Upcoming Events
SUP Evenings with The Mountaineer & NRS
Wednesday evenings : July 01, July 22, & August 05, 2026
On the clear waters of Chapel Pond, try out NRS gear or work on your personal skills with an instructor!
By far, SUP (Stand Up Paddling) provides the most simplicity & independence in enjoying our Adirondack waterways. But, making the most of your time on the water may not be that simple. Huge variety in boards, paddles & gear to choose from before you even get to the water ...once on water, efficiency in movement makes the day so much more enjoyable. Join The Mountaineer staff & SUP company, ‘NRS’ in exploring the sport both on & off the water, & the opportunity to ask gear designers any questions you may have!
Registration limited, call the shop to snag your spot!
(518) 576-2281
Participants must bring & wear water shoes. PFD’s will be provided & required to wear. SUP boards, paddles, gear instruction will be provided by NRS & The Mountaineer free of charge.
Ausable Club Book Reading
Tom French
The Gap Years: Climbing, Skiing, and the Journey Back
Wed. August 19, 2026 | 5:30pm
Tom's presentation will feature stunning images from mountaineering and ski expeditions worldwide, including the Himalayas, Andes, and North America.
At the end of 2019, Tom French retired from a four-decade career in business, determined to return to interests that had defined his youth and see what meaning they still held. One of these interests was mountaineering. Another was adventure travel, with a particular focus on Nepal. A third was cross-country ski racing. Having taken “gap years” between school and university, and again before he started work, he decided to take a gap year before settling into the expectations of retirement. One year turned into three as he rebuilt his athletic strength, competed in cross-country ski marathons, and climbed some of the world’s highest mountains, including two expeditions to Mount Everest. On the first Everest climb, a cyclone forced him to turn around high on the mountain and descend the treacherous Lhotse Face in a blizzard. On the second, he approached the mountain through the remote Makalu Barun region, the first climber ever to do so, and climbed to the summit on a moonlit night. But this is a book about much more than Everest. It is about beauty and joy found in wild places, about cross-country ski racing and mountaineering more broadly, and—most of all—about a journey to find meaning in life and reconnect with the passions of youth.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Tom French is a lifelong mountaineer, cross-country skier, and lover of the outdoors. A senior partner emeritus of McKinsey & Company, he is currently board chair of the Trustees of Reservations, a director of Corning Incorporated, and serves on several other nonprofit boards. He lives in Massachusetts, with his wife, Jill.
Recurring Events
Feb. 13-15, 2027
June 6-7, 2026
June 13, 2026
June 6, 2026
Locals Night!
Tuesday May 5, 2026
From 3:00 to 6:00pm
Hey neighbors! Head to the shop for an afternoon of refreshments, fireside chats, meet the new team, and exclusive discounts - 10% off full price and 10% off sale items too!
See you soon!
BC Ski Season Kickoff!
Saturday December 6th
Doors 5:30pm | Avy Ed 6:00p | Films 7:00pm
North Country School Performing Arts Center
4382 Cascade Rd. Lake Placid
Check it out! The Mountaineer is kicking off the backcountry ski season along with our supporters ADK Avy, NoCo Kneedroppers, & Adirondack Powder Skier Association.
Come kick it before the films for a meet 'n greet with ski-minded comrads! Scope out the latest films from the backcountry ski world & catch up with local snow hounds who embrace Adirondack winter. AdkAvy will school us on recreating safely in & near avalanche terrain.
We'll drop in to our films from TeleColo, Picture Organic Clothing, Dynafit & POMOCA, & local film maker Jamie Kennard, raffles to follow!
Film Screening with
Hillary Gerardi & Brad Carlson
Saturday December 27th
Doors: 5:30 | First Film 6:15 | 2nd Film 6:45p
Join us for a special evening event at The Mountaineer, when two old friends of the shop stop in. Brad Carlson and Hillary Gerardi will be visiting us from their home in the Chamonix Valley, France to present two short films from personal projects.
Brad Carlson (IFMGA Mountain Guide, Ecologist and guide for Compagnie des Guides de Chamonix) will present a film about Joseph Vallot, an emblematic alpinist and scientist who passed away 100 years ago. Vallot was the first to bivy on the summit of Mont Blanc along with his guides and is most famous for building an observatory at 4300 m, the first infrastructure above 4000m in the Alps. He basically dedicated his life to scientific exploration of the Mont-Blanc massif, including making the first reliable topographic map of the range and carrying out research in glaciology, botany, meteorology and physiology.
To follow, Hillary Gerardi (Mountain Athlete, Black Diamond & Scarpa Ambassador) will present a short film about her record setting Women’s FKT on Mont Blanc. “This project has really been years in the making, especially because the last few years, we have been in a drought and haven’t gotten enough snow to fill in some of the key passages on the glacier. With high-mountain projects, you have to be ready to accept that there are a lot of things outside of your control”
Please, bring a favorite beverage and some questions for these two mountain folks as they share a snapshot into their lives in the Chamonix Valley.
Each film is approximately 30+ minutes
LIONS OF WINTER
Fri. August 15, 2025 | 4 pm
For anyone hiking in winter conditions, Gagne's books are a must-read! Analysis of risk factors and decisions is unparalleled; with excellent discussion of effort needed to execute a rescue, the dedication and talents of the people involved.
Ty Gagne, author of Where You'll Find Me: Risk, Decisions, and the Last Climb of Kate Matrosova (2017) and The Last Traverse: Tragedy and Resilience in the Winter Whites (2020) is back with his latest book about rescue in the Whites.
Join us for a reading, Q&A, signing of his latest work!
LOCALS OF THE BOOKROOM
Sat. August 9, 2025 | 5 - 7 pm
Join us for a night to celebrate locals featured in our George K. McClelland Bookroom!
Guest Speaker: Martin Hogue Making Camp
With special guests Terri Brown Sophie's Search for the Moon | Michael Caldwell Tao of Snow | Jennifer Denny Calculated Risk | Lorraine Duvall Where the Styles Brook Waters Flow | Kevin Mackenzie Panther Gorge | Christopher Shaw The Manager | Debby Havas My Journey to Wholeness | Mark Anderson Captures | Jon Nedele Photography | Michele Buck The Red Barn
SUP Evening with The Mountaineer & NRS
Wed. August 06, 2025 | 5:30-7:30 pm
Get on the clear waters of Chapel Pond, to try gear out or work on your personal skills with an instructor!
By far, SUP (Stand Up Paddling) provides the most simplicity & independence in enjoying our Adirondack waterways. But, making the most of your time on the water may not be that simple. Huge variety in boards, paddles & gear to choose from before you even get to the water ...once on water, efficiency in movement makes the day so much more enjoyable. Join The Mountaineer staff & SUP company, ‘NRS’ in exploring the sport both on & off the water, & the opportunity to ask gear designers any questions you may have!
Registration limited, call the shop to snag your spot!
Participants must bring & wear water shoes. PFD’s will be provided & required to wear. SUP boards, paddles, gear instruction will be provided by NRS & The Mountaineer free of charge.
KID'S CORNER WORKSHOP
Sat. July 26, 2025 | 10 - 11:30 am
Local authors, Sheri Amsel & Max Eaton, will each give a reading & offering a drawing workshop!
Participants will recieve 10% off pencils/sketch pads, Amsel & Eaton titles, day of.
SUP Evening with The Mountaineer & NRS
Wed. July 23, 2025 | 5:30-7:30 pm
Get on the clear waters of Chapel Pond, to try gear out or work on your personal skills with an instructor!
By far, SUP (Stand Up Paddling) provides the most simplicity & independence in enjoying our Adirondack waterways. But, making the most of your time on the water may not be that simple. Huge variety in boards, paddles & gear to choose from before you even get to the water ...once on water, efficiency in movement makes the day so much more enjoyable. Join The Mountaineer staff & SUP company, ‘NRS’ in exploring the sport both on & off the water, & the opportunity to ask gear designers any questions you may have.
Registration limited, call the shop to snag your spot!
Participants must bring & wear water shoes. PFD’s will be provided & required to wear. SUP boards, paddles, gear instruction will be provided by NRS & The Mountaineer free of charge.
ANATOMY OF A RESCUE
Fri. July 18, 2025 | 5 pm
Local NYS Forest Ranger, Allison Rooney returns to break down the components of a backcountry rescue. Rooney will talk about the process that goes on behind the scenes & fundamentals of rescue work, while highlighting a recent DEC rescue from this year.
Participants will recieve 10% off At the Mercy of the Mountains by Peter Bronski & Larry Weill titles, day of.
ACOPA ROCK SHOE DEMO
Sat. July 05, 2025 | 10 am - 4 pm
Stop by the shop & take out a pair of Acopa rock climbing shoes for the day!
We're kicking off the backcountry ski season along with our supporters at North Country School WallyPAC Theater! Come kick it with The Mountaineer staff & mingle with like minded people who enjoy the Adirondack Mountains!
Avalanche Safety awareness talk by representatives from ADK Avy followed by ski films local & from across the globe!
A new film based in the Adirondacks by Jamie Kennard, "VARIABLE: 10 Years, 46 Mountains, Boundless Possibilities" & Tele Colo's film, "This 'ol Mill" showcasing just how much fun you can have with half a binding!
Maps not Apps Workshop
November 16, 2024 | 2 pm
Join us & Zack Floss from Guide ADK for a discussion on the merits of map/compass along with digital options - digital alone, shouldn’t be the only option available when travelling in the backcountry. Let's talk about how useful maps are as a primary and backup to mapping software apps, with a light overview of understanding how to read a map & orient a compass.
Summer Book Room Series
August 8, 2024 | 4:30 pm
Join us & local author Martin Hogue, for A Brief History of the Tent! Hogue will be speaking on his new book "Making Camp: A Visual History of Camping’s Most Essential Item and Activities"
From the early days of recreational camping in the late nineteenth century through the multitude of modern camping options available today, Hogue explores the history and evolution of the popular activity through the lens of its most important and familiar components: the campsite, the campfire, the picnic table, the map, the tent, the sleeping bag, as well as the oft invisible systems for delivering water and managing trash. A perfect complement to the summer camping season, whether you’re into car camping, hike-in tent camping, bivouacking, mountaineering, RV camping, glamping, or backyard camping, Hogue’s presentation offers a comprehensive look at the origins of the practice and the ways that bring all enthusiasts together.
Summer Book Room Series
Welcome back to a Book Room Series veteran, local farmer, Kristin Kimball! Prior to farming, Kimball worked as a freelance writer, writing teacher, & as an assistant to a literary agent in New York City. A graduate of Harvard University, the author of The Dirty Life & Good Husbandry - she & her husband Mark have run Essex Farm since 2003 where they live with their two daughters. Kristin will be reading from her first book, "The Dirty Life" & answering questions about food, farming & the simple life.
“If you change the way you eat, you change the way you think. If you change the way you think, you change the way you act. Change the way you act, and you’ve changed the world.”
