Weekly Feature Archives

After the Expedition

Posted January 6, 2017

In this work of short fiction from Alpinist 18, Stevenson weaves a tale about a driftless climbing guide balancing his successes "against an unwritten page of his climbing resume, against the darkness."

The Adventure Gap and Narratives of Inclusion: James Edward Mills talks about why the face of outdoor adventure must change

Posted December 21, 2016

Brad Rassler interviews author James Edward Mills about current events and the disparity of opportunities for minorities to try outdoor activities like climbing.

Poetry Feature: Experiencing Ice

Posted December 17, 2016

In this poetry feature, writer and adventurer Manasseh Franklin shares work from Experiencing Ice, a series of images and poems about glaciers and "vastness to ponder."

Beyond the Guide: White Mountains, New Hampshire

Posted December 16, 2016

For years, Alan Cattabriga has roamed the White Mountains of New Hampshire, exploring the spaces between the contour lines of maps and creating long, arabesque-like enchainments of classic ice routes. Herein, a tale from one of the East Coast's most imaginative wanderers.

The Country of Winter: Nitassinan, Quebec

Posted December 16, 2016

Pete Takeda ventures into some of the vast realms of ice, and the countries within countries of Nitassinan and northeastern Quebec.

Nakamura unveils hidden mountains of southern Tibet

Posted December 14, 2016

Eighty-two-year-old Japanese mountaineer Tamotsu "Tom" Nakamura has been exploring and documenting the seldom-visited regions of Tibet for the last 25 years. In this feature he shares photographs of southern Tibet's "hidden" mountains.

Beyond the Dusk: El Hermano, Andes, Chile

Posted December 10, 2016

After the death of her brother Michael in June 2012, Suzanne Ybarra noticed a reference to a mysterious "El Hermano" amid his files, along with photos of a massive unclimbed wall. In 2014 one of Michael's friends, Libby Sauter, organized an expedition to make the first ascent and complete his dream.

Freedom in the Hills

Posted December 9, 2016

For decades, female alpinists have made extraordinary ascents from remote big walls to storm-swept peaks. In an article from Alpinist 52 (Winter 2015), Charlotte Austin explored some of the lingering barriers of the past and the growing potential for the future.

Book Review: Simon McCartney's 'The Bond'

Posted December 8, 2016

Rick Accomazzo reviews Simon McCartney's book, The Bond. Published earlier this year, The Bond received the 2016 Banff Mountain and Wilderness Literature Non-Fiction Award, as well as the Boardman Tasker Prize for Mountain Literature.

The Vision of Andrew Boyd

Posted December 7, 2016

Drew Copeland considers how Andrew Boyd has quietly influenced the Squamish climbing scene in the last twenty years with his bold first free ascents and visionary lines.