Hiking & Backpacking

Hiking & Backpacking

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Olympia Branch Hiking and Backpacking Set For A Great Summer

Welcome to summer and all that it entails! At the Olympia Hiking & Backpacking committee, we've been very busy gearing up for summer. Learn what's new and say hello to Monty Pratt (pictured above, left), our newest committee member! Read more…

Leader Spotlight: Bernadette Lamarca

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Bernadette Lamarca, a volunteer leader with the Everett Branch who was hooked on The Mountaineers after three hikes ... and one fortuitous piece of chocolate! Read more…

Volunteers Needed - Youth Trip to Squamish June 29-July 8

Calling all qualified Mountaineers volunteers for the raddest, most fun volunteer opportunity EVER! The Mountaineers Adventure Club (MAC) for teens ages 14-18 takes a ten-day long climbing/hiking/backpacking/car camping trip each summer, alternating between the North Cascades and Squamish. This summer we're heading to Squamish from Friday, June 29-Sunday, July 8. We need your help for as many of those das as you're available! Read more…

The Many Acronyms of the PCT + How to Hike Your Own Hike

There ain’t no party like an acronym party, and the PCT is chock full of them. Let’s learn! Read more…

Top Three Tips for Hiking with Kids

Some kids love hiking; others would rather stay home and read a book (I have one of each). Once my unenthusiastic hiker is actually on the trail, his attitude usually improves, thanks to some of the tricks I’ve learned over the years: Read more…

Best Waterfalls in Northern California’s Cascades

Northern California is home to the southern reaches of the California Cascades, and this rugged volcanic landscape contains some of the most beautiful waterfalls in the western United States. Here are four of my favorites that are featured in my hiking guidebooks, all linked by CA Highway 89: Read more…

Section Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail: Northern California + More - May 22

Ever thought about backpacking sections of the Pacific Crest Trail in Northern California? Philip Kramer, author of the new book Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail: Northern California (Mountaineers Books, 2018) shares key information in this wide-ranging interview. Read more…

How To: Lightweight Food Packing & Preparation

Few subjects cause so much hesitation on the part of new backpackers as trail food! How much do I need? What kinds should I pack? The questions are endless, and luckily we have a few tips to help you stay happy and well fed on the trail! Read more…

Explore Aysén Patagonia - Feb-Mar 2019

On February 27, 2018, Kristine McDivitt Tompkins, President of Tompkins Conservation, signed a decree with Chilean President Michelle Bachelet to create two new parks in Chilean Patagonia. It was the largest donation of land from a private entity to a country in history - three times larger than Yosemite and Yellowstone combined!  Read more…

A non-cook impresses friends with this Dirty Gourmet Trail Brittle

I've lived a charmed life, insofar as I like to eat and have a spouse who loves to cook. I'll gladly wash dishes as my part of this bargain, a chore I've managed with a moderate degree of competence. That said, I was intrigued by a recipe in Dirty Gourmet: Food for Your Outdoor Adventures, a new cookbook from Mountaineers Books. Read more…

Bears Ears Guidebook Author Answers Five Questions About The Monument

Morgan Sjogren’s new guidebook, The Best Bears Ears National Monument Hikes, came out in January, less than two months after the current administration reduced its boundaries by 85 percent. Published by Colorado Mountain Club (CMC) Press, Morgan’s book is the only guidebook published for this region. But Morgan, a writer, adventurer, and competitive trail runner, fell in love with Bears Ears while running in it and wanted to encourage others to explore this region, too. We asked her five questions  about the book and the Monument. Mountaineers Books is the worldwide distributor of CMC Press books. Read more…

Sign-up for a backpacking course this spring!

The backpacking season in western Washington can be short - but boy is it sweet! With warmer weather on the horizon, many of our members are starting to think about spending long days on the trails, with campsites in the high country. Read more…

Leader Spotlight: Christine Grenier

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Christine Grenier, a hike leader with the Kitsap Branch who offers other Mountaineers the chance to slow down, look around, and enjoy the scenery. Read more…

Did You Know? The Hummocks-Boundary Trail

The Hummocks-Boundary Trail is a great way to get up close and personal with Mount St Helens and gain a new perspective of the May 1980 eruption. The trail is located within Mount St. Helens National Monument in the Gifford Pinchot Forest. Read more…

Know Before You Go: Your First Mountaineers Hike

Maybe you’re an experienced hiker looking for a new community of outdoor enthusiasts. Or perhaps you have a bucket list with hikes to see a waterfall or lake, reach an overlook view point, or catch the wildflowers in peak season. Perhaps this is your first hike in decades, or ever! Regardless of why you’ve joined The Mountaineers on a hike, we are excited that you’re here, and we want to help you prepare to head out on your first hike with our community. Welcome! Read more…

The Day Hiker's Ten Essentials

You’ve probably heard of the Ten Essentials, but if you’re new to hiking, the list can feel daunting. So what do you actually need to bring on your easy or moderate day hike? This is what I’ll have in my pack. Read more…

Leader Spotlight: Danielle Graham

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Danielle Graham, a volunteer leader with the Foothills Branch who encourages aspiring leaders to glean tips and tricks from every leader they interact with, and who wants all members to feel valued and included in The Mountaineers' community. Read more…

Invasion of the Modern Body Snatchers

It was an absolutely breathtaking Northwest late fall afternoon. I was doing field research (translation=hiking) for my upcoming Urban Trails Eastside Mountaineers Books guidebook. My task was to check out a patch of urban greenery on Lake Washington’s eastern shore. As I walked down this park’s trails and across its boardwalks, I was mesmerized by the surrounding natural beauty and by the moment itself. The sun was low, the sky deep blue. Rays of sunlight kissed my face and danced across the shimmering waters of a quiet bay. They illuminated the resident waterfowl and intensified the brilliant colors of the autumn foliage. The sun continued to sink in the sky and my surroundings became more surrealistic. I was in pure hiking heaven — utterly elated — senses completely stimulated.  Read more…

Nepal's Extraordinary Culture & Landscapes | A Unique Perspective - Mar 16

Photojournalist, adventurer, and author Erika Klimecky has traveled to Nepal several times on various adventures, which has given her a unique window into the country of Nepal and its people. Her photo tour will combine storytelling, imagery and culture of Himalaya and Nepal, giving you enough inside knowledge so you can plan a trip of your own and appreciate it more when you get there. Read more…

Backpacking with Kids Course: May-Sept 2018

Many current Mountaineers had their start as kids when their parents got them out into the backcountry and taught them the skills and resilience to enjoy the outdoor world. Be a part of continuing this legacy with your own kids, by taking the Backpacking with Kids Course. Read more…

Leader Spotlight: Tom Eckhout

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Tom Eckhout, a volunteer leader with the Olympia Branch who cherishes every moment he has in the mountains. Read more…

10 Essential Questions: Deborah Fisher

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

Tacoma Singles Committee Up and Running

The organizing meeting of the New Tacoma Singles Activities Committee was a great success. Seventeen enthusiastic people joined to enjoy a potluck meal and good fellowship, and begin planning the structure and activities for this new committee. Dick Hayek and Darin Stavish were chosen as Co-Chairs, and an Executive Committee was selected consisting of Dick and Darin, Michael Bjornberg, Katie Cornejo, and Sabrina O'Donnell.  Read more…

Help Revitalize the Tacoma Singles Committee - Jan 14

How often do you have an opportunity to be a part of an exciting innovation? Join us at the Tacoma Mountaineers Program Center at 1pm on Sunday, January 14, to help organize a new Tacoma Mountaineers Singles Activities Committee! Read more…

Wilderness Trekker J.R. Harris to Share Gripping Stories from More than Fifty Years of Adventure

Mountaineers Books, in partnership with  Seward Park Audubon Center and  The Trail Posse, presents J.R. Harris' Way Out There: Adventurers of a Wilderness Trekker talk and book signing at Third Place Books - Seward Park in Seattle on Wednesday, November 29 from 7-8pm.  The talk is free and open to the public.  Read more…

"The Last Inca Bridge" Webisode - Nov 16

Among the most exciting travel destinations in South America, Peru boasts a wealth of trekking opportunities from the Amazonian jungle to glaciated mountain ranges, from remote villages to ancient ruins, and much more. Join Mountaineers Books’ on November 16 for a live webisode exploring this "Last Inca Bridge". Featuring Robert & Daisy Kunstaetter, travel writers and adventurous ex-pats who co-authored the new book, "Trekking Peru: A Traveler’s Guide", learn about the wealth of trekking opportunities in Peru. Read more…

The Mountaineers Join the Effort to Save Lake Serene – And You Can Too!

Lands adjacent to the Lake Serene Trail are slated to be logged this year. If the plan goes through, the routes to Lake Serene and Bridal Veil Falls will be closed until July 1, 2018 and the surrounding forest will be scarred for many years to come. But there’s hope. Outdoor leaders, including The Mountaineers, are joining forces with individuals across the Pacific Northwest to purchase the land from the timber company. Together we can raise the funds, but we aren’t there yet – and we need your help! Read more…

Become a Hike or Backpack Leader for The Mountaineers

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…

Leader Spotlight: Bill Borom

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Bill Borom, a 5-year leader whose involvement in a wide variety of club activities has continued to spark his sense of adventure and expand his pool of friends to adventure with! Read more…

Make your ideas a reality - volunteer on a committee!

Did you know that The Mountaineers club didn’t have a paid employee until 1984? Tired of all of the paperwork, the growing organization hired a part-time administrator to help with waivers and dues so that volunteers could focus on the fun stuff: developing courses, providing instruction, leading trips, and running committees. Read more…