The crowning glory of Washington State’s Alpine Lakes Wilderness, the stunning Enchantment Lakes basin is over 7,000 feet in elevation and can only be attained by two approaches. You’ll encounter sections of unimproved and confusing trail, as well as high passes, snow, exposed rock slabs, boulder hopping and other tolls on the body as well […]

James “Q” Martin’s transition from climber to climbing photographer started with a broken ankle: After climbing The Mace in Sedona in 1997, he jumped from the sandstone summit to the lower tower, snapping a bone. He decided to take a break from college, taking only his camera and a small daypack to bum around Central […]

Crossing the Kotsina River was going to be the crux of our week-long trek across Alaska’s Wrangell Mountains. At least that’s what everyone had told us, from a friend in McCarthy who guides these mountains, to a random “man on the street” in Chitina, to our pilot who delicately assessed our wilderness cred before leaving […]

Although Eastern Washington has been ravaged by wildfires over the past few months, a large number of its famed trails are still thriving. Many of the trails in the hills above the towns of Leavenworth and Wenatchee can be accessed by fire or logging roads, making for easier climbs. But I’m not here to tell […]

In the spring of 2014, the High Fives Foundation — dedicated to raising money and awareness for athletes that have suffered a life-altering injury while pursuing their dream in the winter action sports community — gave a “Winter Empowerment” grant to Tony Schmiesing. Tony would be the first known quadriplegic to heli-ski the Chugach Mountain Range with Points North […]

It’s strange how a long string of seemingly unconnected decisions over a period of time can lead us to a singular memorable event in our life. In retrospect all the choices we made on the three-day trek appear to be very connected to one another. The decision to skip our final camp near Thunder Falls […]

Cooler? Check. Air mattress? Check. Massive six-person tent? Check. You’ve got this car camping thing down. Maybe it’s time to explore the next frontier: backpacking. You’ll eat, sleep and live in wilderness that was inaccessible before, and the glow of accomplishment you’ll feel after spending a night in the deep woods will burn for days. […]

Last August, several REI employees set out to summit Mount Rainier. Although the team was successful in their summit, they were caught in a whiteout on the descent and forced to spend two frigid nights on the mountain. On the third day, climbing rangers were able to reach the team and escort them safely back […]

Jeremy Collins might be the most prolific climber-slash-illustrator in the world. His drawings and maps have graced the pages of outdoor magazines like National Geographic, Outside, Alpinist and Trail Runner for almost two decades, and he’s authored more than 300 new rock climbing routes around the world in that same span. After you’ve seen his […]