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The American Alpine Club - Your September AAC Update

Arts and Entertainment

September 28, 2023


Hueco Rock Ranch is Now Accepting Reservations

Down in southern Texas, where tumbleweeds and cacti rule the desert, lies a bouldering mecca with a rich history and hundreds of problems waiting for you to climb. With 300 days of sun and perfect holds carved into boulders, Hueco Tanks State Park has it all. Reservations accepted starting September 25, 2023. The Hueco Rock Ranch Season runs from November 17, 2023 - March 10, 2024.

Feeling inspired to wrestle some sandstone pebbles in the Tanks? We’ve got beta on the perfect trip. Read it here.

Read How to Climb in Hueco

The North Cascades High Route

Climbers Jenny Abegg and Kaytlyn Gerbin stitched together a mega link-up in the state of Washington, traveling 127 miles, north to south, through the high country of North Cascades National Park. In the Cascades, mountaineering routes have become common ground for those looking for that engaging cocktail of endurance and skill. The North Cascades High Route took seven days. Explore small gallery of this epic link up in the most recent edition “The Line”, generously shared by photographers Nick Danielson and Steven Gnam.

Read “The Line”

Climbers of the Craggin’ Classics

"Within climbing, everyone has their own opinion, and everyone really likes to be on their pedestal and thinks they’re right 100% of the time on how to construct any given system. But there are so many different ways to do the same thing, and it's often situational. So, being big enough to learn, and being open to other ways of doing technical climbing systems,"Caper Loomis says about the most important lesson she's learned in climbing.

We are stoked to present our new series Climbers of the Craggin' Classics with an interview from the Rumney Craggin’ Classic. This series takes a deep look into the breadth of climbers that come to the AAC's Craggin' Classic Series. Read Caper's interview and get a peek inside this special event.

Read the Interview

We’re Hiring!

We are hiring for a handful of open positions at our national office and in our lodging facilities! Current open positions include; Development Coordinator, Hueco Rock Ranch Manager, Hueco Rock Ranch Assistant Manager, Executive Assistant, and Hueco Rock Ranch Event Coordinator. All who love the AAC mission are encouraged to apply. You can view our open positions by clicking here.

Explore Open Positions

Stranded—Stuck Rappel Ropes | The Prescription

At 6:30 p.m. on October 16, 2022, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) rangers received a call from two climbers who were stranded on Moss Cliff in Wilmington Notch within Adirondack State Park. Moss Cliff is a 400-plus-foot face with a 30-minute approach that involves fording a small river. The two climbers had topped out on a four-pitch trad climb called Hard Times (5.9+) and had completed their first double-rope rappel. When the climbers went to pull their ropes, the rope would not budge. DEC ranger Robbi Mecus was able to talk to the subjects via cell phone and instruct them.

Read the September Prescription for a full analysis of the incident and a note on how increased cell coverage conserves ranger resources.

Read the September Prescription

AAC Library Book Sale

The American Alpine Club Library is currently running a collectible book sale. You can shop the collection of sale books online on in-person in Golden, CO. Remember, AAC members get an additional 20% off.

Shop the Sale

Appeal Aims to Protect California’s Pine Mountain, Reyes Peak from Controversial Logging Project

Conservation groups filed an appeal on September 19th in the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to cancel a controversial logging and vegetation clearing project atop Pine Mountain and Reyes Peak in Southern California’s Los Padres National Forest. The appeal seeks to protect a remote ridgeline important to Indigenous groups, climbers, hikers, and other outdoor enthusiasts concerned about the future of this popular forest. In 2022, a coalition of conservation organizations filed lawsuits against the Forest Service on the grounds that the logging and chaparral clearing project would violate environmental laws, harm vulnerable wildlife, and do irreparable damage to the ecology of the forest.

Read more about this in the press release.

Read the Press Release

Clearance Swag!

Help us make room for new merch! All clearance items are $15 or less, and AAC members receive an additional 20% off their order, using the code found in member profile. Happy shopping!

Shop the Sale