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Jack Roberts, Climbing Pioneer, Dies at 59

Posted on: January 17th, 2012 by Ben Mitchell-Lewis

In the two days since Jack Roberts’ death from a long fall at Bridalveil Falls near Telluride, CO, several touching articles have been posted online. One of the most poignant can be found on Climbing‘s website, written by Editor Dougald MacDonald.  Though we were not close enough to offer such … Read more…

RMNP Windstorm Makes the Approach Rather Unpleasant

Posted on: January 11th, 2012 by Luke Bauer

One of our Members emailed us about his and his partner’s recent trip to Rocky Mountain National Park.  Some horrific wind event made their day much longer. Read about it (and other reports) on our Trip Reports page. If you’re a Member, submit your own! Or just email info@americanalpineclub.org and … Read more…

Almost-Dead to the Top of the Shark’s Fin in a Year: Renan Ozturk [Interview]

Posted on: January 10th, 2012 by Pete Takeda

Renan Ozturk. Climber, artist, filmmaker, dirtbag, and ground-up success story. 2011 was a year of high highs and low lows for Ozturk, a longtime AAC Member and The North Face Team Member. Not only did he suffer from a near fatal ski accident while on location in the Tetons, he … Read more…

Kyrgyzstan Project

Posted on: January 9th, 2012 by Abbey Smith

It’s hard to explain why we fall in love with rocks and risk our lives for the chance to climb to the summit—especially in a place as rugged, remote, and politically unstable as Kyrgyzstan. During the summers of 1999 and 2000, violent political insurgencies erupted along the southern borders in … Read more…

Climbing High, Setting Goals, and Getting Involved with the AAC

Posted on: January 6th, 2012 by Abbey Smith

Longtime AAC Member and multiple Research Grant awardee Jon Kedrowski spoke with us about alpine research in the American West, what climbing goals mean to him, and  his most recent project—bivying on the summit of each of Colorado’s 14,000′ peaks over the span of 95 days. Patience is truly a … Read more…

Teton Guides Symposium Rousing Success

Posted on: December 20th, 2011 by Abbey Smith

See all the photos from the event in our Media Galleries.  On Thursday, December 8, Outerlocal presented “From Cleated Boots to Ski Descents: The Past, Present and Future of Teton Guiding” in Jackson, Wyoming. Over 300 climbers and skiers jammed into the cozy Snow King Lodge Room and over 400 … Read more…

Regional Coordinator Eddie Espinosa on Recent Bozeman Ice Festival

Posted on: December 19th, 2011 by Luke Bauer

AAC Board Member, accomplished climber, and Friend of the Club Pete Takeda spent some time talking to our Northwest Regional Coordinator, Eddie Espinosa about the recent Bozeman Ice Festival. [Watch the Trailer] The 15th annual Bozeman Ice Climbing Festival, ran from Dec. 7 to Dec. 11, 2011 in the town of … Read more…

Give Back in Nepal—Lodging & Volunteer Opportunities for Traveling Climbers

Posted on: December 19th, 2011 by Abbey Smith

What began as a friendly favor to help fund a small medical clinic in rural Nepal has changed the lives of thousands residing in impoverished mountain villages all over the world. When Scott MacLennan realized $1 per person per year can staff a basic clinic in Nepal’s Rasuwa District, he … Read more…

Rusty Wackerman Climbs With A Legend!

Posted on: December 14th, 2011 by Abbey Smith

This spring and summer, the Club entered all new Members (and any current Members that renewed) into our Climb With a Legend Sweepstakes. We drew a winner and Utah’s Rusty Wackerman won $1,000 in cash for travel & lodging, a $500 Black Diamond Gift Card, and his choice of four … Read more…

Become What You Dream—Interview with Jeremy Collins

Posted on: December 13th, 2011 by Abbey Smith

This November, the American Alpine Club proudly partnered with the seventh annual Adventure Film Festival premiere at the Boulder Theater in Boulder, Colorado. This three-day festival featured 40 insightful and award-winning outdoor and environmental films, photography and filmmaking seminars, a Kid’s Film Festival, Jonny Copp Photo Exhibit, and closed with … Read more…

New Guesthouses and Toilets by the CBEE2011 Team

Posted on: December 7th, 2011 by Ben Mitchell-Lewis

In June and July 2011, the Deep South Section of The American Alpine Club spearheaded an environmental mountaineering expedition to Peru’s highest mountain range. The Cordillera Blanca contains the highest concentration of mountains higher than 6,000 meters (19,685 ft.) in the Western Hemisphere, as well as the highest mountains in the Tropics. Section … Read more…

Climber Scientist…or “Badass PhD Scientist-Mountaineer?”

Posted on: December 6th, 2011 by Luke Bauer

In June and July 2011, the Deep South Section of The American Alpine Club spearheaded an environmental mountaineering expedition to Peru’s highest mountain range. The Cordillera Blanca contains the highest concentration of mountains higher than 6,000 meters (19,685 ft.) in the Western Hemisphere, as well as the highest mountains in the Tropics. Section … Read more…

New Additions to the Armando Menocal Guidebook Collection

Posted on: December 1st, 2011 by Ben Mitchell-Lewis
Menocal Guidebook Collection

I recently had the chance to spend the day with guidebook author and climbing pioneer Armando Menocal. As a founding member of the Access Fund and climbing guide, Armando has climbed all over the world and has been deeply involved in the climbing community for decades. He stopped by the … Read more…

AAJ Editor Reports from Germany—2nd Editors’ Summit

Posted on: November 15th, 2011 by Luke Bauer

In the autumn of 2008, American Alpine Journal Editor John Harlin III and the AAC organized a gathering of magazine and journal editors from around the world and dubbed the meeting the “First Editors’Summit.” Editors of print journals and websites gathered in Colorado, then Utah for climbing and discussion on … Read more…

Cool Climbing Job Alert! Three New Positions with AAC

Posted on: November 9th, 2011 by Luke Bauer

Have you ever wanted to somehow combine your love of climbing and your desire to protect the environment—and actually get paid for it, rather than living in a van and leeching off your quickly diminishing savings? Well, you’re in luck! The American Alpine Club has just announced three new position … Read more…

Cool Climbing Job Alert! AAC Hiring Conservation & Advocacy Director

Posted on: November 1st, 2011 by Luke Bauer

Have you ever wanted to somehow combine your love of climbing and your desire to protect the environment—and actually get paid for it, rather than living in a van and leeching off your quickly diminishing savings? Well, you’re in luck! The American Alpine Club has just announced a new position … Read more…

Application Deadline Changes for Lyman Spitzer Cutting Edge Award

Posted on: October 25th, 2011 by Luke Bauer

Today, The American Alpine Club announces that the application deadline for the prestigious Lyman Spitzer Cutting Edge Award has been moved up one month. The new deadline is December 1, 2011. The Lyman Spitzer program promotes state-of-the-art, cutting-edge climbing through financial support of small, lightweight climbing teams attempting bold first … Read more…

American Alpine Journal Available to All Climbers

Posted on: October 19th, 2011 by Luke Bauer

The American Alpine Club is pleased to announce that The American Alpine Journal—the world’s journal of record for notable climbs—is once again available to the public. In July the Club announced that the Journal in printed form would be available only to AAC Members. More than 100 climbers commented on … Read more…

First Annual Cornerstone Crag Conservation Grants Awarded

Posted on: October 18th, 2011 by Luke Bauer

Golden, CO—The American Alpine Club (AAC) is proud to announce the recipients of the first annual Cornerstone Crag Conservation Grant. This year, $25,000 will go toward multiple local projects: human waste management systems, road and parking improvements, trail work, signage, camping improvements, and more. New for 2011, the Cornerstone Conservation … Read more…

Delegates Selected for BMC Winter Meet in Scotland

Posted on: October 14th, 2011 by Luke Bauer

The American Alpine Club’s BMC Winter Meet Selection Committee selected its delegates for the upcoming Winter Meet and it must be said that it was difficult. The last meet—the BMC’s Summer Meet in Wales—was an easy choice, as only a couple of people applied (by the way, thanks Jay Hack, … Read more…

Show From Mark Synnott to Benefit Grand Teton Climbers’ Ranch

Posted on: October 11th, 2011 by Luke Bauer

This year, The American Alpine Club is proud to partner with The North Face for their Speaker Series. The majority of featured speakers are proud AAC Members and all proceeds from the October 19, Jackson, WY event featuring Mark Synnott will be donated to the Grand Teton Climbers’ Ranch! This year, supporting the Climbers’ … Read more…

Veteran Expeditions Summits Grand Teton on 9/11/11

Posted on: October 10th, 2011 by Ben Mitchell-Lewis
VetEx Summit photo

[Update. November 1, 2011: Team member Chad Butrick recently sent the AAC a link to his blog which features a great trip report from this expedtion up the Grand. Check it out!] A team from Veterans Expeditions, with support by Jackson Hole Mountain Guides, summited the Grand Teton on September … Read more…

AAC Live Tweeting World Cup Finals

Posted on: October 7th, 2011 by Luke Bauer

Can’t make it to Boulder for the IFSC World Cup Climbing Comp this weekend? Stay tuned to the action by following the Club on Twitter (@americanalpine). Information & Marketing Director Erik Lambert will be tweeting all the details from the event on Sunday night! The Club is a World Cup … Read more…

Jeff Lowe & The World Cup—An Interview

Posted on: October 5th, 2011 by Ben Mitchell-Lewis

With the Boulder World Cup approaching fast and The American Alpine Club an IFSC World Cup Partner, our rockstar-intern Ben Mitchell-Lewis caught up with Jeff Lowe, famed alpinist and organizer of the original World Cup events held in the United States. Jeff is a wealth of information on the subject, … Read more…

Swiss Route Repeated on Cima Ovest

Posted on: October 3rd, 2011 by Ben Mitchell-Lewis
Beginning of Swiss Route, Cima Ovest

AAC Member David Falt and his partner Helen Manancourt recently completed a bold repeat of the Swiss Route on Cima Ovest.  This peak, part of the Tre Cime trio, features a handful of routes up its north face.  David and Helen climbed until dark, and then spent an unplanned bivy … Read more…