Blog

Before I took my first class back in 1999, I associated yoga with lithe-limbed contortionists standing on their heads, chanting for hours. But as a frenzied young woman with a busy and stressful career, I was looking for a way to bring tranquility into my life, and I’d heard that holding these painful-looking postures could alleviate stress and anxiety. I didn’t understand how something that looked so uncomfortable could help me achieve inner peace, but despite my misgivings I was willing to give yoga a try. Read more…

Meet Magda Bojarska, a Foothills climb, scramble, and hike leader, as well as a 2021 Super Volunteer and Key Leader. Magda joined The Mountaineers in 2018 to find some hiking buddies and immediately found a sense of community. Since then, she’s participated in many Mountaineers courses and activities, including Alpine Scrambling and Alpine Climbing, and is now an enthusiastic leader and instructor for The Mountaineers. Read more…

The Kitsap Forest Theater invites all Mountaineers youth and their friends and families to witness the natural wonder of the chum salmon returning to Chico Creek this Saturday and Sunday!  Read more…

Despite the persistently poor air quality this month, Mountaineers were still out and about in full force, making last-minute adjustments and strategically planning their outdoor excursions toward clearer skies so they could make the most of fall’s last few sunny days. Read more…

In our upcoming November 16 seminar, "What is a Raptor?", we invite you to learn more about the birds we call raptors, their evolution, and where they live. This evening will take you on a world tour that covers 100 million years. The seminar will be both in person and over zoom; please register for the version you want.  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…

As a values and mission-driven nonprofit, everything we do at The Mountaineers is in service of our vision to get more people outside and create advocates for our natural world. Earned revenue, like book sales and course fees, help us to provide world-class outdoor training, books, and experiences. These provide a strong foundation for us to grow our impact through philanthropy. Donations help to fund youth partner programs, conservation & advocacy work, shared services across all locations and activities, scholarships, and more. Read more…

Tricky trail conditions, iffy weather, and the adrenaline rush associated with epic adventures can all increase the likelihood of accidents. But with a little extra awareness and planning, you can avoid becoming a trip report statistic. To prevent accidents or injury during future trips, strive for good conditioning on urban terrain and work to learn from your leader. With help you will narrow the gap and increase your margin of safety in the mountains. Read more…

We're pleased to present you with the outcome of the 2022 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, and this year, we saw over 1,300 votes. Read more…

With my wrist in the strap of my trekking pole, I dangle over bright gray boulders bordering frothy water tumbling through the chasm. My brain is trying to comprehend what has happened. Just a few minutes ago I was hiking a wide, easy trail, and now I am hanging below it. Read more…

The Mountaineers is committed to leading innovation in outdoor education. A key component of this commitment is investing in our volunteer leaders, the heart and soul of our vibrant organization. Read more…

We launched mountaineers.org 2.0 in 2014, and since have been working tirelessly with your support to improve our website. Some improvements involve building entirely new features like supporting paid events internally rather than using a third-party system. Others improvements happen on a smaller scale to existing features. And, occasionally, something breaks on our website and needs to be fixed. We need your help and support to identify these  opportunities for improvement. Read more…

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

For over 100 years, The Mountaineers has enriched the outdoor community by helping thousands of people to explore, conserve, learn about, and enjoy the lands and waters of the Pacific Northwest and beyond. We take pride in that legacy, and we we want to support our volunteer leaders who make it all happen!  Read more…

With Vision 2022, we developed a plan through high engagement from our community. Based on community feedback and support, Vision 2022 provided an important foundation for us as leaders in innovative outdoor education striving to engage future generations in advocacy, adventure, education, volunteerism, and community. We hope to build on that foundation as we look ahead to our  next strategic plan. Read more…

This month the Olympia Branch held its annual Social and Awards Celebration to honor 2022 course graduates and award pins, patches, and services awards to our outstanding members. Mike Endres was our guest speaker. A guide book writer and photographer, he captivated the crowd with stories about his travels climbing and adventuring from Colorado to Alaska. Although there was no banquet this year, light refreshments were served and plenty of radiant smiles were shared as members reminisced and celebrated the skills acquired, lessons learned, and memories made during this past year. Read more…

When climbing courses were canceled in 2020 due to COVID-19, the Olympia Basic Alpine Climbing Committee began incorporating new virtual educational methods into the program. Learn more about how these changes will be applied to our course moving forward, and how you can get involved.  Read more…

Last month, we shared our land acknowledgment statement and the process we underwent to develop it. Mountaineers staff and board members developed this statement in collaboration with Chairman Leonard Forsman of the Suquamish Tribe. We recognize that land acknowledgment is only a small piece of doing our part to help rectify historical wrongs and honor Native peoples. The actions we take as an organization are a more substantive way of showing Native peoples respect and gratitude. Read more…

The practice of stewardship brings Mountaineers together from across branches and activities to care for our natural places. By working together to restore and maintain trails, pick up trash, and remove invasive species, we help ensure healthy landscapes that thrive for future generations. 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…

Award-winning snowboarder Jeremy Jones takes his experiences and knowledge of the mountains to paper in his new book, The Art of Shralpinism: Lessons From The Mountains.  Read more…

After several years working on policy and advocacy campaigns to protect public lands and wildlife in Washington, D.C., I intimately understand how important recreationists can be in convincing lawmakers to invest in the outdoors. I moved home to Washington State in search of conservation work that allowed me to give back to the lands and waters that first connected me to nature. I saw The Mountaineers as exactly the kind of place where I could make an impact - a place where recreation and conservation converge, for adventure with purpose. Read more…

Whether you’re a total newbie, seasoned advocate, or somewhere in the middle, we encourage all Mountaineers to get involved in conservation and advocacy on behalf of the public lands we love and the outdoor experiences they provide. Read more…

I had a premonition. My partner was gone for the weekend and I was alone in bed, snuggled up with a stuffed sheep and an abundance of fear. I don’t know why I knew something bad was going to happen, I just had an anxious feeling in the pit of my stomach. I remember thinking I should wear better undergarments, as that was something I had heard long ago (maybe from a family member?) - “If you get in an accident, make sure you at least have decent underwear on!” I sent my boyfriend a snuggly selfie and went to bed early, but still couldn’t shake that ominous feeling. Looking back, I should have canceled the trip, but thought, who does that? based purely on a strange feeling. Read more…

Join The Mountaineers in welcoming famed snowboarder Jeremy Jones on November 10 as he presents his new book The Art of Shralpinism: Lessons from the Mountains. Read more…

Starting in the summer and peaking in the fall, our local salmon embark on a lengthy and laborious journey from Puget Sound to their native rivers, streams, and lakes. These efforts, which will ultimately end in their death, is known as the salmon run. The reason for their fatal trek? Spawning time. Read more…

Meet Colin Chapman, a backpack, hike, and snowshoe leader, as well as a 2021 Super Volunteer. Colin joined The Mountaineers to participate in the Foothills Backpacking Building Blocks (B3) course and now he’s a leader for the course! 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’s that time of year when our favorite places begin to change. The pinks and purples of summer are fading to fiery yellows and reds of fall. Trailheads are welcoming the blanket of autumn fog that keeps our hiking cool while obscuring summit views. Temperatures are dropping, and we’re preparing to exchange our backpacks and paddles for crampons and skis.  Read more…

As of 2022, The Mountaineers boasts a strong collective of over 3,000 volunteer leaders. From course instructors, to lodge hosts, to Board members, our volunteers’ skillsets are varied and far-reaching within our organization. By setting vision and direction, contributing to a shared vision, and creating sustainable and equitable programs, volunteers enable The Mountaineers to continue to grow and improve our programs. Often, volunteers are called the heart and soul of The Mountaineers, and this is certainly true in my experience! Read more…