Board of Directors Blog

We're pleased to present you with the outcome of the 2020 Board & Branch elections, and we're grateful to everyone who participated by voting and accepting a nomination. Your participation shows a deep commitment to the organization, and this year, we saw a +24% increase in member voting with 1,871 votes.   Read more…

As a 501(c)(3) volunteer-led organization, The Mountaineers continues to depend on the generosity, initiative, and leadership of our volunteers. We are humbled by the service provided by board and branch directors whose positions are confirmed by members each year. Thank you for all you do as members to elevate our mission, and your participation in the election process for these organization-wide leaders!  Read more…

Each year, we host an annual meeting for our members to share a retroactive tour of our last fiscal year. Learn about our state of affairs from our board members and staff, hear about Governance Committee and Board nominations for At-Large Directors, and have the opportunity to ask questions of our leaders. Per our bylaws, the Annual Meeting also allows The Mountaineers Membership to make At-Large Director nominations from the floor for the 2020 election season. Join us virtually on September 15, 2020. Read more…

Eighteen years after his first attempt to reach the summit of Link Sar, Steve Swenson, legendary alpinist, Mountaineers Board Director, Mountaineers Books author, and past president of the American Alpine Club, finally stood atop the notoriously technical peak in Pakistan’s Karakoram. He was joined by alpinists Mark Richey, 61; expedition leader Graham Zimmerman, 33; and Chris Wright, 36. “The climbers succeeded because they were persistent, used their 126 years of combined climbing experience, and understood what partnership meant,” and for this they are being awarded the prestigious 2020 Piolet d’Or. Read more…

The Mountaineers Board of Directors is the ultimate governing body responsible for overseeing the organization as dictated by our bylaws. This includes setting the strategic plan, approving the budget and tracking organizational financial performance, hiring the CEO, electing the board’s officers, and setting organizational policies and procedures. The board works with the CEO and staff to set the overall direction for the organization through the strategic plan (e.g., Vision 2022). The board also reviews and approves the annual budget and reviews performance to that budget. Read more…

Each year we host a Leadership Conference to support our volunteer leaders. Leadership is as much an art as it is a skill, and the best outdoor leaders are always working to refine their leadership. And The Mountaineers are working to refine our leadership as well. Here's an update on our Vision 2022 strategic plan I shared with the attendees of our conference: Read more…

It is a sad moment in the history of The Mountaineers. With a heavy heart, we learned that the foundation we created more than 50 years ago has filed a lawsuit against The Mountaineers. We want to explain the events that led to this and share our plan to defend our beloved organization and the wishes of our donors. Read more…

Based on feedback received from members, volunteers, guests, board directors, officers, and staff, the Board of Directors approved revisions of several existing Board Policies throughout 2019. These views were balanced with the views of all other members, the governing documents, mission, and strategic plan of The Mountaineers, and state and federal laws. These policies have been updated with our new logo and consistent formatting, and to assign policy holders. Read more…

As a 501(c)(3) volunteer-led organization, The Mountaineers continues to depend on the generosity, initiative, and leadership of our volunteers. We are humbled by the service provided by board and branch directors whose positions are confirmed by members each year. Thank you for all you do as members to elevate our mission, and your participation in the election process for these organization-wide leaders!  Read more…

Steve Swenson, a Mountaineers Books Author and member of The Mountaineers Board of Directors, along with alpinists Chris Wright, Graham Zimmerman, and Mark Richey, completed the first ascent of Link Sar (7,041m) in the Central Pakistani Karakoram via its 3400-meter Southeast Face. The object of at least nine previous expeditions, the first ascent of this peak has been a highly sought-after achievement for the climbing community. The team is calling their route the Southeast Face (M6+ WI4 90°, 2,300m), but the grade poorly portrays the challenge of this route that Steve, a Karakoram veteran, calls “one of the most complex and difficult routes I have ever climbed.” Read more…

At The Mountaineers, we believe a diverse and inclusive outdoors inspires unity, respect, and passion for the places we love. We aspire to offer outdoor opportunities for ALL, and held two listening sessions in July 2019 to hear your feedback about how we should work to confront our internal systems of inequity. Thank you to everyone who participated in these sessions. Read more…

At The Mountaineers, we believe a diverse and inclusive outdoors inspires unity, respect, and passion for the places we love. We aspire to offer outdoor opportunities for ALL, and are seeking your feedback to confront our internal systems of inequity. Please join us for a July working session to share your thoughts and help be part of the solution. Read more…

At The Mountaineers, we believe a diverse and inclusive outdoors inspires unity, respect, and passion for the places we love. We aspire to offer outdoor opportunities for ALL, and have assembled a board-chartered Equity & Inclusion (E&I) Committee to direct our strategy, priorities, and resourcing to make progress on this goal. We have recently completed our committee charter, and are planning our next town hall style listening session to gather your feedback and share some of the results of our committee work. Read more…

We're shocked and saddened to share the news that Tab Wilkins, former Board President, Peak Society member, activity leader, and 19-year member, has passed away. He was skiing in the Blackcomb backcountry when he fell. Even though he was wearing proper safety equipment, he did not survive. He was 59 years old. Read more…

One of Vision 2022's strategic imperatives is to Lead Innovation in Outdoor Education. Our program centers and lodges play a key role in this by providing physical places for us to teach outdoor skills and build community. Teaching and gathering places can also help us reduce our environmental footprint on public lands and improve our relationships with the broader outdoor community.  Read more…

In 2015, the Board of Directors chartered the Branch Collaborations Task Force to identify challenges and opportunities for our branches and volunteers in working with one another, with staff, and with the Board of Directors. The task force conducted extensive member interviews and concluded its work with a report to the board. In response to that report, the board committed to enhancing its support of our branches and to providing periodic progress updates to our membership.  Read more…

At The Mountaineers, we believe a diverse and inclusive outdoors inspires unity, respect, and passion for the places we love. As we aspire to offer outdoor opportunities for ALL, we are assembling a board-chartered Equity & Inclusion (E&I) Steering Committee to lead our efforts to become a place where, a century from now, future generations will recognize themselves in The Mountaineers. Read more…

We're pleased to present you with the outcome of our most recent election:  Read more…

As a 501(c)(3) volunteer-led organization, The Mountaineers continues to depend on the generosity, initiative and leadership of our volunteers. We are humbled by the service provided by board and branch directors whose positions are confirmed by members each year. Thank you for all you do as members to elevate our mission, and your participation in the election process for these organization-wide leaders!  Read more…

Every five years or so, we refresh our strategic plan - a roadmap defining  the priority actions and investments we believe are essential to our future success. After a year-long process involving significant input from The Mountaineers community, our Board of Directors approved our latest strategic plan, Vision 2022. The actual document itself is hot off the presses and we're pleased to share it with our community.  Read more…

In July of last year, The Mountaineers community experienced the tragic loss of Sue Bennett, a cherished super volunteer and extraordinary leader of the Bellingham climbing community. As a result of the incident, which occurred on a Mountaineers trip, The Mountaineers initiated a critical response process including the formation of an incident review committee. Read more…

You're enjoying your second glass of wine and gabbing with the folks at your table, when the lights go off. A hushed silence comes over the room. All eyes are on the stage, waiting in anticipation. Read more…

The Mountaineers Board of Directors is responsible for determining the future direction of our organization, controlling finances, making rules, and determining policy for property and programs. We want our board to reflect the community we serve, and are working to recruit members representative of our different activity areas and geographies, advocacy issues, fundraising priorities, and community demographics. Read more…

Mountaineers often measure their heroes by first ascents or mettle under adverse conditions. Former president Bill Maxwell earned his place in the annals of Mountaineers’ history as much for skill in the boardroom as for his many alpine scrambling trips and global adventures. Read more…

As a volunteer-led organization, The Mountaineers continue to depend on initiative and leadership from our volunteers and we are humbled by the service provided by board and branch directors. We are grateful for all you do as members to elevate our mission and we value your participation in the election process for these organization-wide leaders!  Read more…

In May of this year, we kicked off the strategic planning process for Vision 2022 - our plan to carry us into the next 5-years and beyond. Participation from members of our community has been terrific and it's critically important to this process. Our strategic priorities have been directly influenced by feedback from our community.  Read more…

As a volunteer-led organization, The Mountaineers continue to depend on initiative and leadership from our volunteers and we are humbled by the service provided by board and branch directors. Now is the time to vote for next year's leaders. As a member, your participation in our election process is valuable! Read more…

This last weekend, my wife Nadine and I caught up with fellow mountaineers Rick and Marcia McEdward. It’s been about 15 years since we last saw them, and it was so great to chat about old times, kids, and careers! We also talked about our trip up Mt. Hood in 1998, a trip that changed both our lives in a dramatic fashion. Read more…

Mountaineers have been enjoying the lands and waters of the Pacific Northwest and beyond for 110 years, and it's our long-term aspiration to be thriving for another 110 years. As we look toward Vision 2022 - our next strategic plan - we felt it was time to put our core values on paper. Read more…

The Mountaineers Service Award is given annually to one volunteer in the entire organization who has contributed to the mission of The Mountaineers in a way that exceeds all expectations. Learn about our 2016 winner Eric Linxweiler. Read more…