Blog

In this tech update, we are highlighting several new and improved features for our events system, the most important being the ability to sell tickets on our website. This completes our vision of a fully integrated shopping cart. Read on to learn about all the new event features and other improvements. Read more…

Most of us have done it more than once in our backpacking lives – tear open a foil packet, pour in steaming water from the camp stove, wait ten minutes, then shovel the contents into our mouths in the hope that the quantity is right, the food is palatable, and the salt content doesn’t cause congestive heart failure. Then we rinse and haul the bulky foil packets back out to the trailhead. Read more…

The Olympia Branch is a vibrant, growing community with quality volunteer leaders. Behind these leaders is a dedicated Branch Council, who provides the structure and support to help our leaders and general membership 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…

Mountaineers have cherished the natural beauty and challenges offered by Mount Rainier since our beginning, and stewardship and volunteering have always been a part of that story. Early members helped build the original Wonderland Trail, and many current and former members volunteer their time to care for this special place today. Read more…

Are you looking for a fun and rewarding stewardship experience? Join us for a weekend at Stevens Lodge to give back Friday, June 24 through Sunday, June 26. You can join for one or more days to help tear out an old bathroom and prepare it for a much-needed remodel. We will also clean out the lodge of 40+ year of accumulated junk.  Read more…

The incongruous streaks of red and pink on the snowfield look like faint blood stains across the side of the mountain. I quicken my pace, excited to finally find my quarry after two days of hiking in the Goat Rocks Wilderness. I step gingerly onto the snow and head straight for the darkest patch of red as I pull a sample tube out of my pocket. I fill it with the vibrant, pink-tinted snow, screw on the cap tightly, and label it with my coordinates. This small vial, which at first glance looks like a prop in a bad horror movie, is filled with tiny bits of algae that live a fascinating life in the mountains – one that is tied to the larger stories of climate change in our home ranges. Read more…

We're very excited to be hosting international mountain guide and adventure writer Charlotte Austin again for an evening writing workshop. Whether you're an experienced author, part-time blogger, or curious novice, this class will give you a glimpse into the wide world of writing.  Read more…

You’re invited to participate in the Foothills branch’s newest course, Yoga for Hikers, Backpackers, and Trail Runners. Designed for outdoor athletes, this course will cover the fundamentals of yoga, how to utilize the practice for athletic recovery, and how to utilize the practice for strength. Read more…

Meet Susan Conbere, a Foothills backpack, hike, and snowshoe leader. Susan also leads the Staying Found course and is an active member of the Foothills Backpacking and Hiking Committee. Susan earned Super Volunteer and Key badges in 2020 and 2021 in recognition of all she does for The Mountaineers!  Read more…

Mount Rainier National Park (MRNP) is one of the oldest national parks in the country, and also one of the most visited. Home to the highest volcanic peak in the contiguous United States and the largest alpine glacial system outside of Alaska, it’s no wonder that people come from near and far to appreciate its beauty. Read more…

Step into the enchanted world of Broadway’s modern classic, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, at the most magical of places – the Kitsap Forest Theater. Read more…

We’re celebrating today because together we raised more than $48,454 during our spring fundraising drive! With the help of 275 Mountaineers members, donors, and volunteers who made donations of all sizes, we exceeded our spring goal of $40,000 by 21 percent! Read more…

As a Mountaineers member, you receive free access to our quarterly Mountaineer magazine, keeping you up-to-date with everything our organization and community have been up to. Hear from regular contributors on topics from training exercises to trail tips, and read features from our members sharing stories from the outdoors. We encourage you to access all of our updates, stories, tips, and more in the tree free online magazine today. Read more…

Jeremy Fuerst was a more fruitful and accomplished climber than most of us would be in five lifetimes. He was an avid peakbagger, county high pointer, state high pointer, and an active member with the Seattle branch. Jeremy passed away in a climbing accident on September 9, 2021, in the Sangre de Cristo range in Colorado. 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 Mountains to Sound Greenway is an ecologically diverse corridor stretching 100 miles from Seattle to Ellensburg. A focal area for Mountaineers adventures, the Greenway’s 1,600 miles of trails are home to many of the places we ski, hike, climb, and bike. Whether taking in stunning views of the Cascade crest, climbing at Exit 38, or hiking to Rattlesnake Ledge, the Greenway’s landscapes and the outdoor opportunities they provide help preserve our region’s unique history and culture. Read more…

We all fall in the outdoors. Some fall more than others and, unfortunately, I fit within that category. I am uncoordinated and always have been. I fall all the time. That's one of the main reasons while I will never learn to climb mountains; I'd probably fall off one!  Read more…

Carol Sue skips most of Kiplinger’s magazine; she’s not interested in their tips on investments and is well past needing advice to save for a house or put kids through college. But several years ago, an article about saving money on taxes in retirement caught her eye. Read more…

What does June signify to you? For me, it means we’re officially at the time of year when I haul the food dehydrator out of storage and start preparing my trail menu for the upcoming backpacking season. The humming of the dehydrator’s fan is a small, yet welcome, reminder of warmer days and dinners with a view that are just around the bend.  Read more…

After an exciting seven months, The Mountaineers wrapped up our fourth year of our Leadership Development Series this May. It was another year of  high-quality, continuing education opportunities for our volunteer leaders. Thank you to all participants and presenters that joined us this past season! We are already excited for the next season of Leadership Development Series starting in October 2023. Read more…

After a long winter, there's nothing more wonderful than seeing the mountains in bloom. It’s that time of year when hikers are returning to the trails, hoping to admire the petals popping up to color our landscapes. Of course, wildflowers wouldn’t be possible without pollinators. But did you know that out of the 28 species of bumble bees found in the Northwest, one in particular is largely responsible for our alpine blooms? Read more…

As a 15,000 person community, our membership has a wide variety of skills, talents, and volunteer interests. But as a large and decentralized organization, one challenge we face is connecting interested volunteers with our many different volunteer opportunities. Read more…

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Meredith Mosman, a climbing, backcountry ski, and avalanche education volunteer leader with the Tacoma Branch. Meredith strives to constantly learn from fellow leaders and advises aspiring leaders to always look for opportunities to grow.  Read more…

It’s the last week of our spring fundraising drive and we are beyond grateful for the 153 people who have contributed $36,064 toward our goal of $40,000. In these final days of May, your gift of any size will help inch us closer to the finish line.  Read more…

Adventure Ready: A Hiker's Guide to Planning, Training, and Resilience, by Katie Gerber and Heather Anderson, empowers future thru-hikers to create goals, face challenges, and be stronger and smarter on the trail. Read more…

If you’re like me, you might have some important goals in mind for this year. Perhaps you’re not quite sure how to get started on them. On my blog at CourtSchurmanGo.com, I recently shared how using five-minute actions can be a fantastic trick for getting yourself unstuck. 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…

It was 2019 and I had just arrived in Tokyo. Looking for the hotel where I was to meet our group of Mountaineers, I felt like a lost child. Maneuvering to avoid people with my big suitcase, my senses were in overload as I paused to take a picture of the tight flow of humanity passing me in every direction. A visit to Japan combines modern life with ancient traditions and incredible outdoor opportunities. The juxtaposition was jarring and thrilling. Read more…

As I reflect on where we are as an organization, I am humbled and grateful. 

Our community has proven itself to be remarkably resilient. In spite of all the challenges of the last two years, our member base has grown to exceed 15,000 people for the first time. Volunteers are building back our courses and activities to pre-pandemic levels. Our youth programs have expanded, filling an important need for families facing shifting dynamics. Read more…