Why Climb Mountains?

“If everyone made a point of remembering Darwin, we might be spared a lot of mountain philosophy and psychoanalysis. Why do I climb? Because it’s the natural thing to do.”

– Tom Patey, “Apes or Ballerinas?”

Here at American Alpine Institute, we don’t overthink why we do what we do. Climbing can be hard, but it’s the most rewarding thing many of us have ever done. It takes us to places of incredible beauty, and it challenges us to find untapped reserves of strength and resourcefulness. It’s also just plain fun, if you don’t mind putting out a little effort. For some of us, it will be our life’s work. For others, it’s a deliberate detour on the way to bigger things. But it’s a passion that comes naturally to all of us.

What Is ‘Climbing’?

We define climbing as any kind of off-road, human-powered mountain travel, and we aren’t snobby about “our” sport. If you like to hike up a good trail to get a view of the sunrise, you’re a climber, and you’re one of us. If you climb big north walls in the Alps or aspire to summiting Everest someday, hats off to you! We share your passion, too. And if you like to snowshoe up a hill, or use climbing skins to ski up Mt. Baker and “earn your turns”, as far as we’re concerned, that’s climbing too. We’re all mountain people.

As guides and teachers, we specialize in teaching technical climbing, which simply means climbing with special tools like ropes, ice axes, and crampons. But we offer a full range of programs for lovers of adventure, from backpacking trips and safaris to ski tours, long rock climbs, and high-altitude expeditions.

We bring our expertise, drive, skills, and professionalism to the table; you bring your own goals and reasons. You may want to climb for relaxation, for excitement, for the love of achievement or the feeling of athletic mastery — or just to get a good view. Your reasons for climbing are your own. We’ll honor them and work with you tirelessly to help you achieve your dreams … and have a great time doing it.

Where Should I Begin?

There’s no single right path to becoming a climber or mountaineer. But we have found that our most fulfilled and accomplished adventurers take a measured approach to gaining skills and pursuing objectives.

To learn more about taking your first trip, check out this step-by-step primer on how it works at AAI.

If you’re a beginner and you’re ready to start browsing, click here to learn more about our beginner-level programs.

We’re looking forward to climbing, skiing, hiking, and learning with you.

See you in the mountains!