Hiking & Backpacking

Hiking & Backpacking

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Introducing Relaxed Pace Trips - Foothills Backpacking Committee

The Foothills Backpacking Committee has an amazing community of leaders whose passion is to share their love of the outdoors and build community at the same time. In an effort to answer the call for more relaxed paced trips, our committee has launched an initiative for members who are looking for just these kinds of trips. Read more…

Learn How to Plan a Lightweight and Tasty Backpack Menu - Apr 9

It was day nine of an 11-day trip on the John Muir Trail when I hit a wall. I had packed too many bulky carbs and not enough calories in my bear can. At the time, this was the longest backpacking trip I had done. My spouse and I were able to make our “gorp” last until we were rescued from our plight by my sister who carried in our resupply, just in time. Enduring such slim pickings and operating on so few calories was a mentally exhausting and horribly demoralizing experience.  Read more…

Get in Shape for Backpacking With Pro Trekking Trainer Sheri Goodwin

It works great for many people to strap on a loaded pack and hike to get in shape for the upcoming season. However, for some – including many beginners – without a bit more structure and guidance, this approach can run the risk of injury, discouragement, and ultimately, slower progress than you had hoped for. What if you could develop a tailored strength-and-conditioning training plan aimed at reaching your trail goals safely and efficiently, with a progression of exercises and training activities? And what if you could build it with the guidance of a professional physical trainer who specializes in helping people get ready for life-list treks and backpacks? Read more…

Get Involved with Family Backpacking

100 backpacks with kids and teens and counting! And at least that many trail meltdowns… but also thousands of smiles and expressions of awe at the beauty of the Pacific Northwest, interesting trail conversations, unplugged spontaneous games (think fresh mud burgers served on flat rocks), and watching skills and confidence grow with each trip. Read more…

Mount Rainier National Park Announces Timed Entry Reservations for Summer 2024

Note: The Park's timed entry FAQ webpage is the best resource with the most up to date information on how to visit Mount Rainier National Park  during summer 2024.

Last week, Mount Rainier National Park announced that many visitors will need reservations to access the park through popular entrances during peak hours this summer. From May 24 through Labor Day, most visitors entering through the Nisqually and Stevens entrances between 7am and 3pm will need to make an online or phone reservation ahead of time. Reservations will also be required at the White River entrance beginning July 3 and lasting through Labor Day.  Read more…

Discovering Picos de Europa in Spain's Green Heart

Join the upcoming May 2024 Mountaineers Global Adventure  for moderate day hikes among dramatic limestone peaks and lush valleys of the third highest mountain range in Spain. Our destination, Picos de Europa National Park, is in the heart of Green Spain. Trip leader, Roseanne Lorenzana, visited there in May 2023 and declares it a “must-see” for all who love tranquil mountain hikes, spring flowers, local history, and food culture. Read more…

Trip Report: Hiking the Grand Canyon's Rim to Rim

Last year, I took the Basic Alpine Climbing course with the Foothills Branch. To prepare for Basic Climbing trips – which can cover long distances, thousands of feet of elevation gain, and 12+ hour days – I completed regular conditioning hikes with The Mountaineers through the winter and spring. Read more…

Trip Report: Five Mountaineers Explore Teton Crest Trail

Backpacking the Teton Crest Trail in Wyoming's Grand Teton National Park is a chance to experience glorious high alpine scenery like nowhere else in the United States. Highlights of this strenuous route include views of the Teton Range, alpine lakes, and a unique insight into the variety of geological structures that the park contains. Read more…

Top Tips for Shoulder Season Backpacking

I was forty years old when I went on my first backpacking trip. We visited Second Beach in Olympic National Park, and the experience left me hungry for more. I had to go again, first with friends who mentored me, and then solo. I couldn’t get enough. Read more…

The Wonderful Burden of Backcountry Parenting

Our group erupted in peals of laughter as I smashed the pee-soaked diaper into the boulder with my boot, hoping to squish out some of the water weight. I peeled back the diaper in astonishment. Not a drop of pee had transferred to the rock. Read more…

Learning to Backpack as an Adult

As a San Francisco-born and raised city girl, I used to dread backpacking. My love of the outdoors inspired me to move to the Pacific Northwest in 2016, but backpacking remained a beast I feared to tackle. Read more…

Discover Your Backpacking Dreams and Unlock New Badges

Memorial Day has come and gone, and summer can't be too far behind, right? That means it's high time to get serious about planning your summer (and fall) backpack trips, and we can help. We have four Mountaineers backpacking award badges to offer ideas, inspiration, or perhaps a gentle nudge. Grab a friend or two or three and check them out, or join a Mountaineers backpack trip and leave the planning to us. Read more…

A Date with the Devil: Trip Report from Jackita Ridge-Devil’s Dome Loop, North Cascades

"The world is all the richer for having a devil in it, so long as we keep our foot upon his neck." - William James Read more…

Winter Hiking: It's The Bomb

Olympia Hiking and Backpacking Committee Co-Chairs Carla Jonientz and Donna Krueger listened to Olympia hikers when they expressed interest in getting out, staying in shape, exercising, and socializing during the winter/early spring months. Read more…

Falling

With my wrist in the strap of my trekking pole, I dangle over bright gray boulders bordering frothy water tumbling through the chasm. My brain is trying to comprehend what has happened. Just a few minutes ago I was hiking a wide, easy trail, and now I am hanging below it. Read more…

Foothills Volunteer Spotlight: Colin Chapman

Meet Colin Chapman, a backpack, hike, and snowshoe leader, as well as a 2021 Super Volunteer. Colin joined The Mountaineers to participate in the Foothills Backpacking Building Blocks (B3) course and now he’s a leader for the course! Read more…

Trip Report: Clear Creek Intra-Urban Trail

Clear Creek Trail is an intra-urban, family-friendly trail located in Silverdale, Washington that winds through riparian zones, wetlands, and dense forests. This trail is open for walking, running, biking, or strolling leisurely with your kids. The best time to walk the beach is in the early mornings during low tide when you can observe wildlife and the many birds fishing for lunch around the estuary. My most recent visit was a quick jaunt with my pops and Bilbo the Adventure Dog to see the wetlands and the interior forests. Read more…

Try Car-free Hiking in the Puget Sound

It can feel like access to a reliable vehicle is the eleventh essential for lovers of the outdoors. Summertime, however, brings with it more options for hitting the trails via public transit; an eco-friendly choice that's also kinder to your wallet given current high gas prices (not to mention eliminating the worry of dealing with a trailhead break-in.)  Read more…

Foothills Volunteer Spotlight: Elizabeth Nakashima

Meet Elizabeth Nakashima, a Foothills hike and urban walk leader, as well as the Treasurer of the Foothills Backpacking and Hiking Committee. Elizabeth joined The Mountaineers to train for a hike across the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, and has been with us ever since! Read more…

Backpacking Tips from a Dietitian: The health benefits of herbs and spices

Herbs and spices have been used around the world for thousands of years to support human health. This still holds true today. Herbs and spices  can be incredibly helpful for the modern day adventurer, especially when out on the trail. Naturally occurring compounds in plants called phytochemicals, designed to protect the plant from infection and illness, have also shown health benefits for humans as well. Read more…

How To Make a Backcountry Poop Kit

It took a lot of practice, but I finally learned how to poop directly into a dog bag. I’d been getting outside for years – crag climbing and backcountry skiing mostly – and I wasn’t a fan of carrying a trowel and digging a six-inch cat hole. Instead, I’d find a private space, answer the call of nature directly onto the ground/snow, then pick it up (double bag!) and pack it out (toilet paper too!). Read more…

Make Your Own Backpacking Meals: Comfort food alternatives to commercial freeze-dried backpacking meals

Most of us have done it more than once in our backpacking lives – tear open a foil packet, pour in steaming water from the camp stove, wait ten minutes, then shovel the contents into our mouths in the hope that the quantity is right, the food is palatable, and the salt content doesn’t cause congestive heart failure. Then we rinse and haul the bulky foil packets back out to the trailhead. Read more…

New Course – Yoga for Hikers, Backpackers, and Trail Runners

You’re invited to participate in the Foothills branch’s newest course, Yoga for Hikers, Backpackers, and Trail Runners. Designed for outdoor athletes, this course will cover the fundamentals of yoga, how to utilize the practice for athletic recovery, and how to utilize the practice for strength. Read more…

Foothills Volunteer Spotlight: Susan Conbere

Meet Susan Conbere, a Foothills backpack, hike, and snowshoe leader. Susan also leads the Staying Found course and is an active member of the Foothills Backpacking and Hiking Committee. Susan earned Super Volunteer and Key badges in 2020 and 2021 in recognition of all she does for The Mountaineers!  Read more…

30 in 30: Climbing Mailbox Peak 30 Times in 30 Days

Gaining 4,000 feet of vertical elevation in only 2.5 miles, Mailbox Peak definitely stands out among the more challenging hikes of the PNW. I am a regular in a crew of Mailbox enthusiasts who have visited the mountain hundreds of times over the past several years. In that time, I've witnessed droves of hikers suffer through great pains to reach the top. I've watched them rejoice as the summit first came into their view, and their eyes light up as they took their first picture next to the iconic mailbox. It has been an honor and a privilege to share in their experiences. For me, there would be no other mountain more fitting for my endeavor.  Read more…

Foothills Volunteer Spotlight: Phoebe Smith

Meet Phoebe Smith, a Foothills hike leader, active member of the Foothills Hiking Committee, and secretary of the Navigation Committee. Phoebe earned Super Volunteer and Key Leader badges in 2021 in recognition of all she does for The Mountaineers!  Read more…

Foothills Volunteer Spotlight: Brian Talbert

Meet Brian Talbert, a Foothills backpacking leader and a mentor for the Foothills Backpacking Building Blocks course. As an active member of the Foothills Hiking and Backpacking Committee, Brian manages leadership development and certification for the committee. Read more…

10 Essential Questions: Kendall Walker

Each week we bring you a personal story from one of our members. For our member profile this week we talked to... Read more…

How Not to Die in the Wild: A Podcast on The Mountaineers Ten Essentials

Podcaster Alison Young is a self-described female, middle-aged, titanium-reinforced solo hiker. Under her trail name “Blissful Hiker,” Alison hosts a podcast called Walking Distance, “a show for hikers, trekkers, trampers, and wanderers” with the premise that any place worth seeing can be reached by walking. On October 12, 2021, she released an episode titled How Not to Die in the Wild in which she spoke with Super Volunteer Steve McClure to discuss how he helped modernize and simplify The Ten Essentials for our ninth edition of Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills. Read more…