Welcome to the Alpine Ascents blog—where we share stories, knowledge, and inspiration from the mountains. From expedition updates and climbing conditions to training advice, gear tips, destination highlights, and stories from our guides and climbers, this is a place to stay connected to the world of mountaineering. Whether you’re preparing for your first climb, planning your next big expedition, or simply dreaming about the mountains, we hope you’ll find useful information, new ideas, and plenty of inspiration for the adventures ahead.
By Brooke Warren You’ve probably seen “toiletry kit” on the packing list for your upcoming trip, but maybe you aren’t sure exactly what it should contain. When mountaineering, it’s a balance between weight and function, because the less weight you carry, the easier it will be to get to camp, and to the summit. So…
It’s Not Awkward, It’s Reality As adults, we’ve got our bathroom & “private part” habits down. We know how to keep ourselves comfortable, clean, and efficient. But what happens when we step into the backcountry for the day? For several nights? For a month-long expedition? For those heading into the backcountry with a female anatomy,…
In a previous post, Maddie mentioned adaptability. Due to the exceptionally unpredictable nature of the mountain environment, it’s worth a deeper dive into this trait and its cousin, resiliency. Best Chance of Summits To maximize our chances in the mountains, we try to control every controllable factor. Things like fitness, the right gear, route knowledge,…
The following is the fifth in a series of “how-to” videos on the major knots and hitches we use in the mountains. Stay tuned for more videos on knots like the bowline, ring bend- and hitches like the Klemheist & Prusik! The Figure 8 follow through is a standard knot used for many different purposes…
