American Alpine Institute

The alarm sounds long before sunrise. Headlamps glow across camp. Boots crunch on frozen snow as climbers step into the darkness beneath a sky full of stars.

On several of our programs, students spend days learning the craft of mountaineering and nights immersed in the alpine environment in the beauty of Mt. Baker. Waking high on the mountain, sharing camp with fellow climbers, and watching first light touch the glaciers is an experience that stays with you long after the climb is over.

Courses are filling quickly. If you've been dreaming about experiencing the majesty of the mountains for yourself, now is the time to reserve your spot.

Congratulations AAI Denali Team #4 for tagging the summit on Saturday! Nice work!

Our first Womxn's Program of the season is back from the mountains! Over the course of the program, students built mountaineering skills, traveled through glaciated terrain, and put their training into practice alongside a team of supportive and inspiring women.

Programs like this are about more than learning technical skills. They're an opportunity to challenge yourself, build confidence in the mountains, and connect with an amazing community of climbers who share your goals and passion for adventure.

There's still time to join us this season! If you've been thinking about developing your mountaineering skills, climbing Mount Baker, learning rock climbing, and spending time in the mountains with an awesome group of women, we'd love to have you out with us.

Come learn, climb, and share the experience with an incredible community of women in the mountains.

Congratulations to AAI Denali Team #3 for bagging the summit!

https://www.alpineinstitute.com/dispatches/2026-aai-denali-west-buttress-expedition-team-3-may-16-june-5-dispatch-16/

Pattie Gonia has offered to drop her trademark application with some conditions. A large portion of the Grand Wall in Squamish is closed for nesting peregrines. And there a lot of activity in summer ski resort additions. Read about this and a whole lot more in this week's climbing, skiing, mountain rescue and outdoor news round-up!

Climbing, Skiing, Mountain Rescue and Outdoor News from Here and Abroad - 6/4/2026 --Follow along with AAI's Alaska and Denali programs on our dispatches page!

There is a tremendous amount of news concerning public lands in this week's climbing, skiing, mountain rescue and outdoor news round up. Read about it here:

Climbing, Skiing, Mountain Rescue and Outdoor News from Here and Abroad - 5/28/26 --AAI has several teams on Denali right now. Listen to their dispatches from the tallest mountain in North America here.

It may be almost June, but the Cascades are still holding onto winter. Our current Alpinism 1 students are getting a true alpine experience with deep snow, cold mornings, and fresh snowfall at higher elevations.

One of the biggest surprises for many climbers coming to the Pacific Northwest is just how much snow remains in the mountains well into late spring and early summer. The higher you go, the more it still feels like winter.

These early season conditions make for outstanding training grounds. Traveling through snow covered terrain, managing cold weather systems, and developing efficient mountain movement skills are all invaluable preparation for bigger objectives like Denali and other glaciated peaks around the world.

The mountains are still very much in winter mode up high, and that’s exactly why this is such a good time to be out there learning.