Outdoor Leadership

Outdoor Leadership

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Snowshoe Fail: A Rewarding Experience on Mt. Baker

I joined The Mountaineers two years ago – I am new to the “wild” outdoors – with Basic Wilderness Skills (BWS) as my first course. Prior to that, I was having difficulty getting questions answered about what I should wear so I didn’t die of exposure. I came to Bremerton from arid desert climate, where a t-shirt and jeans are the accepted hiking attire. I needed someone to give me the low down on what the heck “hard shells and base layers” were. Susan Graham and the BWS team gave me the core tidbits I needed to do more.  Read more…

Seattle Photography Committee Featured Member - June 2018

Name: Erwin Buske
Hometown: Fairwood, Washington
Member Since: 1995
Occupation: Erwin Buske Photography & Procurement Cost Analysis Consulting Read more…

Leader Spotlight: Jacob Wolniewicz

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Jacob Wolniewicz, a volunteer leader with the Seattle Branch who currently chairs the organization's largest committee ... Seattle Climbing! Read more…

Olympia Branch Seeks Volunteer Equipment Manager

The Equipment Manager plays an important role in the management and security of the Olympia Branch’s non-climbing equipment storage.  Read more…

2018 Updates to the Sea Kayaking Minimum Standards

As a part of their annual review process, members from each of The Mountaineers sea kayaking committees met in Tacoma on February 10 for the 2018 Sea Kayaking Summit. During this meeting, the group discussed a wide variety of topics, including ways to make The Mountaineers sea kayaking programs more accessible and consistent.  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…

Carolyn Burreson Honored as Coordinator of Olympia Adventure Speaker Series

Carolyn Burreson has been a member of The Mountaineers since 1982 and is the inspiration and force behind the Olympia Branch Potluck & Adventure Speaker Series, which she's coordinated for the last eleven years. We are grateful for all she's given to The Mountaineers! Read more…

Leader Spotlight: Jill Uthoff

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Jill Uthoff, a volunteer leader with the Tacoma Branch whose favorite piece of gear is a trucker hat ... the more ridiculous, the better! Read more…

Foothills Volunteer Spotlight: Richard Bell

Our branch wants to give a big shout out to Richard Bell! Meet this awesome volunteer whose hard work is a huge asset to the Foothills community. Read more…

A Personal Story: Volunteers' Hidden Impact

It was my lowest moment as a Mountaineer, and I’ll never forget it. Evening was approaching on the first day of my Basic Winter Overnight at the old Snoqualmie property. I had done pretty well at ice-ax arrest, but I was cold, wet, and ready to head back to camp to get warm and dry. Then I saw it - my home for the night (an improperly staked 3-season backpacking tent) had collapsed under the 5" of heavy, wet snow that had fallen since morning. My gear was soaked in the puddles of standing water in the tent, and with night falling soon, there was no chance of drying out. I was mortified. Read more…

Self-Assessment: A Tool to Create Dialogue and Enhance Learning

Self-assessment is  an approach instructors can use to maximize student learning and place students in the driver's seat for their own learning by using a checklist or scorecard.Metaphorically, a self-assessment tool can serve as a topo map for students to see where they are, where they're going, and how much further they have to go to achieve their learning goals.  Most importantly, it can stimulate extremely useful dialogue between instructors and students, especially when their assessments differ. Read more…

2018 Olympia Sea Kayaking Program

The Olympia Sea Kayaking Committee is launching our 2018 sea kayaking program with trip planning, instructor training, incident management training, Wednesday evening paddles, and a new group of sea kayak students. Join us for another season of fun on the water! 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…

Foothills Volunteer Spotlight: Travis Prescott

Our branch wants to give a big shout out to Travis Prescott! Meet this awesome volunteer whose hard work is a huge asset to the Foothills community. Read more…

Mentorship

I’ve never had a mentor. Not the kind that you think of when you think of a traditional mentorship. Sure, lots of folks have lent a hand over the years, but I never had an arm around the shoulder, “Let me help you out,” period in my life.  Read more…

Mike Kretzler Focuses on Leading and Teaching People To Become Comfortable in the Outdoors

These days many Olympia Mountaineers know Mike Kretzler as a trip leader for hiking, backpacking, and snowshoeing and a course chair for the Navigation program. What they might not realize is Mike's has a long leadership history with the chapter, including a term as Secretary and a term as Council Chair. Read more…

"Imposter Syndrome" in the Outdoors

As The Mountaineers Membership & Communications Director, I spend a lot of time thinking about and interacting with the outdoor community. People are drawn to the outdoors by a sense of curiosity, but not everyone feels welcome in this space - either because of the actions of others or by the unwritten "rules" of who belongs in the outdoors. I'm here today to say: you belong here. 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…

"Get Out: Nurturing A Bond Between Black People And Nature" - Podcast Summary

More and more each year, The Mountaineers receives questions about how to make our programs more accessible to diverse communities. 1A’s Joshua Johnson explores this question is his podcast Get Out: Nurturing A Bond Between Black People And Nature. Read more…

Kayaking Cape Scott: A Leader's Perspective - Feb 28

A year ago, I had the notion to lead a group of Mountaineers sea kayakers on a difficult trip around the northwest corner of Vancouver Island. This is a classic trip because the launch point (Port Hardy) and the landing point (Coal Harbor) are separated by only 20 minutes of driving - and 100 miles of remote, beautiful coastline. It is a thru paddle with a very easy shuttle. But the paddling is mostly open coast, much of which is exposed to ocean swell with surf on the beaches. It's an advanced paddle and it takes two weeks. So, I wondered:  How will I find a group of capable and compatible kayakers? Read more…

Foothills Volunteer Spotlight: Ryan Dubberly & Chris Soverel

Our branch wants to give a big shout out to Ryan Dubberly and Chris Soverel! Meet these two awesome volunteers, whose  hard work is a huge asset to the Foothills community.  Read more…

Take your leadership skills to a new level as a Global Adventures leader in 2018

Are you an experienced Mountaineers activity leader who dreams of taking Mountaineers companions on multi-day adventures in far-flung places? Global Adventures leaders have taken groups skiing, snowshoeing, climbing, scrambling, backpacking, trekking, and day-walking in Alaska, the Rockies, Patagonia, Peru, the Himalayas, the British Isles, New Zealand, and more. The Global Adventures program may be the perfect place for you to live your travel dreams, and at the same time, take your trip planning and group leadership skills to a new level.   Read more…

Congratulations to our 2017 Volunteer Award recipients!

The Mountaineers has no shortage of outstanding volunteers. During the 2016-17 fiscal year, we had 2,613 individual volunteers support our programs. That means that over 20% of our total membership - or 1 in 5 members - actively volunteered last year in some capacity! 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…

Friction Slabs Rope Cutting Ceremony

On Sunday, January 21, a group of 30 donors and volunteers gathered at the Seattle Program Center to celebrate the long overdue completion of the Friction Slabs project. The idea was born in 2012. Plans were drawn and funds were raised, however the process became much more of a lift than anyone could have anticipated. Fast forward six years, and we have (as far as we can tell) the only fabricated friction slab training structure in existence!  Read more…

Meet Your Olympia Enewsletter Editor

Meet Regina Robinson, your branch email editor for the last two years.  When she was recruited into the position, she thought, “No way, I don’t know how to do that!” She eventually agreed after some gentle persuasion and stated, “Okay, I will give it a try." She hasn’t looked back. She promises to keep doing it, "for as long as we will have her." Read more…

Olympia Branch Looking for Hike Leaders

Whether you're an active hike leader looking for new ways to get out,  an inactive hike leader who would like to become more active, or a member member who would like to become a hike leader, we need you! By leading hikes, you have an opportunity to develop your skills, go on the hikes you want at the pace you prefer - all while benefiting your club and meeting great new people! Read more…

10 Essential Questions: Jacob Lopilato

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

2017 Recap: A Year in Review

Volunteers are the lifeblood of The Mountaineers, and we get a clear view of their incredible impact when we dive into the numbers! Here is a look at our  collective impact over the past year. Read more…

Leader Spotlight: Kyle Breakey

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Kyle Breakey, a volunteer with the Bellingham Branch who sees a huge value in mentorship for leaders at The Mountaineers, both as a mentor and a mentee.  Read more…