Courses & Activities

Starting in Spring 2016, The Mountaineers will be offering Wilderness First Responder and Wilderness First Responder Recertification courses!  Read more…

We all know about the therapeutic value of spending time in nature - but nobody practices it better than Mountaineers. Read more…

The Photography Committee has been holding a basic photography course for many decades, changing with technology as necessary. Because of these advancements, we have made the course shorter, splitting it into two class types and focus on digital cameras. These courses are now offered three to four times each year instead of once a year. Read more…

Did you know that the Photography Committee holds monthly potlucks where members showcase their photos? It's a great way to see what other members have been doing while giving ideas of places to go to enjoy to enjoy the great outdoors. Read more…

We're excited to welcome local climber and author Blake Herrington to Washington's cadre of self-published guidebook authors! You've seen his work in Alpinist, Climbing, and Rock & Ice magazines as well as numerous websites and newspapers. And he's just completed a new guidebook, Cascades Rock: The 160 Best Multipitch & Alpine Routes in Washington  and Southern BC. Join us on March 22 as he presents his new guidebook at the Seattle Program Center.  Read more…

At this action-packed evening, you can check our our Gear Grab, meet fellow Mountaineers and learn how to get involved in our courses and activities, and enjoy great stories and pictures from Tacoma Mountaineer Beth Owen on her 8-day kayak adventure around the beautiful San Juan Islands. Read more…

As he stood at the mouth of Pure Imagination, a newly discovered ice cave on Mt. Hood’s Sandy Glacier, Tyler Jursain felt apprehension. “I don’t even know if we’re welcome here,” he thought, glancing to his partners Dave Perez and Erik Chelstad. They had been planning this trip for months, and now he stood feet from the final destination. Read more…

Although no safety incidents have been reported, Black Diamond has issued a voluntary recall for a number of their carabiners and nylon runners. 

The inspection procedure is on the Black Diamond site and they are offering new product free of charge if the gear does not pass the inspection. Read more…

Of all the Wilderness areas in Washington State, Mount Rainier is by far the most iconic. It was the fifth national park established in the United States — back in 1899. Millions flock there every year to hike, ski, snowshoe, climb or simply take photos. Those who love the outdoors love any excuse to spend more time in this beautiful park.  Read more…

We've been hearing from many hikers and backpackers who want to learn navigation and field first aid/emergency-response skills, but aren't ready to invest the time and expense for the full Wilderness First Aid or Navigation course. Others really want to get strong and in shape for the trail season but would like some professional guidance to design a tailored conditioning program. To help, our volunteers from the Foothills branch have developed clinics tailored for hikers and backpackers from all walks of life.  Read more…

It’s that time of year when I like to take inventory of my backpacking gear and find the chores I put off during the busier hiking months. Remember that small tear in your tent mesh you ignored or the clogged water filter you put off cleaning? Like me, you probably forgot about those issues when you stuffed your gear away last fall and will only remember them when you are already in the wilderness on your first trip. If these simple tasks are left unattended, they can become major annoyances or worse, require expensive replacements. Read more…

Fred Beckey, a living legend among Northwest Mountaineers, is a climber, environmentalist, historian, and author. He has achieved enduring recognition as the most imaginative, persistent, and thorough explorer and mountain investigator of the Cascade Range Wilderness. Last year we celebrated Fred as the recipient the of 2015 Mountaineers Lifetime Achievement Award at our BREAKTHROUGH dinner and auction featuring Fred, Colin Haley, Mike Gauthier, and Alex Honnold.  Read more…

Our minions were busy late last year into the early days of 2016 to give us mountaineers.org 2.5, including improvements for seminars & clinics and site-wide search, and new features for our youth programs. Read more…

Early altimeters with 19 jewels and Swiss-made movements were price-prohibitive and thus weren’t included in either The Mountaineers navigation courses or the Ten Essentials. However, with new technology emerging, the upcoming  9th edition of Freedom of the Hills  will feature map, compass, and all of the modern tools with altimeters prominent among them. Read more…

This past November, Tacoma Mountaineer Carrie Kavanaugh traveled to Nepal to climb Ama Dablam, an impressive and beautiful peak that caught her eye on her first expedition to the Himalaya in 2009. Read more…

My own Mountaineers leadership story started with a search for trail companions. I was seeking a compatible group on the types of hikes and backpacks that interested me. Then, one day, I took a new arrival from China on his first hike, and I saw the joy and wonder blossom on his face when Mount Rainier emerged in all her glory behind a ridge covered with meadow wildflowers. That was it, I was hooked. Read more…

Grab your outdoor bucket list and adventure buddies to tune into a night of human-powered winter celebration, with ten edge-of-your-seat films celebrating backcountry skiing and other adventures! Read more…

As an organization, The Mountaineers just reached a huge milestone. Our members - through their collective trips - just reached the 100,000 mile mark for the year - the weekend before Christmas (our members registered about 800 miles on Mountaineers.org on 12/19 and 12/20)! That’s a lot of human-powered adventuring in 2015!  This includes 30 MILLION feet of elevation gain over all of our different activities.   Read more…

Early in 2015, The Mountaineers Board of Directors identified two big goals for the organization -- re-examining it's rich and broad array of outdoor education and piloting some of it in an online format. The online pilot is in development and will be offered by several branches in the first part of 2016. Read more…

Ever wonder how much fuel is left in a used canister? In this short, instructional clip, MSR shows how to measure MSR canister fuel.  Read more…

Nuts, trail mix, energy bars? They do the trick. But it doesn’t take long for regular snacks like those to become boring and bland. So I went on the search for something full of flavor, but healthy and compact. And something that would sustain me too.  Read more…

FIELD TRIP LEADER
Subject suffered 2nd degree rope burns on fingers due to losing control of assisted rappel during two-person self-rescue simulation. Location was the South Plaza climbing area at the Mountaineers Clubhouse. First Aid was cold water bath for several hours. Formal medical treatment not required/sought. Subject was able to participate fully in seminar next day wearing gloves, full recovery within one week. Read more…

LEADER
This incident occurred on the inside wall during the field trip. One student was belaying another but used a leader belay setup instead of a top-rope setup. This means the climber was not on belay at all and she certainly wasn't clipping any bolts.  Read more…

Crampons are an indispensable tool for any alpine mountaineer. But sometimes it's not so "cut-and-dry" as to when you should use them. Read more…

I remember the first mountain I climbed. Well, climbed is an overstatement — trudged is better. Dragged myself up is even more accurate. Read more…

Our Pacific Northwest is seeing rapid rate of growth. We're welcoming people from all over the country who are moving here to participate in our vigorous economy and enjoy our incredible natural places and outdoor recreation opportunities. Some of our newcomers are experienced hikers but don't know our major hiking areas, permit requirements, and our unique trail hazards and gear requirements. Others haven't hiked before but want to know where to go and how to do it safely. We have a solution for both. Read more…

Course instructors may have noticed new fields to course templates recently. A field called "Required Books" was added, along with the existing  "Recommended Books" field, to allow students to buy books in the same transaction as their course registration. Mountaineers Books will capture the order and ship those books directly to the student. Read more…

While I’m a fiercely proud born and bred frugalist, saving money is not one of my main motivators for commuting by bike. It might even be last on my list, with happiness, greenness, efficiency, and health vying for first place, but it’s often one of the first questions people considering a bike commute ask: how much money will I save? Read more…

With the days getting shorter and colder as we creep into winter, many climbers start looking for warmer venues for their climbing excursions. If you are looking for a weekend warm-up, we have good crags close to home, like Vantage, Tieton, and Smith Rock. However, even though these areas are usually warm during the day, they can still get bitterly cold at night. Climbers should be prepared for the temperature swings that accompany these arid, deserty crags. Read more…

For those of us who love the sound our boards make on smooth, groomed snow, the idea of someday sharing that love with our kids is exciting. We dream about family chairlift talks, racing down the groomers, and the bonding over hot chocolate at the base area. The reality is a bit different. Read more…