Mountaineers Books Blog

Mountaineers Books Blog

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Southcentral Alaska Goal Hikes

Hiking goals in Alaska are as diverse as the people you meet out on the trail; they come in all shapes, sizes and ambitions. But one thing is pretty universal: The ideal of an end-of-summer “goal hike” that you train for all summer long. Read more…

Trail Talk | Reflections on a Life Reared Outdoors

I was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut; the largest city in one of the country’s most densely populated states. Located 50 miles east of New York City, Bridgeport was an industrial powerhouse from the late 1800s to just after World War II. The city attracted waves of immigrants and was, and still is, incredibly diverse. I lived in the city’s Little Italy neighborhood where Italian and Yiddish were freely spoken. I remember a lot of little old ladies in black dresses. My parents were not outdoorspeople, nor were my friends. My neighborhood of tightly-packed two and three family homes was no Walden Pond. Read more…

Rock Climbing Anchors - Bolted Routes

The weather is warming and many climbers are moving from gyms to outdoor rock. Most will be working on sport climbs with bolted anchors. Here's a refresher on the correct way to clip into bolts excerpted from Chapter 6, "Sport Climbing and Bolted Anchors" in the new book,  Rock Climbing Anchors, 2nd Ed., by Topher Donahue and Craig Luebben. Read more…

Hangdog Days - A Ripple on the Pond

Jeff Smoot is the author of Hangdog Days: Conflict, Change, and the Race for 5.14, a fast-paced history-cum-memoir about rock climbing in the late '70s and early '80s—a pivotal and contentious time.  Read more…

Hangdog Days: Conflict, Change, and the Race for 5.14 - Apr 16

This April 16 we welcome Jeff Smoot, author of Hangdog Days, for a presentation on the world of climbing in the 1970's and 80's! Read more…

Yosemite National Park - Adventuring with Kids

The following is excerpted from the new family guidebook, Yosemite National Park: Adventuring with Kids, by Harley and Abby McAllister. This is sample itinerary for families who want to get the most from a short visit to the park. Their book also includes 5- and  7-day itineraries. Read more…

Thirst: 2600 Miles from Home

It takes a whole lot of gumption to take off on a journey by yourself, all the more for a woman on her own striding through the wild. When Heather "Anish" Anderson decided to set the self-supported Fastest Known Time for hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, she had the gumption but courage was something she had to work on. The following is an excerpt from her new memoir, Thirst: 2600 Miles from Home. Read more…

Make a Date with a Book

Happy Valentine's Day, book lovers! If you're having trouble committing to your next read, never fear: Mountaineers Books is here to help. Whether your true love is travel, snow sports, or adventure itself, we have The One for you. Read more…

More "Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain" with Bruce Tremper

On January 21, 2019, Mountaineers Books hosted a free web cast with avalanche expert Bruce Tremper, alongside our friends from Black Diamond and Colorado Mountain Club. Our audience members had a lot (a lot!) of questions for Bruce, and some of them were tough! Though we were not able to get to all the questions in the allocated hour, we forwarded them to Bruce to answer. Here are his responses (answers edited for clarity): Read more…

Hiking With Dogs - The Basics

There’s nothing like sharing the great outdoors with your best friend. However, it’s important to keep trail etiquette and safety in mind when you explore with a dog in tow. Below are excerpts from the Mountaineers Books title Best Hikes with Dogs: Western Washington by Dan A. Nelson. Learn what to do (and not to do!) when you and Fido hit the trail. Read more…

Five Questions with David Moskowitz

David Moskowitz’s work as a photographer, biologist, and wildlife tracker has led him deep into the world’s largest remaining inland temperate rainforest, home to the elusive, critically endangered mountain caribou. David spent years in the backcountry tracking and photographing these magnificent animals in order to understand and share their story with the world in Caribou Rainforest: From Heartbreak to Hope, a new book from Braided River. Read more…

An Evening With Craig Romano - Feb 6

As I step through across the threshold of dirt into the embrace of the forest, sounds of passing cars and loud conversations begin to fade. A few steps further and the city noises have been forgotten. A robin sings a throaty song while a squirrel chitters its greetings and the stresses of the day melt away. I only have a few hours between work and the setting sun so heading into my beloved cascades isn't on the agenda. Instead, I head to one of many of the parks in Seattle for a short hike and a bit of relief. Read more…

Tips for Hiking the PCT

Whether you're planning a section hike or a thru hike, our experts are here to help. We asked the authors of our Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail guidebooks to give us their top tips to prepare.   Read more…

How Should You Pack to Explore Europe on Foot?

It’s no secret that exploring on foot has become not just my favorite thing to do but also my favorite thing to talk about. So I was thrilled when family, friends, and friends of friends started asking for my advice on how to do it. I loved helping them prepare for their trips and hearing their stories once they were back. But the most exciting thing to me was that people who started exploring on foot didn’t want to stop—just like me! Even before they finished their first trail, they were already thinking about the next.  Read more…

Retro Rewind | The Evolution of Freedom: A Look Back at The Mountaineers Seminal Climbing Book

In 1934, a group of aspiring Seattle peak baggers lined the railings of the Rialto Building to watch a young University of Washington student named Wolf Bauer rappel three stories down the central shaft. The maneuver was one of several climbing techniques Wolf had taught himself using materials solicited from family ties in Germany. In lieu of a belay device or climbing harness, neither of which had been invented, Wolf ran two lines of rope between his legs, around one thigh, up and across his chest, over his shoulder, and down his back. Read more…

Five Favorite Backcountry Ski & Snowboard Routes

In the peak of ski season, we asked the authors of our Backcountry Ski & Snowboard Routes guidebooks to spill the beans on their favorite routes. Following are their faves – out of the 100 or so tours in each of their books. Below is the beta and general route description as excerpted from each book. Read more…

Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain: How I Discovered I Wasn't an Avalanche Expert

Bruce Tremper is the author of Staying Alive In Avalanche Terrain, which has just been published in the third edition. Staying Alive is the country's best-selling book on how to stay safe in  avalanche country.  Read more…

New Things to Try in 2019 (with Mountaineers Books)

Welcome to 2019, everyone! It’s that time of the year when ambitions are high, and confidence is running even higher. It’s really time to carpe that diem! And if you are not already cranking your music playlist to loop “Eye of the Tiger” ad nauseam because you are not sure what to do this year, hey – we got a few suggestions for you. Veni, vidi, vici! (Guess who just checked “learning Latin” off this year’s list?) Read more…

Q&A with Jeremy Collins

Artist Jeremy Collins roams the globe with sketchbooks in hand, dumping his soul into their pages. In the folds of those pages  his particular worldview was born—from authentic travel and adventures as an exploratory rock climber to award-winning filmmaker and author. Read more…

Three of the Best Hikes on Whidbey Island

The following is excerpted from Urban Trails: Everett by Craig Romano, and features three great hikes on Whidbey Island: Ebey's Landing National Historic Reserve, Trillium Community Forest, and Dugualla State Park. Edited for space and clarity. Read more…

Twelve Days of Mountaineers Books: Day Twelve

We’re officially in December! We have books to read, eggs to nog, and all the joy and celebration of a year – sometimes fun, sometimes frustrating – coming to an end. To dive into the final push of 2018, we are happy to present to you: The 12 Days of Mountaineers Books.

(Feel free to hum along in your head.) Read more…

Caribou Rainforest

The following is excerpted from Caribou Rainforest: From Heartbreak to Hope by David Moskowitz. This is from Chapter Four, "Mountain Caribou: Ghosts of the Rainforest."  Read more…

BeWild Speaker Series - Introducing 2019 Lineup

For five years, The Mountaineers has been proud to present our BeWild Speaker Series, putting passion and adventure on the stage! Come to these talks to unlock inspiration to seek adventure, connect with nature, and work to protect the wild places we cherish. This year we welcome an arctic explorer, Caribou photographer, record-setting thru hiker, and barrier-breaking rock climber. Read more…

Walking to the End of the World

The following is excerpted from Walking to the End of the World:  A Thousand Miles on the Camino De Santiago, Beth Jusino.

I climbed the narrow stairs to the upper level of the train, my backpack strapped over my shoulders, a bag of sandwiches clutched in my hand, and my husband a few steps behind me. The car was empty as I settled into a forward-facing seat, feeling smug. Everything was going exactly as planned. Read more…

Staff Picks: Favorite Books for Fall/Winter 2018/2019

We asked our staff for their recommendations from this season's new books. It was hard to play favorites, but here's what we're really excited about!  Read more…

Gym Climbing: From Top-rope to Lead Climbing

The following is excerpted from  Gym Climbing: Improve Technique, Movement, and Performance, 2nd Ed., by Matt Burbach. The excerpt is a small piece taken from the "Lead Climbing" chapter and was further edited down for space. As November begins, climbing gyms will fill up with both beginning and experienced climbers looking for indoor challenges. This excerpt is for those who have learned to top-rope and feel ready to start gaining lead-climbing skills.  Read more…

Top Five Fall Hikes in Portland

The leaves are changing, the temps are dropping, and the days are getting shorter. It’s time to get outside before we enter the long dark of another Northwest winter. Grab your boots, a jacket and your favorite warm, pumpkin-spiced beverage and go. Here are five great fall walks around Portland. Read more…

Ten Commandments for Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain

The trick to staying alive in avalanche terrain is to stay away from dangerous conditions. Here are Bruce Tremper's "10 Commandments of Low-Risk Travel". The following is excerpted from the new  Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain, 3rd Edition and has been edited for space. Read more…

The Mountaineers Endorse I-1631: Investing in a Healthy Outdoors and Clean Energy for Washington

The Mountaineers endorses Washington State ballot Initiative 1631 because we believe that a healthy environment is essential to the future of outdoor recreation and public lands. Read more…

Bookmarks | Arctic Solitaire: A Boat, A Bay, and the Quest for the Perfect Bear

The wilderness was vast and seemingly empty, but as I motored along I was nestled in a glowing cocoon of technological magic. Not one but two Garmin GPS chart plotters silently communed with the satellites overhead. My radar system could penetrate the thickest of fogs, though the day’s clear skies and sunshine made the prospect unlikely. My depth-sounder pinged sonar pulses off the rocks below, and I even carried something called, in bureaucratese, an Emergency Position Indicating Rescue Beacon, or, more jauntily, an EPIRB. Supposedly it would, at the panicked touch of a button, supply my coordinates and credit card information to the nearest helicopter rescue service. Read more…