Weekly Feature

The altered map from the May 1960 Summit article, An Unclimbed No Name Peak, showing the imaginary location of the mountain. As Ronald Peattie pointed out in Mountain Geography, surprisingly few people agree what a real mountain is, how high and steep it must be for that term: To a large extent, a mountain is a mountain because of the role it plays in popular imagination. [Image] Courtesy of the American Alpine Club

The World as It is Not

by Katie Ives

During the mid-twentieth century, an ardent conservationist and Cascades mountaineer planted a series of elaborate hoaxes in Summit magazine. He hoped to prod readers to… Read More »The World as It is Not

Freedom Catalogue

by Spencer Gray

In this Climbing Life story from Alpinist 58, Spencer Gray tallies the amount of resources and human labor required to produce the gear that he… Read More »Freedom Catalogue

One of the oldest eastern white cedars on the cliffs of the Niagara Escarpment. This tree germinated in the year 1134, making it 883 years old today. Climbers likely trimmed the branches on its northern side to make way for a climbing route in 1992. At the time of the photograph, two living branches on the south side of the tree were keeping it alive, though scientists haven't been back to survey whether it survives today. [Photo] Peter Kelly

Refuge

by Paula Wright

Early expeditions often combined the exploration of new heights with a search for rare botanical specimens. More than a century after both natural history and… Read More »Refuge

Conrad Anker delivers the University of Utah's graduation commencement speech on May 3. [Photo] University of Utah-Marketing and Communications

Conrad Anker’s commencement speech for the University of Utah addresses current and future challenges for humanity

by Conrad Anker

Renowned alpinist Conrad Anker delivered the University of Utah’s graduation commencement speech and received an honorary doctorate on May 3, 2017. This is a copy… Read More »Conrad Anker’s commencement speech for the University of Utah addresses current and future challenges for humanity

Less and Less Alone: Alex Honnold

by Alex Lowther

This profile of Alex Honnold first appeared in Alpinist 35 (Summer 2011). In this piece, Alex Lowther cover’s Honnold’s sudden rise to fame, from his… Read More »Less and Less Alone: Alex Honnold

In the Bear’s Lodge

by Nick Mott

Many climbers observe the voluntary climbing ban at Bear Lodge (Devils Tower) during the month of June as their way to show respect for local… Read More »In the Bear’s Lodge

Pulled Apart

by Rick Accomazzo

In this Full Value story from Alpinist 58, Rick Accomazzo tells the story of a mission he participated in as a member of Yosemite Search… Read More »Pulled Apart

(Book cover) Found: A Life in Mountain Rescue. Bree Loewen. Mountaineers Books, 2017. Paperback, 203 pages, $17.95. [Photo] Courtesy of Mountaineers Books

Bree Loewen describes ‘a job for a human, not a hero’ in ‘Found: A Life in Mountain Rescue’

by Paula Wright

Bree Loewen’s brilliant memoir, Found: A Life in Mountain Rescue, is a compelling tale of life and death, motherhood and wilderness, rescue and recovery–and a… Read More »Bree Loewen describes ‘a job for a human, not a hero’ in ‘Found: A Life in Mountain Rescue’

Tommy Caldwell is honest and vulnerable in his autobiography ‘The Push’

by Derek Franz

Tommy Caldwell’s autobiography, The Push, is as daring as his multitude of world-class climbing accomplishments, which range from 5.14 and 5.15 sport routes around the… Read More »Tommy Caldwell is honest and vulnerable in his autobiography ‘The Push’

The author as a girl on top of Mt. Azimiyeh, a peak she climbed many times with her dad. [Photo] Shirin Shabestari collection

Tea Song

by Shirin Shabestari

In this Climbing Life story from Alpinist 58, mountaineer Shirin Shabestari writes about her childhood in Iran, where her dad introduced her to snowy peaks… Read More »Tea Song

Leslie Hsu Oh is pictured here with her family at the cliffs of red Lockatong argillite and Brunswick shale along the Tohickon Creek, Pennsylvania. [Photo] Joe Forte

K’e yil yal tx’i: Saying Something

by Leslie Hsu Oh

In this Climbing Life story from Alpinist 58, Leslie Hsu Oh takes her kids climbing and observes them learning lessons that took her a lifetime… Read More »K’e yil yal tx’i: Saying Something

A view of Cerro Trono from the east side of the Cordillera Sarmiento. [Photo] Whitney Clark

A foray into the ‘Never-Never Land’ of Cordillera Sarmiento, Chile

by Whitney Clark

Last March Americans Whitney Clark, Jon Griffin and Tad McCrea ventured into a notoriously wet and seldom-visited coastal region of South America–Patagonia’s Cordillera Sarmiento–in hopes… Read More »A foray into the ‘Never-Never Land’ of Cordillera Sarmiento, Chile