for Foregn Readers　(ROCK & SNOW No.59 2013 Spring)

P_005 The Fifth Winter Climbers Meeting
From the 9th to the 11th of February, Japan’s 33 top-level alpine climbers gathered in Kamikochi at the foot of Hotakadake and held the Fifth Winter Climbers Meeting. They set up their event office in the Mountain Research Center, a facility of the Japanese Alpine Club. During the day they formed parties of 2 to 3 climbers and climbed the crag of Myojindake. At night they reported their achievements in 2012, exchanging information with each other and strengthened mutual exchanges.

P_006 The North Face Cup 2013 – Final Round
On February 9 and 10, the final round of the bouldering series, the North Face Cup 2013, was held at Base Camp, the climbing gym. In addition to the climbers that won the qualifying rounds held in many parts of the country, the star climbers like Daniel Woods and Kim Jain participated in a heated competition.

P_011 Mammut Cup
On the 5th and 6th of January the Climbing Japan Championship, Mammut Cup, was held at the Higashi-Kurume Sports Center in Tokyo. Akito Matsushima won in the men’s category and Akiyo Noguchi in the women’s.

P_013 CLIMBING –net
On January 24 the editorial department of “ROCK&SNOW” opened CLIMBING-net, a comprehensive information site for climbers. The site promptly provides the latest information for all levels of climbers, from complete beginning climbers to top climbers. It is a website full of practical information such as how to begin climbing, a guide to the crags in Japan, a list of climbing gyms in Japan and an explanation of the latest climbing gear.

P_015 Featured Article – 100 Routes in Japan
We selected and listed the 100 best routes in Japan. There are 10 routes each from 10 regions, which are Hokkaido, Tohoku, Kanto, Jogasaki, Ogawayama, Mizugaki, Tokai, Kansai, Chugoku/Shikoku and Kyushu/Okinawa.

We also introduced accomplishment lists of three climbers: Takao Shirahata’s tick list of 88 routes of grade 5.13; Tamotsu Sugino’s tick list of 100 routes of grade 5.13; Naoya Naito’s on-site list of 85 routes of grade 5.12.

P_030 Adam Ondra completed The Change (5.15c), the worldÅfs hardest
Grade 5.15b in the Norwegian crags had been the hardest, but it became a thing of the past when, on October 4, 2012, Adam Ondra climbed The Change, to which the grade of 5.15c was given. Ondra didn’t stop there. On February 7, 2013, he conquered one more 5.15c route, La Dura Dura in Oliana, Spain. He had tried this line with Chris Sharma two years ago, but, finally this year, he climbed it taking 9 weeks.

P_036 Team Japan in Spain
After the 2012 World Cup, Amma Sachi, Akiyo Noguchi, Akito Matsushima and Yuka Kobayashi visited Spain. They marked significant achievements, among which the ascent of La Rambla 5.15a by Sachi deserves special mention. Both Shinichi Shoda and Wataru Yamada, who visit Spain all the way from Osaka almost every year, achieved the ascent of 5.14d.

P_045 First Ascents of K7 East Face and Ogre South Face
In the summer of 2012, Hayden Kennedy and Kyle Dempster opened two new routes on the two Karakorum peaks. One was East Face of K7. Joined by Urban Novak from Slovenia, they climbed it in one push of 49 hours. The other was Ogre 1. They climbed it by a new route with Josh Wharton.

P_052 First Ascent of Kyashar South Pillar
On November 11, 2012, Yasuhiro Hanatani, Hiroyoshi Manome and Tatsuya Aoki achieved the first ascent of Kyashar South Pillar in Nepal Himalaya. Kyashar was first climbed from the west ridge by an international expedition led by Bruce Normand, but it was never second climbed. Accordingly, the Japanese party made the second ascent of Kyashar. The South Pillar, which

looms high as if to divide the huge wall in two, had rejected repeated challenges in the past by the Czech, the British and other parties. The three Japanese climbers did altitude adaptation on Mera Peak and, on November 6, they left their basecamp, which was set in a lodge in Tangnag village (4300m). They climbed the lower part of the wall with the altitude difference of 900m and followed the plateau in the center section. On the third day, they reached the upper part of the wall. From there on continued a steep and friable crag. Beyond the altitude of 6000m, the route was of snow and mixed walls, making it possible to pick up climbing speed. The fifth day was the most challenging. Himalayan flutings of sugar snow were in their way and they could not get secure protection. They managed to get past the “nightmarish” snow ridge, and on the following day, which was the sixth day since they started climbing, the three climbers found themselves standing on the summit of Kyashar.

P_058 Three accomplishments in Patagonia
Katsutaka Yokoyama and Ryo Masumoto of “Giri-Giri Boys” traversed by connecting several ridge lines in the Pollone area of Patagonia. Their original plan was to start from the end of the east ridge and continue on to Cerro Pollone via Aguja Pollone, but they had to give it up halfway, right under Cerro Pollone East Peak, due to bad weather and bad wall conditions. Though they could not make a complete traverse, they enjoyed a fulfilling climbing of a total of 28 pitches, which included the first ascent of a prominent ridge line (750m, 5.11b) to Aguja Pllone and the first trace of Cerro Pollone East Ridge (55°5, 10d). This wonderful route is beautiful and has a varied content. Yokoyama predicts that it will become a classical line in this area. This is the first accomplishment.

Immediately after the first accomplishment, the second and the third followed one after another. The two climbers completed the Care Bear traverse of the Fitz Roy group and, being emboldened by it, also succeeded in the second ascent (the first free ascent) of Judgment Day on the southwest face of Aguja Poincenot.

P_082 Dai Koyamada scored a hat trick in Switzerland
Dai Koyamada spent about one month from October to November 2012 in Switzerland. During this period, he accomplished the second ascents of From Dirt Grows The Flowers (8c) and Der mit dem Fels tanzt (8c). He also made the first ascent of Insanity of Grandeur (8c), thus conquering three 8c’s.

P_097 Famous Boulder Problems in Japan
This is a sequel to the last issue’s “175 Famous Problems in Japan.” We are now introducing famous problems in Shiobara, Mitsumine, Yugawara-Makuiwa, Jogasaki, Horai and Kasagiyama, which we could not include in the last issue due to lack of space.

P_105 The Complete Climber: #9 Ropes
This is a serial article, the objective of which is to explain the latest situation of climbing devices. In this issue we are covering ropes. Thin ropes were provided by the rope producers. The article explains the characteristics of each product.

P_113 New Serial: Rock Giants
In this serial we delve into the records of the late “legendary climbers” who are sorely missed. We will start by Patrick Edlinger who passed away last year. He came to Japan about 30 years ago and demonstrated to us many evocative climbs.

P_116 Crossing the Kurobe river in winter
This winter, the mountains in Japan were hit by bad weather and heavy snow gave trouble to those who were in the mountains. Despite all of this, two parties composed of top climbers crossed the Kurobe river by connecting variation routes of Ushirotateyama mountain range and Tateyama/Tsurugidake mountain range. They accomplished a feat as difficult as climbing in the Himalayas.