Eric Linxweiler
For the past four years, I have held the awesome and humbling responsibility to steward one of The Mountaineers most revered treasures: Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills. As the volunteer editor for the forthcoming 10th Edition, I’m excited to share with you an opportunity to demonstrate your commitment and keep mission-based publishing thriving, by adding your name alongside the dedicated outdoor educators and world-renowned climbers who make this work possible.
Every new edition of Freedom carries not only the wisdom of today’s contributors but the generations of expertise that has made this title the go-to mountaineering reference for over 60 years. I’m proud to be a part of this history and to know first-hand how it takes a village to create a book like Freedom. It takes a spirit of paying it forward, a willingness to join a project bigger than any single contribution, and the tenacity to see the project through from first drafts to bound books. It also requires a publishing house like Mountaineers Books, which since 1960 has sought out ground-truth expertise to equip every reader with the tools to adventure outside with confidence.
Values-driven publishing is a rare thing, and it does not exist without philanthropic support.
Mountaineers Books stands out in a publishing landscape increasingly focused on profits and defined by consolidations. We cultivate emerging writers — whether volunteer contributors or first-time authors — and celebrate niche subjects of interest to outdoor- and nature-loving readers (just take a look at Crack Climbing or Mason Bee Revolution). Mission always comes first. From my experience with Freedom of the Hills, I can definitively say that we may not take the fastest route up the mountain, but we hold fast to the long view and always stay true to our shared values.
Now we all have a unique opportunity to support mission-based publishing and to be a part of the 10th Edition of Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills. With a gift of $250 or more, you will be recognized with your name in this seminal edition and a copy of the book when it’s published in September 2024.
Your tax-deductible contribution will ensure that future Mountaineers can open books — and doors — to skills and experiences rooted in the outdoors. Please join me in making a donation today.
