Hiking & Backpacking

Hiking & Backpacking

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Trail Tails: Oliver

Trail Tails is a special feature showcasing the mutts of The Mountaineers! This month we recognize Oliver, owned by Mountaineer Travis Ruff.  Read more…

Secret Rainier | Bald Rock

Bald Rock is infrequently visited but it makes for a lovely
forest hike with great views of Rainier and Little Tahoma.
The peak is named for it smooth treeless summit. Read more…

Did You Know: Steamboat Rock State Park

Steamboat rock is composed of Miocene Columbia River basalts, and sits 800ft above the desert floor. This monolithic basaltic rock overlies a much older intrusive igneous rock, and it sits in the channeled scablands in Eastern Washington, known as the Grand Coulee. Hiking the trail towards this magnificent rock you are walking on a soft, deep, sandy trail reminiscent of the beach. Steamboat Rock sits on a sand dune, a remnant from the past massive floods. Read more…

My COVID-19 Experience

On February 26, 2020, I hopped on a plane and flew to Australia. I was a tad nervous about the flights because of the news I kept hearing about a new coronavirus, but I also heard that Australia had stopped all flights departing from China and southeast Asia. International travel was not yet restricted, and at the time there was no reason to delay my trip. Little did I know what was in store for me. Read more…

Backcountry Hygiene 101: You Don't Have to Smell Bad to Smell Better

Hello gorgeous! You - yes, you! With the messy hair, dirty legs, and that certain wilderness glow about you. You look fabulous! Read more…

Trail Tails: El'Bug

Trail Tails is a special feature showcasing the mutts of The Mountaineers! This month we recognize El'Bug, owned by Mountaineer Kate Tegeler.  Read more…

Apply for a Backpacking Skills or PCT Mileage Badge

While you're waiting to get back out on the trail solo, with family, or with your favorite Mountaineers backpacking buddies, check out these opportunities to get credit for your backpacking skills and experience with one of these fun badges for your Mountaineers profile! Read more…

Armchair Global Adventures - Explore the World From Your Favorite Armchair

Did you know that The Mountaineers have been leading international adventure activities since the 1960s? Since our beginnings we've taken members on 220 different adventures, trekking, hiking, backpacking, climbing, scrambling, and skiing to over 25 different countries and on nearly every continent. Read more…

Gear Love

Forget about that special someone – let’s focus on that special something! We all have the pieces of gear we love above the rest. Things that keep you warm, safe, and comfortable. Take a moment to think about that piece of equipment you just couldn’t live without, and enjoy these love letters written by Mountaineers to gear they adore the most. Read more…

Preparing for the Worst: A Chaplain’s Perspective

On August 14, 2018, I received the phone call. A climber had died, and my mountaineering friend had just gotten the news. He needed assistance with what to do next. In seven years as an emergency services chaplain, I’ve lost count of how many death notifications I’ve given, and I was the right person for my friend to call. Only, when I realized that the climber he was talking about was Stephen Kornbluth, my best friend and “mountain husband,” I felt my world shatter into a million pieces. None of my experience had prepared me for this moment. Read more…

Backpack in the Patagonian Summer - In February 2021

Backpack for eight days far off the beaten track across the Andes through Argentina’s 'Switzerland'. Join us to explore  Nahuel Huapi National Park in northern Patagonia as part of a Mountaineers Global Adventures trip in Feburary 2021. It'll be winter here, but you can enjoy the sunshine of the summer in the southern hemisphere! Read more…

Hit the Trail With a Day Hiking Course - Begins March 30

With spring around the corner, we want to help you get ready to hit the trail with the Olympia Branch's new Day Hiking Course! Are you new to hiking, or haven't been out in a while? Do you wonder about gear, clothing, or backpack weight? Want to get better acquainted with our local area? This course is for you!  Read more…

Adventure Wellness Weekend at Meany Lodge: June 5-7

The Mountaineers would like to welcome you to our first annual Adventure Wellness Weekend! Sponsored by the Foothills Branch Trail Running Committee and located at Meany Lodge, the weekend hosts a multitude of activities designed to allow participants to experience nature in a new way. You can forage for wild plants to eat or grow at home, hike at night, try yoga in natural settings, and more! Read more…

Trip Report: Shi Shi Beach

Four friends and I set out to enjoy the beach for a two night backpack adventure at Shi Shi Beach. We drove up from Olympia to Port Angeles on US-101 to pick up our overnight permits at the Wilderness Information Center (WIC) on East Park Avenue. From there we continued on US-101 to the junction of SR-112, taking it towards Neah Bay. Read more…

Mountaineers Backpacking Courses for 2020

Backpacking season will be upon us before we know it, and we have more options than ever to help you kick-start your backcountry dreams. Courses are available for adults at all skill and experience levels, as well as for families who want to take kids out on the trail. And, you're welcome to take a course with any branch regardless of your branch affiliation. Be sure to sign up for courses while you can, they fill up quickly!   Read more…

Zion National Park's Must-See Sights & Activities

While much of Zion’s scenery is best viewed on foot, there are a number of must-see destinations that visitors can enjoy with only a modest amount of walking. Of course, nobody can talk about “must-see” activities in Zion without mentioning its two most famous hikes—Angels Landing and The Narrows. This list will give you a sense of how to prioritize your agenda for a first-time visit while also giving you ideas for subsequent visits. Read more…

Introducing the GoHike Beginner Hiking Series: Realize Your Dream to Start Hiking

Hiking is both calming and energizing. It’s a way to connect with nature, and build community with new people. We'd love to help you make 2020 your year to start a lifetime of hiking, with a compatible and fun community of people and low-stress easy hikes at a social pace, in one of the loveliest places in the world to do it!    Read more…

Trip Report: Indian Heaven Trail #33

The Indian Heaven area has been volcanically active since the Pleistocene age, with the most recent eruption happening around 9000 years ago, creating the Big Lava Bed south of the Indian Heaven. Lava flows paired with melting glacial ice created high, wide, thickly-forested plateaus within the Indian Heaven Wilderness making for great views, many deep lakes, and huckleberries galore. Read more…

Trail Talk: Peril in the Pyrenees

I had hiked the route from the Col de Tentes over the 7,450- foot Port de Boucharo, straddling the French and Spanish border to the medieval town of Torla in Aragon, a half dozen times. It was one of my favorite hikes to bring folks along on when I worked as a hiking guide in the Pyrenees for Portland-based Mountain Hiking Holidays. I loved looking for edelweiss, pointing out izards (a chamois native to the Pyrenees), explaining the fascinating history of the route (used by pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago and refugees during the Spanish Civil War), and highlighting so many other facets of this fascinating route to the folks I was guiding. Read more…

Bird and Hike the Cloud Forests of Western Panama - Apr 15-26, 2020

Our Global Adventures Committee leads exciting trips around the world every year to help you get outside while playing and learning in a new place. Registration is now open now for a birding and hiking trip through the Cloud Forests of Western Panama from April 15-26, 2020. Read more…

Top 10 Trip Reports - Fall 2019

What better time to look back on your autumn adventures than when you're waiting for winter to arrive? Soon, snow will cover all of your favorite ski hills, the streets of the Pacific Northwest will be full of colorful down jackets and rain shells (if that hasn't already happened), and one single snowstorm will slow roads down for longer than is reasonable.  Read more…

Wanted: Your Stories of Extraordinary Walks in the Wild

In 2017, our Seattle and Foothills Hiking Committees jointly launched a new adventure presentation series to celebrate extraordinary trekking and backpacking adventures  in the wilds of the world. Three years and 12 well-attended presentations later, our audiences have seen amazing photos, heard incredible stories, and learned how to plan their own adventures to international trekking and backpacking destinations  from other Mountaineers members. And we're looking for more Mountaineers to volunteer to share their stories! Read more…

Did You Know? Ape Canyon Trail

Our hike this month takes us to Mt. St. Helens’ Ape Canyon trail. The trail takes its name from Sasquatch sightings back in the early 1920s. Not only is the trail rich in local folklore and legend, but geological history as well. Hiking up to the Loowit trail you can view the geological history of Mt. St. Helens. The hike follows an ancient lahar debris flow on one side of the ridge and the Ape Canyon on the other side, and views of both can be glimpsed through the trees. Read more…

Thank you Foothills Volunteers!

Foothills is the fastest-growing branch in The Mountaineers, and it's thanks to the enthusiasm and dedication of our many wonderful volunteers. Without you, we wouldn't be able to hold the many courses, activities, and events that we offer. For that we would like to thank and recognize a group of volunteers that recently made a difference in the lives of our students and helped us get outside!  Read more…

Rebuilding History & Hearts

"What are those?” I asked, pointing to the four hikers who had pulled off the trail to don microspikes and crampons. It was a frigid, late Saturday in February 2015 on Mount Pilchuck. At this point in my outdoor career I was a sport climber, a casual hiker (at best), and had only backpacked a handful of times. You can imagine my reaction to seeing people take these grizzly-bear like claws from their packs and attach them to their boots. Read more…

Top Nature Hikes in Tacoma

You may not immediately look to Washington’s third largest city for a walk in the wild. So be prepared to have Tacoma surprise you. Within the hustle and bustle of this metropolitan area are some large natural areas laced with excellent trails that invite walkers, hikers, and runners of all ages and abilities to explore and be wooed. So no need to head to the backcountry this weekend if you're looking for a great place to do an all-day hike, long run, or get-back-to-nature stroll. Check out these three urban wildernesses in and near the City of Destiny from my new book Urban Trails: Tacoma instead.  Read more…

Armchair Adventures For Fall

It's that time of year when the mercury plummets, the rains arrive, and we want to wrap ourselves in a warm blanket and cozy up with a book. But that doesn't mean we're going to stop exploring! How does traveling Italy by bike, venturing into the Alaskan wilderness to photograph wildlife, or joining the thru-hiking community on the Appalachian Trail sound? How about making a ground-breaking ascent of Mount Everest via the West Ridge, becoming the first North American woman to do so? All this and more is available for your reading pleasure, so settle in, pour yourself a hot beverage, and enjoy our armchair adventure recommendations. Read more…

Did You Know: Summit Lake Trail

If you’re eager to find a place to take in the beauty of the natural world, the Summit Lake trail ought to be on your list. Bringing you to a crisp alpine lake with spectacular views of Mt. Rainier, this trail is a treat for hikers and naturalists in any weather. Read more…

Trail Talk: Better than the 10 Essentials, Pack Plenty of Knowledge on Your Next Hike

One of the biggest highlights of my career as an outdoors writer so far was being flown to Los Angeles last spring for a TV shoot on the Weather Channel’s SOS How to Survive. The program is hosted by Creek Stewart, a nationally renowned survival instructor and author. Each episode of SOS How to Survive spotlights true life stories involving folks who have dealt with life-threatening situations (often in the wilderness) interjected with segments on survival tips and skills. Read more…

Three Easy Hikes to Enjoy in Joshua Tree National Park

Featuring stunning, easy hikes to explore three distinct regions of Joshua Tree National Park (Lost Horse Valley, Queen Valley, and Pinto Basin), the following is excerpted from Scott Turner's Hike the Parks: Joshua Tree National ParkExcerpt edited for space and clarity. Read more…