Blog

Getting new winter gear is usually great for the ego and painful for the bank account... but it doesn’t have to be. Did you know you can make your own snowshoes? And for quite cheap, too. 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…

You did it! Together we raised more than $210,000 and smashed our year-end goal. Read more…

At The Mountaineers, we believe strongly in the importance of getting kids outside.  The benefits of spending time outdoors - for both kids and adults - are so numerous they can hardly be overstated. Unstructured time spent outside builds confidence and promotes creativity. It gets us moving and inspires wonder.  For all these reasons, we are thrilled to offer you and your family another season of our Mini Mountaineers program!  Read more…

This year’s Bellevue Mountainfilm on Tour film program, Big Green World, highlights films on environmentalism, ecology, stewardship of our lands and wild places, adventure, and emotional engagement with the outdoors. Travel to places such as the rain forests of the Amazon Basin, the coast of Scotland, and the Baffin Islands of Nunavut. Don't miss the highline rope walk between two hot air balloons at 6,300 feet! Read more…

The Banff Mountain Film Festival is back to bring the best action, environment, and adventure films to Olympia! Join us March 1-3 at the Capitol Theater to experience these films on the big screen. The playlists are different each night, so come for one night, or all three! Discount tickets are available if you purchase a ticket for multiple nights. Read more…

Enjoy a collection of trip reports that floats like a butterfly, stings like a bee, and may ruffle the feathers of our piqued and potent powder hounds. Read on, dear friends, for a bright-yellow rump, an ode to Charles Dickens, hoar frost, the mighty useful herringbone, and (painfully) varied early season conditions. Read more…

The Mountaineers launched our Instagram (@mountaineersorg) in 2014 as a way to celebrate the adventurous spirit of our community, the beauty of our natural landscapes, and the myriad types of outdoor experiences we have access to in the Pacific Northwest. From star-lit campsites to sun-kissed summits to smile-filled stewardship, Mountaineers are eager to share their photo-rich trip reports and inspire others to appreciate and protect the special places that we’re lucky enough to call home. Read more…

In a North Seattle public school, 65 miles from Mt. Rainier, Kelsey Hoffman’s classroom is engaged in an unusual last-day-of-school activity. Read more…

We know it: you love being outside. Whether on calm waterways, crackling glaciers, bustling city parks, or quiet old growth forests, you find joy and connection outdoors. And as a Mountaineer, you don’t stop there. 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…

Washington’s premier ski-touring race is back again and open for registration! The Patrol Race is the oldest continuing ski race in the northwest – traversing nearly 20 miles and approximately 4,500 feet of gain and descent – taking racers from Snoqualmie Pass to Meany Lodge. With a rich history dating back to the 1930s, the Patrol Race is an experience steeped in snow, tradition, and adventure that you won’t want to miss! Read more…

Downhill ski, snowboard, and telemark lessons are now open for registration at Meany Lodge. We offer single-day lessons almost every Saturday, as well as multi-week classes (4 days total) during the winter season. Check out our Meany Lodge webpage and register for one of our ski courses!  Read more…

I am afraid of going downhill. Everyone is afraid of something, and for me it’s moving fast downhill on trail, rock, or snow. I am sometimes tempted to hide my fears and insecurities, but when I started the Scrambling course, I knew I would have to share this fear with my instructors and classmates. It felt like a true confession. Read more…

I was at the airport, ready to board a plane for my much anticipated trip to Europe. My plan was to summit Mont Blanc and, if possible, do some rock climbing. I'd spent hours refreshing the hut reservation website to secure a spot, so the anticipation was sky-high. I dream of climbing all Seven Summits one day, and Mont Blanc seemed like the perfect starting point. 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…

Outdoor recreation is growing in popularity in Washington state and across the country, and land managers need new tools and resources to sustainably manage recreation on public lands. The Mountaineers and our partners at Outdoor Alliance have been advocating for federal legislation that improves sustainable and equitable access to outdoor recreation.  Read more…

Note, this public comment period has closed. We'll keep our community updated on future developments in this process.

For many Mountaineers students, the South Face of the Tooth in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness is their first foray into the world of alpine climbing. Considering its close proximity to the Seattle area, wide ledges for belaying, and grippy holds, it’s no wonder that the South Face is a classic teaching space for our alpine programs. Unfortunately, our community’s ability to safely access critical teaching spaces like the South Face of the Tooth is in jeopardy due to recently released National Park Service (NPS) and U.S. Forest Service (USFS) proposals. Read more…

Update: Federal land managers have released the final environmental impact statement, evaluating options for restoring grizzlies to the North Cascades. This is not a final decision, but rather an evaluation of the impacts of possible actions. We’ll keep our community updated on future developments in this process. Read more…

Wilderness First Aid (WFA) is important training for teams to have when they’re out adventuring, doing the types of things Mountaineers do. In town, a deep cut with a kitchen knife lands you in the emergency room. But when you’re surrounded by technical terrain, the first thing you have to do is get out. It will be many hours before you can get to the emergency room, so understanding how to stabilize an injury or a sick person until you can help them get out is critical. That’s where Wilderness First Aid training comes in. Read more…

When I first came to The Mountaineers, I was excited to be part of a community that values conservation the way I do. Mountaineers don’t just love being outside, we love the outdoors itself. We want to share the natural world with others and take action to protect the outdoor experience for future generations.  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, and outdoor adventure. Historically, camp has had an inevitably stressful registration day as well. In response to feedback provided by camp families, and in an attempt to make the registration process smooth for campers and staff alike, we’ve made the decision to reconfigure registration for our Seattle Day Camp offerings. 

Read on to learn what to expect.

THE LOTTERY SYSTEM 

Our ultimate goal in using this process is to create a system that is family friendly, equitable, accessible, and easy to execute. All campers, new and returning, are invited to enroll through our lottery system this January.

Campers can use the lottery to enroll in one week of camp. Individual campers are not limited to one week of enrollment for the whole summer, but will be capped at one week through the lottery process. Please remember that entering the lottery does not guarantee a camper a spot in summer camp.  

HOW IT WILL WORK: 

• Individual lottery applications will be available on the Seattle Day Camp page from January 2-16, 2025.  Each camper can enter the lottery once, ranking each camp week in the application to indicate their most desired camp week to attend (ex. Rockstar Week, Water Week 1, etc.)
• Submissions will be randomized after the lottery closes with a slight priority given to returning campers.
• Campers will be notified between January 21-22 via email of the registering parent if they have been selected.
• Campers have until January 26 (5 days) to register for the camp via that offer. If registration is not completed by that time, the spot will become available during open enrollment on January 27.
• Open enrollment for Overnight Lodge Camps and remaining camp spots will begin January 28.

RULES OF THE SYSTEM: 

• The lottery is only for Seattle Day Camp. All overnight Seattle camps and camps in different locations will open for enrollment separately. 
• Campers must have a profile on The Mountaineers website to be registered. Please complete or update your camper’s Youth Information Form and Youth Program Form before entering the lottery.
• If a camper has more than one entry in the lottery, the most recent submission will be accepted and the rest removed.
• Incomplete submissions (anything without a camper’s name, email, and link to their website profile) will not be accepted. 
• If you are entering campers who are family members in the system, and you would like for them to register for the same weeks of camp, please enter them in the lottery on the same entry form. If each camper would like to attend different weeks of camp, please enter them in the lottery separately.
• We are unable to honor friend requests through the lottery. However, once your camper is enrolled in camp, you may update their friend request.
• If a camper’s preferred camp weeks are full by the time their application is processed, they will be added to the waitlist of their first choice week.  
• Campers are encouraged to rank as many weeks of camp in the application as work for their schedule. Do not feel obligated to rank all 10 weeks unless you are available to attend camp all 10 weeks. 

AFTER INPUTTING CAMPER INFORMATION, THE LOTTERY WILL ASK FAMILIES TO RANK THIER CAMP CHOICES, AS SEEN IN THE ABOVE SCREENCAP FROM 2022.

APPLICATION PROCESS TUTORIAL

Please reach out with questions throughout the process and thank you for going on this registration journey with us. Reach out to our team or visit our Day Camp page for more information. 

EMAIL THE CAMP TEAM

OTHER Camp OPPORTUNITIES 

We also offer overnight programs at  The Mountaineers lodge at Stevens Pass! Join us for a week of outdoor adventure at Overnight Lodge Camp this summer. 

Looking for other opportunities to join our Seattle Youth Programs this winter and spring? February and April Break Camps are open for registration. Or, head over to our After-School Programs page to learn about weeknight opportunities this winter and spring.

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

Namaste! Imagine you are in a brand new place, and you know no one. When we moved to the Pacific Northwest 23 years ago, that was us. Read more…

In July 2021, my wife and I navigated high-season crowds to Colchuck Lake on our first adventure in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, one of the most visited Wilderness Areas in the country. We arrived early and still had to park a mile from the trailhead. During the hike, we passed by throngs of other outdoor enthusiasts. Experiencing this bustle didn’t diminish the stunning views and thrill of wide-open spaces, but it did underscore the need to harmonize recreation with the protection of this beloved landscape. Read more…

Long before beacons, Gore-Tex, groomers, or even the assurance of a good helmet: Mountaineers were on skis. They were a curious group, dressed in thick wool, without the ability to check snow conditions or rest their tired legs on a chair lift between laps. Still, they remained eager, stubborn, and terribly enthusiastic about the variable winter season. With keen interest and experimentation, these skiers unknowingly laid the groundwork for generations of powder hounds to come. Read more…

Once again, The Mountaineers partnered with Banff Mountain Film Festival to bring their World Tour to the Pacific Northwest. The World Tour screenings have been the perfect venue to recognize and celebrate our Peak Society members, who are The Mountaineers leadership level donors that bolster our mission and community impact. Before the show, on Wednesday evening, we celebrated nearly 200 Peak Society members at a lively reception in the stunning Promenade of Benaroya Hall, where we visited with old friends and met new adventure buddies. Read more…

Meet Erin Vagley, a Foothills Hike Leader and Qualified Youth Leader. Erin is also the Leader Development and Leader Certification Coordinator for the Foothills Hiking, Backpacking, and Urban Walks Committee. She has led hikes for the Foothills Yoga for Hikers, Backpackers, and Trail Runners course and for the GoHike course. Erin was recognized for her leadership with the Key Instructor badge in 2023. Read more…

Each month, we introduce you to the Foothills Branch Council members or activity committee chairs who make our Foothills Branch thrive. This month, meet Foothills Branch Director and Urban Walks Committee Chair, Liz McNett Crowl. Read more…

With great sadness we share the news that Jeff Bowman has passed away. Jeff was a 29-year Mountaineers member, 23-year member of our staff team, long-time volunteer with Stevens Lodge, Climb Leader, and volunteer contributor to Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills. Jeff passed away unexpectedly after recent health challenges. He was 57.  Read more…