Ascent, founded by the legendary climbers and editors Allen Steck and Steve Roper, has been acquired by Rock and Ice. Founded in 1968, Ascent is the longest-running climbing publication and is known across generations of climbers worldwide for its literary content, tradition and innovation.

“It is a privilege to bring Ascent into the Rock and Ice family,” says editor Jeff Jackson. “Ascent is a legacy publication. It has been the best and most influential voice since the 1960s. Climbers covet every edition. The editors of Rock and Ice will maintain the tradition, committed to publishing important and lively works that we will still be reading decades from now.”

Published off and on since its inception, and successfully relaunched in 2011 with a limited edition, Ascent will become a regular annual publication included with a Rock and Ice subscription and available in climbing shops for $12.95.

The 2012 edition, in the works now, will continue the Ascent tradition of giving voice to prominent and outspoken climbers of all ages, capturing the spirit that has propelled climbers to achieve extraordinary feats. This issue’s line up includes contributions from such leading climber-writers as Alex Honnold, Barry Blanchard and Colin Wells, and  topics range from the quest to climb the North Face of the Eiger in under three hours, to the diabolical history of the ice axe.

Even Allen Steck himself has a contribution, chronicling his adventures in post World War II Europe, where he rode a one-speed bicycle across the Alps. Steck, who had just learned to climb in Yosemite, was awed by the scale. Until then, he had considered walls of that magnitude impossible, yet he became the first American to climb the North Face of the Cima Grande, one of the six great north faces of the Alps. Steck’s experience opened his eyes to what was possible in Yosemite.

“His ascent was possibly the pivotal moment in modern climbing,” says Jackson. “His story is an incredible glimpse back, written by one of climbing’s greatest pioneers and most prestigious authors. That’s what Ascent is all about.”