Blog

Meet Sarah, a Foothills hike and backpack leader, Key Instructor, Key Leader, and Super Volunteer who embraces The Mountaineers mission to help people build skills and feel comfortable outside. Read more…

In 1976, a tight-knit group of climbers and outdoor enthusiasts conceived The Banff Festival of Mountaineering Films. This was a one-day gathering that became the renowned international festival it is today. Read more…

eLearning plays an important role in our community's efforts to teach and learn outdoor skills and build a shared culture of conservation. Think of our three conservation eLearning courses as the 11th essential for your outdoor experience. Low impact Recreation, Public Lands 101, and Advocacy 101 will give you the tools you need to tread lightly on the landscape, understand how different types of federal public lands are managed, and advocate to protect public lands and the outdoor experience.  Read more…

Getting youth outside changes with the season, and winter is no exception. Our Mini Mountaineers program helps little kids and their families enjoy and learn about nature during even the rainiest months by facilitating nature-based activities and hikes. The program – offered by our Seattle and Tacoma Branches – is designed for youth ages two through five and fosters a love for the outdoors in the next generation. 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…

At the heart of The Mountaineers Gear Library is a simple yet powerful mission: to make outdoor exploration accessible to everyone in the Pacific Northwest. The Gear Library doesn’t just lend gear, but creates opportunities for unforgettable adventures, especially for youth leaders, families, and community organizations. Read more…

In these final hours of 2024, we have just one last summit push. We need to raise $215K by midnight to set us up to accomplish our mission in 2025 and beyond. Will you chip in to help close the gap? Read more…

If taking a photo makes a memory last longer, then memorializing a photo in print would effectively make a memory last forever.

We launched our Instagram (@mountaineersorg) over a decade ago. Since then, hundreds of Mountaineers and members of the outdoor community have shared their outdoor pursuits with us. From stewarding beloved forests to embracing grand adventures, photos go a long way in encouraging each other to appreciate, protect, and respect the lands and waters we love. Read more…

The Mountaineers South Sound Leadership Conference is a day-long conference held on Saturday, March 22, 2025, at the Tacoma Program Center. We hope you’re able to join us for this engaging and exciting day of leadership development. All are welcome to attend! Read more…

Packed with climbing, bouldering, outdoor-inspired games, and creative activities, After-School is a blast for kids who love to move, learn, and make new friends. For two hours each week, kids will climb, play, and connect with other young adventurers at our Seattle Program Center. Tuesdays are open to youth ages 6-9 and Thursdays are open to youth ages 10-13.  Read more…

Are you familiar with Leave No Trace? These tips are more than just picking up trash. In fact, the seven principles of Leave No Trace offer a framework for making decisions as you recreate outside. Leave No Trace's seven principles help guide you toward choices that have a lighter impact on the outdoors.  Given how many folks are outside recreating on our shared public lands, the cumulative effect of our efforts to be good stewards can be tremendous! Read more…

As a climb and course leader, one experience etched in my memory is working with students who are learning to rappel for the first time.  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…

Join us on Saturday, April 26 at Fremont Studios in Seattle for The Mountaineers Annual Gala, our signature fundraising event of the year! We've set the ambitious goal of raising $650,000 this year to support our mission and programs. In-person tickets open on January 20. Come gather with us to celebrate all that we do to Adventure with Purpose in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. Read more…

Crisp air circulates through your lungs. You exhale and a misty cloud hangs in the cold winter air. High in the mountains, trails turn to mud and ice as snow falls, then freezes. The sun hides behind a thick layer of dark clouds. At lower elevation, mossy soil and gentle rain offer a refreshing environment in the forest canopy. You lace up your shoes and put on your vest. It’s the perfect day for a trail run.

Trail running takes you outside, away from busy streets to the trails. Forested or mountainous, well-maintained or overgrown, nicely graveled or covered with rocks and roots… there are thousands of runnable trails in Washington state. While similar to hiking, trail running allows you to move faster, explore further, and stay active all year long. Read more…

One June day, I waited as a group of teenagers trudged up a trail outside of North Bend, carrying helmets and harnesses and complaining lightheartedly about the early summer heat. They had been practicing climbing skills for weeks at the Seattle Program Center, and now was their chance to put their skills to use in the outdoors. The steep trail, vibrant forest, real rock, and majestic view of the Cascades created an immersive experience for them to enjoy together. Supporting experiences like these is one of the reasons I love my role as a youth programs staff instructor. 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…

On Wednesday, the National Park Service (NPS) announced that it’s discontinuing development of its proposal to restrict the use of fixed anchors in Wilderness. This is a huge victory for the climbing community. If enacted, the policy would have prohibited the use of new and existing bolts, slings, and pitons in Wilderness areas, upending decades of precedent and compromising safe and reliable access to iconic Washington summits like Unicorn Peak and Mt. Shuksan.  Read more…

We’re excited to share that in the final days of the 118th Congress, lawmakers came together in bipartisan fashion to pass the EXPLORE Act and send it to the President’s desk to become law. The legislation is a first-of-its-kind package of bills to improve recreation and increase and enhance outdoor access on federal public lands.
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I never waxed my first pair of skis. I didn’t know any better. Twenty years later, they are still viable skis. But most avid skiers do wax their skis (and for good reason). With the right wax, your glide improves and the ski base is protected, allowing them to perform better, longer. There’s a saying: “Take care of your gear and it will take care of you.” But how? For me, waxing skis was intimidating. With seemingly endless options and advice, learning the process felt overwhelming as a beginner. My hope is to demystify the world of hot waxing so you can confidently prepare your skis for winter adventures. Read more…

Since the inception of our day camps, we’ve had the pleasure of seeing our programs and community grow in breadth and depth. Every season is full of camp magic, laughter, bracelet-making, outdoor adventure, and more. Historically, camp has also had an inevitably stressful registration day. In response to feedback provided by camp families, and in an attempt to make the registration process smooth for campers and staff alike, we’ll continue to use a lottery system for registration for Seattle Day Camp offerings in 2025. Read more…

Calling all multi-sport enthusiasts and off-the-beaten-path international travelers! Join us for a presentation with Marko Pavela on the active travel and adventure tourism day trip opportunities available throughout the Cetina River valley in the inland southern part of Croatia. The presentation will include options for climbing, rafting, via ferrata, and more. Read more…

Trying to find the right gift for the outdoor enthusiast in your life? This holiday season, give experiences with the gift of a Mountaineers membership!  Read more…

Growing up backpacking with my family in the Cascades and Olympics, I was introduced to our magnificent Northwest forests at a young age. Those summer trips where I collected pinecones and roasted s’mores over the campfire fostered my love for recreating in these iconic landscapes. These days, trail running and backcountry skiing through the same forests remind me why I was called to conservation work and the role the recreation community can play in protecting our lands and waters through outdoor advocacy. 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…

Note: the Take Action section  of this blog has been updated to reflect legislative developments for the EXPLORE Act and a public lands package.

To continue growing a community of Mountaineers who adventure with purpose as outdoor advocates, our conservation team connected with Advocacy 101 course graduates and other conservation-minded Mountaineers virtually on Nov 20. As more Mountaineers seek new opportunities to flex their advocacy muscle, events like these prepare us for greater collective impact. Read more…

One special evening earlier this year, I found myself in a moment of transcendent wonderment. I was at Bruni’s Snow Bowl Hut, surrounded by warm air, majestic views of Tahoma, and the soft hues of a setting sun. My three-year-old gleefully devoured his first s’more with sticky hands and my one-year-old watched the campfire’s sparks with wide-eyed wonder. My husband’s hand in mine, and the laughter of our friends and their children, rounded out a precious and poignant experience. Read more…

I like to joke that I was born with skis on my feet. The product of two skiers raising a child in Montana, I’ve always loved winter (the colder the better). And, as someone who grew up watching Captain Planet and was raised on the idea of reduce > reuse > recycle, I enjoy finding multiple uses for my treasured outdoor gear. In the spirit of reuse, I’m delighted to offer a list of ideas to help you upcycle your old winter equipment. 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…

Thank you to everyone who made a Giving Tuesday donation. We kicked off the giving season this week by smashing our Giving Tuesday goal. 94 members made donations of all sizes to provide scholarships for youth and adults to access Mountaineers programs. Read more…