IMPROVING MOUNTAIN LIVES,
SAFEGUARDING OUR MOUNTAINS

Application process now open for the 2017 UIAA Mountain Protection Award.  The deadline is 30 June, 2017 (extended to 14 July, 2017). During its five years of existence, the annual UIAA Mountain Protection Award has made a tangible difference to mountain lives, communities and the environment. It has enabled people to raise finances to build key infrastructures, conduct vital research and fulfil pending goals; it has provided an international showcase and communication platform for projects to raise...

EXPERTISE, EDUCATION AND A LOVE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT. THE UIAA MOUNTAIN PROTECTION COMMISSION, WORKING TO SAFEGUARD ALL MOUNTAINS

oThe upcoming launches of this year’s Mountain Protection Award and Respect the Mountains series, both core UIAA projects in the field of mountain sustainability, provides an opportune moment to talk to Dr Carolina Adler, UIAA Mountain Protection Commission President, about the UIAA and the UIAA Mountain Protection Commission’s important work in this field. First, and foremost, why is it important that the UIAA is an active player in the sphere of mountain protection? Carolina Adler: Mountains are...

A Guide to Climbing and Mountain Hiking Access in Brazilian Parks

The UIAA Access Commission’s country-specific series on access, conservation and climbing cultures continues with a guide to Brazil courtesy of Nelson Brügger and Kika Bradford, UIAA Access Commission members from CBME (Brazil). Brazil is well known for its carnival parties, beaches, soccer (let’s not mention the 2014 World Cup….) and mosquito diseases. In addition, the Amazon Rainforest is world renowned for its biodiversity. The world does not know, though, that Brazil also has a vibrant climbing...

UIAA – NEWSLETTER, FEBRUARY 2017. NOW PUBLISHED.

The February 2017 UIAA Newsletter is now available. 2017-specific details about core UIAA sustainability projects will be confirmed in the coming weeks. Ahead of the application process opening for the UIAA Mountain Protection Award, a former winner reports on their progress. Coming under the spotlight are the climbing and mountaineering cultures in Poland and Cyprus. The UIAA Ice Climbing season finishes in style with the biennial World Championships in Champagny-en-Vanoise, a competition broadcast live on the Olympic...

THREE MILLION VIEWERS FOR 2017 UIAA ICE CLIMBING SEASON

Some excellent viewing statistics were achieved during the 2017 UIAA Ice Climbing season which concluded in Champagny-en-Vanoise, France in early February. The headline number being the estimated three million views for the video content produced during the campaign. For the 2017 season the UIAA put in place a significant number of developments aimed at making it easier for fans to follow the action through a consistent, high-quality production plan distributed on a range of different channels. All...

Climbing films to be screened at SHAFF

The Sheffield Adventure Film Festival, known as SHAFF, and presented by the BMC will take place from 17-19 March, 2017.  The event takes place at the same time as the UIAA Management Committee meeting held in the same city. The festival features more than 100 of the best adventure, travel and extreme sports films hand-picked from around the world. This includes a number of climbing and mountaineering films. Climbing: Four separate session of climbing films have been organised with...

ALPINISM: Application as an Intangible Cultural World Heritage

The following information has been put forward by the Fédération française des clubs alpins et de montagne (FFCAM) and produced in collaboration with UIAA honorary member Claude Eckhardt. What? The UIAA supports the many facets that make up the mountaineering movement. Among them, alpinism is an activity with special and high human, social and cultural values. Alpinism is undoubtedly a sport, requiring both athletic qualities and technical expertise. However, it is not enough to define it by these mere...

Discussing climbing at ISPO Beijing

Following on from the UIAA’s presence at ISPO Munich in early February (read here), where it met with over twenty UIAA Safety Label holders, the federation was present at ISPO Beijing from 15-18 February. ISPO Beijing is the leading multi-segment sports exhibition in Asia; and the one place where it all comes together: all the market players, the concentrated know-how and expertise, to pioneering innovations. The event is a major networking opportunity for the Asia-Pacific region. [caption id="attachment_66788"...

AN AWARD WHICH MAKES A TELLING DIFFERENCE

Application for the 2017 UIAA Mountain Protection Award (MPA) opens in early March. Embarking on in its fifth year, the MPA is an internationally-recognised forum for projects, companies and initiatives which support sustainable tourist practices in mountain regions. The 2016 Award showcased 23 projects from 19 different countries on five continents, with Mountain Wilderness from France chosen as the winning project. In 2014, the Pamir Horse Adventure project, a Tajikstan-based community tour operator, received the award...

UIAA Safety Commission video: Magic-X test demonstration

The UIAA Safety Commission has produced a video dedicated to Magic-X (sometimes referred to as 'Sliding X') test demonstrations. The tests were conducted at the UIAA Safety Commission meeting in Arco, Italy, September 2006. Testing and data acquisition by the Club Alpino Italiano (CAI) &  the UIAA Safety Commission.  The video produced by UIAA Safety Commission President Dave Custer for the UIAA. Soundtrack "Bust That Bust This" by Professor Kliq. CC:NC-BY-SA Further details: UIAA Safety Label UIAA Safety Standards...