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Two years after the first free ascent of the legendary Riders on the Storm route on Torres del Paine's Central Tower, Stefano Ragazzo accomplished the impossible: the first solo ascent of the route. The Italian spent 15 days alone on the wall, tackling technically very challenging sections, terrible weather, and a problem with frostbitten toes. Ragazzo climbed from February 21 to March 7. "For the first time in my life, I fought for something more than just the summit: for my life, or rather, for the constant thought, the desire to return to my girlfriend's arms," Ragazzo confessed on social media. "This thought kept me alive and was probably the main reason I can write these words now."

A Most Challenging Route

The Riders on the Storm route, first climbed in 1991 by Germans Kurt Albert, Bernd Arnold, Norbert Bätz, Peter Dittrich, and Wolfgang Güllich, is a 38-pitch, 1300-meter line on the east face of Torres del Paine's Central Tower in Patagonia. The route's difficulty is rated VI 5.12d (European scale 7c), A3. Frequent rockfall and icefall significantly increase the danger. The route includes a complex section using ITO, followed by a large pendulum across a smooth wall on pitch 16, and a huge overhang on pitch 26. In the 35 years since the first ascent, the route has been repeated only three times. Only a powerful team consisting of Sean Villanueva O'Driscoll, Nico Favresse, Sibbe Vanhee, and photographer Drew Smith managed to finally climb it free. All this suggests that the route is challenging enough to deter many top teams. A solo ascent seemed impossible.

Miraculously Avoiding Death

Mirko Grasso from Italy and Jernej Kruder from Czechia have established a new route in Chile's Cochamo Valley. The 750-meter route has a difficulty of up to 7c. Cochamo Valley, despite its growing popularity, remains wild and offers excellent opportunities for climbers. A great illustration of Patagonia's potential beyond the well-known peaks such as Torres del Paine and Fitz Roy. Grasso and Kruder set up base camp in La Junta, in the heart of the valley, at the beginning of the year. La Junta is a two-hour drive from the Chilean town of Puerto Montt and a three-hour walk along the trail. During a short weather window, the climbers identified a suitable line on the summit of Cerro Valvalun, which they described as the most imposing peak in the area. When establishing the route, the climbers used different styles. At first, they placed bolts and pitons, and then climbed the route free solo. It took them two weather windows to achieve their goal. During the first, they climbed the route with bolts in three days. The route can be divided into two parts: the first passes through smooth, technically complex slabs and requires thoughtful protection and careful climbing, the second part is characterized by cracks and corners, as well as reliable climbing on granite. "The upper part is a pleasure: incredible cracks, always available for climbing, never boring," the climbers noted. On the first ascent, they used 29 bolts and 15 pitons for advancement and protection, as well as classic protection points.

Unless you live in Siberia or Canada's Arctic, you likely don't know cold like Maciej Berbeka, a Polish computer science specialist and traveler who has been undertaking solo climbs for over a decade in what he calls some of the coldest and most inaccessible mountain ranges and plateaus on Earth. Berbeka's latest expedition took place in February. It was the first winter solo ascent of https://summitx.info/ru/objects/peaks/12625907/about, and it perfectly illustrates his longstanding interest in extreme cold and autonomous travel.

The Coldest Mountain on the Planet?

Pobeda, the highest peak in Yakutia, was previously climbed in winter in 2018 by climbers Simone Moro and Tamara Lunger. Moro called it "the coldest climb in history, on the coldest mountain on the planet," as temperatures as low as -70˚C have been recorded in the region. Berbeka started his winter solo from the same point as Moro and Lunger. He ascended in a single day, tracing a line through deep, loose snow all the way. "Of all my solo winter ascents in North Siberia, this was definitely the most challenging," he said. "Others were just as cold, maybe even colder, but none were even close in terms of technical difficulties and snow conditions," he added. Berbeka reached the start of the route on skis, then switched to crampons and ascended via the south wall, repeating the route through the central couloir taken in 2018.

Summiting in the Dark

Connor Herson from the USA has set a new standard in trad climbing by ascending the route Drifter’s Escape in Squamish, British Columbia. The route, which he graded 5.15a (9a+ in the European classification), is claiming the title of the world's most challenging trad route. The route follows meager cracks on https://summitx.info/ru/objects/peaks/17292453/about, a 700-meter granite monolith. It is a very popular wall with numerous multi-pitches. A key moment in Drifter’s Escape is a complex dynamic move called the "chase". "I didn't grade the route for several months after the ascent," Herson said. Herson announced the grade only in spring 2026 to draw media attention ahead of a film about his ascent and other notable achievements in 2025. The four-part series Born From the Climbing Life, filmed by Erik Bissell, will air next month on Black Diamond channels. Additionally, the director's cut of the first ascent of Drifter’s Escape will be featured as part of the Mellow Film Tour, starting February 27 in Boulder, Colorado. Source: ExplorersWeb, Angela Benavides

New Everest Climbing Regulations: Climbing a 7,000-meter Peak in Nepal First is Now Mandatory Nepal's National Assembly has passed a new tourism bill that requires climbers to first ascend a 7,000-meter peak in Nepal before tackling Everest. This new regulation aims to deter inexperienced or unprepared climbers from attempting the mountain and to develop the expedition business in the country. Every year, new regulations are proposed for trekking and mountaineering in Nepal, and now they are on the verge of becoming national law. The requirement for climbers to have prior experience ascending a 7,000-meter peak in Nepal before attempting Everest is the most notable innovation. According to officials, this provision is designed to curb the growing number of inexperienced climbers attempting the world's highest peak, which often leads to congestion, accidents, and strain on rescue services. Nepal has 86 peaks between 7,000 and 7,999 meters, and the climbing fee for foreigners ranges from $500 to$500to800 during the spring season. Some of the rules outlined in the bill have also featured in other recent ordinances, such as the requirement to provide a recent medical certificate to obtain a climbing permit. The bill also lays the groundwork for a general environmental fund that will collect money from climbers.

Overall Statistics (as of December 2025)

As of December 2025, there have been 13,737 summits of Everest, corresponding to a 43% success rate. Of those who reached the summit, 7,563 different people have stood on the top. 339 people have died on all routes. Nepal remains the more popular and more deadly side. 9,887 summits and 229 deaths were recorded on the Nepalese side, corresponding to a death rate of approximately 2.3%. On the Tibetan side, there were 3,850 summits and 110 deaths, a death rate of 2.8%. The use of supplemental oxygen remains one of the strongest predictors of survival. 180 of the 339 deaths occurred among climbers ascending without supplemental oxygen.

Tibet or Nepal?

The Nepalese side remains the most popular route and has recorded the highest absolute number of fatalities. The Tibetan side has recorded a slightly higher percentage of deaths — 2.8%, but a comparable normalized mortality rate — 1.05.

Deaths Rise with the Number of Climbers

Since 2000, Everest has experienced an unprecedented influx of climbers. 15,781 people climbed above Base Camp in Nepal from 2000 to 2025, nearly triple the total number for the previous 80 years. Throughout Everest's history (1921–2025), 339 people have died on the mountain. The average number of deaths increased to approximately seven deaths per year from 2010 to 2025.

Standard Routes — 98% vs. Non-Standard Routes — 2%