Conservation & Advocacy
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Speak Up for the Ancient Forests our Planet Needs
We’ve been on a long journey to protect Southeast Alaska’s Tongass National Forest. Like many conservation issues, the fight to preserve swaths of ancient, old-growth trees in the Tongass from logging and development is an ongoing story with some twists, turns, and some chapters still to be written. Over the years, we’ve asked you to take action on this issue because protecting roadless areas in Alaska sets a strong precedent for protecting our wild backcountry places here in Washington and beyond. Read more…
Protect Our Trails, Trees, and Coastlines
Fragrant pine trees reaching for the sky. Rhythmic waves crashing against a foggy coastline. Bald Eagles soaring along winding rivers. Read more…
$50K Awarded for TPC Solar Project!
Attention Mountaineers! We have some BIG, eco-friendly news to share. Tacoma Power has awarded The Mountaineers a 2021 Evergreen Options grant of $50,000! This sought-after grant means our Tacoma Program Center (TPC) will soon be powered by rooftop solar – an enormous win for The Mountaineers and our whole community. Read more…
Save the Date: Support Scholarships this #GivingTuesday
The last 20 months have challenged all of us in ways we never could have imagined. Now more than ever, we need the outdoors to connect with one another, as well as experience the physical, emotional, and mental benefits that outdoor recreation provides. Read more…
Bookmarks | A Thousand Trails Home: Living with Caribou
Seth Kantner is a commercial fisherman, writer, and wildlife photographer. His newest book, A Thousand Trails Home: Living with Caribou (Mountaineers Books; September 2021), is a stunning firsthand account of a life spent hunting, studying, and living alongside caribou. He lives in the Northwest Arctic. Read more…
Breaking Down the 2021 Federal Infrastructure Bill
When you hear the word “infrastructure,” you might first think of urban roads, bridges, and other types of transportation frameworks. But the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act - which President Biden signed into law on November 15 - covers much more than that. Congress seized a historic opportunity to prioritize and deliver climate action, while providing a long-overdue boost to many facets of our nation’s aging infrastructure. Read more…
Changing Perspectives Begins with a Book: Year-end Reflections from Braided River
Braided River, the conservation imprint of Mountaineers Books, tells visual stories that inspire a wide audience to protect our communities, lands, and wildlife. By taking book projects and turning them into events, regional and national media coverage, and museum exhibits, they create a diverse toolset to raise awareness for conservation causes and threats to wild places. Given the interconnected threats of the climate and biodiversity crises, Braided River’s work of inspiring action on conservation issues near and far is more important than ever. Read more…
Conservation Currents | Bring Leave No Trace Home
I had a light bulb moment this summer when I got back from a backpacking trip. Read more…
Impact Giving | MiiR and The Mountaineers: A Sustainable Partnership
It’s the kind of day you never forget. During a routine spring skiing adventure, Bryan Papé found himself lying in the snow with skis strewn down the mountainside. He'd sustained a fractured femur and only a tree was keeping him from collapsing. Read more…
Trip Report: Outdoor Alliance Washington Tours Olympic National Forest with Representative Kilmer
Thanks to support from outdoor enthusiasts like you, we’re able to successfully advocate for public lands protections and outdoor access. It starts with building relationships with lawmakers, management agencies, and their staff at the federal and local level in order to influence legislation and advocate for critical funding to enhance outdoor recreation opportunities and protect our beloved Pacific Northwest landscapes. Read more…
Announcing Outdoor Alliance Washington
For six years, The Mountaineers has been a proud member of Outdoor Alliance, a national coalition of human-powered outdoor recreation organizations working to conserve America’s public lands. We joined Outdoor Alliance because we know that the voices of climbers, paddlers, hikers, mountain bikers, and backcountry skiers are much more powerful when we speak together. Our collective voice increases our community’s leverage with federal and state decision makers on public lands and recreation. Read more…
Did You Know | Pacific Banana Slugs
The Pacific Northwest is home to many unique and beautiful animals, but there is one strange, slimy creature that is often overlooked: The Pacific banana slug. Oft-forgotten until they’re underfoot, banana slugs are critically important members of the forest community from southeast Alaska to central California, and they play a big role in our ecosystems each autumn. Read more…
Protections Restored for Bears Ears, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments
On Friday, President Biden restored protections to three national monuments, including Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante in southeast Utah. These spectacular landscapes are sacred to Indigenous peoples and contain world-class recreational opportunities. The President used his authority under the Antiquities Act - a bedrock conservation law - to permanently protect these lands as national monuments. Read more…
Top 10 Trip Reports - September 2021
Leaves are changing, temperatures are dropping, and the air is feeling crisp. No matter how you decide to enjoy autumn, there’s one thing we can all agree on: We’re lucky to live in a place where fall is this awesome. Read more…
Our Glaciers, Our Friends
I first set foot on Mount Baker’s Coleman Glacier in August of 1972, accompanied by my friend Mary Bramble. Mary and I met two years before climbing Glacier Peak with the Mazamas, and had done some hiking and climbing since. ‘72 was also the year I had begun climbing outside the club (to the anxiety of my parents), with friends who possessed the same desire to lead climb on more difficult peaks. Read more…
Thank You! From REI Co-op and The Mountaineers
On Wednesday, REI Co-op leadership partnered with The Mountaineers to celebrate the 25th anniversary of REI's Seattle Flagship store and support conservation and advocacy efforts led by The Mountaineers. Attendees gathered on the outdoor terrace to enjoy handmade tamales from Frelard Tamales, freshly baked cookies from Bell’s Cookie Co., and local beer and wine from Georgetown Brewery and Tinte Cellars. After nearly two years of virtual-only connections, it felt great to finally gather in-person in support of our wild places. Thank you to those who came out and joined the celebrations! Read more…
Phase 2 of the Tacoma Program Center’s Net-Zero Energy Project Fully Funded!
In June, the Carbon Footprint Reduction Committee launched an ambitious $31,000 fundraising campaign in support of the Tacoma Program Center’s three-phase Net-Zero Energy Project. All funds raised would be used to implement Phase 2, replacing gas-powered furnaces and appliances with energy-efficient electric versions to greatly reduce the building’s reliance on fossil fuels. When all three phases of the plan are completed, the Tacoma Program Center will be a Net-Zero Energy Building, and Tacomans can feel proud knowing that this community resource is helping to ensure better environmental outcomes for our lands and waters. Read more…
It's Crunch Time! Tell Congress to Invest in Climate & Public Lands
Lately you’ve heard from us about historic opportunities to tackle climate change and invest in public lands through upcoming infrastructure and budget reconciliation bills. Now it’s crunch time: Congress is on the precipice of passing once-in-a-generation legislation to protect climate and public lands. How big Congress decides to go is still very much in the air, so this is a critical time to share your priorities with your senators and representatives. Read more…
Celebrating Public Lands and the Rich Conservation History of The Mountaineers
If you’re a bit like me, then maybe every day could be public lands day. The Pacific Northwest is fortunate to have many parks, trails, waterways, and green spaces that provide positive benefits across communities. There truly is something for everyone, in every season. Here at The Mountaineers, we strive to raise awareness around the importance of natural landscapes conserved as public lands - not just for recreation, but for the health and cultural identity of our region. Join us to celebrate National Public Lands Day this September 25th. Read more…
10 Essential Questions: Rayda Mirzaa
Each week we bring you a personal story from one of our members. For our member profile this week we talked to.... Read more…
Impact Giving | Expanding Our Conservation and Advocacy Program
Five years ago, I made my first donation to The Mountaineers. At the time, I was seeking organizations that elevated our region's quality of life and were committed to improving our collective environmental impact. Initially drawn in through the conservation and advocacy program, I was inspired to join the members and donors who give back to fully fund the department. Charitable giving supports 75% of The Mountaineers Conservation and Advocacy program, and the remainder is funded through membership renewals. Read more…
Help Bring Solar to the Tacoma Program Center with the EVO Program
Are you a Tacoma Mountaineer interested in supporting renewable energy in our region, or eco-friendly renovations for the Tacoma Program Center? Read more…
Action Alert! Support Public Lands Funding
We say it all the time: funding public lands is a core part of protecting the places we love. Years of underfunding and budget cuts have left agencies without the staff or resources they need to steward our public lands and waters. Without adequate funding, trails don’t get maintained, facilities like restrooms and campgrounds are closed, and the natural environment is degraded. Fortunately, there are several opportunities right now to take action to support public lands funding. Read more…
Seattle REI 25th Anniversary Series: Conservation Event Benefiting The Mountaineers | Sep 22
On September 19, 1996, REI opened the doors to its first flagship store in downtown Seattle to serve as a hub for its co-op members. Twenty-five years later, you’ll still find the store bustling with outdoor enthusiasts searching for top quality gear, seeking expert advice, and receiving service from a pro technician. To celebrate their 25th anniversary, the REI Seattle flagship store is inviting you to eat, drink, and socialize to support conservation work at The Mountaineers. Read more…
Help Shape the Future of Mount Rainier National Park
Mount Rainier is a favorite destination for Mountaineers members for activities like wildflower hikes, snow skills practice at Paradise, or a Basic alpine climb in the Tatoosh Range. But park entrances and roads can get quite congested, especially on sunny summer weekends. Hours-long waits at the Nisqually entrance near Ashford are common, and finding parking can be the crux of the trip. Read more…
Great News for Ancient Forests and Climate: Tongass Protections Restored
Over the past few years, we’ve asked you to take action against a proposal to exempt the Tongass National Forest in Alaska from the Roadless Rule. The Roadless Rule is an important conservation tool that protects many of our most valued backcountry landscapes, including many in Washington, from logging, road building, and other development. The previous administration removed protections from the Tongass rainforest to open it up to development, despite overwhelming opposition. Read more…
Action Alert! Tell Congress to Act on Climate
As the Pacific Northwest faces an early and intense wildfire season, an unprecedented heat wave, and severe drought, we’ve been thinking a lot about how The Mountaineers can help advance climate solutions. The climate crisis is an urgent threat to our communities and the Pacific Northwest landscapes we love. Our community experiences the effects of climate change on our outdoor adventures, as wildfires cancel hikes and glacier travel becomes more perilous. It also impacts our health and communities, especially our most vulnerable. Read more…
Conservation Currents | Smoky Summers and Shorter Ski Seasons
Few have directly witnessed the insidious change that our warming climate has wrought on the Pacific Northwest. Those who have seen the impacts are often outdoorspeople who have been intimately connected with the land for decades, watching as it slowly morphs under the pressure of a changing climate. Pat O’Brien is one of those people. Read more…
Olympia Stewardship: Spring & Early Summer 2021
Olympia Mountaineers have been busy this year! We're back in full force now that COVID-19 restrictions have loosened, and our hard work has already made a big impact. Read about two recent projects branch members undertook, and get inspired for your own stewardship day this season. Read more…
How Do You Recreate in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest? Share Your Data
Do you hike, climb, bike, hunt, picnic, or otherwise spend time outdoors in Washington? We need your help! Our partners are working to help the US Forest Service improve their data collection related to visitor use in Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. Information about outdoor recreation is critical for maintaining and advocating for recreational opportunities on public lands. Read more…