News & Events

With great sadness we share the news of the passing of Stephen Kornbluth, an active member of The Mountaineers community with our Olympia Branch. He was climbing Dewey Peak in Mt. Rainier National Park with two other Mountaineers on a private climb on Tuesday, August 14, 2018. While descending, Stephen fell. He did not survive the injuries sustained in the fall. Read more…

On September 6, 1978, Jim Wickwire and Lou Reichart became  the first Americans to stand on the summit of K2. Soon after, John Roskelley and Rick Ridgeway summited as well. They all did so as part of a team-effort to climb the savage mountain, and we believe this is call for celebration. In partnership with REI Co-op, Vibram, and Magnuson Cafe & Brewery, we're throwing an unbelievable party and we want you there to celebrate with us. Read more…

Interested in learning how to snowshoe, kayak, or navigate in the backcountry? Want to meet new exploration buddies? Have a gear wishlist a mile long, or have some extra gear you'd like to unload? Come to The Mountaineers Seattle Program Center from 6-8pm on Monday, September 24! RSVP today! Read more…

Join us September 20, 2018 to hear from Andrew Mclean, the first person to summit and ski the 'Alaska Family' of peaks Father Denali, Mother Sultanan, and child Mt. Hunter. Read more…

Summer’s almost here, which means it’s time to put on your bathing suit, mentally prepare yourself for showing your sun-starved skin to the world, and head out to one of Washington State’s many beautiful swimming holes. No matter where you live, you don’t have to go far—there’s over 8,000 lakes and over 70,000 miles of river to choose from. For those of you who live in or near Seattle, here are our favorite swimming holes close to home: Read more…

Heather Hansen is an award-winning environmental reporter and author. Her book, Prophets and Moguls, Rangers and Rogues, Bison and Bears: 100 Years of the National Park Service, published by Mountaineers Books, won the Colorado Authors’ League General Nonfiction award and was a finalist for the Colorado Book Award. Read more…

We are launching a new photo presentation series to celebrate the extraordinary photography adventures our Mountaineers members have experienced around the world. We’re hosting four presentations in the next year to share photos, videos, and storytelling from the photographers among us, and we invite you to send us your stories! Read more…

This June we welcome the Heather Hansen, the author of Wildfire: On the Front Lines with Station 8  from Mountaineers Books. She will take us on a journey through her experience after embedding with Boulder, CO wildland firefighters and share her lessons on what more we can do to help prevent such devastating wildfires. Read more…

Few people have done more for our organization than Tess Wendel, who has been a powerhouse for The Mountaineers from day one. She’s learned from and supported many different departments and volunteer groups, and after nearly six years with us, she is ready to move on and learn how other organizations and businesses get stuff done. With a heavy heart, we want to share that her last day with us will be June 15. Read more…

Tuesday night we had the pleasure to welcome the four authors of our Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail series to The Mountaineers BeWild Speaker Series for a panel discussion on section hiking the PCT. Just over 200 tickets were sold, and Philip, Tami, Shawnté, and Eli had a great time meeting everyone and signing copies of the books. The presentation was quite humorous, with Shawnté cracking jokes and Philip sharing a rather *ahem* personal story about his low point on the trail (hint: it involved chili dogs followed by a very long stretch of open trail with nowhere to hide). Read more…

In the grey of very early morning I was awakened by fluttering, scuttling, and pecking on the metal roof. The tiny, three-bed Ball Hut is perched on the moraine of the Tasman Glacier in Aoraki-Mount Cook National Park. On New Zealand's South Island, the hut is just a stone's throw away from the sheer 6000-foot Caroline Face of Mount Cook.  Read more…

Ever thought about backpacking sections of the Pacific Crest Trail in Northern California? Philip Kramer, author of the new book Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail: Northern California (Mountaineers Books, 2018) shares key information in this wide-ranging interview. Read more…

A 94-year-old Northwest native, Fred Beckey is the quintessential “dirtbag” - the original in a breed of rebellious, fearless mountain climbers. Director Dave O’Leske spent 10 years shadowing Beckey throughout the world as chronicled those tales in Dirtbag. We hope you'll join us for the final theater showing of the film before it's released for sale! Read more…

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…

In 1953 Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay became the first men to reach the sacred summit of Mount Everest. Jamling Tenzing Norgay was born on April 23, 1965, in Darjeeling, India, the fourth of six children. Following in his father's footsteps, Jamling Tenzing Norgay summited Mount Everest for the first time in 1996, just two weeks after nine people died in the mountains most deadly storm ever recorded. Read more…

Outdoor experiences with The Mountaineers are transformative. We are explorers who seek adventure and challenge. We teach skills and inspire new generations of adventurers, building community and creating lifelong memories. New leaders are forged on windswept ridges and in deep, forested valleys. We come home with a passion to share and a resolution to protect wild places - the places we love. Our outdoor experiences are imbued with commitment and conviction. In short: we adventure with purpose.  Read more…

 The Mountaineers are proud to present the BeWild Speaker Series, putting passion and adventure on the stage! Come to these talks to unlock inspiration to seek adventure, connect with nature, and work to protect the wild places we cherish. This May we welcome Pacific Crest Trail guidebook authors, Eli Boschetto, Shawntè Salabert, Tami Asars, and Philip Kramer to share their adventures documenting the 2,650 miles of the PCT. Read more…

We're very excited to host Charlotte Austin,  IMG mountain guide and adventure writer, for an evening writing workshop. Whether you're an experienced author, part-time blogger, or curious novice, this unique workshop will give you a glimpse into the wide world of travel writing and help you hone your storytelling and adventure writing skills! Read more…

Joe Riis is a wildlife biologist turned photojournalist and filmmaker on the cutting edge of explorations of heretofore unknown animal migrations in Yellowstone’s expansive landscapes—within, and outside, the protection of the park. His first book Yellowstone Migrationswas recently published by Braided River, the conservation imprint of Mountaineers Books. Read more…

Each year, the Seattle Naturalist Committee provides a lecture series designed to delve into phenomena of the natural world. The events are open to everyone and no registration is required - just pay $5 at the door. Attendance is free for members of the Naturalist Study Group. Check out this season's talks! Read more…

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…

The Mountaineers are proud to present the BeWild Speaker Series, putting passion and adventure on the stage! Come to these talks to unlock inspiration to seek adventure, connect with nature, and work to protect the wild places we cherish. This March we welcome photographer Joe Riis. Read more…

Photojournalist, adventurer, and author Erika Klimecky has traveled to Nepal several times on various adventures, which has given her a unique window into the country of Nepal and its people. Her photo tour will combine storytelling, imagery and culture of Himalaya and Nepal, giving you enough inside knowledge so you can plan a trip of your own and appreciate it more when you get there. Read more…

In this era of the perpetual run-up in sports, when the next trend or wunderkind can be spied, not just a mile but often an entire continent away, Kai Lightner has been an under-the-radar, champion-in-waiting for so long, he’s literally had “next” before his sport had a recognized competitive outlet. Read more…

Interested in learning how to snowshoe, kayak, or navigate in the backcountry? Want to meet new exploration buddies? Have a gear wishlist a mile long, or have some extra gear you'd like to unload? Come to The Mountaineers Seattle Program Center from 6-8pm on Monday, February 12! RSVP today! Read more…

Join Mountaineers Books for an evening with renowned photographer Jim Herrington as he presents The Climbers, the culmination of his two-decades-long project to capture the mountaineering icons roughly the 1930s to 1970s who used primitive gear, along with their considerable wits, talent, and fortitude, to tackle unscaled peaks around the world. His book includes 60 intimate, black & white portraits of greats Reinhold Messner, Royal Robbins, Gwen Moffat, Tom Hornbein, Yvon Chouinard, and Pertemba Sherpa, among others. Published in October, 2017 by Mountaineers Books, The Climbers received both the Grand Prize and the Mountaineering History Award at the 2017 Banff Mountain Book Festival. Read more…

The Mountaineers are proud to present the BeWild Speaker Series, putting passion and adventure on the stage! This year, we're presenting adventurers who've 'found' themselves in the outdoors. Come to these talks to unlock inspiration to seek adventure, connect with nature, and work to protect the wild places we cherish. Read more…

Looking for something for the kids to do over school vacation? Do you have a really active kid who would LOVE to learn more climbing and other outdoors skills? The Mountaineers have a new opportunity just for you. Our week-long camps are offered during Winter and Spring Breaks and designed for campers ages 6-12. Sign up today! Read more…

Pull up a chair, settle in, and enjoy stories and video from award winning filmmaker Justine Curgenven. With 15 years of sea kayaking adventures spanning six continents, Justine's hair-raising experiences appeal to anyone with an adventurous spirit ... be they climbers, skiers, sailors, or kayakers themselves! Read more…

Are you dreaming of getting outside this year? Learn how the Olympia Mountaineers can help you realize your ambitions. Representatives from our courses will set up information tables for attendees to check out.  Plus, we'll share information about our activities, events, and more. Read more…