Weekly Feature

Don Frache's mural Chamber of Jewels (acrylic on canvas, 1984)

The Shining Mountains

by Alpinist Magazine

Popular books recount the early days of Canadian mountaineering as a story of epic discoveries. In this story from Alpinist 50, historians Zac Robinson and… Read More »The Shining Mountains

Buffalo Soldiers in the Cavalryman’s Paradise

by Shelton Johnson

Yosemite National Park Ranger Shelton Johnson explores “the pitch of the wild” for the Buffalo Soldiers on patrol in Yosemite at the turn of the… Read More »Buffalo Soldiers in the Cavalryman’s Paradise

Lauret Savoy's Trace: Memory, History, Race, and the American Landscape (2015). [Photo] Katie Ives

Lauret Savoy’s Trace: Exploring Landscapes of Exclusion and Inclusion in American History

by Katie Ives

Alpinist Editor-in-chief Katie Ives describes some of the reasons Lauret Savoy’s 2015 book, Trace: Memory, History, Race and the American Landscape has become deeply relevant… Read More »Lauret Savoy’s Trace: Exploring Landscapes of Exclusion and Inclusion in American History

Paul Bonnell crosses Dewar Creek on the approach to The Leaning Towers, Purcell Wilderness, British Columbia. [Photo] Aaron Hanson

A Backyard Big Wall Expedition

by Aaron Hanson

A group of Idaho climbers venture into the Canadian wilderness to complete the first ascent of a route on Wall Tower (9,560′) that was abandoned… Read More »A Backyard Big Wall Expedition

Painting of the view from Franz Joseph, Westland Tai Poutini National Park, New Zealand, with Mt. Elie de Beaumont (3109m), Mt. Green (2837m) and Mt. Walter (2905m). The author stared at this landscape for two years. It took him more than a decade to reach the peaks. [Photo] Peter Morath/Hedgehoghouse.com

The Glaciers Are Retreating: Southern Alps, New Zealand

by Paul Hersey

In a story from Alpinist 38 (Spring 2012), Paul Hersey explores a landscape at the edge of loss on the fleeting ice fields of New… Read More »The Glaciers Are Retreating: Southern Alps, New Zealand

Stephen Shobe, during Expedition Denali in 2013. [Photo] Hudson Henry

Local Hero: Stephen Shobe

by James Edward Mills

James Edward Mills writes about one of his climbing heroes, Stephen Shobe, a mountain guide and member of Expedition Denali, a group that continues to… Read More »Local Hero: Stephen Shobe

Seeking Space – The Climbing Life

by Jane Jackson

An unexpected encounter on a hillside in New Mexico leads Jane Jackson to reconsider the environmental impacts of climbers and the conservation of public lands.

Hanniah Tariq, founder of High Altitude Sustainability Pakistan. [Photo] Vanessa Beucher

Local Hero: Hanniah Tariq

by Vanessa Beucher

Vanessa Beucher writes about Pakistani activist Hanniah Tariq, founder of High Altitude Sustainability Pakistan, an organization dedicated to the well-being of expedition workers, their families… Read More »Local Hero: Hanniah Tariq

The Emperor Face of Mt. Robson (3959m), where Barry Blanchard, Eric Dumerac and Philippe Pellet made the first ascent of Infinite Patience (VI 5.9 M5 WI5, 2200m) in 2002. Fourteen years later, Marc-Andre Leclerc soloed it. [Photo] Jeffrey Pang

Off Route and Out of Time – The Sharp End, Alpinist 56

by Katie Ives

Back in April 2016, Canadian alpinist Marc-Andre Leclerc described his solo of the Emperor Face of Mt. Robson: “My thoughts had reached a depth and… Read More »Off Route and Out of Time – The Sharp End, Alpinist 56

Alex Megos gets a grip on Fight Club (5.15b) at Raven's Crag near Banff, Canada. Megos made the first ascent of the route in August, establishing the country's first 5.15 as well as the second 5.15b in all of North America. A few days later Megos flashed The Path, a 5.14 R trad route. [Photo] Sonnie Trotter

An interview with Alex Megos about the cross-disciplines of sport vs. trad climbing

by Chris Kalman

Climbing phenom Alex Megos considers himself a “sport climber,” but that self-designation didn’t stop him from racking up to flash The Path, a 5.14 R… Read More »An interview with Alex Megos about the cross-disciplines of sport vs. trad climbing

Kyle Dempster and Bruce Normand in Shuangqiao Valley, Siguiang Shan Mountains, Sichuan, China. [Photo] Andrew Burr

Edges of Maps: The Mountain Stories of Kyle Dempster

by Katie Ives

At the time of his disappearance on the Ogre II, Kyle Dempster was one of the most promising mountain storytellers of his generation. Alpinist editor-in-chief… Read More »Edges of Maps: The Mountain Stories of Kyle Dempster

Antoine Moineville and Christian Laddy Ledergerber paddle in the North Atlantic Ocean. [Photo] Silvan Schuepbach

Metrophobia: A Thirst for Adventure

by Derek Franz

Doing a first ascent on a remote big wall was not enough for a team of three Swiss and two French men, who opted to… Read More »Metrophobia: A Thirst for Adventure