Mountaineers Books Blog

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. 
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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…

The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is the United States’ largest wildlife refuge, a place of tremendous ecological importance, where birds from all 50 states migrate to each year. But in January 2021, the future of the Arctic Refuge looked uncertain.
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Katie Ives is editor in chief at Alpinist magazine and a well-known figure in mountain literature. Her debut book, Imaginary Peaks: The Riesenstein Hoax and Other Mountain Dreams (Mountaineers Books, October 2021), is a true tale of mountain adventure and mystery that uses an infamous deception about a fake mountain range as a lens to explore the fascination with wild places and the lure of supposedly blank spaces on the map. Read more…

Go to any online hiker forum and after unleashed dogs, playing music, and toting a gun on the trail, the topic of hiking solo is sure to conjure up some strong opinions. What’s particularly interesting is that so many of the folks who are adamantly against solo hiking insist that others shouldn’t hike alone, either. And while an unleashed dog, music on the trail, or an irresponsible gun owner may certainly have a negative impact on others, a solo hiker is not having an effect on anyone’s experience except their own. So why the passionate pleas for solo hikers to partner up? Read more…

The Mountaineers is an incredible community of adventurers, students, instructors, advocates, and leaders. We’re proud of our community for persevering through another demanding year, prioritizing safety, and fostering connections to the outdoors. As we close the door on 2021 and look ahead to 2022, we reflect on our core values and how they’ve guided us through this past year.  Read more…

Written in the Snows: Across Time on Skis in the Pacific Northwest, new from Mountaineers Books, offers a definitive and visually rich history of the past century of Northwest ski culture. Read more…

Seth Kantner is a commercial fisherman, writer, and wildlife photographer. His newest book, A Thousand Trails Home: Living with Caribou (Mountaineers Books; September 2021), is a stunning firsthand account of a life spent hunting, studying, and living alongside caribou. He lives in the Northwest Arctic. Read more…

Braided River, the conservation imprint of Mountaineers Books, tells visual stories that inspire a wide audience to protect our communities, lands, and wildlife. By taking book projects and turning them into events, regional and national media coverage, and museum exhibits, they create a diverse toolset to raise awareness for conservation causes and threats to wild places. Given the interconnected threats of the climate and biodiversity crises, Braided River’s work of inspiring action on conservation issues near and far is more important than ever. Read more…

The following is excerpted from Imaginary Peaks: The Riesenstein Hoax and Other Mountain Dreams, new from Mountaineers Books. Read more…

Many books have been written about mountain adventurers of the male persuasion. The accomplishments of women? Not so much. As a mission-focused, nonprofit publisher, Mountaineers Books is committed to broadly sharing the transformative power of the outdoors from unique perspectives. Read more…

Women have always been at the center of Yosemite, climbing on the walls, crafting their own equipment, establishing new routes, and showing us all what it means to dance with rock. Lynn Hill freed the Nose, Beth Rodden established the hardest single pitch climb in the Valley, and Sylvia Vidal raised the bar for hard aid solos. More recently, Libby Sauter, Josie McKee, and Quinn Brett completed mind-blowing speed ascents and link-ups, and Chelsea Griffie became the first African American woman to climb El Cap. Read more…

No one ever thinks they’re going to get old. As Kenny Chesney reminds us - “don’t blink, because life goes by faster than you think.” And fast it goes. Read more…

While the Washington coast is beautiful year-round, late summer is a particularly great time to escape to the coast or islands. Cool breezes and clean air make for a perfect getaway during these hot and smoky months. Check out these great resources for exploring Washington's waters, and learn about the creatures found there.  Read more…

The following is excerpted from Orca: Shared Waters, Shared Home by Lynda Mapes, a new book from Mountaineers Books conservation imprint Braided River. Through interviews with scientists and Northwest Native tribal members, Mapes lays out the human causes behind the orcas' precarious situation, revealing that the health of the southern residents is deeply entwined not only with Chinook salmon, but with the entire natural world of the Pacific Northwest. Read more…

We're excited about our two new, fully illustrated books to help you enjoy your outdoor activities. Check them out! Read more…

I’ve been hiking and backpacking for more than 40 years now. Along the way I’ve learned a few things from research, the guidance of others, the trials of my own errors, and random luck. It’s not only helped make me a successful guidebook author, but a confident hiker, backpacker, and trail runner. Below are a few of my hard-earned, trail-tested tips on how to have a pretty darn good hiking adventure. Read more…

It's officially summer in Washington and we're so lucky to live in a state full of a never-ending bucket list of things to do. We put together this list of just a few ways to explore the area and get the most out of your summer!  Read more…

There's a lot to be excited about in June. It's orca month, the weather is warming up, and people are getting outside again. Get the most out of June - dive into Orca: Shared Waters, Shared Home to learn all about the southern resident group of orca whales, head into the wild with Backpacking Washington, 2nd Edition, and explore Portland, Oregon with Discovering Portland Parks.   Read more…

Braided River author Lynda V. Mapes has traveled across the West Coast to give voice to the region’s orca whales, iconic to the Pacific Northwest’s beautiful—but ecologically imperiled—marine ecosystem. In this excerpt, she travels to OrcaLab in British Columbia, where passionate and determined volunteers are led by founder Paul Spong. Located on Cracroft Point, above Johnstone Strait in British Columbia, they have been documenting the daily lives of the more robust northern resident orca pods since 1970. Read more…

I went to the Pacific Crest Trail to find my limit. I’d imagined my fastest known time attempt ending with me on hands and knees — dry heaving — at my utmost breaking point. Yet that never happened. I started the hike with my little plastic trowel, intent on digging deep as I’d learned to do over many ultramarathons, but the PCT laughed at that, and within a few days had handed me a full-size shovel instead. Read more…

From Chapter 2: Clothing and Equipment of Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills, 9th Edition. Read more…

Utah, Colorado, Maine. Three different states all offering unique natural wonders worthy of exploration. Our new guidebooks, Mountain Bike Park City, Hike the Parks: Acadia National Park, and Hike the Parks: Rocky Mountain National Park include everything you need to get the most out of your time in these beautiful places. Read more…

Just in time for Earth Day, a new photo exhibit from Braided River is launching in celebration of the stunning Salish Sea. Read more…

Reading the journals of many naturalists, outdoorspeople, and adventurers, you immediately feel their strong love for the land. You can sense how this love touched their souls and tantalized their emotions. But what about romantic, familial, or platonic love? Did they experience that too while out and about in the backcountry? Read more…

April brings seven exciting new releases to your shelves!

Explore the outdoors with Washington Wildflower Hikes, Pacific Northwest Wildflower pocket guide, and two Pacific Northwest Birds  pocket guides. Walk (many) miles in another's shoes with Kit DesLauriers's memoir Higher Love and Cindy Ross's Walking Toward Peace. Or tell your own stories with the help of Campfire Stories Deck, cards to help ignite conversation around the fire. Read more…

Join us to hear stories from Mountaineers Book Author, Triple Crown hiker, and a man who National Geographic dubbed “the dean of America’s long-distance trails," Barney Scout Mann.  Read more…