Climbing

It may sound odd, but Reinhold Messner has been inside my head for more than two decades. His deeds, his remarkable introspection, and his sheer productivity set him in a class all his own. In addition to climbing the fourteen 8000-meter peaks, crossing Antarctica and the Gobi Desert on foot, and researching the roots of the Yeti, he has written some sixty books. I’m proud to note that Mountaineers Books has published translations of fourteen of those books, making us his publisher of record in North America.  Read more…

Extending your rappel, when done safely, offers many advantages including improved ability to manage the autoblock, and convenient set up of saddle bags if needed. 

via Vimeo

Check out other climbing how-to guides!

When a climber on your rope team yells "Falling!", drop in to self-arrest and stop the fall immediately!  Once the fall is stopped, follow the following steps: Read more…

via YouTube

Belaying - a friction system

One of the first important safety skills a climber must learn is how to belay.  Belaying is a way of managing the rope, using friction created by bends in the rope around a carabiner and either a hitch or belay device, so that should the climber fall, the rope, and you, will halt the fall, keeping the climber safe.  Check out this video from Climbing Magazine which illustrates great belay technique.

If a climbing partner is seriously injured, and there are limited resources to get help, it may be necessary to tie off the climbing rope to remove yourself from the belay system, so you can investigate, help your partner, or go for help. Read more…

With winter here, and snow in the mountains, your land-based training for the should include strengthening exercises for the quadriceps, particularly if your plans call for snow fun like skiing, snowboarding, or snowshoeing. Read more…

On a scholarship from the Seattle Climbing Committee, two volunteer Mountaineers leaders attended an American Mountain Guide Association (AMGA) single pitch instructor training course. As a result, they returned with techniques and methods that were presented and adopted by the Seattle Climbing Committee: (1) the extended rappel and (2) the pull, break, under, slide belay technique. Want to learn about these techniques? Read what Abby Hunt and Stef Schiller learned.... Read more…

Craig Miller, veteran of decades leading fun and successful private and Mountaineers adventures in the Himalaya, still has room on two upcoming Global Adventures in the Everest region of Nepal! Don't miss out on this opportunity to see the world's tallest peak and experience the visual and cultural richness of this part of Nepal, with someone who really knows the area. Read more…

Written by Joe Sambataro, Northwest Regional Director for The Access Fund Read more…

November 2 - The Tooth/South Face
Injury: None.  
Cause: A number of converging factors. Read more…

Intense Basic? Climbing immersion? Mountaineering "boot camp"? I’m not quite sure what words best describe nine-straight 12-hour days of climbing instruction, including two nights out for the snow-training portion. But, wow, what an unbelievably wonderful experience! Read more…

The Mountaineers has hundreds of volunteers who make our programs possible, and thanks to super volunteers like Chris Chapin and Deling Ren, who both work for Microsoft, their volunteerism is going even further in the form of  cash donations to The Mountaineers from Microsoft's matching gift program. Read more…

Mt Hood Palmer Glacier
Injury: Corneal Edema causing blindness in one eye
Cause: Lasik Surgery, altitude, drying wind Read more…

Many years ago, The Mountaineers devised a set of guidelines to help people conduct themselves safely in the mountains. Based on careful observation of the habits of skilled climbers and a thoughtful analysis of accidents, those guidelines have served well not only for climbers but for all wilderness travelers. Read more…

It’s in!

Last year, the Washington Climbers Coalition, the American Alpine Club and The Mountaineers, with support from the Access Fund, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Spokane Mountaineers and the entire Northwest climbing community, raised $50,000 for the installation of a toilet at the Frenchman Coulee climbing area (better known as Vantage) in Central Washington. Read more…

Each week, The Mountaineers interview a member of our outdoor community to ask 10 Essential Questions. This week, we spoke with Yinan Zhao, a climb instructor who came to America from China with big dreams of conquering Mountains.  Read more…