Blog

For years, the Mount Pilchuck Road - which provides access to the Heather Lake Trailhead and Mount Pilchuck - was notoriously known for its many potholes and extremely rough road. Thanks to funding from the Legacy Restoration Fund (LRF), visitors to the area have enjoyed a significantly repaired road since 2024, making the popular Heather Lake and Mount Pilchuck hikes accessible to more outdoor enthusiasts. This project is just one of the many ways the LRF has created a more safe and sustainable future for Washington’s public lands and the recreation experiences they provide. 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…

For over a century, the Fairfax Bridge has carried hikers, climbers, and campers into Mount Rainier National Park’s northwest corner. Now, the bridge is permanently closed, cutting off access to some of the most popular destinations in the park. Read more…

Finding comfort in the outdoors can be tricky. Not every activity is amenable to going solo and, even so, there are many reasons someone may not want to go alone. This is why finding a group where you feel belonging is important. Read more…

Each October, the Olympia Mountaineers gather to recognize graduates of all our courses and present awards to leaders who have shown exemplary service in climbing, conservation, youth outreach, scrambling, and hiking. Achievement pins and patches are presented and one Olympia Mountaineer is awarded the Branch Service Award, which recognizes their outstanding service over a multi-year period. 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…

For nearly 25 years, the Roadless Rule has protected the natural resources and backcountry recreational opportunities provided by the National Forest System from road construction, logging, and other development. With this foundational conservation measure now under threat, the mantra “defend the Roadless Rule” is rallying Mountaineers and stakeholders across Washington’s outdoor community to take action in high numbers to protect old-growth forests and backcountry experiences.  Read more…

Four fire lookout cabins stand today near the four corners of Mount Rainier National Park: Shriner Peak, Gobblers Knob, Mount Fremont, and Tolmie Peak. Four other fire lookouts served the park for decades before being removed. When I started researching for my second book about fire lookout hikes and histories in the Mount Rainier region, I repeatedly read two different stories about the construction of the Park’s fire lookouts. Curious about which story was true, I investigated how some writers might have been misled. Read more…

Six months after my son was born, I was diagnosed with cancer. I was 30 years old. That first year of motherhood was one of the hardest – he was colicky, I was exhausted... It was one of the most challenging years of my life. Read more…

The August air was cool and the sky partly cloudy as my friend, Tom Martin, and I started up the Owyhigh Trail from Sunrise Road. Was I ready for this hike? It would be longer than any I’d done this summer, and with more elevation gain. We’d left one car at the Deer Creek Trailhead and planned to cross the saddle and down into the Ohanapecosh Valley. This trail was new to both of us. Read more…

Autumn-touched larches kissed by morning sun blaze against the dark shadows of the mountain. Crystal-blue skies arch over our camp as Colchuck Lake glitters through the trees. I sit in my tent hugging my knees, crying. 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…

Just imagine: the whoosh of your cross-country skis skimming over bright, perfectly groomed snow in crisp air with aqua-blue sky and dramatic Canadian Rockies views all around. Your breath makes a crystal fog (and ice on your eye lashes!) as you experience exhilarating physical challenge on some of the most gorgeous groomed cross-country ski terrain in the world. Read more…

Mountaineers members and leaders are amazing planners and researchers. We know that we not only need to check the weather before we go - we need to read recent route conditions, double check if any fires are nearby, and verify current land manager regulations. For sea and backcountry travel, we talk to friends and scour the web for GPX tracks and more detailed map resources. (I once read through three years of WTA trip reports for a remote location to see if someone mentioned a flat camping spot before packing my tent.) Read more…

With fall finally here, we’re excited to gear up for another season of Mountaineers Leadership Conferences!  For over a century, our community has been led and shaped by volunteer leaders. The Mountaineers Leadership Conferences celebrate that legacy by supporting the continued growth of current and aspiring leaders.  Read more…

Update: On Wednesday, November 12, Congress passed - and the President signed into law - a short-term funding bill to fully re-open the federal government and end the partial government shutdown. However, it will take some time for things to return to normal.

Lawmakers in Congress failed to pass a stopgap funding bill by the end of the fiscal year deadline of September 30, resulting in a partial federal government shutdown. Read more…

We're pleased to present you with the outcome of the 2025 Board & Branch Elections, and we're grateful to everyone who participated by voting and accepting a nomination. Your participation shows a deep commitment to the organization. This year, we received nearly 1,300 votes from our membership.  Read more…

The Mountaineers is thrilled to welcome artist, climber, and adventurer Jeremy Collins to the BeWild Speaker Series for an evening unlike any other. Fresh off the release of his new graphic memoir, Eventually a Sequoia: Stories of Art, Adventure & the Wisdom of Giants, Collins is bringing his creative process to life through an immersive performance that blends visual art, storytelling, and environmental reflection. 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 Wonderland Trail is not for the faint of heart, but what happened to us on the trail would make anyone’s heart skip a beat. Read more…

Excerpted and adapted from The Outdoor Leader: Resilience, Integrity, and Adventure by Jeannette Stawski (February 2024). Published by Mountaineers Books. Reprinted with permission. Read more…

For nearly 120 years, The Mountaineers has been a regional leader advocating on behalf of the natural world, and our successes would not be possible without the dedication and thoughtful advocacy of our entire community. On Thursday September 18, we gathered for An Evening of Advocacy, an annual event that highlights and invites people to support the work of our Conservation & Advocacy program.  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…

In August, Braided River launched In the Spirit of Right and Respectful Relations: Conversations about Indigenous Ways of Knowing and Being in Nature - an Indigenous-led book and engagement campaign that draws on ancestral knowledge to further empower and inspire Indigenous-led environmental campaigns with non-Indigenous allies, partners, and supporters. Read more…

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…

In building a culture of philanthropy at The Mountaineers, we’re always seeking ways to communicate clearly and concisely the importance of our mission to funders. This work requires a deep understanding of the connection between our daily efforts and long-term impact. Read more…

At The Mountaineers, we know the critical role that federal land managers like the Forest Service play in the conservation and stewardship of our public lands. Behind each trail improvement, bridge replacement, and forest health project on your favorite national forest is the support and expertise of regional agency staff. Regional capacity, knowledge of local landscapes, relationships in forest communities, and on-the-ground experience are increasingly critical to carrying out the mission of the Forest Service - work that can look different from forest to forest.
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Mountainfilm on Tour will return to The Mountaineers Seattle Program Center on Thursday, October 16, at 7pm! Founded in 1979, Mountainfilm is one of America’s longest-running documentary film festivals, dedicated to celebrating stories of indomitable spirit and inspiring audiences through film, art, and ideas. 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…

Two vans, eight tents, 24 sleeping bags, 56 dehydrated meals, and countless packs of oatmeal and jerky is only a small part of what it takes to make a backpacking trip happen for a class of local high schoolers. Most people would think taking 24 teenagers into the backcountry is a big ask, but when that opportunity arose, I jumped at the chance. Read more…