The Girth Pillar: Mt. Stuart's Perfect Alpine Rock Route
Read an account and see stunning photos from Kevin Newell's unique climb of the Girth Pillar on Mt. Stuart this past summer. "High on the second pitch of the Girth Pillar, I am 100 percent immersed in the fingerlocks and toeholds that make this route barely possible when KABOOM! The sound of exploding, thundering ice blocks tumbling down the face to the right of me rips me out of my concentration . . ."

• Waterfall Ice Climbing: Ouray, CO or Lee Vining, CA
• Backcountry Skiing: California, Colorado, or Washington
• Winter Mountaineering: California or Colorado
• Avalanche Courses: Level 1 and Level 2 at Mt. Baker, WA

→ South American Expeditions and Treks
Get away this winter to the incredible mountains of South America. We offer climbing expeditions in Ecuador as short as 10 days and treks and climbs in Patagonia from 11 to 13 days.

• Ecuador High Altitude Expedition (5 - 15 days)
• Ecuador Antisana and Illiniza Expedition (10 days)
• Aconcagua Expedition (22 days)
• Patagonia Trekking: Fitzroy and Cerro Torre (12 days)
• Patagonia Ice Cap Expedition (11 days)
• Patagonia Trekking: Torres del Paine (13 days)

→ AMGA Single Pitch Instructor Course
Aspiring rock climbing guide or outdoor leader? Get your AMGA Single Pitch Instructor certification this winter in beautiful Red Rock Canyon. This course is designed to help capable recreational climbers transition into capable and effective climbing instructors. We are also offering this course in the North Cascades of Washington State starting in May 2008. Scholarships available.

Mention code EN1107 when registering. New order only. Cannot be applied retroactively to existing course registrations. Cannot be combined with other promotions or used on sale items.

View our Year-Round Special Offers.

Two AAI guides enjoy seasonal ice on Colfax Peak, WA
AAI guides Kurt Hicks and Dylan Taylor just completed an alpine water ice ascent on Washington's Colfax Peak, very close to Mt. Baker. This route was originally put up in the early 1980s by two American Alpine Institute guides, Kathy Cosley and Mark Houston. Kurt and Dylan felt very lucky to climb this route and that their timing was perfect - late enough in the year for the water ice to be well formed up and early enough to avoid the big snows that will soon bury the glaciers and make the approach more difficult. Check out their story and amazing photos.

AAI guide buys photography and film studio
So, what do guides do when they're not guiding? Many of them are photographers, like AAI guide Peter Kuhnlein. Peter and his wife, Lisa, just bought and moved into a new photo and film studio in Anacortes, WA. They specialize in wedding, portrait, commercial, artist, and stock photography - check out their website: www.kuhnlein.com. Peter also does film work - one of his most interesting projects is his and Lisa's current assignment of traveling around the world and filming the traditional foods of indigenous people. This project is funded by the Center for Indigenous Peoples Nutrition and Environment. So far, they have been to Micronesia, Japan, Kenya, Nigeria, China, India, Thailand, Bella Coola (Canada), and the NW Territories (Canada). In May, the husband and wife team will be traveling to Baffin Island for more filming. Way to go Peter!

Want to stay updated? Check out our BLOG!
Visit alpineinstitute.blogspot.com to check out all things mountain, including pictures, video clips, climbing reports, AAI news, updates from our guides' lives, and the occasional musings of our office staff.