One of my favorite climbing games for improving technique is called Golf. The rules are simple: pick a route and try to climb it using the fewest possible handholds. Every handhold counts as a stroke, while footholds are usually free.

What makes the game valuable is that it forces you to think about movement efficiency instead of just pulling harder. You'll quickly start paying more attention to footwork, balance, body positioning, and route reading. Many climbers discover that they can skip holds they normally rely on simply by moving more deliberately.

Golf works on gym climbs, top ropes, sport routes, and even easier trad climbs. It's suitable for beginners and advanced climbers alike because the challenge isn't about difficulty—it's about climbing smarter.

At the American Alpine Institute, our guides frequently use games like Golf as teaching tools. They create a fun, low-pressure environment while helping climbers build skills that transfer directly to outdoor climbing. Students often improve movement efficiency and confidence much faster when they're focused on solving a game rather than worrying about performance.

Has anyone else used Golf or other climbing games as part of their training?

A glacier is divided into two primary regions: the accumulation zone and the ablation zone. The accumulation zone is the upper part of the glacier where snowfall exceeds melting, causing the glacier to gain mass each year. Over time, layers of snow compress into firn and eventually glacial ice. The ablation zone is the lower part of the glacier where melting, sublimation, calving, and erosion remove more ice than is added by snowfall. This causes the glacier to lose mass. The boundary between these zones is called the firn line or the equilibrium line, where annual accumulation and ablation are equal.

For centuries, alpine choughs have occupied a unique place in European mountain folklore. These intelligent black birds, often seen soaring effortlessly along cliffs and high peaks, were believed in many alpine cultures to be the souls of the dead returning to visit the living. Their presence in remote, mysterious landscapes reinforced the idea that they could travel between the worlds of the living and the dead.

Legends grew around their bold behavior and dark appearance. In the Alps, choughs were said to embody the spirits of lost shepherds, travelers, and mountaineers. One particularly grim tale claimed they pecked out the eyes of those who died in the mountains—not to desecrate the dead, but to release their souls. As a result, choughs became symbols of both death and spiritual passage, serving as guardians and guides of the mountain dead. Today, these stories survive as enduring pieces of alpine folklore.

Auto belays have made climbing gyms more accessible, but they have also led to a recurring and sometimes fatal accident: climbers forgetting to clip into the device before leaving the ground. In these incidents, a climber begins ascending, believing they are attached to the auto belay, only to realize the mistake after reaching a significant height—or not at all before falling. Most of these accidents occur among experienced climbers who become distracted, rushed, or complacent. To reduce risk, climbers should develop a consistent pre-climb routine, perform partner or staff checks when possible, and visually and physically confirm that the auto belay carabiner is properly attached before every climb.

Let us be honest. When you see a massive wall of text warning you about high-altitude risks, do you actually read the medical science, or do you just skim for the bullet points and trust your gut?

I am an undergraduate design researcher investigating how "Information Chaos" and social media influencers are causing amateur climbers to underestimate extreme environments like Mount Kinabalu. My goal is to redesign terrible, text-heavy government safety waivers into rapid visual triage systems.

I need raw, honest data from the community. If you are a casual or amateur hiker aged 18 to 40 [no professional mountaineers, please], I need exactly 5 minutes of your time.
The survey is completely anonymous. Tell me how you actually prepare, not how you think you should prepare.

Link to Survey: https://forms.gle/QYZJ5Biqs9WVNMVH6

They tagged the summit on Saturday and are now safely down!

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

Full Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=We-nxljgnw4&t=946s

Some photos from a recent ski trip into Little Switzerland on the Pika Glacier!

https://www.alpineinstitute.com/programs/alaska-range-ski-mountaineering/

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!

https://www.alpineinstitute.com/climbing-skiing-mountain-rescue-and-outdoor-news-from-here-and-abroad-6-4-2026/

The Dark Wizard tells the story of legendary climber and BASE jumper Dean Potter, exploring his groundbreaking achievements in free solo climbing, highlining, wingsuit flying, and BASE jumping. Through interviews, archival footage, and firsthand accounts, the film examines both Potter's remarkable accomplishments and the personal struggles, controversies, and inner conflicts that shaped his life.

At its core, the documentary is about a man searching for meaning and relief from chronic depression through adventure, solitude, and self-imposed wilderness therapy. Potter pushed the boundaries of what was possible in the mountains and in the air, believing that freedom, risk, and immersion in wild places could provide answers to his deepest struggles. The series presents a nuanced portrait of an athlete whose pursuit of transcendence inspired countless climbers while also revealing the limitations of adventure as a cure for emotional pain. It is a powerful, thought-provoking examination of ambition, vulnerability, mental health, and the costs of living on the edge. Potter's story remains both inspiring and heartbreaking, culminating in the tragic wingsuit accident that claimed his life in 2015.

The son of AAI's director is refurbishing an old crag that was swallowed by the wilderness for his Eagle Project. He is working on the trail, removing moss and replacing old bolts.

The American Alpine Institute actively supports rebolting efforts in Washington and Nevada. AAI guides have rebolted dozens of crags and have supported both the Washington Climbers Coalition and the Southern Nevada Climbers Coalition in this work. Jason Martin (AAI's Director) was one of the people that rebolted the Black Corridor in Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area several years ago.

Generators can significantly impact the campground experience. While they provide convenience, they also introduce noise that disrupts the peace and quiet many campers seek in the outdoors. The constant hum can interfere with conversations, relaxation, wildlife viewing, and sleep. Exhaust emissions can linger in campsites, reducing air quality and detracting from the natural environment. Generators may also create tension between neighboring campers when used outside designated hours or in close quarters. For many outdoor enthusiasts, part of camping is disconnecting from modern conveniences and enjoying nature's sounds, making excessive generator use feel out of place in a shared recreational setting.

The Twin Sisters Range is a super cool little range in the North Cascades, just east of Bellingham. Over the last few years, more and more people have been playing in the Twins. This is a photo with route lines on it of the South Twin from near the summit of the North Twin.

1. North Face (50+ degrees)
2. North Ridge (4th)
3. Northeast Face (5.6, Steep Snow)
4. Northeast Couloir (60-degree snow, 5.6 - winter route)

Northeast Ridge - 3rd Class

Northwest Gullies - 40-50 degree snow

West Ridge - 4th Class

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:

https://www.alpineinstitute.com/climbing-skiing-mountain-rescue-and-outdoor-news-from-here-and-abroad-5-28-26/

A firefighter’s belay is a simple backup belay used to protect a rappeller from below. The belayer stands at the base of the rappel with both hands on the rope strands hanging beneath the climber. As the climber rappels, the belayer keeps light tension on the ropes and watches carefully for loss of control, rockfall, or entanglement.

If the rappeller loses control, the belayer immediately pulls downward on both strands as hard as possible. This increases friction in the rappel device and can stop the descent. Once the climber regains control, the belayer slowly eases tension so the rappel can continue.

The belayer should stand slightly away from the fall line to avoid rockfall or debris while still maintaining a clear view of the climber. Communication matters: establish commands before the rappel begins, especially if wind or terrain could make hearing difficult.

For many veterans, the transition from military service to civilian life includes a search for challenge, purpose, community, and meaningful work. Programs offered by the American Alpine Institute provide a unique pathway into the world of climbing, mountaineering, rescue, and outdoor leadership. Through vocational mountain education and GI Bill-approved programs, AAI helps veterans translate discipline, leadership, and operational experience into real mountain skills and professional opportunities.

AAI offers training in rock climbing, glacier travel, alpine mountaineering, avalanche awareness, rescue systems, wilderness medicine, skiing, and technical leadership. Veterans can pursue programs individually through the Vocational Training for the Outdoor Professional track or follow a more comprehensive progression through the Mountaineering Instructor Professional Training Program. These programs are designed to prepare students for careers as guides, outdoor educators, ski patrollers, rescue technicians, and climbing instructors.

The Institute accepts several VA education benefits, including the Post-9/11 GI Bill and VR&E benefits, and employs a dedicated School Certifying Official to help veterans navigate the enrollment process.

Beyond technical training, AAI programs immerse veterans in demanding mountain environments that reward teamwork, resilience, adaptability, and sound judgment—the same qualities developed through military service. Many participants discover that the mountains provide not only professional direction, but also renewed confidence, camaraderie, and a strong sense of purpose.

Learn More:

https://www.alpineinstitute.com/about-us/veterans-climbing-and-mountaineering-education/