Equity Blog

Equity Blog

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Join Us at the Foundations of Leadership & Instruction In-Person Course - Dec 3

For over 100 years, The Mountaineers has enriched the outdoor community by helping thousands of people to explore, conserve, learn about, and enjoy the lands and waters of the Pacific Northwest and beyond. We take pride in that legacy, and we we want to support our volunteer leaders who make it all happen!  Read more…

Going Beyond Land Acknowledgments

Last month, we shared our land acknowledgment statement and the process we underwent to develop it. Mountaineers staff and board members developed this statement in collaboration with Chairman Leonard Forsman of the Suquamish Tribe. We recognize that land acknowledgment is only a small piece of doing our part to help rectify historical wrongs and honor Native peoples. The actions we take as an organization are a more substantive way of showing Native peoples respect and gratitude. Read more…

The Nature of Belonging

Have you ever walked into a space, say a meeting room or a new bar, and known immediately that you were out of place? Read more…

Announcing The Mountaineers Land Acknowledgment Statement

From craggy summits to windswept beaches, Washington’s lands and waters provide inspiration, connection, and transformative experiences. For more than 115 years, The Mountaineers community has been connected through a passion for these places and a commitment to leave outdoor spaces better than we found them. However, it is important to recognize that the places where we gather, learn, and recreate are the lands of Native peoples who have lived here since time immemorial. Read more…

Why Do We Talk About Diversity in The Mountaineers?

Recently, my partner and I helped teach the Kitsap Alpine Scrambling Course. We began class with an icebreaker question: “When did you fall in love with the outdoors? And if you’re not sure you’re in love yet, when did the outdoors start to call to you?” The responses varied, and even though we came from vastly different backgrounds, we found we had as much common ground as we had differences. This icebreaker served as an introduction to our 20-minute module on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). We continued our conversation by asking a question, in some cases considered the question, then talked about other ways we, as leaders and students, can help foster a culture of belonging for ourselves and each other. Read more…

New Gear Library Pricing for Fall 2022

As a part of our mission to help more members of our community get outdoors, The Mountaineers has a Gear Library to provide low cost, high-quality gear to individuals, families, and organized groups. In an effort to build sustainable programs, we are updating our Gear Library pricing and membership structure.  Read more…

The Best Plus Size Outdoor Apparel

When it comes to plus sizes, finding good gear has historically been nearly impossible. Finding it at affordable prices or second hand is even more difficult because it just doesn't exist in the same quantities as straight size gear (XS-XL). That, in addition to the "fat tax" that many companies add on to their plus lines, makes gear even less accessible. Read more…

Equity & Inclusion: April 2022 Town Hall Recap

Nearly five years ago, The Mountaineers announced our new equity and inclusion programs, including our Equity & Inclusion committee. This work stems from our core belief that a diverse and inclusive outdoors inspires unity, respect, and passion for the places we love, and our vision to create an outdoor community where all people feel belonging. Read more…

Equity & Inclusion Update: New Committee Members + Town Hall April 12

Nearly five years ago, The Mountaineers announced our new equity and inclusion programs, including our Equity & Inclusion committee. This work stems from our core belief that a diverse and inclusive outdoors inspires unity, respect, and passion for the places we love. We're grateful to all in our community who have been engaging and supportive, and we're excited to introduce you to our new  committee members. Read more…

Introducing Women of Color Who Summit

Nash Maz is an Indian American hiker and climber breaking ground with an all-women of color climbing attempt on Tahoma (Mount Rainier). She’s put together a team of 12 women, known as Women of Color Who Summit, to raise funds and awareness for the minority populations disproportionately affected by COVID and other lung diseases. As someone who overcame extreme health conditions as an infant, and as a true Washingtonian with more than 200 state hikes under her belt, Nash is uniquely positioned to inspire change through education and advocacy.  Read more…

Washington State's New List of Free Days in 2022

Many people choose to "opt outside" (#OptOutside) on the Friday after Thanksgiving, and this year you can opt outside at no cost thanks to a free day with Washington State Parks and other lands covered by the Discover Pass. Read more…

Equity & Inclusion: 2021 Actions + Join the Committee - Apply Now!

At The Mountaineers, we believe a diverse and inclusive outdoors inspires unity, respect, and passion for the places we love. Our Equity & Inclusion (E&I) Committee was founded in 2018 and works across the organization, with a focus on long-term, systemic, cultural change. We are excited to share the progress we’ve made since our April Town Hall and to announce that applications are now open to join the E&I Committee in 2022.  Read more…

From Student to Teacher: Uplifting Future Mountaineers Leaders

Meryl Lassen (she/they) is a 7-year member, Super Volunteer, and member of our Equity & Inclusion Working Group. She has written about her personal journey to find belonging in the outdoors, and she’s an outspoken supporter of The Mountaineers efforts to create a community where all people feel belonging. Read more…

Seeking Proposals! Equity & Emotional Safety in the Outdoors Online Course

The Mountaineers, in partnership with the Mountain Education Alliance (MEA), is looking to develop an online Equity & Emotional Safety in the Outdoors training for our volunteers. We're seeking DE&I (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) curriculum experts to submit proposals for consideration. Please help us spread the word. Read more…

Announcing Our Equity & Inclusion Strategy + April 21 Town Hall

With the addition of four new members, the Equity & Inclusion Steering Committee started building The Mountaineers first organization-wide Equity & Inclusion (E&I) strategy in the latter half of 2020. That work has continued into this year and we are thrilled to share it with you now.  Read more…

The Mountaineers stands with the Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) community

The COVID-19 pandemic has not impacted everyone equally. Communities of color have been disproportionately affected at all levels, and in the past year, anti-Asian violence has been on the rise throughout our cities, region, and country. This week, eight people were murdered by a racially-motivated white gunman. Six of the victims were Asian women. Read more…

What's in a Name? Why We Use Equity & Inclusion (E&I)

Language is powerful. We use a string of characters or words to attempt to capture history, context, meaning, intent, and often, emotion. Language is subject to personal interpretation -  most context-laden words rarely share the exact same meaning from one individual to the next. That’s what makes language imperfect.  Read more…

30 Ice Climbs for Equity

Birthdays are an annual reminder of the passing of time. From the first time you hit double-digits to becoming an official teenager to getting your driver's license to being able to vote and then drink, many of us have rituals to mark these significant milestones. One popular tradition is the idea of a #30Before30 challenge, and today a new cohort of late 20-somethings is taking this challenge to the next level. Read more…

Honoring Indigenous People Through Education

As a white person, my own education on Native history and culture is ongoing and largely self-directed, and I want to share a few things I've learned in the hopes that it will be helpful to others like me. Read more…

E&I Update: 2020 Actions + New Steering Committee Members

More than two years ago The Mountaineers announced our intention to engage in equity & inclusion (E&I) work. This commitment stems from our belief that a diverse and inclusive outdoors inspires unity, respect, and passion for the places we love. We're grateful to all in our community who have been engaging and supportive, and we're excited to share the work we’ve done so far in 2020 and introduce you to our new steering committee members. Read more…

Climbers of Color: A Partnership to Support More Leaders of Color

We're excited to be partnering with Climbers of Color in support of their mission to create more leaders of color in mountaineering. Established in 2017, Climbers of Color is a Washington State nonprofit that aims to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in the climbing and mountaineering community by developing leaders of color. To accomplish its mission, Climbers of Color provides supportive mentorship, technical training from BIPOC professional guides, and access to key resources including gear and scholarships. Read more…

30 Before 30

Theresa Silveyra and Amber Chang are both accomplished climbers and mountaineers. They recently teamed up for Theresa’s #30Before30 project: an ambitious plan for Teresa to climb Wy’east (Mt. Hood) 30 times before Theresa turned 30. Amber joined Teresa for a celebratory summit number 31! Read more…

Joint Statement on Climbing Route Naming

The American Alpine Club, Appalachian Mountain Club, Colorado Mountain Club, Mazamas, and The Mountaineers join with those speaking out and taking action against racist, sexist, and otherwise derogatory route names, and we welcome the conversation about how best to move forward as a community.  Read more…

Apply Now! Join Our Equity & Inclusion Committee

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. In order to realize this aspiration, we must take a critical look at our internal systems and processes to identify and discuss barriers that keep The Mountaineers from being a community where all people can feel a sense of belonging and experience the outdoors.  Read more…

Speaking Up Regarding the Incident in Forks

On June 3, 2020, a multiracial family was harassed, intimidated, and trapped by intentionally felled logs over the road in a public forest camping area near Forks. Fortunately, other local residents and high school-age youth were in the area and had tools to clear the road, and sheriff deputies escorted the family safely back to the highway.  Read more…

Stuck Inside - Youth Edition, Episode 11: Anti-Racism Resources

Welcome back! Each week, The Mountaineers youth team is sharing ideas and activities for kids of all ages to stay engaged while also staying close to home and following your county’s phased guidelines. Last week's Stuck Inside celebrated the H20 (so fun!). This week, we are sharing youth-specific resources on racism to support Black Lives Matter.  Read more…

Fighting Racism In The Outdoors

All people should have equal opportunities and access to engage with nature. Our members, and the greater community at large, should be free to enjoy the outdoors without fear. They should be able to go birding (#ChristianCooper), go for a jog (#AhmaudArbery), walk to the store (#MikeBrown), walk with their family (#CliffordGlover), breathe (#EricGarner, #GeorgeFloyd), and live (#FreddieGray, #BreonnaTaylor) without being targeted for the color of their skin. Black lives matter, and we are committed to continuing to fight for equality. Read more…

3 Simple Steps to Get Started on Your Equity & Inclusion Journey

About a year and a half ago, The Mountaineers announced our intentions to formally engage in equity and inclusion (E&I) work. Guided by our Board of Directors, this commitment stems from our belief that a diverse and inclusive outdoors inspires unity, respect, and passion for the places we love. Studies also show that groups with better diversity make better decisions. In an organization where safety is so highly valued, investing in E&I will only make us stronger and more resilient. We’re grateful to all of you who have participated in making our community one where all people feel safe and respected. Read more…

My Profile: Pronouns & Optional Demographics

We believe a diverse and inclusive outdoors inspires unity, respect, and passion for the places we love, and that's why we seek to provide opportunities for all. As a reflection of our Core Values and the strategic priorities of Vision 2022, we’ve invested in internal equity to be sure everyone feels a place of belonging in The Mountaineers. Recently, we invested in improvements to the My Profile page for you to share your pronouns and demographic information. Read more…

Where are you REALLY from?

The scene is one familiar to every Mountaineer: a full car on a long drive back from a successful outing. The conversation is flowing and everyone is at ease after having shared an inspiring time out in the wilderness. Then, inevitably, a fellow climber asks me the question: “Where are you from?” Read more…