Mountaineering

The Mountain Zone – A Look Back

The call arrived via one of our satellite phones just as I got to work the morning of May 2, 1999. Routinely, we routed the Everest calls through a special number at MountainZone.com with equipment that recorded every one and alerted me and my editorial staff to incoming news. On the other end of the […]

Preparing to Climb Denali: Words from a First-Timer

Training hike up Wolverine Peak overlooking Anchorage Denali – they don’t call it “the tall one” for nothin’. Standing at 20,310 feet, it’s swarmed with climbers every spring looking to grace the summit and make a safe descent back to the hippie-town of Talkeetna, Alaska. So, just what does it take to ready yourself for […]

The Ptarmigan Traverse Summits

The Ptarmigan Traverse is a high elevation route in the North Cascade Range of Washington State. It was first done in 1938 by a group from the Ptarmigan Climbing Club and didn’t become popular with mountaineers until much later. Nowadays, many groups tackle the traverse every summer. For experienced mountaineers, this trip has a lot […]

Map of the Highest Points in Each of the 50 States

Many have heard about the state highpoints quest and contemplated it over a beverage or two. An experienced mountaineer or even someone who is fit and very determined could do most of the peaks. You could even get a little help, like on Rainier where climbers often use a guide service. Denali in Alaska however, is in […]

Grand Teton and the Teton Range

There is a reason why the Ansel Adams photographs of the Snake River and the Tetons have become some of his most recognizable works. The dramatic contrast between the flat river valley and the steep peaks is stunning. Grand Teton stands erect at 13,770 feet and Jenny Lake, at its base, sits at 6,783 feet. […]

Training For Mount Rainier: What A Mountain Guide Wants You To Know

As a longtime guide on Mount Rainier, I am constantly fielding questions about how to prepare to make a summit attempt on the highest mountain in Washington State. I give the usual suggestions – physical fitness, gear, and mental preparation – but in the recent years, I’ve also started talking to prospective climbers about some […]

Stuart Range and The Enchantments

Mount Stuart looks out over the Teanaway and Yakima River valleys in rural Kittitas County, Washington. From the summit, the views extend from Mt. Adams to Mt. Baker and practically every inner-Cascade range in between. Stu is one of the tallest non-volcanic peaks in the state at 9,415 feet and said to be a solid chunk […]

The Bulger List – Washington’s Highest 100 Peaks

In the summer of ’96, I ran into a friend that I hadn’t seen in awhile. After catching up and laughing about the crazy times back in college, he mentioned that a few guys were climbing Mount Shuksan in a couple of weeks and asked if I wanted to join them. I immediately said yes, […]

Map of Colorado’s Legendary Fourteeners

If you like high summits, consider moving to Colorado and making it your base camp for years of peak bagging. Colorado even tops Alaska for the number of peaks over 14,000 feet. Sure, there are higher and harder mountains up north, but Colorado has more attainable summits to choose from and a longer climbing season […]