Conservation & Advocacy

In The Mountaineers: A History, longtime Mountaineers President Edmond Meany summed up the club’s mission in the 1910 annual: “This is a new country. It abounds in a fabulous wealth of scenic beauty. It is possible to so conserve parts of that wealth that it may be enjoyed by countless generations through the centuries to come… This club is vigilant for wise conservation and it is also anxious to blaze ways into the hills that anyone may follow.” Read more…

Gas Works Park was the site of a gathering calling for the permanent reauthorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund.  Supporters whooped and hollered as Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash) listed the event’s participants, turning to the second page of supporters and exclaiming, “Wow, I guess there’s a lot of people in the Northwest who care about wilderness!”   Read more…

Last year, we checked with our members and Conservation Currents readers to better understand individual interest in conservation issues, get opinions on existing Mountaineers conservation programs, and generate ideas for the future. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share your perspectives with us! Read more…

In our suburban household in northern California, when the kids were little, we didn’t talk about conservation. But we did talk about love, care and respect — for our home, our selves, others — for our surroundings. When we went up to Lake Tahoe, we talked about how fragile an environment it was and how easily ruined. When we drove across the country to see grandparents, we talked about the landscape and the animals we saw, and how our behavior affects them. How many there are and how many there used to be.  Read more…

At The Mountaineers, we've believe venturing into the outdoors is an essential piece of the human experience. We go outside to wander and explore the adventurous spirit within ourselves. It's important to implement low-impact recreation skills to keep our wild places as sanctuaries for the human spirit; so our grandchildren can experience the sensation of discovering an untouched place. Read more…

My plan was initially without a hitch. Hike from Longmire on the Wonderland Trail to Indian Henry’s Hunting Ground. Do a little photography in those famed fields, visit the Mirror Lakes and then head back out via the Kautz Creek Trail. It would be a nice 14.5-mile hike with some decent elevation gain. My hiking partner would leave a car at the Kautz Creek trailhead and we would drive back to Longmire to retrieve my vehicle. Plan was good — until my hiking partner couldn’t make it. I was on assignment, so the hike would go on.  Read more…

In spring 2015, over 3,100 of you signed a petition to designate the Mountains to Sound Greenway as a National Heritage Area (NHA), more than doubling the number of petition signatures to date. Last week, this legislation took an important step forward in Congress, when the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee held a hearing that included consideration of the NHA bill.   Read more…

It's easy to forget that many of our beloved trails and historic structures are maintained by volunteers. The Mountaineers have a long tradition of stewarding these places, and the tradition grows stronger every day - as long as you get involved! Consider being a part of history and join us on a stewardship activity this summer. Read more…

Today, the U.S. Forest Service announced new guidance that will change the operation of the agency’s outfitter-guide permitting system. This new guidance will streamline the process for issuing permits to outdoor leaders and recreation businesses that take people outdoors. These improvements will provide more access to federal lands and waters for a wide range of facilitated use.  Read more…

I am confident that you and I have at least two things in common: 1) we both set aside time to explore the outdoors, and 2) at some point during these adventures we will both experience the discomfort of knowing we have to go number two. Even if you don't, you will inevitably be reminded of this basic human function by the sight of toilet paper discarded uncomfortably close to trails and water sources. By the amount of TP I have seen recently on Washington’s trails, it seems even the most avid outdoor enthusiasts may not know how to handle nature’s calling. Read more…

The Pacific Crest Trail (or PCT), a 2663.5-mile National Scenic Trail stretching from Mexico to Canada through California, Oregon, and Washington, epitomizes the ideal of physical challenge and one-of-a-kind natural resources bringing people together for a purpose larger than themselves - much like the mission of The Mountaineers. Read more…

Last year, The Mountaineers advocated for the Wildfire Disaster Funding Act - legislation to treat emergency wildfires like natural disasters to funded through the disaster programs rather than the Forest Service’s budget. We shared how wildfires impact outdoor recreation and how we engaged as an organization on the issue in 2015. The bill has lost momentum in Congress this season due to lower fire predictions, but fire management is not something we can afford to put on the back burner. Read more…

The Methow Valley sits in the cradle of more than twenty 8,000-foot peaks, their snow-covered summits melting into a web of rivers and tributaries. It’s a human-powered recreationist’s dream, home to the nation’s largest cross-country ski area, a heralded section of the Pacific Crest Trail, and a vast expanse of wild forests with some of the best hiking, backpacking, paddling, and fly-fishing around.  Read more…

Invasive non-native plants are a major threat to biodiversity in our National Forests. The Mountaineers is partnering again this year with King County and the National Forest Service to help stop the spread of invasive species in our wilderness areas. Read more…

Washington’s North Cascades are home to thousands of black bears and fewer than twenty grizzly bears. Knowing how to play safe in bear country is as important as bringing a first aid kit and appropriate clothing for your adventure. Read more…

The Mountaineers is proud to be one of the member organizations making up the Outdoor Alliance,  a group working to unite the voices of outdoor recreation advocates, including backcountry skiers, paddlers, climbers, and mountain bikers. Last month we were in DC advocating for your public lands and waters.  Read more…

A group of dedicated Mountaineers had an alpine start this morning. Not for a climb, but for our inaugural fundraising breakfast, hosted at the downtown Seattle Sheraton hotel. We’re grateful for the donors, members, volunteers, staff and friends of The Mountaineers who began their day with us. Through the generous support of nearly 300 attendees and corporate sponsors, we raised over $110,000!  Read more…

How have The Mountaineers thrived for over 100 years? By continually investing in the next generation of explorers, outdoor-lovers, and conservationists. The Mountaineers’ commitment to youth recently scored a major victory when Governor Inslee announced nearly $1 million in grants to give kids access to the outdoors. The grants come courtesy of Senate Bill 5843. Read more…

We've got four great work parties scheduled for National Trails Day this year. Whether you are on the Peninsula, in the greater Seattle area or near the North Cascades, you can get outside and get your hands dirty!  Read more…

The project measures a variety of glaciers across the North Cascades — from the south end of the range on Mount Daniel to the north end on Mount Shuksan; and from the West side on Kulshan (Mount Baker) to the dry East side on the Ice Worm Glacier (aka Hyas Creek Glacier). The glaciers are a critical resource in the region, providing water for farm and crop irrigation, hydropower, salmon and other wildlife, along with municipal supply. Read more…

How many human-powered recreationists does it take to screw in a light bulb that illuminates the value of protecting our public lands and waters? A lot - there is power in numbers! That’s why we’re proud to be one of seven member organizations in Outdoor Alliance, an organization that mobilizes the voice of outdoor enthusiasts nationwide. This week we celebrate two huge successes: the next step in permanent reauthorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund, and a call by Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell to improve diversity, access, and funding for public lands. Read more…

Update: This legislation has been reintroduced in the 116th Congress (2019) by Senator Patty Murray (S. 1382) and Congressman Derek Kilmer (H.R. 2642).  Thank you Washington state lawmakers for continuing to fight for our treasured lands and waters! 

If you’re a Mountaineer, there’s a good chance you’ve enjoyed the Olympic National Forest. Old growth trees, lush rain forests, ocean views, and towering mountains—the area’s list of scenic wonders goes on. But preserving them requires us to broaden our scope to collaborate with many others who also have a vested interest in these lands. We've been working with a diverse group of interested parties to advocate for the Wild Olympics Act, which could result in nearly 127,000 acres of new Wilderness in Olympic National Forest and 19 new Wild and Scenic Rivers.  Read more…

Last summer, we shared the US Army’s proposal for several helicopter landing sites in the North Cascades for pilots to practice flyovers and high altitude landings. Some of the proposed landing zones have raised concerns because of their proximity to popular recreation lands, trails, and designated Wilderness areas. Read more…

Happy National Park Week! This April 16-24 we celebrate National Park Week by about making connections, exploring amazing places, and discovering open spaces in our National Parks. To help you celebrate, the National Park Service is giving you free entry to National Parks this week!   Read more…

How can we ensure the iconic lands “made for you and me” continue to be the gateway for falling in love with and protecting the natural world? Can our national parks be more inviting and better reflect the rich diversity of America? Will they remain world-class destinations? Can our parks become models for sustainability? Read more…

Every morning I wake to the heaviness of dread and scattered anxiety. Big life-shaking questions bombard me the minute I realize I’ve stopped dreaming. Every effort to create mental order in my overturned life is like opening closet doors only to have the contents of my life spill into a giant mess at my feet. Would I have to move away? Quit my job that I love? Leave the house that I built on eleven acres and leave behind my community and deep relationships in a giant dust-cloud of failure?  Read more…

Think back to a time when you stood in the middle of an old growth forest or looked out over an expanse of uninterrupted wild country. Didn't it just feel... right? Make you feel small? Make you feel whole? Content? Read more…

Last spring, we encouraged you to sign a petition supporting a National Heritage Designation for the Mountains to Sound Greenway. Over 3,000 of you lent your voice to this issue - your signature helped double the support for this designation!   Read more…

Today, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell released a Secretary’s Order to decrease barriers for disadvantaged and under-resourced youth to access America’s public lands and waters. Read more…

The Nooksack Access Travel Management project in Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest seeks to identifying roads to retain, roads that are no longer needed, and roads that need work to stay open. The major roads for recreational users included in this project area are Glacier Creek, Hannegan Pass, Skyline Divide, and Canyon Creek Road.  Read more…