Blog

After more than a year of stopgap funding measures and turmoil for federal public lands, Congress passed a full-year funding bill last week in a rare moment of bipartisan collaboration. The legislation will support land management agencies for the remainder of the fiscal year, helping the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, and Bureau of Land Management stabilize operations, maintain staffing, and continue to provide the outdoor recreation experiences that our community so deeply values. 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…

Last month, a series of torrential rainstorms known as atmospheric rivers hit Washington, triggering destructive flooding and landslides across the state. Homes, businesses, roads, bridges, trails, levees, and other critical infrastructure were damaged or destroyed. Rivers including the Snoqualmie, Snohomish, Skagit, and Nooksack flooded, reaching record or near-record levels in some places. Throughout the Cascades, these storms caused widespread damage, blocking major transportation routes and cutting off access to many beloved recreation sites.  Read more…

Ski Snacks is a fun, easy-to-use cookbook that celebrates life among the mountains as a ski-bum. Designed for easy preparation and portability, every recipe uses fresh ingredients that provide plenty of energy for long days. With helpful sidebars from nutritionists and recipes labeled by difficulty, every skier and snowboarder can chase those powder days without worrying about what to eat on the slopes. Read more…

As we continue to defend public lands from an onslaught of threats from Congress and the administration this year, the next few months also represent an important opportunity to advocate for Washington's state parks, trails, and recreation areas. These state-managed lands - places you know and love like Moran State Park, Tiger Mountain State Forest, and Frenchman’s Coulee climbing area - support Mountaineers programs and connect us to special human-powered outdoor experiences.
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Over the last six weeks, our community came together during a pivotal year-end giving season – one marked by ambitious fundraising goals and driven by our love for the natural world and the outdoor community.  Read more…

The Sexual Harassment and Sexual Assault Prevention (SHSAP) Committee spent the last few months reviewing and updating the The Mountaineers Code of Ethics (formerly known as the Member Code of Ethics) and creating a new Behavior Standards policy. In October, The Mountaineers Board approved changes to The Mountaineers Code of Ethics and the newly developed Behavior Standards policy (which synthesizes  information from the previous Prohibited Behavior policy and Mountaineers Activity Standards policy and expands on it to address areas related to sexual assault and sexual harassment).  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…

Volunteers are the soul of The Mountaineers, turning a shared love for the Pacific Northwest into a vibrant, educational, and conservation-minded community. To honor the incredible dedication of our Seattle Branch volunteers, we invite you to join us for the Seattle Branch Volunteer Appreciation Banquet. This special evening is our chance to step off the trails and out of the climbing gyms to celebrate the collective impact you made in 2025. Read more…

Meet Shelly Dearmon, a Foothills hike and urban walk leader who has received many Key Leader, Key Instructor, and Super Volunteer badges, and whose happy place is being in the forest with a group of hikers. Read more…

At The Mountaineers, leadership in the backcountry has always meant more than technical skill. It means understanding people, context, and the full range of factors that influence safety, decision making, and group dynamics in outdoor places. Read more…

Sitting amid the magic of The Mountaineers Baker Lodge, I’m not sure what warms me most... Is it the hot tea steaming in my diner-style ceramic mug, filled from the continually-replenished carafe of coffee and hot water? (Don’t worry, there’s hot chocolate and apple cider, too.) Is it the magnificent view of Shuksan through the picture window that occasionally reflects the dining hall’s pendant lamps? Is it the people – some of whom I know, many more I’ve just met – making the air crackle with conversation around the aroma of hearty food? Maybe it’s a mix of it all, swirling like the snow off the rooftop of this lodge, all spindrifts and sparkles. Read more…

One year ago today, January 4, 2025, the Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences (EXPLORE) Act was signed into law, culminating a decade-long advocacy campaign and securing a landmark victory for the outdoor recreation community. This package of recreation bills was passed in a collaborative, bipartisan manner with the goal of improving outdoor access on federal public lands.  Read more…

Are you dreaming of outdoor adventures or trying to enhance your skills?  Members and non-members are invited to spend an evening learning about upcoming  courses and activities with the Olympia Branch.  Read more…

Last year, we saw an unprecedented level of threats to public lands from Congress and the administration. In response, The Mountaineers community took action in record numbers, sending thousands of advocacy letters in defense of our public lands. These messages highlighted the importance of staffing and funding for federal land managers, keeping federal public lands in public hands, and foundational conservation policies like the Roadless Rule and the National Environmental Policy Act. Read more…

Join us on January 7 for a presentation that will help you explore Mount Rainier with a fresh perspective. Carolyn Driedger-Mastin will lead us on several virtual hikes, with each revealing intriguing stories, including some ‘chilling’ tales of glaciers and lava flows. Read more…

Did you know that winter is the peak season for new members joining The Mountaineers? If you joined The Mountaineers in November and December, Hello! Welcome! We're glad you’re here! Read more…

As we close the book on another year, reflect on the many adventures Mountaineers enjoyed in 2025, including: freshies, wildflowers, freighter-wake fun, and a handful of moments we’ll never live down (we're talking about you, potholes and pee bottles). Plus plenty of Type 2 fun, a little stewardship that made the trails better for everyone, and just enough suspiciously perfect weather to keep us hooked. These 10 trip reports have the beta, photos, and details that send you straight to your calendar to start plotting. Consider this your year-end highlight reel and a subtle nudge toward your plans in 2026. Read more…

At The Mountaineers, we view every incident report — not just as paperwork, but as an opportunity to learn, grow, and make our community safer. Whether it’s a serious injury, a close call, or even just a nagging “that could’ve gone badly” moment, your report plays a vital role in improving safety practices for everyone. Read more…

We are so close to reaching our ambitious goal to raise $225K by midnight tomorrow. Will you help close the gap? Read more…

Joyful moments on the trail make any adventure more memorable. Here are some tips for creating a personalized Joy Checklist that encourages you to savor the journey, embrace the unexpected, and appreciate your time in nature. What’s on your checklist? Read more…

The Foothills Branch is seeking a Backpacking Committee Chair! We urgently need to fill this role by March, otherwise the Backpacking committee will not continue operating. Read more…

We’re Dave and Laura, six-year Mountaineers members, and we believe in the transformative power of the outdoors.  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…

When Matt Surprenant joined The Mountaineers in 2019, he was simply looking for people to hike with. What he found instead was a passionate volunteer community, a deep love for scrambling, and a meaningful way to give back — through leadership, service, and philanthropy amplified by his workplace giving program. Read more…

For skiers, splitboarders, and snowshoers eager to explore the backcountry, avalanche awareness isn’t optional — it’s vital. The Mountaineers AIARE 1 course provides a structured, hands-on introduction to avalanche safety, empowering participants to make informed decisions in complex winter environments. Read more…

The day starts in the dark. We shuffle through our condo making coffee, eating breakfast, and coiling ropes. A ten-minute drive up the hill puts us a short walk to the Ouray Ice Park entrance, where people begin slipping into their harnesses and strapping on helmets and crampons by headlamp. Everyone is bundled against the cold Colorado air. We paid to be Ice Park members, which affords us entrance into the park 30 minutes early to have first pick at the routes. Read more…

The Mountaineers Gala is more than just a fundraiser, it's a chance to showcase our Adventure with Purpose mission and celebrate the wide range of activities, programs, and people that our nonprofit positively impacts. This year, we have a full and exciting evening planned – with familiar elements and some new surprises and delights. Read more…

Some years it’s hard to transition from long, sunny days and fields of flowers to the rainy season here in the PNW. Yet the shoulder season repays that loss by ushering in amazing colors in the mountains and lowlands. 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…