John Gill and Dave Turner will accept two of the American Alpine Club’s most prestigious awards at the Craggin’ Classic, October 10–12 in Golden, Colorado.

John Gill will receive the AAC’s Robert and Miriam Underhill Award, presented each year in recognition of a lifetime of achievement in rock climbing or mountaineering. Gill is considered the “father of modern American bouldering.” His climbs in the 1950s and ’60s applied gymnastic techniques to rock climbing moves, resulting in some of incredibly difficult boulder problems that are still considered challenging classics. Gill also introduced gymnastic chalk to climbing.

Dave Turner will be honored with the AAC’s Robert Hicks Bates Award, given each year to a young climber with outstanding accomplishments. Turner first came to light as a soloist on El Capitan, where he established several new routes. Last winter he made the first complete ascent of Cerro Escudo in Chilean Patagonia by its gigantic east face, spending 34 continuous days on the wall all alone. This climb will be featured in the 2008 American Alpine Journal. (AAC members can read Turner's story by logging it at the members-only section of this website.)

Both awards will be presented on the opening night of the Craggin’ Classic in Golden, Colorado. This major new climbing festival is presented by the American Alpine Club, and will feature (in addition to Gill and Turner), guest of honor Layton Kor and opportunities to climb and party with Lynn Hill, Johnny Copp, Conrad Anker, Josh Wharton, Mark Wilford, Heidi Wirtz, Katie Brown, Eric Decaria, Chuck Fryberger, Rob Pizem, Ben Schmitt, Vera Schulte-Pelkum, Jack Tackle, Jim Donini, and others.

The Craggin’ Classic opens Friday night with a dinner sponsored by Mammut, followed by the AAC annual awards and a Josh Wharton slide show. Over the next two days, climbers will head to Eldorado Canyon, Clear Creek Canyon, and North Table Mountain, with opportunities to demo gear from industry partners. Dinners sponsored by Black Diamond and Asolo/Lowe Alpine will follow, and on Saturday night Patagonia and the AAC will present a concert by the Gourds, a renowned Austin, Texas, rock band.

The $46 early-bird registration ($50 after October 1) covers meals, drinks, concert, slide shows, Perfecto screening, demos, sponsored climbing sessions, and the Craggin' Classic organic cotton T-shirt. AAC members receive a $10 discount. Space will be limited to 300 climbers. Get more info and register at www.cragginclassic.com.