Intro to Mountaineering (Part Two Learning Skills)
Overview
This post is a compilation of resources that I have found helpful both for myself and to share with others. As I copied and pasted, and searched YouTube for the same links over and over, I thought this might all be better in the same place.
These resources are organized by format, including blog posts with tips and trip reports, books, and YouTube playlists.
Books
For anyone who has some basic rock climbing experience, I'd highly recommend Advanced Rock Climbing by Topher Donahue and Down by Andy Kirkpatrick.
Advanced Rock Climbing skips all the basic knots and the three point SERENE anchor and goes right to all the advanced stuff. Advanced knots and rescue, big wall tactics, advanced anchors, tips for redpointing, and more.
Anyone who has climbed anything large understands getting down is often the hardest part. Down is an amazing resource, covering all the dark arts of getting down and alpine climbing that can't be found elsewhere. Being confident in getting down opens up so many possibilities to the climber. I can't recommend it enough, it will open your world.
Topher Donahue
Andy Kirkpatrick
The classic encyclopedia of knowledge is Freedom of the Hills. It covers a wide range of topics with a pretty good depth, but nothing terribly advanced in any one area. It has some good contextual outdoorsy knowledge as well for those climbers new to the backcountry and wilderness.
The Mountaineers.Will Gadd is one of the most renowned ice climbers in the world with a career spanning multiple decades. His book on ice climbing is full of valuable ice-specific information.
For an intro to glacier travel I always recommend Glacier Mountaineering. It is short and to the point, but has a ton of detail. The illustrations are extremely useful in understanding and explaining concepts quickly.
Accidents and Documented Ascents
The American Alpine Club publishes select accident reports every year that are collected from a variety of sources all over North America. These reports can be browsed on their website, or you can purchase a hard copy (If you're a member you get a free hard copy). More information on publications is here.
Reading accident reports can give you an idea of what types of accidents can happen to you (the dreaded unknown unknowns), statistical breakdowns of accidents (e.g. experienced climbers are just as likely to have accidents as novices), and can give important information on a specific location before a trip (by searching the online database for your objective).
The American Alpine Club also publishes the American Alpine Journal every year, documenting noteworthy ascents from all over the world. These can be very informative to read. Some are written in long form, giving great detail to the planning and execution of the ascents. Seeing how it's done by others can help shape what we think is possible and show us how to plan and execute.
These can be searched on their site as well, or purchased in a hard copy.
Blogs
Will Gadd covers many great topics in his blog as well. His writing is concise and to the point ("your sticks are shit") as he talks about nutrition, risk, and other ice climbing related topics.
Alan Arnette is a long time sales executive turned mountaineer with detailed gear and trip planning info, as well as excellent trip reports.
National Geographic
Andy Kirkpatrick is a prolific writer, and has had a long career on big walls, alpine climbs, and everything in between. He writes on just about any topic.
Andy Kirkpatrick
Colin Haley is one of the best alpinists in North America, and he has plenty of worthwhile trip reports and some gear nerd-ing on his site.
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A wealth of advanced alpine climbing knowledge, Alpine Savvy has lots of gems.
Wild Snow has tons of backcountry ski specific information, and is worth checking out if that's a method of travel for you in the backcountry.
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Dale Remsberg is a longtime AMGA member who I believe was the technical director of the program for years. His Instagram is full of useful tips and tricks, with great explanations, pros and cons, and discussion. Be careful what you learn on Instagram, I have seen several other AMGA guides promoting and techniques that aren't great, but Dale's tips have always been solid.
YouTube Playlists
This playlist from Climbing Tech Tips covers all the basics. Videos are usually very short, and a variety of beginner topics is explored, starting with holding the ice ax.
This playlist from Team BMC is extensive, going from planning a trip and picking out boots up to leading a mixed route. The first time I watched these, I loved watching the leader casually climbing in the elements (around video 4.4) while narrating the video and explaining everything he is doing. Great footage all around.
(Updated 2024) Will Gadd made a great series of shorts with Black Diamond covering ice climbing basics.
This series is from Outdoor Research and the American Mountain Guide Association, and covers crevasse rescue. It provides a straightforward method for rescuing someone with a 6:1 haul system. Unfortunately they are not organized into a playlist, so they are embedded below.
This short series called Alpine Mentors features Steve House and covers some of the logistical and soft skills needed to undertake big climbs.
Some of the Uphill Athlete videos on YouTube are good, covering a range of topics. The following two in particular are good:
Steve House packing for a one night alpine climb
Steve House making a naked A thread
Snow Anchors
A few assorted posts on placing pickets as snow anchors, including whether to place them vertically or in a deadman orientation.
- https://www.alpinesavvy.com/blog/snow-anchors-vertical-picket-or-buried-deadman
- https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/snow-anchors-for-mountaineering.html
That's all I have! Feel free to send me any others you have found helpful and I will add them to the list.
No matter how much I read or watch videos, I learn the most by
- practicing!
- explaining things to another person
Get out there and practice!