Blog

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

Your next adventure can make a huge impact! The Mountaineers Online Auction is just around the corner, and we’re excited to give you a first look at this year’s lineup of incredible items and experiences which support The Mountaineers mission-driven programs and publishing. Read more…

I’ve spent the last eight years at The Mountaineers helping students learn how to trad climb. Volunteering for these field trips is rewarding but can come with moments of anxiety. Read more…

On the last day of what had been an unsuccessful expedition deep into the Canadian Rockies to look for fossils in 1909, Charles Doolittle Walcott found one small, unusual fossil in a pile of avalanche debris. About half an inch long, Walcott called it a lace crab because of its delicate, lace-like appearance and identified it as an odd trilobite. (It has since been identified as Marrella splendens and is neither a trilobite nor a crustacean.) Read more…

Are you a hiker who wants to explore frontcountry trails at a faster pace? A road runner interested in changing up your terrain and scenery? A beginner trail runner who wants to find an inclusive community and connect with other runners? Then the Introduction to Trail Running: Frontcountry course is for you! Don't wait - registration closes March 31, 2026. Read more…

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

The Mountaineers Adventure with Purpose Gala is an opportunity to celebrate our mission and the organization’s meaningful impacts across the Pacific Northwest and beyond. And no celebration is complete without our Mountaineers Adventure Club (MAC) students!  Read more…

The cold air freezes my lungs as I jog through the half-frost, half-mud trail. My quads burn and my breath rises in soft clouds. It’s just me (and the assistant trail running leader) bringing up the back of the pack, again. Read more…

The "End of Maintained Trail" sign is a familiar sight for most Pacific Northwest hikers. For some, it’s a stopping point. For others, it’s a challenge. If you’ve ever looked at the untracked snowfields and high mountain meadows of the Cascades and felt like you were missing something, you’re ready for a scrambling class. Read more…

From scrambling craggy summits to meandering through alpine meadows, paddling glacier-fed lakes, and snowshoeing in quiet winter forests, the North Cascades offer some of the most spectacular outdoor recreation opportunities in Washington. For members of The Mountaineers, this landscape is central to how we explore, learn, and build community in the outdoors. But access to these experiences relies on safe and well-maintained infrastructure, like sturdy bridges, durable trails, functional parking areas, and smooth roads. Read more…

Washington’s approximately 6.5 million acres of state parks and public lands are home to places where we hike, climb, ski, scramble, paddle, and connect to the natural world. Since early January, The Mountaineers and our partners have advocated to minimize cuts to our state lands this year. More than 700 members of our community sent nearly 2,200 messages to legislators highlighting their support for these recreation lands and the sustainable outdoor access opportunities they provide. Read more…

Have you recently sorted through your gear stash and found things that you haven't used in a while or no longer need? Rent a table at the Used Gear Sale and go home with some cash! Read more…

At The Mountaineers, we believe everyone should be able to access great stories. That's why we are thrilled to launch The Mountaineers Dispatch, a pilot project that brings our written content to life through audio. Audio tracks will allow members and readers to engage with our content in new ways, so whether you’re commuting, recreating outdoors, managing screen fatigue, or relying on audio formats for accessibility, you can now listen to Mountaineers stories wherever you are.  Read more…

Are you fascinated by the mysteries of the universe and the stars in the night sky? If so, then The Mountaineers Night Sky and Astronomy star gazing class is the perfect opportunity for you to explore and learn more about the wonders of the sky! Led by expert instructors who are passionate about astronomy, this class offers an unforgettable experience that will leave you inspired and awe-struck. Read more…

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

Sunlight filters through the trail’s forested canopy as I struggle to keep up with nine students from Interagency Southeast. We’re on a day hike to Twin Falls in Ollalie State Park. Read more…

Looking for an opportunity to provide leadership for your branch’s vision and goals? Interested in offering key support for the Seattle Branch’s most dedicated volunteers? Ready to assume a Board of Directors position and serve as a liaison for The Mountaineers largest branch?  Read more…

Looking to translate your outdoor stoke into advocacy action to protect your backcountry forest adventures? We’ve got you covered. The Roadless Rule protects some of our most treasured places to recreate, like Washington Pass and the Teanaway. Last fall, the administration began a process to fully repeal the Roadless Rule and open up 58 million acres of national forests nationally to increased logging and development.  Read more…

Until I checked my membership date recently, I hadn’t realized I’ve been a Mountaineers member for 30 years. Wow! My career in environmental protection carried me from my Midwestern flatlands birthplace to the Pacific Northwest — a place I had dreamed about since childhood. After several years in Oregon and then Olympia, another career move brought me to Seattle. Read more…

Beyond Crystal Mountain ski area, Highway 410 winds past Mount Rainier’s Sunrise area, then jogs over Cayuse Pass before switch-backing over blasted cliffs to reach Chinook Pass and its flowery gem, Tipsoo Lake. Here in 1949, Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court William O. Douglas was riding his horse on the Pacific Crest Trail when the horse shied, lost its footing, and rolled over him. The horse was all right, but the Justice broke 23 ribs and suffered a punctured lung. Read more…

The Olympia Mountaineers has been sponsoring Banff Mountain Film Festival for around 30 years. The tradition is still going strong - in March 2026, the festival will be back for three exciting evenings! Read more…

In the lead up to Erik joining us in Seattle for our Annual Gala in April, we asked him a few questions about his experiences in the outdoors and how he lives a life of adventuring with purpose. Enjoy these excerpts from an extended conversation with Erik. (Responses have been shortened for space.) Read more…

If there’s one thing that Mountaineers had in common in February, it was wishing for a lot more snow and a little more waterproofing. Despite less-than-ideal winter conditions, members still got out to hike, ski, paddle, scramble, and more together throughout the month of February.   Read more…

Since the 1960 release of the keystone title, Mountaineering: Freedom of the Hills, Mountaineers Books has served as a mission-driven home for the voices that define our relationship with the natural world.  Read more…

The Foothills Branch is seeking a new Branch Chair-Elect to begin the next 3-year leadership cycle by October 2026.  This is a meaningful and rewarding volunteer opportunity for someone who’s excited about supporting our broader Mountaineers community, strengthening volunteer connections, and helping the branch continue to grow and thrive.  Read more…

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

I was sitting in the third row of a large SUV, eyes wide as my sister passed an empty Oreo tray to the back of the car. My family had cracked open a window and gathered falling snow on the plastic lid, passing the snack tray from seat to seat excitedly as if they had captured a piece of magic. The mound of tiny ice crystals glittered under the car’s dome light. My first snowfall. Read more…

Washington’s state recreation areas - places like Tiger Mountain, Exit 38, and Frenchman’s Coulee - support Mountaineers programs and connect outdoor enthusiasts to nature across the state. Our ability to experience the outdoors through these state public lands relies on funding for land managers through the Washington state budget. Unfortunately, budget challenges have led to cuts to the land management agencies that manage and conserve these places.  Read more…

In January of 2025, I hiked about 50 miles of the Olympic Coast. The weather looked fairly dry the first week of January and the tides lined up, so I packed my bag and headed out. Read more…

Watching wildlife on our outdoor adventures can be a great way to connect to and foster a  deep appreciation for the natural world. Washington’s public lands span unique ecosystems and are home to a rich diversity of wildlife species. Spotting animals like owls, eagles, bears, or mountain goats creates special memories and enhances the outdoor experience. But wildlife encounters - and even our broader presence in wildlife habitat - can pose challenges that affect a species’ ability to thrive across landscapes. Read more…