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Monthly Program:

Adventures in the White Mountains of Interior Alaska

published by bill on Sun, 2026-03-15 17:13
Date: 
Tue, 2026-04-28

The April 28 Mountaineers meeting will feature a talk by Michelle Gavel and Jordan Bishop entitled “Remarkably Close, Shockingly Remote: Six years of Adventures in the White Mountains of Interior Alaska.” Michelle and Jordan lived in Fairbanks, Alaska from 2017 to 2024. During this time, their work and recreation took them all over the state, but this talk will focus on one of their favorite places, the White Mountains National Recreation Area.

Described as “remarkably close, but shockingly remote”, the White Mountains hosts multi-season recreation opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts of all kinds. Located just an hour’s drive from Fairbanks, the BLM-managed White Mountains National Recreation Area holds one million acres of outdoor adventure in Alaska's Interior. Jordan and Michelle will share several shorter trip reports centered in the White Mountains and surrounding areas in hopes that others will be inspired to seek out adventures in what they both believe to be an underrated region of an incredible state. If you are interested in type 2 fun, winter cycling, sweeping views of granite tors (what IS a tor, anyway?), the “packing” part of packrafting, or adventures that make you hallucinate, you’ll find it in the White Mountains. Along with fifty million mosquitos (seasonal).  

Michelle and Jordan grew up in different small towns in central North Carolina, and they met in their freshman year of college at UNC Chapel Hill. Michelle found her love of the outdoors through working as a camp counselor for several years in high school and college. Jordan grew up enjoying the quiet of the outdoors through hunting and running cross country, and he started backpacking to spend more time with Michelle. Work and graduate school brought them to Fairbanks. They came to Alaska knowing little about what life would be like there, and left the state married, with two cats, and a U-Haul full of outdoor gear.

We welcome all to this Mountaineers’ meeting on the regular fourth Tuesday of the month. The social hour, with cookies, begins at 6:45 PM and the program at 7:00 PM. The presentation will be in-person at Los Alamos Nature Center; the slides will be live-streamed on Zoom. Registration is required to Zoom and recommended for in-person – we would love to see your smiling face. Registration details will be posted once available.

Winter biking in Alaska’s White Mountains

 

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Climbing School Update

Registration is Open for Los Alamos Mountaineers Climbing School

The Los Alamos Mountaineers are thrilled to announce that they will be offering a climbing school following last year’s successful revival of the school, in conjunction with Mountain Skills Rock Climbing Adventures of Taos. Details can be found on their climbing school page, here .
Mountain Skills, supported by Mountaineers volunteers, will teach rock climbing with a safety first attitude, including movement on rock, belaying, rappelling, cleaning protective gear, and removing anchors, with extensive on-rock practice. The course objective is such that successful students should develop the skills needed to participate in top roping, follow a leader in a multi-pitch trad climb, and be able to climb or descend moderate technical obstacles in unplanned backcountry situations using improvised gear (e.g. rope and carabiners). No previous rock climbing experience is required.

 

Ongoing Events


 

Monthly Public Meeting and Presentation:


Normally held in the planetarium of the Pajarito Environmental Education Center (PEEC)
on the fourth Tuesday of each month. Now offering hybrid meetings with in-person and zoom options! Sign up for each talk at the Monthly Program page.

Social at 6:45.  Reports of recent and upcoming trips at 7:05pm.   Program to follow.

Visitors are always welcome!  Free refreshments!

Past presentations, and occasionally future, can be viewed here

 

Future Club Speakers:  In addition to frequent presentations by nationally known adventurers, we love to hear from our own members....not that some of you aren't in that group.  A presentation gets you a free club membership and dinner at the restaurant of your choice in Los Alamos.

LAM Member Presentations Wanted! The LAM Board would like to encourage our members to provide more of our monthly presentations.  We understand well that club members are an active lot, with a wealth of activities in their repertoire that can and have been inspiring to new and old members alike.  We have often focused our monthly presentations on the elite of the outdoor adventure world, and perhaps created the undesired effect of squelching the voices of our own members who participate in frequent beautiful and exciting adventures of their own.  Although our own activities are not always "world class", they are representative of what we "weekend" athletes can and do accomplish.  We want many of our programs to inspire the "I can do that" attitude in our members, not merely entertain.  Shock and awe may have their rightful place, but inspiration to participate and shine is our true goal.

 

Trip Leaders:  Post your trip by logging in and then going here.  If you do not have an account, contact  the webmaster. For overnight trips, please ensure that membership waivers for participants are current and recorded by the club Membership Chairperson prior to your trip. Non-members may participate in day trips. All club sponsored trips require the trip waiver. After the trip, please scan and email a PDF of the waiver to the Trip Coordinator.

Trip Leader Awards: The club will recognize trip leaders as described here.

Borrow Equipment: We have a limited amount of mountaineering equipment for loan (e.g., avalanche transceivers). Contact our Equipment Manager listed on this page.

 

 

Trip Leaders: Anyone can lead a trip! Post your trip by logging in and then going here. If you do not have an account, contact the webmaster. For overnight trips, please ensure that membership waivers for participants are current and recorded by the club Membership Chairperson prior to your trip. Non-members may participate in day trips. All club sponsored trips require the trip waiver. After the trip, please scan and email a PDF of the waiver to the Trip Coordinator.

  • Cancelled: Floating the Lower Canyons of the Rio Grande near Big Bend, 3/27-4/5/26

    published by Anonymous on Sat, 2025-08-09 11:10
    Leader: 
    Bill Priedhorsky
    Telephone: 
    (505) 412-0376
    Date: 
    Fri, 2026-03-27
    Leader Email: 
    bill@priedhorsky.net
    Difficulty: 
    Moderate
    Technicality: 
    Intermediate
    Are dogs allowed?: 
    Not allowed

    Sorry, cancelled for lack of interest 12/8/25

  • Ski or ride Quandary Peak (14,272') - East Ridge/Bowl

    published by kegallag on Thu, 2026-02-19 17:07
    Leader: 
    K. Gwendolyn Gallagher
    Telephone: 
    505-412-9084
    Date: 
    Sat, 2026-03-28
    Leader Email: 
    kegallag@cybermesa.com
    Difficulty: 
    Strenuous
    Technicality: 
    Intermediate
    Are dogs allowed?: 
    Allowed

    Daunted by the summer crowds hiking the Colorado 14ers? The spring 2025 backcountry ski on Shavano was a heap of fun. So, let's ski another Colorado 14er!

    The trailhead is at 10,850', and our total elevation gain would be 3,450'. Approximately 7 miles round-trip. 

    Participants should have alpine touring (AT) skis, telemark skis, or a splitboard. Other equipment requirements include: skins, shovel, avalance beacon, probe, and a backpack able to carry your skis (as the first part of the approach is likely to be free of snow).

  • Inflatable Kayak trip down the Lower Gila Box

    published by Anonymous on Sat, 2025-12-20 10:02
    Leader: 
    Bill Priedhorsky
    Telephone: 
    (505) 412-0376
    Date: 
    Sun, 2026-03-29
    Leader Email: 
    bill@priedhorsky.net
    Difficulty: 
    Moderate
    Technicality: 
    Intermediate
    Are dogs allowed?: 
    Not allowed

    I would like to propose an spring 2026 outing to the Lower Gila Box in southeastern Arizona. Perhaps this destination will be more convenient than the Big Bend trip previously proposed, with an outfitter, Far Flung Expeditions, that comes well-recommended by a friend. The Gila is a free-flowing river that drains the northern Gila Mountains of New Mexico and the White Mountains of Arizona; Far Flung is the only outfitter on the Lower Box. There are good hiking options along the trip, generally cross-country exploring across the countryside.

  • Cabezon Peak

    published by Evan_Rose on Thu, 2026-03-12 14:26
    Leader: 
    Evan Rose
    Telephone: 
    (505) 695-8945
    Date: 
    Sat, 2026-04-04
    Leader Email: 
    evanrose988@gmail.com
    Difficulty: 
    Moderate
    Technicality: 
    Intermediate
    Are dogs allowed?: 
    Not allowed

    This is the sixth annual spring climb to iconic Cabezon Peak.

    Cabezon Peak towers 2000 feet above the Rio Puerco Valley. This volcanic plug is the remnant of the core of a volcano - like Shiprock. Appearing impregnable, Cabezon can nonetheless be ascended by the intrepid mountaineer who follows the hidden route that wends its way through a crack in the peak's defenses. Said mountaineer must be able to execute a couple of low fourth class maneuvers in pursuit of the summit and its spectacular views.

  • Ghost Ranch Exploratory Hike

    published by Anonymous on Sun, 2026-03-22 18:18
    Leader: 
    Bill Priedhorsky
    Telephone: 
    (505) 412-0376
    Date: 
    Sat, 2026-04-11
    Leader Email: 
    bill@priedhorsky.net
    Difficulty: 
    Moderate
    Technicality: 
    Beginner
    Are dogs allowed?: 
    Allowed

    Let's do some more exploring around Ghost Ranch and its rock formations. I'd like to try to close a loop between Box Canyon and the Kitchen Mesa trail - going up Box Canyon to the route up and out on the CDT alternate route, above and around the dry falls in Box Canyon, then looping cross-country to intersect the Kitchen Mesa trail and return to Ghost Ranch headquarters.

  • Llama-supported hiking in the Escalante country, April 17-25, 2026

    published by Anonymous on Mon, 2025-11-17 17:32
    Leader: 
    Bill Priedhorsky
    Telephone: 
    (505) 412-0376
    Date: 
    Fri, 2026-04-17
    Leader Email: 
    bill@priedhorsky.net
    Difficulty: 
    Moderate
    Technicality: 
    Intermediate
    Are dogs allowed?: 
    Not allowed

    Dear Mountaineers,

    It looks like we can pull off a llama trip once again for spring 2026. Llama packer BJ and I have agreed to dates for a drop camp. BJ will plan to stay with us at camp, which will be a pleasure, since we enjoy his company.

  • Memorial Day Backpack

    published by tpietrass on Sun, 2026-03-01 14:04
    Leader: 
    Tanja Pietrass
    Telephone: 
    575-418-7969
    Date: 
    Fri, 2026-05-22
    Leader Email: 
    tpietrass@gmail.com
    Difficulty: 
    Strenuous
    Technicality: 
    Intermediate
    Are dogs allowed?: 
    Not allowed

    This is a multi-day backpack (Friday through Monday, with a likely departure on Thursday night after work, depending on destination) to northern NM/southern CO. The exact location will be determined once we know what snow conditions will be like.  We may set up a car shuttle. Options include the South San Juans, Weminuche Wilderness, or Chama area. We will return by midday/early afternoon on Monday.

    Physically fit beginner backpackers are welcome to join. I'll be happy to advise on gear. We will have a 1-2 Zoom meetings before our departure to hash out details. 

     

  • Wind Rivers multi-day backpack, off-trail

    published by tpietrass on Sun, 2026-03-01 13:43
    Leader: 
    Tanja Pietrass
    Telephone: 
    575-418-7969
    Date: 
    Fri, 2026-09-04
    Leader Email: 
    tpietrass@gmail.com
    Difficulty: 
    Strenuous
    Technicality: 
    Intermediate
    Are dogs allowed?: 
    Not allowed

    This is a return trip to the Wind River Range in WY. This is a week-long outing with significant off-trail components, targeting remote valleys with beautiful lakes and impressive peaks. We will be covering 50-60 miles with multiple options to extend or shorten the route, depending on conditions. Trail days will be up to 15 miles, off-trail days on the order of 6 miles, with the option of additional excursions from camp should we arrive early. 

  • Moab bike/hike/explore Nov. 7-15, 2026

    published by bill on Sat, 2026-03-14 13:40
    Leader: 
    Bill Priedhorsky
    Telephone: 
    (505) 412-0376
    Date: 
    Sat, 2026-11-07
    Leader Email: 
    bill@priedhorsky.net
    Difficulty: 
    Moderate
    Technicality: 
    Intermediate
    Are dogs allowed?: 
    Not allowed

    I would like to announce the eighteenth edition of our successful hike/explore/bike trips to Moab. We have been going almost every November since 2008, and every time has been a great success. The 2014 trip report can be found at http://lamountaineers.org/node/479#comment-57. Let me (Bill Priedhorsky) know if you would like to join the trip.

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