AAC Publications

Part of the AAC's mission is to provide climbers with resources that enhance climbing knowledge and inspiration, and our world-renowned annual books, the American Alpine Journal and Accidents in North American Climbing, are a critical piece of delivering on that mission. But our commitment to knowledge and inspiration for climbers ranges wider than that, and that's why we deliver resources like the Cutting Edge Podcast, and the Accidents and Journal database, so that you can hear new voices weigh in on the significance of recent climbs, or explore decades of data on particular accidents.

But besides chronicling the year's most significant climbs or analyzing climbing accidents, the AAC just knows climbers, and we know the stories that climbers love to read and hear. That's why we also publish the quarterly Guidebook, a collection of stories about the AAC's members, our work, and the hottest topics in climbing, as well as the AAC Podcast, where we dive into these topics even further.

Explore our publications below!

American Alpine Journal—2024 Impact

244

individual stories and reports from around the world in the 2023

12,387

copies of shipped to members

850+

volunteer hours contributed, including writers, photographers, and volunteer editors

Accidents in North American Climbing—2024 Impact

11,985

copies shipped to members

280

climbing accidents reported and researched

2,490+

volunteer hours, including writers, photographers, guides, and volunteer editors

AAC Books

American Alpine Journal

Published since 1929, the American Alpine Journal (AAJ) is renowned as the most comprehensive worldwide source of information on major new climbs. The AAJ publishes first-person reports about big new routes, first free ascents, significant attempts, and mountain exploration anywhere in the world. This rigorousrecord keeping of the cutting edge of climbing is a feast of inspiration for all climbers!

 

Accidents in North American Climbing

Published annually since 1948, Accidents in North American Climbing documents the year’s most significant and teachable climbing accidents. Each incident is analyzed to show what went wrong, in order to help climbers avoid similar problems in the future. Whether it’s how quickdraws can come unclipped from a bolt hanger under specific circumstances, or how the rise in hiking apps is getting less experienced climbers and hikers into dangerous situations, our expert analysis will keep you informed on how to stay safe out there at the crags and on the slopes

Submit a Report

American Alpine Journal
The AAJ publishes first-person reports about big new routes, first free ascents, and significant attempts and mountain exploration anywhere in the world. Most routes are at least six to eight pitches long, but we make some exceptions.

There are two ways to report new climbs:

  1. Send your new route reports with this Submission Form.

  2. Email reports and photos to the AAJ or to these editors:

Accidents in North American Climbing

We welcome first-person reports about technical climbing accidents, as well as reports and analysis from rescuers, rangers, and other individuals familiar with the incidents. The person(s) involved may choose to remain anonymous.

  1. Our online Submission Form collects all the necessary information.

  2. Email the editors to ask questions about your report or to submit photos or diagrams.

Publications Search

Search the complete archive of AAJ and Accidents articles, maps, topos, and thousands of photos.

AAC Podcasts

American Alpine Club Podcast

The American Alpine Club Podcast is your guide to the climbing community. We're not your typical training podcast. Instead, we're covering the advocacy issues facing climbers, diving into forgotten and niche stories from climbing history, discovering undercover crushers, analyzing trends in climbing accidents, hearing from SAR professionals, and exploring the biggest cultural ideas in climbing with some of climbing's top athletes.

Cutting Edge Podcast

The Cutting Edge presents in-depth interviews with the world's best climbers, just back from great new climbs, along with historical perspective from the editors of the American Alpine Journal and local experts. This podcast is hosted by Jim Aikman and produced by the American Alpine Club.

 

Members

Are you receiving the AAC publications? Would you like to help the Club save resources by opting out of the print editions? (Digital/PDF copies are always available to members.) Review and update your current publications settings at your Member Profile.

Not a Member?

You can buy print or digital (PDF) copies of the current and past editions of our books at the AAC store.