How To

How To

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Navigating in the Wilderness

We love exploring, especially the wild places that offer a serene tranquility away from it all. Sometimes, though, we get too far away. And that's when tranquility turns into bewilderment. So pack a map and take some tips from Wilderness Navigation by Mike and Robert Burns. Read more…

The Canyons Are Calling - How To Explore Canyons in the PNW

7:30am. Everyone in our canyoning group is finishing up their breakfast at the Mt. Adams Cafe in Randle, Washington. It’s a lot of food for seven people. Calories are key. Pancakes, bacon, and giant omelets fill our faces, as we try to find the balance between too much and too little. Read more…

Peak Fitness: Preventing Stiffness Post Outings

Imagine returning to the car after hiking double-digit miles into triple-digit temperatures, finally pitching your heavy pack into the back of the car. Before you take off to the local pub that serves nachos, pizza, and beer, consider how you’ll feel after an hour or more in the car.  Read more…

Make the Most of Your Mountaineers Donation

The Mountaineers rely on the generosity of its donors to fulfill our mission. While revenues such as book sales, course fees, and membership dues contribute greatly to our success, philanthropic donations support about 15% of our annual budget. Individuals, foundations, and companies give to The Mountaineers because they’re inspired by our deep commitment to connecting people to the transformative power of wild places. You can make the most of your donations by understanding the ins and outs of tax rules for donations to nonprofits. Read more…

The Communications Devices We Carry

On June 24, I will be leaving home - along with a group of three other Mountaineers sea kayakers - to paddle down the west coast of Vancouver Island. Our plan is to take three weeks, starting in Winter Harbor and ending in Tofino, paddling a distance of over 200 nautical miles of exposed and remote outer coastline.  As a part of our safety plan, we've included electronic signaling devices which we can use to call for emergency help. This blog describes the various options that I considered for our trip, an overview of what we decided to bring, and how we will use these devices throughout our journey.  Read more…

How To Choose Binoculars

Having binoculars can make any trip more fun and memorable. At The Mountaineers, we aren't experts in the technology that goes into seeing far away, but lucky for us, our friends at Binoculars Today like to share! Read more…

How to Write Learning Outcomes By Making the Perfect ... Plate of Pasta?

The Professional Ski Instructors of America and the Association of Snowboard Instructors (PSIA-AASI) is a national organization dedicated to teaching people how to ski and snowboard. I've had the opportunity to work closely with PSIA-AASI over the past several years to support and develop the Adaptive certification process here in the PNW, and in doing so, I’ve had the unique experience of writing learning outcomes through the lens of a volunteer. 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…

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…

Where To Go Friction/Slab Climbing

Friction climbing is a type of rock climbing where the rock face is angled to less than vertical, offering little in the way of traditional hand and foot holds. It requires movements that allow you to ascend steep slabs using nothing but rubber on rock and careful, deliberate movements. In this blog, I’ll tell you where to go to put your friction climbing skills to the test. Read more…

Kick and Glide: Find the Nordic program best for you

Are you interested in cross-country skiing with The Mountaineers this winter? Several of our branches offer a variety of classes. Take a look, learn about the differences, and decide which might be the best option for you! Read more…

Peak Fitness | Extended Plank

Whether you are gearing up for skiing, snowshoeing, climbing, or pack carrying, you will benefit from having a strong core to connect upper and lower body. When my husband and I climb mountains, we like to do pushups at the summit.  Read more…

Tell Me About: Trail Running Shoes

You’re walking down your favorite trail, newly watered by an autumn shower, when it strikes. That misstep or unexpected slide leading to feelings of both weightlessness and panic: will you get that other foot down in time or end up kissing mud? Read more…

5 Basic Skills for Friction Climbing

Friction climbing is a type of rock climbing where the rock face is angled to less than vertical, offering little in the way of traditional hand and foot holds. Instead, friction climbing requires movements that allow you to ascend steep slabs using nothing but rubber on rock and careful, deliberate movements. In this blog, I’ll define slab climbing techniques and how you can combine balance and footwork to get to the top. Read more…

Hiking Tips For Kids: Girl Scout Silver Award Project

My name is Lucy Grim and I am a Girl Scout finishing out my last cadette year. I have been working towards earning my Silver Award, the highest award a Girl Scout cadette can earn, for the last few months. For my project, I made a video on how to stay safe and have a successful hiking trip for groups hiking with kids. Read more…

How To: Pick a Sleeping Bag

Has it happened to you? I was camping at 11,500 ft at Guitar Lake along the John Muir Trail on the last day of a 2013 backpacking trip with my 3 sons. The low overnight temperature was 32 degrees, and while I should have been comfortable in my 30 degree rated sleeping bag, even with all my clothes on, I was barely warm.  Read more…

What Is Friction Climbing?

Friction climbing, also known as slab climbing, is a type of rock climbing where the rock face is angled to less than vertical and offers little in the way of traditional hand and foot holds. Rock of this orientation is often called a ‘slab’. Friction climbing requires the liberal use of ‘smearing’ or ‘frictioning’ techniques, where the climber uses a combination of balance and footwork to ascend a rock face. Read more…

How To: Train for Your Next Hike

People join The Mountaineers from all walks of life, at all levels of experience. For those looking to kickstart their outdoor experience or take their fitness up a notch, check out these training ideas from Alison Hudson at PartSelect. Hudson is a field instructor for the National Outdoor Leadership School and a freelance writer and who has contributed to The Clymb and Outdoor Nation. In this piece, she shares how to train in the city, train for the downhills, and get  mentally tough. Read more…

Essential Repellent: What You Need to Know to Survive the Battle of the Bug

The West Coast’s winter was wet and soggy. The forecast for the spring and summer is lingering snowpack, muddy trails … and bugs. Lots of bugs! Read more…

How To: Take Advantage of Workplace Giving

We love Workplace Giving programs as an extra way to support The Mountaineers. They give you an easy way to double the impact of your volunteer time, membership dues, and charitable donations with an employer match! Read more…

How To: Protect from Sun on the Snow

This is my friend Casey. She's a rockstar, and summitted Mt. Baker via the Squak Glacier in a single day last June. We spent 13 hours on our feet to summit and get down, with 7-8 of those hours under direct sunlight. Read more…

The Frugal Navigator - How To Find Your Way on the Cheap

Mountaineering is an expensive sport. It's especially daunting for beginners, who often have to prioritize spending across competing items. With a fixed amount of money, do you go for Gore-Tex undies, an ice axe made of sleek unobtanium . . . or yawn, a compass? (Let's face it, a shiny new cam is way sexier than a compass.) Read more…

Emergency Contacts: The Most Important People

Three years ago, my friend Loren died in a skiing accident. A huge February storm rolled through the Pacific Northwest, and a bunch of us took extra days off to go skiing. He and a friend were skiing Crystal in-bounds on a Wednesday when Loren fell into a tree well. He suffocated before he could be rescued. Read more…

How To: Pack for the PCT

Editors note: During the summer of 2016, six current and former Mountaineers Adventure Club (MAC) members hiked the Washington section of the Pacific Crest Trail. This blog outlines how to prep for a trip. To find out what happened on the actual trip, read Part 1 by Logan Urrutia. Read more…

How To: Remember Your Gear

We all know how important good planning and preparation are to a successful outing. Familiarizing yourself with your route, having the proper equipment, checking the forecast, and reading past trip reports are all things that we can do to make our excursions more successful, regardless of whether they be a paddle, hike, climb or ski. Read more…

How To: Be A Good Adventure Buddy

Experienced adventuristas often forget what it was like to be 'the noob'. We have our kit dialed, know how much food to pack, and can go from no plans to leaving on a two-day ski trip in 30-minutes without breaking a sweat. But we were all beginners once, and each have someone to thank for taking us out for our first hike, bike, ski, or climb. Read more…

How To: Layer in the Backcountry

Mastering your personal layering comfort is one of the most difficult aspects of backcountry travel. Too many clothes and you're soaking yourself from the inside out. Too few and you're freezing your little tootsie off. No bueno either way. Read more…

How To: Bow Out Of A Trip

You’ve been planning a trip for a while now - maybe even for weeks or months. Your buddies are all psyched. You’ve double and triple checked your gear. Everything is packed and ready to go. Car is gassed up. But something’s not quite right. Read more…

How To: Recognize and Treat a Concussion

When someone mentions concussions, most people think of car accidents or full contact sports like football, rugby, or hockey. But with such an increased chance of an impact to our heads - whether it be from a falling rock from above, or us falling and hitting our heads - climbers have a serious chance of sustaining a concussion. Read more…