Alpine Club Awards $21,000 to 'Cream of the Crop'

Golden, Colo.--The American Alpine Club awarded $21,000 in grants to nine teams of explorers and adventurers. The money will help fund expeditions to Greenland, Mongolia, the Himalayas, Baffin Island and Alaska.

Six teams divided $14,000 in Lyman Spitzer Climbing Grants, which support "bold first ascents or difficult repeats of the most challenging routes in the world's great mountain ranges." Individual grants were $1,500 to $3,500.

Three teams of explorers each received $2,500 Helly Hansen grants. Each team also will be outfitted with Helly Hansen apparel.

"The Spitzer and Helly Hansen grants are really for the cream of the crop," said Chris Chesak, the club's development director. "They are awarded only to cutting-edge expeditions that further the climbing community's collective knowledge base and skill set."

Leaders of teams receiving Spitzer grants are Brian Block, Ames, Iowa, for an alpine-style first ascent of Denali's east face; Michael Libecki, Salt Lake City, solo climb of virgin granite tower in Greenland; and Micah Raphael, Boulder, Colo., established and free routes in Greenland.

Also, Steve Schneider, Oakland, Calif., one-day free climb of Mongolia's tallest granite wall; Josh Wharton, Boulder, Colo., first ascent of the Flame in the Himalayas; and Cedar Wright, Yosemite, Calif., first ascents on Baffin Island.

Leaders of teams receiving Helly Hansen grants are Pete Dronkers, Reno, Nev., 30 days exploring and climbing on Ellesmere Island in the Canadian Arctic;
Lorne Glick, Telluride, Colo., first ski descent of Cerro Fitzroy in Argentine Patagonia; and David Morton, Seattle, new routes on Nangpai Gosum Peak, Nepal.