Our Accessibility Commitment in Practice
At The Mountaineers, we believe that everyone should have the opportunity to connect with the natural world and our community of outdoor enthusiasts. Guided by our equity and belonging values, we’re committed to making our website and digital tools accessible to all, including people with disabilities. We’re actively working toward compliance with the Washington State Digital Accessibility Policy and the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1 AA) to create a more inclusive and welcoming digital experience for all who engage with The Mountaineers.
Ongoing Accessibility Journey
Enhancing visual accessibility
We’re improving the overall look and feel of our website to make it more readable and visually comfortable for all users. This includes increasing font sizes for better legibility, improving color contrast closer to WCAG 2.1 AA standards, and refining the use of headings, spacing, and visual hierarchy to support users with low vision or other visual processing needs. These updates not only improve accessibility but also make our website more welcoming and engaging for everyone who visits.
Simplifying Website Navigation
We know that finding the right information quickly and easily is essential for an inclusive user experience. That’s why we’re streamlining our site’s navigation structure to reduce confusion, minimize the number of clicks required to reach important content, and improve visibility of key resources. While this work supports the spirit of accessibility, it also advances our broader goal of creating a more intuitive, equitable online experience, one that reflects our commitment to connection, belonging, and access for all.
Next Phase of Our Work
Our next steps include conducting a thorough review of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA to ensure our website meets or exceeds current accessibility standards. We’ll be performing a comprehensive accessibility audit to identify all areas where we can enhance usability and inclusion. This process will help us build a full picture of our opportunities for improvement—strengthening the ways we serve our community and ensuring every visitor can fully experience The Mountaineers’ online resources.
We highly encourage anyone who has specific ideas or needs to voice them either through our public feedback forum below, or to email us directly at info@mountaineers.org.