Outdoor Leadership
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Leader Spotlight: Molly Kirk
For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Molly Kirk, a volunteer leader with the Everett Branch who strives to create a safe environment for all her Climbing and Nordic Skiing programs. She also serves on Everett's Alpine Scrambling Committee and Equity & Inclusion Working Group for The Mountaineers. Read more…
What is Leader's Permission?
Mountaineers activities are led by volunteers giving their time to get other people into the outdoors safely. Due to the potentially hazardous nature of our activities, some of our leaders choose to require their permission - Leader’s Permission - to register. The process to obtain leader’s permission is not prescribed, and is up to the leader to manage on a trip-by-trip basis. Leader's Permission can be a critical tool for ensuring a successful trip, but good communication is key to avoiding frustration. We hope the guidance below will help set expectations and illustrate best practices for both leaders and participants. Read more…
Leader Spotlight: Alan Kearney
For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Alan Kearney, a volunteer leader with the Bellingham Branch who has been leading climbs for decades. He attributes Mountaineers climbs and family climbing trips, his mother and father were Mazamas members, in shaping who he is today and influencing his life greatly. Read more…
Join us at the 2021 Wilderness Risk Management Conference
How do industry trends affect, shape, and impact our programs at The Mountaineers? If this is a question that you've ever considered, and a conversation that you're interested in being a part of, we invite you to join The Mountaineers at this year's Wilderness Risk Management Conference online. Read more…
Leader Spotlight: Gretchen Ta
For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Gretchen Ta, the Chair Elect for the Kitsap Branch Council, and Kitsap First Aid and Conservation & Stewardship Committee Chair. Gretchen also serves as a Volunteer Leader for the Kitsap Branch Climbing Program! Read more…
Leader Spotlight: James Pierson
For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to James Pierson, a volunteer leader with the Bellingham Branch who is also a guide at the American Alpine Institute! He credits the experience and skills he learned from The Mountaineers with landing that job and continues to volunteer with the club as a way to give back to the community. Read more…
Leader Spotlight: Deloa Dalby
For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Deloa Dalby, a volunteer leader with the Foothills Branch who helped launch the Trailhead Ambassadors program in partnership with the Mountains to Sound Greenway earlier this spring! Read more…
Leader Spotlight: Laurel Geisbush
For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Laurel Geisbush, a volunteer leader with the Everett Branch who encourages aspiring leaders to ask other leaders questions about their experiences, listen deeply, and learn from them. Read more…
Leader Spotlight: Alina Badus
For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Alina Badus, a volunteer leader with the Seattle Branch who loves seeing trips come together from start to finish, and whose bucket list includes climbing Mount Rainier! Read more…
Leader Spotlight: Danny Casady
For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Danny Casady, a volunteer leader with the Tacoma Branch who believes leadership is all about building: building character; building up others to their full potential; and building memories one peak, one switchback, and one sunset at a time. Read more…
Outside Insights | Taking Care of the Basics: Setting your students up for successful learning
Volunteer-led outdoor education is the heart and soul of The Mountaineers. Our instructors are passionate about sharing their love of the outdoors with others, and many of our students choose to play an important role in our community as volunteer instructors after graduation. Read more…
Webinar Series - Giving Structured Feedback
It is an all-too-familiar feeling for many of us. You just watched one of your peers fumble a skill demonstration. Or maybe you've noticed a student who is over-participating, not leaving at room for others to ask questions or share knowledge. You want to provide feedback to get things back on track, but you're worried about how it will be received. What do you do? Read more…
Upcoming Olympia Branch Courses and COVID-19 Accommodations
As we navigate COVID-19, our priority is to keep our members safe and engaged in the outdoors. The Olympia branch is excited to offer three upcoming courses in January and February; hear from the course chairs on the safety adjustments made, and what you can expect to learn. Read more…
Leader Spotlight: Steve Payne
For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Steve Payne, a longtime volunteer with the Seattle Branch who recently moved to Olympia and has jumped right in! Read more…
Leader Spotlight: Barbara Folmer
For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Barbara Folmer, a volunteer leader with the Foothills Branch who first got involved with The Mountaineers to go snowshoeing, and who stayed involved because of the community! Read more…
What Are The Ten Essentials?
The Mountaineers Ten Essentials™ dates back to our climbing courses of the 1930s. This widely respected safety and packing system was formalized in the third edition of Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills, released in 1974. Each of the nine editions of Freedom, as it is affectionately known, was written entirely by volunteers and reflects the collective wisdom of hundreds of outdoor skills instructors. The list has always sought to answer two basic questions: Read more…
Leader Spotlight: Chase Gruszewski
For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Chase Gruszewski, a volunteer leader with the Kitsap Branch who chairs the Kitsap Climbing Committee and once did a 25 hour epic of Shield Wall on Mt. Washington. Read more…
Leader Spotlight: Bruce Durham
For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Bruce Durham, a volunteer leader with the Tacoma Branch who has ramped-up his paddling during the pandemic. He eventually hopes to lead a series of day trips - 22 of them! - originating at Budd Inlet near Olympia, paddling north through Puget Sound to the Straight of Juan de Fuca, then going west out to Cape Flattery and around to Hobuck Beach. It will be a 229nm adventure. Read more…
Leader Spotlight: Shuko Hashimoto & Christina Buckman
For this month's Leader Spotlight, we're changing things up and running a group feature. As a part of this special edition, we talked with Shuko Hashimoto and Christina Buckman, both leaders with the Backpacking Building Blocks (B3) course offered by the Foothills Branch. Read more…
Leader Spotlight: Thomas Bancroft
For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Thomas Bancroft, a volunteer leader with the Seattle Branch who loves the process of learning with others. His advice to new leaders? You don't have to know everything, a love of nature and a willingness to learn is plenty! Read more…
Leader Spotlight: Nataliya Semez
For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Nataliya Semez, a volunteer leader with the Seattle Branch who is proud to represent The Mountaineers on the trail and in all aspects of life! Read more…
Foothills Branch Seeking Chair-Elect to Join Our Dynamic Team
The Foothills Branch is seeking a new Chair-Elect to join our team this spring! This position is part of a 2.5-year term; the new Chair-Elect will begin ASAP and transition to a one-year term as Branch Chair on November 1, throughout which you will receive active support and mentoring throughout from the current chair and our strong branch council. Then, your last year will be serving as Past Chair, with a focus on supporting the chair and helping to mentor the next Chair-Elect. Read more…
All 2019 Braided River titles are Nautilus Award winners!
Braided River, the conservation imprint of Mountaineers Books, is proud to announce that out of more than 550 entries, all four of their 2019 titles were awarded Nautilus Awards. The Big Thaw: Ancient Carbon, Modern Science, and a Race to Save the World (Braided River, 2019) was also named the Grand Award Winner, which accompanies a $2500 grant award for the author and photographer. Read more…
Leader Spotlight: Becky Jacobsen
For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Becky Jacobsen, a volunteer leader with the Tacoma Branch who loves helping members gain new skills and the confidence to expand their horizons. Read more…
Leader Spotlight: Peter Hendrickson
For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Peter Hendrickson, a volunteer leader with the Seattle Branch who loves night hikes and encourages everyone to take a leadership role on his trips. Read more…
Leader Spotlight: Dee Ann Kline
For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Dee Ann Kline, a volunteer leader with the Olympia Branch who enjoys leading easy paced hikes with plenty of time for photos and berry picking. Read more…
Leader Spotlight: Steven Anderson
For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Steven Anderson, a volunteer leader with the Kitsap Branch who encourages everyone to keep learning and refreshing their skills through teaching. Read more…
2019 Recap: A Year In Review
Volunteerism is at the core of The Mountaineers mission. Everything we accomplish is the result of volunteer initiative, and our "flavor" here in the PNW is that of a vibrant volunteer-driven community. We often say that volunteers are our "secret sauce", and that's more true than ever as we enter a new decade of adventure. Read more…
Leader Spotlight: John Gilbert
For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to John Gilbert, a volunteer leader with the Foothills Branch who loves both close-to-home and more remote adventures. He has hiked Tiger Mountain more than 100 times, and is also working his way through the Rainier 100! Read more…
Leader Spotlight: Carlanna Livingstone
For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Carlanna Livingstone, a hike leader with the Tacoma Branch who loves fire lookouts and hiking with her dog Raven. Read more…