Outdoor Leadership

Volunteer-led outdoor education is the heart and soul of The Mountaineers. Our instructors are passionate about sharing their love of the outdoors with others, and many of our students choose to play an important role in our community as volunteer instructors after graduation. Read more…

It is an all-too-familiar feeling for many of us. You just watched one of your peers fumble a skill demonstration. Or maybe you've noticed a student who is over-participating, not leaving at room for others to ask questions or share knowledge. You want to provide feedback to get things back on track, but you're worried about how it will be received. What do you do? Read more…

As we navigate COVID-19, our priority is to keep our members safe and engaged in the outdoors. The Olympia branch is excited to offer three upcoming courses in January and February; hear from the course chairs on the safety adjustments made, and what you can expect to learn.  Read more…

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Steve Payne, a longtime volunteer with the Seattle Branch who recently moved to Olympia and has jumped right in! Read more…

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Barbara Folmer, a volunteer leader with the Foothills Branch who first got involved with The Mountaineers to go snowshoeing, and who stayed involved because of the community! Read more…

As a white person, my own education on Native history and culture is ongoing and largely self-directed, and I want to share a few things I've learned in the hopes that it will be helpful to others like me. Read more…

In an effort to better recognize our club leadership, we’re excited to announce a new trio of badges to celebrate branch chairs, activity committee chairs, and branch officers! Read more…

The Mountaineers Ten Essentials™ dates back to our climbing courses of the 1930s. This widely respected safety and packing system was formalized in the third edition of Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills, released in 1974. Each of the nine editions of Freedom, as it is affectionately known, was written entirely by volunteers and reflects the collective wisdom of hundreds of outdoor skills instructors. The list has always sought to answer two basic questions: Read more…

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Chase Gruszewski, a volunteer leader with the Kitsap Branch who chairs the Kitsap Climbing Committee and once did a 25 hour epic of Shield Wall on Mt. Washington. Read more…

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Bruce Durham, a volunteer leader with the Tacoma Branch who has ramped-up his paddling during the pandemic. He eventually hopes to lead a series of day trips - 22 of them! - originating at Budd Inlet near Olympia, paddling north through Puget Sound to the Straight of Juan de Fuca, then going west out to Cape Flattery and around to Hobuck Beach. It  will be a 229nm adventure. Read more…

For this month's Leader Spotlight, we're changing things up and running a group feature. As a part of this special edition, we talked with Shuko Hashimoto and Christina Buckman, both leaders with the Backpacking Building Blocks (B3) course offered by the Foothills Branch. Read more…

In January 2020, we invited our members and volunteers, past and present, to participate in a member and volunteer survey. We wanted to learn how their perceptions of and experiences with our club have changed since our last surveys in 2011, 2014, 2016, and 2018. We compare these responses with past survey data to track patterns showing how we’ve grown and changed, and to identify opportunities to improve.  Read more…

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Thomas Bancroft, a volunteer leader with the Seattle Branch who loves the process of learning with others. His advice to new leaders? You don't have to know everything, a love of nature and a willingness to learn is plenty! Read more…

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Nataliya Semez, a volunteer leader with the Seattle Branch who is proud to represent The Mountaineers on the trail and in all aspects of life! Read more…

The Foothills Branch is seeking a new Chair-Elect to join our team this spring! This position is part of a 2.5-year term; the new Chair-Elect will begin ASAP and transition to a one-year term as Branch Chair on November 1, throughout which you will receive active support and mentoring throughout from the current chair and our strong branch council. Then, your last year will be serving as Past Chair, with a focus on supporting the chair and helping to mentor the next Chair-Elect. Read more…

Braided River, the conservation imprint of Mountaineers Books, is proud to announce that out of more than 550 entries, all four of their 2019 titles were awarded Nautilus Awards. The Big Thaw: Ancient Carbon, Modern Science, and a Race to Save the World (Braided River, 2019) was also named the Grand Award Winner, which accompanies a $2500 grant award for the author and photographer.  Read more…

As our community adapts to a new way of gathering together and learning, we're collecting ideas, tips, and how-to's to help you be successful. The Mountaineers community of staff and volunteers has stepped-up to share success stories and answer frequently asked questions about how to make your next virtual event run smoothly. Read more…

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Becky Jacobsen, a volunteer leader with the Tacoma Branch who loves helping members gain new skills and the confidence to expand their horizons. Read more…

We’re entering uncharted territory. Mountaineers in-person programming is suspended until at least April 24 and a two-week minimum Stay Home, Stay Healthy order limits non-essential businesses and access to many of our favorite places. Schools are closed and many of us are at least temporarily out of work. These are big scary changes and we know that many of our members and volunteers will need to reprioritize their lives to care for their families. Others are finding themselves with endless free time and forbidden from doing the things they love outside.  Read more…

As a course leader, I deeply empathize with any volunteer who’s had to make the extremely difficult decision to cancel or alter a course that you spent months planning. I also empathize with the hundreds of volunteers who were looking forward to supporting these courses or continuing the operations of our lodges this spring. With at least 30 courses, all of our lodges, and nearly 1,000 volunteers and students affected by these changes, it’s clear that we are entering truly unprecedented times. Read more…

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Peter Hendrickson, a volunteer leader with the Seattle Branch who loves night hikes and encourages everyone to take a leadership role on his trips. Read more…

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Dee Ann Kline, a volunteer leader with the Olympia Branch who enjoys leading easy paced hikes with plenty of time for photos and berry picking. Read more…

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Steven Anderson, a volunteer leader with the Kitsap Branch who encourages everyone to keep learning and refreshing their skills through teaching. Read more…

Volunteerism is at the core of The Mountaineers mission. Everything we accomplish is the result of volunteer initiative, and our "flavor" here in the PNW is that of a vibrant volunteer-driven community. We often say that volunteers are our "secret sauce", and that's more true than ever as we enter a new decade of adventure. Read more…

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to John Gilbert, a volunteer leader with the Foothills Branch who loves both close-to-home and more remote adventures. He has hiked Tiger Mountain more than 100 times, and is also working his way through the Rainier 100! Read more…

As we well know at The Mountaineers, teamwork and a shared passion for the outdoors can produce some incredible things. Over the past few years, volunteers and staff at The Mountaineers have enjoyed deepening our relationships with our partners at the American Alpine Club, Colorado Mountain Club, and the Mazamas as we work together to develop national climbing education standards for volunteer clubs. Through this work, relationships and friendships have formed, new climbing partners were found, and we all quickly realized how much we have in common. Today, The Mountaineers is proud to be a part of the newly-named Mountain Education Alliance (MEA) - a formalized partnership between our organizations, and we’re excited to be a part of a new program to recognize volunteer educators, both in the United States and worldwide. Read more…

The scene is one familiar to every Mountaineer: a full car on a long drive back from a successful outing. The conversation is flowing and everyone is at ease after having shared an inspiring time out in the wilderness. Then, inevitably, a fellow climber asks me the question: “Where are you from?” Read more…

Whether you hike, ski, climb, or paddle, we’d be willing to bet your life has been positively impacted by a Mountaineers volunteer. Volunteers are the heart of our organization - they lead our trips, teach our courses, run our branches and committees, and build our Program and Outdoor Centers. This giving season, consider making a gift in honor of the volunteer who has made a difference in your life. Read more…

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Carlanna Livingstone, a hike leader with the Tacoma Branch who loves fire lookouts and hiking with her dog Raven. Read more…

The Mountaineers Leadership Conference is a one-day conference held on Saturday, December 7 at the Seattle Program Center in Magnuson Park. It is an engaging and exciting day of leadership development for you - our community of outstanding leaders - and we hope that you're able to join us! Read more…