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Mountain & Outdoor industry news

Blog

For more than fifteen years, the AAI Blog has kept the mountain community up to date on news, events, and developments in the outdoor industry, leavened with a bit of humor.

Climbing, Skiing, Rescue and Outdoor News from Here and Abroad – 6/20/2026

American Alpine Institute
August 20, 2026

When to Wear Crampons

American Alpine Institute
August 19, 2026

Pee-Wee’s Playhouse: An Old Crag Made New

American Alpine Institute
August 14, 2026

Respect at the Crag: Understanding Best, Common, Marginal, and Dangerous Practices

American Alpine Institute
August 10, 2026

Leeper Hangers: A Piece of Climbing History That Deserves a Second Look

American Alpine Institute
August 7, 2026
Climbers silhouetted in the clouds while they climb in the remote alpine wilderness of the North Cascades during American Alpine Institute Alpine Mountaineering and Technical Leadership Part 4 (AMTL4)

Climbing, Skiing, Rescue and Outdoor News from Here and Abroad – 8/6/26

American Alpine Institute
August 6, 2026
A climbing student places a picket in the glacier of Mt. Baker while setting up a crevasse rescue system during an American Alpine Institute mountaineering program

Team Crevasse Rescue Technique

American Alpine Institute
August 5, 2026

Threading the Needle: How to Evaluate Thread-Throughs in Red Rock Canyon

American Alpine Institute
August 3, 2026

LGBTQ+ Climbers Belong in the Mountains

American Alpine Institute
July 31, 2026
Students watch the sunset from camp in the remote alpine wilderness of the North Cascades during American Alpine Institute Alpine Mountaineering and Technical Leadership Part 4 (AMTL4)

Climbing, Skiing, Rescue and Outdoor News from Here and Abroad – 7/30/2026

American Alpine Institute
July 30, 2026

How to Evaluate a Traditional Climbing Anchor

American Alpine Institute
July 27, 2026

Ball Nuts: Specialized Traditional Climbing Protection for Thin Cracks

American Alpine Institute
July 24, 2026
Mt. Rainier's summit looms in the sky as climbers make their way up the Kautz route on an American Alpine Institute mountaineering program

Climbing, Skiing, Rescue and Outdoor News from Here and Abroad – 7/23/26

American Alpine Institute
July 23, 2026

Climbing, Skiing, Rescue and Outdoor News from Here and Abroad – 7/16/2026

American Alpine Institute
July 16, 2026
Self-Arrest

How to Self-Arrest without an Ice Axe

American Alpine Institute
July 13, 2026

Coca Leaves and Altitude Illness: Separating Tradition from Science

American Alpine Institute
July 10, 2026

Climbing, Skiing, Rescue and Outdoor News from Here and Abroad – 7/9/2026

American Alpine Institute
July 9, 2026

The Mountain Science Behind Clean Snow and Better Decisions

American Alpine Institute
July 1, 2026

The Hidden Danger of Chemical Contamination in Climbing Gear

American Alpine Institute
June 29, 2026

Climbing, Skiing, Rescue and Outdoor News from Here and Abroad – 6/25/2026

American Alpine Institute
June 25, 2026

Garmin inReach vs. iPhone Satellite Messaging: Which Is Better for Backcountry Emergencies?

American Alpine Institute
June 24, 2026

How to Play Golf: The Rock Climbing Game That Improves Technique

American Alpine Institute
June 16, 2026

The Birds that Release the Dead: The Strange Legend of Alpine Choughs

American Alpine Institute
June 12, 2026