Alpininst magazine review
Crotch Robbins
showed up in my mailbox last week.
As with any climbing mag the first trip through was a look at the
pictures. The first thing I notice is that there is an interesting
photo on nearly every page. Lots of fearsome mountains and walls,
some with lines drawn on them, some alpine climbing shots and a couple
of suffering shots. A nice photoessay by Kennan Harvey. Grade: A-
(deduction for no pictures of, or by ME).
Next look through is for the ad count. Fewer than 10% of the pages
have ads. The ads in there are for the most part tasteful and in
keeping with the style of the mag. Grade: A
Now the reading.
A piece about Changabang and the dozen or so ascents of the mountain.
The accounts of the ascents (mostly told by the first ascenscionists)
had me flipping back and forth to the map and the great pictures of
all aspects of the mountain with the routes drawn in. It made me want
to quit my job and go to the Garwal Himalaya. Admittedly, this is
easy to do, but still I give it an A+.
Next, a story by Jack Tackle about his real, man-sized epic, spending
40 hours on a crappy chopped ledge on Mt. Augusta, Canada. Another
story about a first ascent, but this time gone awry. Good photos. A
well written, compelling story. A+
Then, a few more pieces, also well written and accompanied by quality
photographs. The first two articles are the best, but regardless,
there's not one in there that I skipped. The last section is an
AAJ-like section with brief accounts of significant climbs. One that
stuck out was Jim Beyer's description of a few new pitches on El Cap.
I'll have more to say about this elsewhere. Also lots of accounts by
people you've never heard of who are doing bold things in cold places.
More high marks.
The bottom line: if you dream about big rocks, and snowy faces, if
you're greatest and worst days (often one in the same) have been spent
in the mountains, then this magazine is for you.
My only complaint is that it only comes out 4 times a year.
Bravo Alpinist!
Crotch
Kalin KOZHUHAROV
> Issue number 1 of Alpinist magazine <http://www.alpinistmagazine.com>
> showed up in my mailbox last week.
Well, a too unclear website I saw, but it seems that this magazine is
promising. It is just that it seems a bit expensive @58USD/year
(international).
How big is it? How many pages? The 0th issue (PDF) is 30 pages...
Kalin.
--
/|\^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^/|\
|O| http://ThinRope.net/ |O|
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Zeki Melek
Zeki Melek
Grippedclimer
rather buy a cam or get 5 lap dances!
Scott Grimes
> rather buy a cam or get 5 lap dances!
Then you would truly be a gripped climber
--
Cheers,
SMG
>
>
Bill Wright
> The price is way high for a magazine that comes out 4 times a year. Would
> rather buy a cam or get 5 lap dances!
The magazine is a large format - bigger than Climbing and R&I. The
first issue was around 100 pages - with a total of 9 ads (all full
pages) that were mostly at the very front and back of the magazine.
You have to compare this to the AAJ and not really Climbing or R&I.
The magazine cost $12/issue and the AAJ costs, what?, $25-30?. The AAJ
is a much smaller format, but many more pages. I'd say this magazine
is a good buy for anyone that thinks the AAJ is a good buy. I agree
with the previous review - a very good job.
I really loved the mountain profile idea and I hope that continues.
This issue it was Changabang. I'd like to see mountains that aren't
entirely extreme as well. Something like Mt. Alberta in Canada would
be a great choice. It has an ultra serious north face, but a more
moderate, though still serious, route (Japanese Ridge). The same can
be said about the Eiger. My one fear with this magazine is that I
won't be able to use ANY of the information as it is all at an
extremely high level. If that is the case, I might still get it since
I like reading about that stuff.
Other cool things in this magazine were a topo of Quantum Mechanic -
the new 5.13a/b trad free route on Washinton Column in Yosemite - and
the description of Alex Huber's free solo of a 1000-foot 5.12 route in
the Dolomites! The web-site isn't fully up to speed yet, but it has
small versions of Huber's topos for his free Half Dome ascent and his
new free route on Washington Column.
It is a great addition to the climbing periodicals precisely because
it is so different. I hope it stays that way.
Bill
Crotch Robbins
> Well, a too unclear website I saw, but it seems that this magazine is
> promising. It is just that it seems a bit expensive @58USD/year
> (international).
>
> How big is it? How many pages? The 0th issue (PDF) is 30 pages...
At $11.50 per issue (domestic), it's not cheap, but it's 100 pages or
so, with only 9 pages of ads. Compare that to the other schlock.
Crotch
Crotch Robbins
> You have to compare this to the AAJ and not really Climbing or R&I.
> The magazine cost $12/issue and the AAJ costs, what?, $25-30?. The AAJ
> is a much smaller format, but many more pages. I'd say this magazine
> is a good buy for anyone that thinks the AAJ is a good buy. I agree
> with the previous review - a very good job.
Good comparison. To add to that, AAJ is small format, mostly text,
and black and white. Alpinist is large COLOR with lots of nice vivid
images on sturdy pages.
> I really loved the mountain profile idea and I hope that continues.
> This issue it was Changabang. I'd like to see mountains that aren't
> entirely extreme as well.
There was a 5.8 A2 route (wink wink, nudge nudge, get my point, know
what I mean?) on Changabang :-)
> Something like Mt. Alberta in Canada would
> be a great choice. It has an ultra serious north face, but a more
> moderate, though still serious, route (Japanese Ridge). The same can
> be said about the Eiger. My one fear with this magazine is that I
> won't be able to use ANY of the information as it is all at an
> extremely high level. If that is the case, I might still get it since
> I like reading about that stuff.
I'd like to think that I'll make it to the Himalaya sometime in the
next decade and try something a bit technical. If nothing else, the
photos give me a feel for a region and whether or not it might be on
my destination list. Furthermore, there were a couple of "moderates"
at least by grade, but as you say, Changabang (and any other big
mountain) is a serious proposition any way you cut it.
> It is a great addition to the climbing periodicals precisely because
> it is so different. I hope it stays that way.
Agreed. I'd like to see Alpinist pledge to keep advertising space at
less than 10% of the pages. I'm willing to pay for good content.
crotch
wood
trip to Border's.
Dmitry Yaitskov
> Could this magazine be found in stores, or is it subscribtion only ?
FWIW, it's on sale in Toronto's MEC (bought my copy there).
> > Zeki Melek
>
>
--
Cheers,
-Dima.
Kai Larson
and was very happy. I enjoy alpinism the most of the climbing
disciplines, and this magazine is true to its name. It is a magazine
with a "coffee table book" feel to it. I hope they make it. Gives
me something more to look forward to.
Kai
On 10 Dec 2002 11:25:19 -0800, cro...@pobox.com (Crotch Robbins)
wrote: