Mountaineers Books Blog

With the recent release of our annual impact report, we're celebrating all that donors and volunteers made possible through The Mountaineers in 2022. 

For more than 100 years, The Mountaineers has connected people in the outdoors. I’ve had the honor of building relationships with Mountaineers near and far, young and old, daring, mindful, good-humored, and passionate. I’ve been a student, colleague, mentor, and team member. And in each of these roles, I have deepened my relationship to the place that is my home. In fellowship and visitation, I have put down soggy Northwest roots and learned to love more corners of this wild and amazing planet than I ever knew existed. Read more…

With the recent release of our annual impact report, we're celebrating all that donors and volunteers made possible through The Mountaineers in 2022. 

When I joined The Mountaineers, I didn’t expect to become so fully immersed — taking courses, instructing, leading trips, and
volunteering on committees. My climbing partners who shared adventures with me in the mountains became lasting friends off
the mountain. My outdoor community simply became my community. Read more…

With the recent release of our annual impact report, we're celebrating all that donors and volunteers made possible through The Mountaineers in 2022. 

The model of volunteer-led outdoor education at The Mountaineers is imbued with a sense of purpose that cultivates friendships, mentorships, and lifelong learning opportunities. We approach our outdoor pursuits with more than a “one and done” attitude; we build a culture that fosters collaboration between students and teachers and care for the natural world. And as our community grows out of authentic relationships, consistent values crop up across all activities: safety, respect, communication, and the joy of being outside together. Read more…

As an independent nonprofit publisher, one of the goals of Mountaineers Books is to amplify the values of Mountaineers members. The editorial team has a finger on the pulse of our outdoor community and chooses projects that help bring readers to the frontlines of outdoor education. Read more…

Washington State has more than its fair share of gorgeous waterfalls.  In Gregory Plumb's new book, Waterfall Atlas of the United States, he's compiled a comprehensive list of 141 of the most scenic waterfalls in Washington, but that would have made for a really long blog post, so we're only going to share 7 of of our favorites from the list.  Read more…

Dirty Gourmet: Plant Power has your back anytime you need tasty and creative outdoor food ideas. One example are these no-cook three-ingredient trail snacks! They are a perfect bite-sized protein and sugar boost on the trail, and making them is as hard as owning a food processor. Read more…

For 6 million years the Colorado River has flowed 1,450 miles from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean. But in just a few decades, overallocation of water resources, climate change, and megadrought have altered the great river. In Living River: The Promise of the Mighty Colorado, a new book and campaign from Braided River - the conservation imprint of Mountaineers Books - conservation photographer and author Dave Showalter shares stories from seven years of hiking, biking, rafting, and adventuring through the watershed. Read more…

The hunt for Mother’s Day gift ideas for your one-of-a-kind mom can be a grueling one because not all moms want flowers and fancy soap every year. Instead, give her a thoughtful gift that reflects her hobbies and interests in the great outdoors with this foolproof guide. Written by someone with an outdoorsy mom, my categorized recommendations offer over 20 expertly-selected gifts that will create meaningful memories for both of you this Mother’s Day. Read more…

Mountains present many challenges that are out of our control, but of all the factors we can control, fitness is arguably the most important when it comes to our safety, success and enjoyment. Whether climbing a Cascade volcano or attempting an 8000-meter peak, mountaineering demands a varied set of fitness components. If you climb mountains, you’re an athlete. No matter what your level, training for the specific demands of climbing mountains can make for a more fun and even safer experience. Read more…

Cascadia Field Guide: Art, Ecology, Poetry blends art and science to celebrate this diverse yet interconnected region through natural and cultural histories, poetry, and illustrations. Read more…

Widely regarded as one of the world’s most legendary alpinists, National Geographic Adventurer of the Year Jeremy Jones is an award-winning snowboarder, environmentalist, and entrepreneur. The founder of climate nonprofit Protect Our Winters (POW) and owner of Jones Snowboards, Jones has starred in dozens of snowboard films, including his highly acclaimed trilogy Deeper, Further, and Higher, and received 11 “Big Mountain Rider of the Year” awards from Snowboarder Magazine. His first book The Art of Shralpinism: Lessons from the Mountains (Mountaineers Books, 2022) explores the life-changing power of time in the mountains, the value of stoke, and how beauty and openness underscore all outdoor adventure. Please enjoy the following excerpt. Read more…

As I sit down to write a year-end letter to the readers of Mountaineers Books, I’m trying to envision who exactly I am writing to, who is reading this? Are you a climber, a sea kayaker, a mountain biker? Are you a lover of mountaineering literature or do you collect books of nature photography? Read more…

We are excited to announce that three of our titles are 2022 Banff Mountain Book Competition finalists! This internationally recognized literary competition included 166 books from 11 different countries this year.  Read more…

Braided River, the conservation imprint of Mountaineers Books, has deep roots in protecting nature through visual storytelling. It began with a historic vote on the Senate floor in 2003; the U.S. Senate was set to vote on opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) for drilling. At a critical moment during the debate, Senator Barbara Boxer held up a Mountaineers Books publication book with photographer Subhankar Banerjee - showing her fellow senators images that told a much different story than the “blank white nothingness” portrayed by pro-drilling senators and the oil industry. Seeing images of the abundant life in all four seasons encouraged a vote of 52 to 48 against opening up the coastal plain of this refuge to drilling. Read more…

The following is an excerpt from All and Nothing: Inside Free Soloing by acclaimed author Jeff Smoot. Once considered a fringe activity, free soloing - climbing without a rope - has entered the mainstream consciousness. Yet climbers have been free soloing all along, motivated by reasons as varied as the climbers themselves. All and Nothing delves into the cultural history of free soloing and explores the interplay between climbing and risk, as well as psychological theories, evolving climbing ethics, and the effect of media coverage. With a complex personal connection to free soloing, Jeff Smoot examines our relationship with risk, how we perceive our sense of control, and what it means to consider our mortality. Read more…

I’ve heard from a lot of forest-loving hikers over the past few years that they feel devastated and sad about the fires that have burned through vast swaths of Oregon’s forests, “destroying” some of their favorite places. Read more…

Award-winning snowboarder Jeremy Jones takes his experiences and knowledge of the mountains to paper in his new book, The Art of Shralpinism: Lessons From The Mountains.  Read more…

Join The Mountaineers in welcoming famed snowboarder Jeremy Jones on November 10 as he presents his new book The Art of Shralpinism: Lessons from the Mountains. Read more…

Enjoy the following excerpt from the prologue of Unraveled: A Climber's Journey Through Darkness and Back, by Katie Brown. Read more…

It wasn’t my first hike in the North Cascades, but my second that had me forever hooked on this incredible range of craggy, glaciated mountains. A warm, sunny morning greeted me when I hit the trail to ascend Sourdough Mountain. The day would leave a deep impression on me, forever securing Sourdough as one of my absolute favorite places in the world. Read more…

Mount Rainier National Park is a wonderland of outdoor escape, offering a little something for everyone. Hikers, backpackers, cyclists, naturalists, and climbers flock to the park, enjoying its larger-than-life views and breathtaking natural beauty. At Mountaineers Books, we are fortunate to have a wealth of titles centered on this incredible place. Below are a few resources for anyone who wishes to explore the wonders, large and small, of Rainier. Read more…

The reputations of Katie “Salty” Gerber and Heather “Anish” Anderson precede them. Katie is a renowned wilderness instructor and guide who has logged thousands of miles on trails including the CDT, PCT, Colorado Trail, and Oregon Desert Trail. Heather is a record-smashing legend who was named a National Geographic Adventurer of the Year for her 2018 Calendar Year Triple Crown (hiking the AT, PCT, and CDT all in one year). Now they have joined forces to combine what they’ve learned on the trail and through their expertise in nutrition and personal training to create Adventure Ready: A Hiker’s Guide to Planning, Training & Resiliency, new from Mountaineers Books. Read more…

Rising nearly three vertical miles over Puget Sound and visible from much of the state, Washington’s Mount Rainier is an imposing landmark. Shrouded in glistening glaciers, sprawling meadows, and impressive cathedral forests, Mount Rainier is a stunning place to hike, camp, and commune with nature. It’s absolutely one of the most awe-inspiring places in America - and that’s the problem. Rainier is just too damn spectacular. Read more…

Adventure Ready: A Hiker's Guide to Planning, Training, and Resilience, by Katie Gerber and Heather Anderson, empowers future thru-hikers to create goals, face challenges, and be stronger and smarter on the trail. Read more…

This May 15, 2022, there will be a total lunar eclipse. In our hometown of Seattle it will be between 8:34pm and 11:50pm, with the maximum eclipse occurring at 9:11pm. Learn about lunar eclipses with this excerpt from The Skies Above: Storm Clouds, Blood Moons, and Other Everyday Phenomena by Dennis Mersereau.  Read more…

Lauren DeLaunay Miller is the editor of a new anthology that shares the stories, famed and previously untold, of the remarkable women who have shaped Yosemite climbing history. Valley of Giants, published by Mountaineers Books, is a first-of-its-kind collection that gathers stories from journal excerpts, original essays, interviews, and archival materials from almost 40 contributors, including legends like Lynn Hill, Steph Davis, Kate Rutherford, Beth Rodden, Chelsea Griffie, and more. Lauren has worked for Yosemite Search and Rescue, served as Vice President of the Bishop Area Climbers Coalition, and as event coordinator for the American Alpine Club’s Bishop Craggin’ Classic festival. Read on as Lauren discusses her inspiration for this book, what it taught her, and more. Read more…

Mountaineers Books newest title, Crossing Paths: A Pacific Crest Trailside Reader, shares a diverse variety of stories from one of our nation's best-known trails. In it we hear from contributors like Cheryl Strayed, Carrot Quinn, Barney "Scout" Mann, Aspen Matis, Nicholas Kristof, Heather Anderson, Will "Akuna" Robinson, and many more. 
Read more…

It’s been two long years now since COVID-19 emerged on the world and turned it upside-down. As we begin year three it looks like the virus won’t be going away for good, although we can all hope that it at least fades in prominence and influence. As the current wave is ebbing, I am trying to remain optimistic in the face of new potential variants. But while the pandemic has had many negative and disruptive effects, it has also been a game-changer for many of us on how we view our world, our relationship with others, and how we want to approach life moving forward. Read more…

Washington has no shortage of possible adventures waiting outside your door, and author Lauren Braden has compiled the best ones in her new book (coming June 2022), 52 Ways to Nature Washington: Your Seasonal Guide to a Wilder Year. We're giving an early sneak peek at one of the many activities included in the book, just in time for spring! Below is an excerpt from the spring section: "Detour to the Desert." Enjoy! Read more…

Finding the right plants for your garden can be difficult. Local garden stores sell a large variety of plants, but many of them are not native to the area. This can mean a lot of money is wasted on beautiful plants that can't survive our Pacific Northwest seasons.  Read more…