Mountaineers Books Blog

Reading books had a direct and specific impact in my becoming an explorer. As a young black kid growing up in a working class family in a New York city housing project, I loved to read and was fortunate to have a library nearby. I spent my time reading books about the 19th century’s "age of discovery," and dreamed that one day I too might get "out there" and become an explorer. These books had a powerful influence on me, ultimately leading my dreams of exploration to come true. Read more…

Standing in Yosemite Valley, gazing up at the imposing profiles of El Cap and Half Dome, it’s impossible not to think of Warren Harding, Tom Frost, Jim Bridwell, or Royal Robbins—climbing legends whose stories you want to share with your climbing partners, your friends, your sons and daughters. By remembering the stories of those who came before, you provide a pathway for young and old alike to imagine what is possible in the future. Read more…

Birds accompany us daily in our neighborhoods with their songs, bright colors, and energetic activity. We seek them out, from urban wetlands to wilderness trails, following the sound of a distant twitter or song. In Birds of the West: An Artist's Guide, award-winning artist Molly Hashimoto captures the likeness of nearly 100 species using different media. Read more…

Excerpted from The Roskelley Collection, in memory of Jess Roskelley. (See Part 1 and Part 2) Read more…

Excerpted from The Roskelley Collection, in memory of Jess Roskelley. (See Part 1 and Part 3) Read more…

Excerpted from The Roskelley Collection, in memory of Jess Roskelley. (See Part 2 and Part 3) Read more…

The key to having fun in the backcountry is having the skills and knowledge to get home safely.

From knowing how to travel on glaciers or tie proper knots to building an emergency snow cave or trusting a cam, Mountaineers Books publish a wide range of instructional guide books that detail best practices, expert techniques, and safety tips for human-powered outdoor activities. Professional guides, outdoor educators, instructors, volunteers, and weekend warriors around the globe use our guidebooks to further develop and advance their outdoor skills. Read more…

We go outside to wander, and to explore the adventurous spirit within ourselves. As we step into the outdoors, we need to be mindful of the impact our food has on wild places. Our habits can make a difference at home as well, where the average person wastes more than 18 pounds of food per month. Read more…

Last November, on a southern point along the Continental Divide Trail in New Mexico, Heather Anderson, known as “Anish” on the trail, became the first woman and sixth person overall to complete one of thru-hiking’s ultimate feats: the “Calendar Year Triple Crown.” Read more…

Starting with #GiveBIG on May 8, The Mountaineers launched a month-long campaign to directly support our publishing division, Mountaineers Books. As explorers both on and off the page, we are passionate about sharing our stories of community, adventure, and advocacy in hopes of welcoming a new friend to an experience they’ve never had before. Read more…

A great story will stay with you, even long after you close the book.

Thirst: 2600 Miles to Home, by Heather “Anish” Anderson, is Heather’s account of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail in 2013 when she finished with the “Fastest Known Time” for any gender. But hers is not at all a story about trail miles and speed. For Heather, it’s about choosing—choosing to get out and move, choosing to walk on the trail, and choosing to embrace an outdoor life. Read more…

We hear their songs in the morning and almost subliminally note their presence throughout the day. While some of us seek them out, watching for certain species that herald a new season or hoping to see unusual ones, others have a more passive awareness of these feathered wonders. Either way, birds are part of all of our lives.  Read more…

In a brief encounter with a mother caribou and her calf, it becomes startlingly clear that we share an innate passion and concern for the future with all living beings. This universal calling leaps from the pages as you turn through Caribou Rainforest: From Heartbreak to Hope, recently published by Mountaineers Books as part of our Braided River line of titles. Read more…

Take a trip to the heavenly Alpine Lakes Wilderness with a jaunt out to Trap Lake, just one of the 100 beautiful trails included in the new Alpine Lakes Wilderness: The Complete Hiking Guide. Read more…

 Books give power to our personal stories - whether you want to discover a new place, learn a new skill, make a lifestyle change, or feel a sense of connection with a wild place or a fellow adventurer. Read more…

The following is an excerpt from My Old Man and the Mountain, by Leif Whittaker. The Seattle Times called Leif's memoir "an entertaining coming-of-age yarn from a likable, talented diarist."  Rock & Ice  said it was "engaging and humorous." The American Alpine Institute found it to be "a beautiful piece of writing, funny and sad, insightful, and engaging." 

The book is just out in the paperback edition. See what you think. Read more…

Confession: I am a bicycle addict. I’m on my bike far more than I’m in a car, and that’s the way I like it. Riding on two wheels  helps me fulfill my need for exercise, manage my weight, clear my head, spend time alone, spend time with friends, challenge my limits, save money, and more. If you're a fellow bike addict, or are thinking of becoming one (May is national "Ride to Work" month), here are some of my favorite cycling books to help you along. Read more…

Dierdre Wolownick has lived an interesting life - mother, wife, teacher, musician, linguist, writer, runner and climber. Her son Alex Honnold is one of the two or three most famous rock climbers in the world. Dierdre herself started climbing late in life and at age 66 she climbed El Cap, making her the oldest woman to accomplish the feat. Find out how the author of The Sharp End of Life: A Mother's Story keeps life exciting. Read more…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…