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For many Mountaineers students, the South Face of the Tooth in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness is their first foray into the world of alpine climbing. Considering its close proximity to the Seattle area, wide ledges for belaying, and grippy holds, it’s no wonder that the South Face is a classic teaching space for our alpine programs. Unfortunately, our community’s ability to safely access critical teaching spaces like the South Face of the Tooth is in jeopardy due to recently released National Park Service (NPS) and U.S. Forest Service (USFS) proposals. Read more…

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

Spring is an exciting time at The Mountaineers as people from all backgrounds and experience levels turn to us to seek outdoor education. Many of our most popular adult courses are underway or wrapping up. Kids in our after-school programs are finally getting some long, sunny afternoons to learn and play outside. The activity calendar is filling rapidly, and the latest guidebooks are flying off the shelves as people gear up for summer.  Read more…

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

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

Fall is here, and that means a new season of outdoor adventures on Washington’s parks, trails, and wildlife areas. Each September, outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers across the country celebrate our public lands by getting outdoors - from local green spaces to the backcountry - in observance of National Public Lands Day (and month). This year the Biden administration added a little extra flare to the 30th anniversary of National Public Lands Day by proclaiming this September National Wilderness Month as well.
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It was 1963, and a group of 166 Mountaineers were embarking on a Summer Outing into what is known today as the North Cascades National Park. That day the park was still a dream; The Mountaineers and other partnering conservationists had been working for nearly 60 years to achieve a park designation. Mountaineers chairman Chet Powell chose “these wilderness alps” as the location for the year’s annual outing, believing that “as much of the area as possible should be seen by as many as possible” to advance efforts to protect the region. Read more…

Meet Renee Lenti, a Mountaineers Naturalist leader and instructor with the Introduction to the Natural World Course. Renee was recognized for her leadership and contributions with the Key Instructor Badge and the Super Volunteer Badge in 2022. Read more…

This month the Olympia Branch held its annual Social and Awards Celebration to honor 2022 course graduates and award pins, patches, and services awards to our outstanding members. Mike Endres was our guest speaker. A guide book writer and photographer, he captivated the crowd with stories about his travels climbing and adventuring from Colorado to Alaska. Although there was no banquet this year, light refreshments were served and plenty of radiant smiles were shared as members reminisced and celebrated the skills acquired, lessons learned, and memories made during this past year. Read more…

I have never met another organization quite like this: one that is truly led by a community of volunteers at every level. Members and volunteers develop the courses, lead the trips, and even write the books that sustain our outdoor education and recreation.

As a community, we have always sought to share the outdoor experience with others and protect the places that we love; and as a 501(c)(3), we can leverage philanthropic donations to have an even greater impact. Read more…

With my wrist in the strap of my trekking pole, I dangle over bright gray boulders bordering frothy water tumbling through the chasm. My brain is trying to comprehend what has happened. Just a few minutes ago I was hiking a wide, easy trail, and now I am hanging below it. Read more…

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

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

Meet Liz McNett Crowl, a Foothills backpack, hike, and urban walk leader. Liz is also one of the founders and leaders of the Foothills GoHike Course, founder and Chair of the Foothills Urban Walks Committee, and currently represents the Foothills Branch on The Mountaineers Board of Directors. Liz has been recognized for her leadership and contributions to the Foothills Branch with Super Volunteer badges in 2021 and 2022, and a Key Instructor badge in 2022.   Read more…

Since 1906, Mountaineers members have come together to discover the best ways to go farther together. Today, members still continue to find ways to promote the benefits of getting outside to resource and elevate our mission using their shared love of the natural world, along with a healthy dose of imagination, hospitality, determination, and generosity. Read more…

As life changes, the way we play outside does too. This is true of families with newborns, folks with caretaking responsibilities, those of us who might be nursing an injury or just want to take it a little slower for whatever reason. If you’re looking to get outdoors in a way that requires less planning and is less strenuous, consider an indoor adventure like renting a beachfront cabin at Cama Beach State Park on Camano Island. Read more…

My hometown of Bozeman, Montana, has four seasons: summer, fall, snow, and mud. Snow season is the longest. While the climate crisis has changed things, as a child I remember planning Halloween costumes based on what would pair well with my snowsuit, and I often celebrated my mid-May birthday in a snowstorm. I spent many a weekend at the local sledding hill sweating my way up (often quitting halfway) and squealing my way down. As such, I consider myself a connoisseur of fun in freezing season. Read more…

Books make great gifts! Stop by the bookstore at our Seattle Program Center in Magnuson Park for deals on books, maps, and Mountaineers logo merchandise for your family, your friends, and yourself.  Read more…

Remember how wonderful it felt to tumble or sled down a steep slope laughing so hard you fell off your saucer? As an adult, there is no better way to recapture those moments than by practicing rolling safely. Different than somersaults, shoulder rolls are the practice of going head-over-heels from shoulder to opposite hip, safely tucking the head. A wonderful way to improve your vestibular system – the sensory system in our bodies that gives us our balance and spatial awareness – they are fun as well as practical. This winter, you may find yourself spending some time in the snow on your belly, side, or back. Learn how to roll safely and have fun doing it. Read more…

In the fall of 1990, my parents drove with me from Asheville to Seattle in Ol’ Red, our ancient family station wagon. I’d heard only positive things about the Emerald City, except for one: would it really be as rainy as people said? As we drove west across Washington, I spotted Mt. Rainier in all her splendor and drew in a sharp breath. I must climb that mountain. Read more…

This article was written by Tailor Dolgin, Summer Camps Manager, and Maggie O'Shea, counselor in training.

Summer is a special season at The Mountaineers. Our program centers and lodges buzz with activity as campers fill the buildings, bringing with them their contagious excitement for making new friends and new connections to the outdoors. When campers, counselors, and counselors-in-training (CITs) come together, they create lasting memories — both blissful and challenging — that shape how they engage with the world around them. Tailor Dolgin, Camps Program Manager, and Maggie O'Shea, CIT, reflect on the growth they've seen and experienced as a part of our Summer Camp Programs. Read more…

Dreaming of your next big adventure? Enjoy this look at a few of the auction items available at the 2024 Mountaineers Gala: Adventure with Purpose! The Gala, taking place on April 6, 2024 at Fremont Studios, is our biggest fundraiser of the year. The live and silent auction are big parts of the Gala that help us reach our Gala fundraising goal of $620,000. Bid on the ultimate getaway, experience or gear package and feel great knowing that your donation will help elevate the way our community transforms lives through outdoor education and conservation.  Read more…

Lou Whittaker, a world-renowned mountaineer, legendary mountain guide, and local entrepreneur, passed away at his home near Mt. Rainier on March 24, 2024 surrounded by family and loved ones. ’Big Lou’ or ‘Rainier Lou’ was 95. Read more…

The Kitsap Forest Theater invites all Mountaineers youth and their friends and families to witness the natural wonder of the chum salmon returning to Chico Creek this Saturday and Sunday!  Read more…

Join us for a screening of Resistance Climbing, one of three Reel Rock 17 films on tour right now. In the strife-torn hills of Palestine, a diverse crew of Bedouins, dirtbags, and urban professionals embrace climbing as a much-needed respite from the burdens of the Israeli military occupation. American writer and climber Andrew Bisharat visits the West Bank to explore his own roots and the power of climbing to transform lives. Read more…

Squinting against the morning sun, I stab my pole into the steep east face of Wild Goat Peak and break loose a small snowball that quickly grows to the size of a man’s torso. Gaining speed as it travels downhill, the snowball finally topples where the mountain’s pitch shallows out. The test confirms my suspicions: this face is ripe for a wet avalanche. Read more…

During GiveBIG this week, people across the region gave more than $11.9 million to invest in the kind of community they believe in. Here at The Mountaineers, we believe in a world where anyone can access the outdoors and everyone has a role to play in conserving it for future generations.  Read more…

With Vision 2022, we developed a plan through high engagement from our community. Based on community feedback and support, Vision 2022 provided an important foundation for us as leaders in innovative outdoor education striving to engage future generations in advocacy, adventure, education, volunteerism, and community. We hope to build on that foundation as we look ahead to our  next strategic plan. Read more…

100 backpacks with kids and teens and counting! And at least that many trail meltdowns… but also thousands of smiles and expressions of awe at the beauty of the Pacific Northwest, interesting trail conversations, unplugged spontaneous games (think fresh mud burgers served on flat rocks), and watching skills and confidence grow with each trip. Read more…

This collection of trip reports is warm, fuzzy, and reminds us to munch our last marshmallow and squeeze in our last skinny dip before the weather turns lovely for ducks. So read on, dear friends, for a rodent's sleepover, what constitutes a handsome view, why we play with spice, and the ridiculous but necessary 2lb Rice Krispy Treat. Read more…