Outdoor Leadership

Outdoor Leadership

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How To: Cross-Promote Other Committees as a Trip Leader

I belong to several committees in The Mountaineers (photography, naturalists, and hiking), and I work hard to integrate the work of all of our committees into each of my trips. I do this because participants, like leaders, have varied interests, and the more we showcase the great offerings of The Mountaineers, the more engaged our participants will be! Read more…

How To: Facilitate Good Group Decision Making

Yosemite, September 1998. Marie, Andrew, and I are standing at a trail junction in northern Yosemite National Park, unable to decide which trail to take. We've had a spectacular week of high country, off-trail rambling in beautiful, high basins. Now we're making our way back to Tuolumne Meadows on-trail. The plan was to go left at this junction and do two more days of hiking through a valley none of us have visited. Now that we're at the junction, we realize we have the option to go right and make it back to the car this evening. Tempting. Read more…

Leader Spotlight: Krissy Fagan

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Krissy Fagan, a climb leader with the Bellingham Branch who is learning to appreciate the many different speeds of mountaineering ... but who still prefers a good sufferfest! Read more…

Facilitated Access Permitting: What Mountaineers Leaders Need to Know

The complex landscape of permitting rules and regulations can be difficult to navigate as a Mountaineers leader. To help make things clearer, we've created a series of pages describing the various permit processes pertaining to Mountaineers activities, all organized by land manager. Read more…

Foothills Volunteer Spotlight: Russ Levy

Meet Foothills volunteer Russ Levy! Russ moved to the Northwest 22 years ago and found The Mountaineers through his passion for hiking. He is a hike leader and is most fulfilled when he's leading a trail crew.  Read more…

Celebrate Earth Day With A Day of Service

Happy Earth Day, Mountaineers! We are proud to be one of Washington’s leading voices for protecting the outdoor experience in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. To achieve our goals, we partner with a number of environmental and outdoor industry groups and coalitions, and work closely with land managers and lawmakers to fight for public lands. Our strength comes from our members, who are inspired by the wild places they explore everyday. Join us in our stewardship efforts by volunteering at one of our many upcoming  opportunities with partners this spring. Read more…

Let's celebrate! 2019 National Volunteer Week

For the entirety of our 113-year history, volunteers have been at the heart of The Mountaineers mission. From big to small, nearly every aspect of what we do is powered by our volunteers! We truly cannot thank you enough for your leadership and service, and we're excited to have another opportunity to celebrate your hard-work and accomplishments during the 2019 National Volunteer Week! Read more…

Leader Spotlight: Gordie Swartzman

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Gordie Swartzman, a naturalists leader with the Seattle Branch who encourages new leaders to lead out of their passion! Read more…

Language Matters: Let's Stop Using the Slang Word For Carabiner

Many people use an abbreviated slang word in climbing without consideration or afterthought. This word is frequently used alongside other words like rope, harness, and belay. If you search on the Internet for this word, the first 5-10 results would reference the term to describe a piece of standard climbing gear. Countless climbing websites recognize the slang word as a standard, and our basic climbing students are even indoctrinated with its common use. And all of us are wrong. Read more…

Join us for a Leadership Development Series seminar!

As a part of our Vision 2022 strategic plan, The Mountaineers is committed to leading innovation in outdoor education. A key component of this initiative is investing in our volunteer leaders, the heart and soul of our vibrant organization. Read more…

How To: Deal With A Smash and Grab

On Monday, February 11, a quick jaunt to a local park in the Issaquah Alps to enjoy the fresh snow on skis had a less-than-happy ending. The snow itself was delightfully powdery, and the skiing was memorable and fun! But when the fun ended, we came back to a smashed car window, with items stolen from the vehicle, and yet another nasty surprise awaiting us: our home had been burglarized as well. Read more…

Teaching & Gathering Places - Initial Concept Proposal Process

One of Vision 2022's strategic imperatives is to Lead Innovation in Outdoor Education. Our program centers and lodges play a key role in this by providing physical places for us to teach outdoor skills and build community. Teaching and gathering places can also help us reduce our environmental footprint on public lands and improve our relationships with the broader outdoor community.  Read more…

Leader Spotlight: Debbee Lynn Straub

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Debbee Lynn Straub, a volunteer leader with the Kitsap Branch who co-chairs the Basic Climbing course and believes that outdoor adventure is all about camaraderie. Read more…

Leader Spotlight: Nancy Lloyd

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Nancy Lloyd, a volunteer leader with the Olympia Branch who loves spending time in the mountains and encourages leaders to set the right tone for their trip through thorough communication! Read more…

Congratulations to our 2018 Volunteer Award Recipients!

Volunteers are at the core of our Mountaineers community. During the 2017-18 fiscal year alone, we had an outstanding 2,865 volunteers support our programs. This could be as a trip leader, committee member, instructor, lodge host, event volunteer, or even as stewardship activity participant! Read more…

Foothills Volunteer Spotlight: Steve LeBrun

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

With A Little Help From Our Friends: 85K Raised for Outdoor Education

Another year has passed and we are thankful for everything our community has brought us. Adventure, excitement, and friendships old and new have filled our year and brought us together. Thanks to you, we're starting off the new year with gratitude. We asked for your help to raise $75,000 before the close of 2018, and we exceeded that goal with 435 donors giving over $85,000 in support of a community that connects with and protects the outdoor experience. Thank you! Read more…

Leader Spotlight: Bill Coady

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Bill Coady, a volunteer leader with the Everett Branch who encourages others to lead because he enjoys helping other similarly-minded outdoor enthusiasts ... and because he loves it! Read more…

2018 Recap: A Year In Review

It is no secret that volunteers are at the absolute core of The Mountaineers success. Nearly everything we do is driven by volunteer initiative and support, and it’s humbling to dive into our annual numbers and take a look at our collective impact. Read more…

2018 Leadership Conference - It’s a Wrap!

The Mountaineers hosted our fifth annual Leadership Conference on Saturday, December 1 at the Seattle Program Center. It was an outstanding day of leadership development for our volunteer community - thank you to everyone joined us! Read more…

Impact Giving | Building a Culture of Philanthropy: One Pie at a Time

For Mountaineers member Matt Ray, the most transformational experiences of his life happened at a summer camp in the North Woods of Wisconsin. Part traditional sports camp and part old-fashioned sleepaway camp, PorterCamp offers a safe space for campers and staff to build a better understanding of who they are, while learning to develop healthy relationships and having a lot of fun in the process. Matt attended as a boy, and has since committed over half of his life volunteering to ensure today’s young campers experience the same magic he did more than three decades ago. Read more…

Foothills Volunteer Spotlight: Chris Caviezel

Meet Foothills Super Volunteer Chris Caviezel. Chris joined The Mountaineers in 1999 and has led over 100 hikes, and recently was a part of the establishment and growth of our new Alpine Scrambling program. Chris is a Search and Rescue volunteer and met his wife, Melissa, through The Mountaineers.  Read more…

Olympia Annual Recognition and Awards Banquet 2018

We gathered 146 Olympia Mountaineers and guests at Saint Martin's Pavilion for the Olympia Mountaineers Annual Awards Banquet, held on Oct 27. We celebrated a year of hard work, connected with new friends, shared a delicious meal, and remembered friends we lost this year. Read more…

Leader Spotlight: Tab Wilkins

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Tab Wilkins, a volunteer leader with the Foothills Branch who encourages our leaders to be more collaborative, to learn from and recognize near-misses, and to embrace opportunities for feedback. Read more…

Wilderness Risk Management Conference Recap - 2018

The Wilderness Risk Management Conference (WRMC) is an annual gathering of outdoor professionals that creates an unparalleled opportunity for experts from throughout the industry to share knowledge and best practices. We were lucky that this year's conference was so close to home - just down the road in Portland, OR - which allowed us the opportunity to send a group of fourteen staff and volunteers to learn and share on behalf of our organization. Read more…

Outside Insight | A Life of Adventure Education: An interview with Ken Wylie

A massive avalanche buried thirteen climbers below La Traviata peak near Revelstoke, British Columbia in 2003, killing seven in its wake. It made international headlines. Ken Wylie was among those buried; he escaped with guilt weighing heavily on his conscience, as he was one of the mountain guides responsible for decision-making on that trip. Ken wrote a popular book titled, Buried, about his experience surviving that avalanche, and the soul-searching life lessons which ensued. I have been learning from Ken for almost twenty years - starting at Outward Bound, then at the Wilderness Risk Management Conference, and most recently as a speaker at our Mountaineers Leadership Conference in 2017, where he gave a profoundly moving presentation about leadership, loss, and the healing that comes from courageous vulnerability. I sat down with him to learn more from his experience. Read more…

Foothills Volunteer Spotlight: Gabrielle Orsi

Meet Foothills Trail Running Committee co-chair Gabrielle Orsi. A San Diego native who relocated to Washington State from Colorado in 2013, she leads trail running, hiking, backpacking, and snowshoeing trips for the club in addition to her committee work. Read more…

Top 10 Trip Reports - October 2018

If you didn’t notice, the larches were out in force this month, along with exceptionally sunny October weather inviting us to play outside. I think Mother Nature remembered to let the trees know it’s autumn, but she forgot to invite the rain. That's just dandy by me. Read more…

Leader Spotlight: Rena Chinn

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Rena Chinn, a volunteer leader with the Seattle Branch who encourages others leaders to develop a clear sense of their capabilities and limitations, and to lead within the scope of their skill base. Read more…

Leader Spotlight: Curtis Stock

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Curtis Stock, a volunteer leader with the Tacoma Branch who encourages our members to give trip leadership a try. If your committee thinks you're ready, you probably are! Read more…