Climbing

A little more dirt and a little less snow are filling the pages of our trip reports now that we're well into spring. You all promptly stepped into your hiking boots this month too, it would seem. But regardless of the trails clearing up, I still see plenty of rain jackets! Hooray for indecisive weather and unreliable forecasts through the next month or two! Read more…

Climbing can be an intimidating sport. For plus size people it’s even more so. Worrying about whether or not a harness will fit your body is a huge barrier to so many. Many of you have told me that you’re scared or have felt uncomfortable trying a new sport when you’re surrounded by other straight sized folks. I really want to break down those barriers and offer a more comfortable space to learn in. Don’t worry, I’ll show you the ropes (pun intended)! Read more…

You’ve seen them around: whether with a speed walking grandpa, that youngin’ plowing down the path, or the ultrarunner in the video of the Rocky 100, trekking poles (also called hiking poles or walking sticks) are an outdoor accessory almost as old as hiking itself. But… why would you use them? Read more…

Dierdre Wolownick has lived an interesting life - mother, wife, teacher, musician, linguist, writer, runner and climber. Her son Alex Honnold is one of the two or three most famous rock climbers in the world. Dierdre herself started climbing late in life and at age 66 she climbed El Cap, making her the oldest woman to accomplish the feat. Find out how the author of The Sharp End of Life: A Mother's Story keeps life exciting. Read more…

Spring has sprung! Can't you tell? T-shirts and sandals are trickling back into our lives, people are sitting outside just for the fun of it, and all of a sudden it makes sense to buy sunscreen again. Read more…

Progressive Climbing Education (PCE) is a strategic initiative to advance our Mountaineers climbing programs, make our suite of volunteer-led Climbing Programs more fun for volunteers to run, easier to recruit volunteers for, more attractive to new climbers (especially those coming out of the gym), and more advanced for our highly-skilled volunteers and students. This quarterly communication is intended to provide regular updates about each committees' projects, offer transparency, and ensure that all branches are able to provide feedback and input to proposed changes to the climbing programs. Read more…

Many people use an abbreviated slang word in climbing without consideration or afterthought. This word is frequently used alongside other words like rope, harness, and belay. If you search on the Internet for this word, the first 5-10 results would reference the term to describe a piece of standard climbing gear. Countless climbing websites recognize the slang word as a standard, and our basic climbing students are even indoctrinated with its common use. And all of us are wrong. Read more…

One of the core elements of our mission at The Mountaineers is to engage future Mountaineers. Many of our members may not know about everything we do to foster youth involvement in the outdoors, and we hear that some people are surprised to learn about our robust youth program, which has three distinct parts: outreach programs (like Mountain Workshops and our Gear Library), school break camps, and year-round outdoor clubs. One of these year-round programs is The Mountaineers Adventure Club (MAC). Designed for teens aged 14-18, MAC includes a wide variety of outdoor activities and focuses on developing strong alpine climbing skills.  Read more…

Jeff Smoot is the author of Hangdog Days: Conflict, Change, and the Race for 5.14, a fast-paced history-cum-memoir about rock climbing in the late '70s and early '80s—a pivotal and contentious time.  Read more…

Lush green corridors. Colorful basalt. Smooth sculpted granite. Turquoise pools. Waterfall after waterfall. The world class canyons of the Pacific Northwest are one of our best kept secrets. And we're hosting a 2-weekend Canyoning Course in July to get you out in these magical places.  Read more…

If you lead on bolts and are interested in learning more about trad climbing, the Seattle Climbing Committee sponsors two trad courses each year to introduce climbers like you to the fun world of leading on gear. Read more…

Jim Whittaker, a living legend among mountaineers worldwide, is a father, husband, environmentalist, and author. He is recognized as one the most influential climbers in American history, and is a visionary business and community leader in Seattle and the Pacific Northwest. We're proud to count 'Big Jim' as a Mountaineers member, and invite you to join us in wishing him, and his twin brother Lou, a very happy 90th birthday today!   Read more…

In 1965 Jim Whittaker led Senator Robert Kennedy to the first ascent of a remote mountain in the Yukon named after the late president, JFK. Fifty years later, the sons of the original climbing team - a raucous band manager, a candidate for governor, and a young mountaineer - embark on an expedition to the mountain to celebrate the special bond that connects them all. Featuring unreleased instrumentals by Eddie Vedder and never before seen footage and photos of Robert Kennedy, the feature-length documentary sits at the intersection of politics, human rights, environmentalism, and adventure. Read more…

Mountaineers members can earn badges and peak pin awards for completing different objectives in Washington and beyond. If you're looking for new ideas, look no further than our list of Award Badges! And join us in congratulating the 2018 class on their collective achievements. Read more…

Wolf Bauer, one of The Mountaineers’ oldest and most distinguished members, passed away on January 23, 2016, a month shy of his 104th birthday. He was born on February 24, 1912. Read more…

In 1934, a group of aspiring Seattle peak baggers lined the railings of the Rialto Building to watch a young University of Washington student named Wolf Bauer rappel three stories down the central shaft. The maneuver was one of several climbing techniques Wolf had taught himself using materials solicited from family ties in Germany. In lieu of a belay device or climbing harness, neither of which had been invented, Wolf ran two lines of rope between his legs, around one thigh, up and across his chest, over his shoulder, and down his back. Read more…

Climbing mountains requires a lot of energy, risk management, and the ability to lean into difficult situations. In this new speaker series, sponsored by the Seattle Climbing Committee, hear from four local outdoor experts in a series of seminars on nutrition, high altitude travel, mountain weather, and dealing with head trauma. Read more…

We thought we were in a safe spot, but before we knew it, my Dad was falling into a crevasse. Moments earlier, we had arrived back at high camp and started to unclip from the rope – the tether that allows climbers to catch one another in the event of a fall. Then, in an instant, the snow collapsed under Dad. He pulled his leg out, but was unable to gain purchase and started sliding down the slope into the void. Only one of us, a new climber named Scott, was still attached to him. Read more…

In 1965 Jim Whittaker led Senator Robert Kennedy to the first ascent of a remote mountain in the Yukon named after the late president JFK. Fifty years later, the sons of the original climbing team—a raucous band manager, a candidate for governor, and a young mountaineer—embarked on an expedition to the mountain to celebrate the special bond that connects them all. This expedition is captured in the film Return to Mount Kennedy, and was screened in front of packed house in Seattle on December 9, 2018, and will be featured again on February 19, 2019, at our Seattle Program Center. Read more…

Artist Jeremy Collins roams the globe with sketchbooks in hand, dumping his soul into their pages. In the folds of those pages  his particular worldview was born—from authentic travel and adventures as an exploratory rock climber to award-winning filmmaker and author. Read more…

With great sadness we share the news of the passing of Steve Biem, a cherished member of our Seattle Branch climbing community and beloved father. He succumbed to high-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) at Camp II on Ama Dablam this morning, after summiting with a team yesterday afternoon. Read more…

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Tab Wilkins, a volunteer leader with the Foothills Branch who encourages our leaders to be more collaborative, to learn from and recognize near-misses, and to embrace opportunities for feedback. Read more…

“You should have seen my classroom before we started with The Mountaineers,” says Robin Gannett, a teacher at Aki Kurose Middle School. “It’s a completely different classroom now.” Read more…

Join us on December 18, in partnership with Washington Climbers Coalition, to see The Dawn Wall, a film capturing the captivating free climb of Yosemite's Dawn Wall. Read more…

The Mountaineers recommends using a dedicated extension when rappelling in an alpine setting. This method provides maximum flexibility and efficiency, allows you to move freely near the anchor while being clipped in, and maintains the extension within arms reach while on rappel. Read more…

I started climbing about twelve years ago, in the mountains of North Carolina in my mid-20s. Climbing did not come naturally to me, and I still constantly fight the cognitive dissonance of wanting to ascend higher and master moves while facing a petrifying fear of heights. Through the years I have experimented with ways to manage this fear, which has made room for this activity to make a positive impact on my life. I’ve used climbing as a vehicle for travel and exploration. My closest friends are those who’ve tied into a rope with me. And climbing is the activity I most enjoy teaching to new and aspiring Mountaineers. Read more…

Fall is here, which means lots of transitions between t-shirts and raincoats - don't forget your layers, folks! Although our Washington weather can be fickle at this time of year, when you get a  crisp autumn day perfect for an outdoor adventure, it's well worth it. We hope you're able to get out there and enjoy the season before it's time to  start strapping on skis, snowshoes, and snowboards. Read more…

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Curtis Stock, a volunteer leader with the Tacoma Branch who encourages our members to give trip leadership a try. If your committee thinks you're ready, you probably are! Read more…

After the 2018 calendar by Jeremy Collins sold out in two months, the artist and Mountaineers Books decided to publish one for 2019 too (The Wild Lines of Jeremy Collins, 2019 Wall Calendar). Following are questions we asked Jeremy about how his climbing pursuits and his personal philosophy are reflected in his art. Read more…

We invite you to apply for this winter's Alpine Ambassadors ice climbing program. The program will help you develop more advanced ice climbing skills on challenging terrain with support from each other, skilled volunteers, and professional guides. Volunteers from all branches are invited to participate in this innovative, aspirational program, which seeks to infuse The Mountaineers with deeper skills and inspiration to give back.   Read more…