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Mountaineer of the Week: Mara Stilnovich

Each week we bring you a personal story from one of our members. For our member profile this week we talked to... Read more…
BeWild Speaker Series Lineup 2025

For over a decade, The Mountaineers has inspired adventures of all kinds through the BeWild Speaker Series - and this year’s lineup promises to be as unforgettable as ever. Read more…
Wild Olympics Bill Reintroduced in Congress

Earlier this week, one of our longtime landscape protection priorities, the Wild Olympics Wilderness and Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, was reintroduced in the 119th Congress by two members of the Washington delegation. Senator Patty Murray continues to champion this effort in the Senate and freshman Rep. Emily Randall (WA-06) has reintroduced the Wild Olympics bill in the House. The bill protects key recreation areas of the Olympic National Forest through the designation of new Wilderness and the Peninsula’s first-ever Wild and Scenic rivers. Read more…
Spring Gear Grab - June 9, 2025

Whether you’re a seasoned outdoorsperson or just beginning your journey with The Mountaineers, you won’t want to miss our Spring Gear Grab. Read more…
Defend the outdoor experience with a spring donation

When we go outside together, we not only increase our connection to each other, but also to the natural world. This is why, at our core, Mountaineers are not just learners and adventurers, but also advocates and conservationists. We fall in love with places and then do our utmost to conserve that experience for others. Read more…
Technology Changelog

The Mountaineers values transparency and takes pride in celebrating our successes. Our team is continuously working on updating our website, e-learning, and automated processes to enhance the user experience for members and volunteers. In this Changelog, we capture what improvements we have made over time so you can follow along and take advantage of new features. Read more…
Wedding Bells at Liberty Bell: A Mountaineers Elopement

When two climbers who met in the mountains get married, it only makes sense to tie the knot in the alpine. Last August, I eloped with my now husband Garrett on the summit of Liberty Bell in the North Cascades for an intimate, sunrise ceremony. Eloping in the mountains where we fell in love was an exciting and special way to celebrate our love, our relationship, and our commitment to each other. Read more…
A Mixed Bag for Public Lands in the Final WA Budget

Before you grab your Discover Pass and head to your favorite Washington state park or recreation area this spring, read on for a post-legislative session update to learn more about the critical funding that makes our adventures on state lands possible. (Spoiler alert: it’s a mixed bag.)
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GiveBIG 2025 - Thank You

Our community raised more than $15K during GiveBIG: an event dedicated to the power of generosity in every form and donations of every size. Thank you to the 77 donors who gave a total of $8,489 to support The Mountaineers mission and community, and to the matching challenge that added an additional $7K. Read more…
Mountaineer of the Week: Kimberly Glock

Each week we bring you a personal story from one of our members. For our member profile this week we talked to.. Read more…
Mountaineers Conservation & Advocacy Director Joins Congressional Briefing on Outdoor Recreation

As federal land managers like the Forest Service and the Park Service continue to sustain deep cuts that will jeopardize their ability to steward public lands and manage outdoor access, members of Congress and the recreation community are coming together to support the landscapes and outdoor experiences they cherish. The Mountaineers continues to stand up for our public lands, including by sharing how ongoing agency workforce reductions are affecting Washington’s federally managed parks and forests - the landscapes that host 60% of our organization's courses and trips. Read more…
Foothills Volunteer Spotlight: Rob Erickson

Meet Rob, a Foothills backpack, hike, snowshoe, and urban walk leader, Key Leader, Super Volunteer, and Mountaineers Leader of the Year who loves to spread the joy of the outdoors and mentor new leaders. Read more…
68 Donors Needed on Last Day of GiveBIG

When we build the kind of community we believe in, the joy we find is unmatched. Do you know what can be matched, though? Your GiveBIG donation to The Mountaineers! A longtime member has offered to give $1,000 for every 10 unique GiveBIG donors up to 100 donors and $10,000. Read more…
Mindful Mountaineers: A Guide to Mindful Moments

Mindfulness is an important part of our outdoor experiences. In this guide to mindful moments, follow prompts to practice awareness, breathe with intention, explore your senses, and more. To learn more about how The Mountaineers enhances outdoor experiences through mindfulness, read Mindful Mountaineers. Read more…
Mindful Mountaineers: Enhancing Outdoor Experiences Through Mindfulness

A gentle drizzle begins to fall as Foothills hike and urban walks leaders Lori Heath and Liz McNett Crowl gather with Mountaineers for a Mindful Outdoor Experience at Saint Edwards State Park. The activity begins with a yoga-like warm up, breathwork exercises, and a poem before starting down the trail. Walking at a slow pace, Lori encourages participants to pay attention to the feeling of their feet on the trail and notice more subtle sensations – the weight of each step, the stretch of each muscle, the tickle of rain on the skin – to increase awareness of their physical bodies. The goal is to observe with curiosity, as if seeing something for the first time. Read more…
GiveBIG 2025 starts today

We are proud to participate in GiveBIG, a regional grassroots giving event where every donation makes a difference. When you make a GiveBIG donation, you are joining thousands of people across the Pacific Northwest who believe in the value of community and the power of our collective generosity. Read more…
Mountaineer of the Week: Brittney Moraski

Each week we bring you a personal story from one of our members. For our member profile this week we talked to... Read more…
Impact Giving | Adventure with Purpose: A Vision Worth Celebrating

At The Mountaineers, we believe adventure means more than simply reaching a summit objective or snapping a photo at the perfect viewpoint. It’s about how we show up with curiosity, care, and a sense of responsibility—about connecting more deeply with nature, with one another, and with something bigger than ourselves. Read more…
A Night of Adventure with Purpose - 2025 Gala Recap

Each year, our community gathers at this annual fundraising Gala to make a difference and support our mission. The funds raised this night represent more than one third of our charitable revenue for the year, elevating our initiatives across branches and activities, including nonprofit publishing, adult programming, youth outreach, scholarships, volunteer leadership development, conservation advocacy, and more. Read more…
Alpine Start for GiveBIG

Are you up with the sun to beat the heat of the day? Do you hit the road at 4am to get the trailhead’s best parking spot? Do you set an alarm so you’re first on the roster for your next Mountaineers adventure? You might be an early GiveBIG giver. Read more…
Peak Performance | Aligning Identity and Habits for Trail Success

When spring hits, hikers turn their sights to alpine adventures. As we welcome the new season, it can be easy to jump too quickly into activities without proper preparation. But how do we make sure to not overdo ourselves in our eagerness to visit favorite trails? And how do we maintain training programs when motivation is low, or life is distracting? Below, I share training tips inspired by writer and speaker James Clear’s philosophy on identity-based habits. Read more…
Mountaineer of the Week: Sara Schroeder

Each week we bring you a personal story from one of our members. For our member profile this week we talked to... Read more…
What's your GiveBIG style?

Spring is a busy time of year at The Mountaineers, and this year that feels especially true. The need to connect people with each other and the natural world has never been greater. Read more…
The Wolverine's Return to the North Cascades

The chances of seeing a wolverine in the North Cascades are low but no longer zero, thanks to the intrepid animal’s return from Canada. Read more…
Mountaineer of the Week: Axel Mildes

Each week we bring you a personal story from one of our members. For our member profile this week we talked to... Read more…
Why We Fundraise at The Mountaineers

Spring is a busy season at The Mountaineers. The majority of our courses are underway and summer camp is right around the corner. Lengthening days pull us outside and the rising snow line tempts us deeper into the alpine. Behind the scenes, we’re also setting the stage for a new budget year, measuring our mission impact, and exploring ways to strengthen our community and protect outdoor spaces in the months and years to come. Read more…
Trip Report - The Mountaineers CEO Advocates for Public Lands and Agency Staffing in Washington, D.C.

The Mountaineers advocacy to protect public lands and the outdoor experience transcends the places where we recreate and the courses we lead here in the Pacific Northwest. This work doesn’t happen alone; partnerships lie at the heart of our advocacy story. About nine years ago, The Mountaineers joined Outdoor Alliance (OA) - a national coalition of human-powered recreation organizations. Over the years, we’ve deepened our involvement because our community is a unique catalyst for conservation and advocacy work on a national scale. Read more…
Foothills Branch Seeking New Chair-Elect

Want to be more involved with The Mountaineers and support programs at a foundational level? Consider becoming the new Chair-Elect for the Foothills Branch. Read more…
Map Out Your Next Adventure at The Mountaineers Bookstore

Planning summer backpacking trips is at the top of my mind this time of year. I’m tired of the cold, dark days, and can’t wait to escape to the backcountry. In planning, I prefer to use paper maps to determine my route and study the terrain. Digital tools like Caltopo and Gaia are useful (and I love them!), but carrying a paper map in my pack – and knowing how to use it – is a practical tool that encourages self-reliance when digital devices fail. More than that, maps give me a big-picture view of the landscape: ridgelines towering above alpine tarns, creeks tumbling into waterfalls, meadows hidden beneath sheer cliffs. Read more…
Mountaineer of the Week: Crystal Hudelson

Each week we bring you a personal story from one of our members. For our member profile this week we talked to.. Read more…