National Mountain Climbing Day

Mountain climbing is a sport that offers exciting adventures, reaching amazing heights that provide incredible views – and perhaps an even more incredible sense of accomplishment! 

National Mountain Climbing Day is here to celebrate this remarkable sport and those who participate in it.

History of National Mountain Climbing Day

Beginning as more of a necessity than a hobby, mountain climbing has grown and developed over the years to be an incredible sport. Sometimes called mountaineering, this type of activity has become even more accessible with modern equipment, experience, and the clubs or groups that have worked together to support each other.

The celebration of National Mountain Climbing Day was established to honor the efforts of two mountain climbers: Josh Madigan and Bobby Matthews. These two dedicated climbers successfully completed climbs of all 46 peaks of New York’s Adirondack Mountains. They reached their final peak, Whiteface, on August 1, 2015, and the day has been celebrated on this day annually ever since.

However, the significance of the first day of August in mountain climbing history reaches back much farther. In fact, it was on August 1,1898 when the first successful climb took place on the Grand Teton in Wyoming. National Mountain Climbing Day celebrates both of these incidents, as well as all of the incredible feats of strength and stamina that have been made by mountain climbers over the years.

How to Celebrate National Mountain Climbing Day

Show some appreciation for those deeply committed outdoors-men and outdoors-women by observing National Mountain Climbing Day and incorporating some of these ideas:

Climb a Mountain

Avid climbers will certainly want to celebrate National Mountain Climbing Day in a way that honors all climbers who have gone before – by taking a climb! Of course, these types of things require tons of planning, lots of gear, expert assistance and sometimes even sponsors. But this is a great time to make a plan with some buddies to figure out what the next exciting climb might be!

Take a Mountain Climbing Class

Novices and beginners can participate with Mountain Climbing Day by signing up to take a class, hiring a guide, sourcing the right gear and getting into top physical shape. Classes will likely cover topics such as how to navigate snow, ice and glaciers; how to rescue a fallen climber from a crevasse; experience with rock climbing; off trail hiking or other topics that are pertinent.

Folks who are looking for other events that offer exciting opportunities to celebrate mountains and climbing throughout the year might consider Mountain Day in mid-August, International Mountain Day in December or International Everest Day which is celebrated in late May.