Conservation & Advocacy

Twenty-five years ago Cold War Enemies, united by climbing, stood together on the highest point on earth honoring world peace and the environment. Join us September 17 to celebrate this ground-breaking anniversary.  Read more…

Admission is FREE and registering will guarantee entry at Wild Rivers Night.  Read more…

“There are two things that interest me: the relationship of people to the land, and the relationship of people to each other.” –Aldo Leopold Read more…

If you’ve never heard of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), you’re not alone. Yet, LWCF is one of the most effective tools we have to conserve land and improve outdoor recreation opportunities, and it expires this September. It's responsible for protecting sections of the Pacific Crest Trail and Mt. Si, to name a few. Follow this link  to help save it. Read more…

 We took a sharp turn onto Alaska Place and parked at a dead end in front of a house with a green awning covering the front porch. “Green Seattle Partnership” lined the edge of the tent, shovels were laid out in a perfect pattern, and a huge -pile of mulch sat next to the front door. Read more…

The Outdoor Access Working Group (OAWG) believes that people should be able to responsibly appreciate and experience America’s National Forests. For many people, organized trips are the ticket to outdoor recreation. Therefore, the organizations that lead these trips are crucial leaders in terms of outdoor recreation. Read more…

The U.S. Army has proposed 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 areas and trails. Read more…

A bi-partisan energy bill released by Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Senator Murkowski (R-AK) includes PERMANENT reauthorization for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). Read more…

Few have documented the new American West as thoroughly or as beautifully as conservation photographer Dave Showalter. In a new book of photography and essays, Sage Spirit (out in August from nonprofit conservation publisher Braided River), Showalter illuminates the Sagebrush Sea which houses an abundance of unique wildlife, including the quickly receding population of Greater and Gunnison Sage-grouse. Read more…

Have you heard about efforts in Western States, including Washington, to transfer federal public lands to the state? A campaign to transfer public lands to state control threatens hundreds of millions of acres of national forests, rangelands, wildlife refuges, wilderness areas and historic sites across the Western US. Read more…

National Forests are by definition multi-use areas: they sustain a thriving recreation economy, protect wildlife and waterways, and support timber, grazing, and development. To balance all these interests, we must ensure that different communities can participate in decision making. Read more…

The Mountaineers have been helping people enjoy responsible outdoor recreation for over 100 years. Recent difficulties with outfitter-guide permits for facilitated use in National Forests have restricted many organizations from taking people outside. As as result, numerous people are unable to learn, appreciate, and experience America's Forests. Complex and inconsistent permitting procedures make the current system difficult for everyone. Read more…

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By Margaret Ullman-Hess, Communications Manager at The Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust

Bipartisan legislation was introduced today to designate the Mountains to Sound Greenway as a National Heritage Area. Senate legislation was introduced by Senators Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray, and House legislation was introduced by Congressmen Dave Reichert and Adam Smith. Read more…

Earlier this month, our Everett Branch Trail Maintenance folks celebrated National Trails Day with work on the White Chuck Bench Trail outside of Darrington. Read more…

The Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program (WWRP) - our State's primary tool for conserving the gorgeous natural areas beloved by our community - is at risk. The State Senate budget will be dismantling the WWRP and cutting funding to almost all planned backcountry recreation and conservation projects for state lands. These projects preserve our natural heritage and ensure our lands and waters remain open to the public. Read more…

A call for Citizen Scientists - be a part of our regional volunteer effort to detect and eradicate invasive plant species! Read more…

I made my first trip to Washington, D.C. for The Mountaineers about five months into my job here. As I coordinated with partner organizations to schedule meeting with legislators, I was a bit surprised — I was easily able to get meetings as a representative of The Mountaineers that other organizations couldn’t. I say only ‘a bit’ surprised because I knew I was walking in the footsteps of giants; that our organization’s reputation as a leader in outdoor education and conservation far preceded any of my work here. Indeed, The Mountaineers’ legacy of leadership is why I joined and took on the role of defining and amplifying our conservation work as we move forward. Read more…

One of the most important things we do as Mountaineers is inspire people to love the outdoors. Since you can only love what you know, we work to get people of all ages outside into nature. Our public lands provide outstanding places to recreate and experience the great outdoors up close. Read more…

As I look out over a plain of rushing water, a pleasant earthy smell permeates the air, hinting surprisingly of sulfur. Read more…

From hiking in the stunning Methow Valley, to trail work in the Darrington area, The Mountaineers does a lot to celebrate National Trails Day.

The Everett Branch partners with the Darrington Ranger district of Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and the city of Darrington each year for a day of trail work. Read more…

Do you ever marvel at how beautiful our state is? From lush forests, to magnificent glaciated peaks to the shores of Puget Sound, we live in an awe-inspiring place. Read more…

Blame the Internet. Blame social media. Blame me and other guidebook writers. Blame the Washington Trails Association (WTA). Read more…

Ten years ago the Forest Service issued a travel management rule designated to regulate wheeled vehicle use on Forest lands. At the time, snowmobiles were considered “optional” to regulate, and were therefore not included in the legislation. Then, last summer, we asked you to share your voice on a new proposal for winter travel management in our National Forests. Now, a new regulation known as the Over Snow Vehicle Travel Rule has been passed to account for snowmobile use. Read more…

We are facing a unique opportunity to protect 1.5 million acres of land in the Mountains to Sound Greenway. Extending from the Seattle waterfront to Ellensburg, the Greenway is an outdoor recreation paradise, hosting 1,600 miles of trails, excellent whitewater run, backcountry skiing and snowshoeing terrain, rock climbing routes, mountain bike trails, and views of the stunning Cascade Crest. Read more…

Eleven Olympia Mountaineers members joined forces with the Forest Service to help restore Lena Creek Campground on the Olympic Peninsula on April 15. The group cleaned up four camp sites that had been damaged in winter flooding. Read more…

On Monday, March 23, we were excited to return to Olympia with our partners in the No Child Left Inside Alliance to testify in support of Senate Bill 5843. Read more…

For our member profile this week, we take a different approach and introduce you to Katherine Hollis, our conservation and recreation manager. Learn about why she became interested in conservation, and what excites her most about working with The Mountaineers. Read more…

You’d be hard pressed to miss the invitations and communications over the past couple of months about our Mountaineers BREAKTHROUGH fundraising event on April 11. With an all-star lineup of climbers in the program, you’re probably wondering why we’re writing about it in relationship to conservation. Well, underlying the climbing theme of the evening is the impact story about why anyone should care about The Mountaineers efforts to get people outside – conservation is a primary driver of that story. Read more…

North Cascades National Park, considered the “wild nearby” for its incredible scenery and wildlife, is also at the center of an opportunity being led by the National Park Service, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and U.S. Forest Service to restore a grizzly bear population. Read more…