American Alpine Institute

10/19/2026

🏔️ AAI Mountain Festival is back!

Gear deals, local makers, and new skills to take into the mountains. Join us for our annual Mountain Festival at American Alpine Institute!

🛍️ Annual Gear Sale: Score deals on outdoor gear and essentials for your next adventure.

🎨 Makers Market: Shop unique goods and support local makers and outdoor creatives.

🧗 Free Workshops: Learn something new, build your skills, and connect with the local climbing community.

Whether you're gearing up for your next objective, shopping local, or just looking to spend some time with fellow mountain enthusiasts, there's something for you.

10/15/2026

A free soloist rescued a downed hang glider pilot. The National Park Service wants to hear your thoughts on what to do concerning the lodge rebuild on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. And the Blue Ridge ski resort in Ontario has installed a system in ski lifts that monitors whether you've put down your safety bar or not.

Read about this and a whole lot more in this week's climbing, skiing, mountain rescue and outdoor news round-up.

–It’s time to start thinking about climbing in the Southwest. Book a trip to Red Rock Canyon or to Joshua Tree National Park.

10/13/2026

🎨 IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN!

We are looking for artists and makers to join us at our Mountain Fest on Nov 1 from 1-6pm. It's our big annual sale and we need artists to join us to sell their goods. Mountain and outdoor themed stuff is great, but not required! Send your interest to [email protected]

10/12/2026

10/09/2026

Shoulder season can be some of the best climbing of the year. With fewer crowds and the right weather window, you can still find excellent conditions and get plenty of time in the mountains.

But the margins are different.

Weather can change quickly this time of year. A sunny, dry day can turn into rain, freezing temperatures, or several feet of snow in a matter of hours. Conditions can also vary dramatically with elevation and aspect, so what you see at the trailhead may not tell you much about what you’ll encounter higher up.

And it’s not just rock climbing that changes. Fresh snow can make glacier travel significantly more difficult by obscuring crevasses and changing the surface conditions. Early season snow can cover hazards that were obvious just days before, while colder temperatures, ice, and shorter daylight can add complexity to an otherwise familiar route.

Shoulder season is a great time to get out, but it calls for more preparation and vigilance. Know the forecast, check current conditions and recent reports, understand how conditions may affect your route, and be prepared to change plans if the mountains aren’t giving you the window you expected.

There are still plenty of great days to be had. Just remember that this time of year rewards good preparation, strong mountain judgment, and the willingness to turn around when conditions change.

Get out there. Just know before you go.

10/08/2026

It has been confirmed that Yosemite's Dome Fire was sparked by an abandoned campfire. The US Department of the Interior is holding $1.2 million in wildfire mitigation funds from Joshua Tree National Park. And it's possible that Chiricahua will become Arizona's fourth national Park.

Read about this and a whole lot more in this week's climbing, skiing, mountain rescue and outdoor news round-up:

10/07/2026

Climb Ecuador's Volcanoes with American Alpine Institute

Imagine standing on a glaciated summit above 19,000 feet, watching the sun rise over the Andes.

Ecuador is one of the best places on Earth to build your high-altitude skills and tick off some iconic peaks. Join AAI's expert guides for a mountaineering expedition to the "Avenue of the Volcanoes," including Cotopaxi and Chimborazo.

Learn more:

https://www.alpineinstitute.com/programs/ecuador-cotopaxi-skills-expedition/

10/02/2026

🐻🎃 CO***NE BEAR: A HALLOWEEN SCREENING 🎃🐻

Things are getting a little unhinged this Halloween.

Join us October 29th for a special showing of Co***ne Bear, plus a costume contest with prizes!

👻 6:00 PM: Halloween party + costume contest
🐻 7:00 PM: Co***ne Bear on the big screen
🏆 Prizes: Yes. Costumes: Highly encouraged. Good judgment: Optional.

Round up your crew, put together your best costume, and come celebrate Halloween with one of the wildest movies of the last few years.

October 29th | Party & Costume Contest at 6 PM | Film at 7 PM

09/25/2026

If you’ve been following routes, cleaning gear, and letting someone else take the sharp end, Learn to Lead is where that starts to change.

Our **Learn to Lead** program is a four-day introduction to traditional rock leadership, focused on the skills that let you lead single-pitch trad climbs independently. You’ll get hands-on practice with gear placement, anchors, lead belays, rope management, route planning, and the decision-making that goes into putting it all together. ([American Alpine Institute][1])

You'll not only learn how to place gear, but how to assess a route, build a system, manage the rope, make good decisions, and solve problems when things don’t go exactly according to plan.

And you get to do it on real rock in some pretty incredible places, including Leavenworth, Red Rock, Joshua Tree, and Moab.

Ready to take the sharp end? Learn to Lead!

09/24/2026

Washington's insanely popular Prime Rib (5.7, III) was recently re-bolted. A second flash flood has washed through the Grand Canyon. And Utah is trying to create a publicly owned ski area.

Read about this and a whole lot more in this week's climbing, skiing, mountain rescue and outdoor news round-up: