“Fluted Peak”), a 6,501-meter mountain in the heart of the Annapurna Sanctuary of Nepal. Although this peak has four known routes (only one of which has been repeated), the direct route up the fluted southeast face is believed to be unclimbed.

Created with the support of Mountain Hardwear, which sponsored both Karen McNeill and Sue Nott, the McNeill-Nott Awards seek to preserve these two climbers’ spirit by funding amateur climbers exploring new routes or unclimbed peaks. Special attention is given to projects that have strong exploratory and adventuresome mountaineering components. Click here to learn more or download an application.

Zack Martin bouldering. Photo courtesy of John Parsons.

Zack Martin died just before his 25th birthday on Thanksgiving Day 2002. He was a recipient of AAC grants, the Anatoli Boukreev grant and others. Zack was concerned about the general arrogance and self-serving aspirations of climbers and explorers. He committed that on all future expeditions he would not only climb and explore but more importantly he would perform humanitarian service in the local community. He would “break a barrier” in the alpine environment and “break a barrier” in the heart of man. As Zack often said, “The only barrier holding you back is yourself.”

In his memory, the Zack Martin Breaking Barriers Grant (ZMBB) is a dual-purpose grant fund. The primary objective is humanitarian and the secondary objective is climbing, alpinism and/or exploration in the natural environment. The grantee must meet both objectives and is strongly encouraged to obtain additional funding. The humanitarian objective must be reasonable, and sustainable. Objectives that continue after implementation will receive the highest level of consideration. Focus the objective to affect the greatest human change. The alpine objective should focus on climbing and/or exploration but need not be at the leading edge of climbing or alpinism.

Need inspiration or ideas? Read the trip report from last year’s ZMBB recipient, Clint Estes, here: http://www.americanalpineclub.org/tr/sandbaggedinpakistan

The application deadline for this important grant is rapidly approaching: March 15, 2010. The committee is hoping to award $2000-$3000 worth of funding!

How to apply?
Applying for the ZMBB Grant is a two-step process. The first step is the submission of a short grant proposal abstract. After review of the abstract, the ZMBB grant committee will select three potential recipients. Each of the three selected applicants may be contacted and required to complete and submit the long form grant proposal. Complete the attached abstract proposal and submit it by Mar 15. The three potential grant recipients will be contacted on or before March 30 and may be asked for more information or an AAC long form grant proposal due by April 15. The award will be announced in early May.

Renan Ozturk below the "Missing Tooth," the high point of his 2009 attempt on the "Tooth Traverse" above the Ruth Gorge. Ozturk will return in 2010 with the help of a Spitzer Award from the AAC. Photo by Zack Smith.

The AAC has selected five expeditions to receive its 2010 Lyman Spitzer Cutting Edge Awards. A total of $12,000 will be divided among the five small American teams, which will attempt lightweight, state-of-the-art climbs from Alaska to China.

“We had a really great applicant pool this year, including for the first time several all-women’s teams,” said Paul Gagner, chair of the Spitzer Awards Committee. “The AAC is psyched to be supporting such impressive expeditions.”

Lorna Illingworth from Portland, OR, is teaming up with Madaleine Sorkin from Boulder, CO, and Emily Stifler from Bozeman, MT, to attempt the first complete free ascent of the Original Route (VI 5.9+ A3) on the southeast face of Mt. Proboscis. Avoiding a previous free-climbing team’s traverse to a neighboring route, the three women expect to add several pitches of 5.12 climbing to the remote 2,000-foot wall in Canada’s Logan Mountains.

In early fall, Dylan Johnson of Santa Monica, CA, will travel to Sichuan Province, China, with Josh Wharton of Rifle, CO, aiming for the first ascent of Seerdengpu (5,592m) via its north buttress. This striking line ascends a 1,200-meter granite buttress, followed by 600 meters of alpine terrain. The two men plan to attempt an ultra-light, single-push ascent.

Renan Ozturk from Boulder, CO, is returning to the Alaska Range with Zack Smith from Boulder and Freddie Wilkinson of Madison, NH, hoping to complete the “Tooth Traverse” above the Ruth Gorge. Ozturk and Smith attempted this traverse in 2009, starting at Espresso Gap and crossing over the Sugar Tooth and Eye Tooth. If the three men can make it over Bear’s Tooth this May, they will need to ascend the unclimbed south face of Moose’s Tooth to complete the traverse.

Cory Richards of Red Lodge, MT, will join teammates Stephan Siegrist of Interlaken, Switzerland, and Graham Zimmerman from Edmonds, WA, to attempt the north face of Chamlang (7,319m) in Nepal. This 2,000-meter face has only been climbed once, when Reinhold Messner and Doug Scott reached the lower east summit. In the autumn of 2010, the American-Swiss expedition will attempt the direct central spur to the main western summit.

This fall, Freddie Wilkinson of Madison, NH, will attempt an alpine-style ascent of the south face of Nuptse (7,800m) with his longtime climbing partners Ben Gilmore from Jackson, WY, and Kevin Mahoney from Madison, NH. The team will attempt either a new route on the left side of Nuptse’s enormous south wall or an alpine-style second ascent of the route Moonlight Sonata on the southeast spur.

Winners of the annual Lyman Spitzer Awards are chosen by a committee of three veteran climbers with vast experience in first ascents and expeditionary climbing: Paul Gagner (chair), Jared Ogden, and Jack Tackle.

The Spitzer grants are made possible by a generous donation from longtime AAC member Lyman Spitzer Jr. To learn more about the Spitzer Awards or download an application, click here.

Jonny Copp. Photo courtesy of The Jonny Copp Foundation.

Hello Everyone,

We are so excited and honored to announce that the Paper Stars have finished recording “Border Country”. Jonny’s last journal entry in China was made in to a song by an amazing musician, Tres Altman. All of the proceeds from the song will benefit The Jonny Copp Foundation. Thank you Tres, we love you. Please pass the link on to anyone you think may enjoy the song. We appreciate your support.

Sincerely, The Copp Family

Here are a few words about Jonny and the song from Tres Altman:

“One cannot say enough about the legend of Jonny Copp. He was and is one of the great spirits of our time. A true friend, an adventurer, poet, musician, climber, philosopher, a pioneer in every way. He is missed daily by those who knew and loved him. It has been an honor for me to put music to the final words written in his journal. The intuitive precision of his soul, the unflinching courage to do what had to be done, to face into his dream, into the mountain that would claim his body, into the depth of the life he worked daily to create. I did not change one word of his self-titled and final poem “Border Country”, I only repeated certain lines for emphasis. I hope you will take in the magnitude of this collaboration and feel in it the respect and admiration I had and will always have for my (OUR) dearly departed friend. He is with us in spirit…always and forever.”

https://www.cdbaby.com/cd/paperstars2

If you click on the link above it will lead you to the Paper Stars Album. Click “Preview all Songs” to hear a sample of the song “Border Country” by Tres Altman.