Books

Going for a hike in an ancient forest is a lot more interesting if you are armed with an inquisitive attitude, a little knowledge and context, and some extra time to enjoy the special place you are in. Here are a few tips that can help you have the best experience. Read more…

Everyone knows there are two kinds of people in this world, but did you know there are twelve types of bike commuters? That’s right. Here they are. You might be, or have been, or know someone who is, one of them. Or more of them at once. Or maybe there are more than twelve types. Read more…

Kathy Schrenk is the author of Best Hikes with Kids: St. Louis and Beyond, one in a series of regional family hiking guides that Mountaineers Books offers. Kathy is committed to building a love of nature in her children by taking them onto trails and showing them how much fun the outdoors can be. Following are tips to keep these outings fun that have worked with Kathy's kids. Read more…

Mountaineers Books author Jeremy Benson takes full advantage of Lake Tahoe, the California mountain bike mecca where he lives. Biking in the warm months and backcountry skiing in the snowy ones, he has both pursued his athletic passions and written about them in Mountain Bike - Tahoe: 50 Select Singletrack Routes and Backcountry Ski & Snowboard Routes: California. Now that the warm months are here, we asked Jeremy what advice he would give to those wanting to get started in mountain biking.  Read more…

Bears. Family:  Ursidae. Order: Carnivora. Mood: Apathetic.

On July 11, author and Semi-Rad creator Brendan Leonard released the trailer for his new book, Bears Don't Care About Your Problems. As with any good trailer, it raised some very big questions, such as: "But why do bears not care?" Read more…

Excerpted from Photography Night Sky: A Field Guide for Shooting After Dark, by Jennifer Wu and James Martin. Read more…

Oregon’s ancient forests are one of the region’s most precious treasures, providing not only vital habitat for fish and wildlife but also some of the most amazing hiking experiences in the state. In Oregon’s Ancient Forests: A Hiking Guide, author Chandra LeGue of Oregon Wild highlights these incredible places with 91 awe-inspiring hikes from across the state.  Read more…

They say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. So it’s not hard to imagine that the mother of the world’s most audacious rock climber would be an interesting person herself. In The Sharp End of Life, Alex Honnold’s mom, Dierdre Wolownick, recounts her upbringing in an immigrant household, a difficult marriage, raising her children as a single mom, teaching in multiple languages, succeeding as a musician and children’s book author, and then, late in life, taking on the physical challenges of marathon running and learning to climb. Read more…

In a June 18 essay— I'm a Climber, and a Mother, and Doing Great, Thank You—in The New York Times, professional climber Beth Rodden talked about the birth of her son and the fears she had about how the decision to become a mother would impact her climbing career. It's a moving piece. A new book by the photographer Corey Rich releasing in September includes a story about Beth and her pregnancy. Usually we wouldn't release an excerpt for a book that is a few months from publication, but because this is so complementary to Beth's article (and written long before it), we thought we'd make an exception.  Read more…

We depend on pollinators for the gardens we enjoy, many of the plant materials we utilize, and of course the food we eat. According to the Earth Day Network, 90 percent of flowering plant species are dependent on insect pollination, and a full 35 percent of global food production is comprised of crops pollinated specifically by bees. Read more…