People

At The Mountaineers, we are grieving for those affected by the devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake in Nepal. Thousands of lives have been lost, many more are injured without access to basic essentials, and local communities have been completely destroyed. Read more…

Have a guest family account and want to upgrade to a family membership? Just turned 65 and want to pay the senior rate instead of the individual rate? Need to add family members? All of your membership changes can be done from the My Profile page.  Read more…

For our member profile this week we chatted with Rajesh Pillai, an Everett Mountaineer and volunteer. He told us about his inspiration and revealed a few of his favorite Mountaineers memories. Read more…

Meet your fellow Mountaineers and learn more about our programs and activities at this 40 minute information session, and stay after to chat with your fellow members and guests. Read more…

For our member profile this week we spoke to employee and active member Caitlin O'Brien. She told us about her work with youth and how it continues to inspire her every day. Read more…

We emailed all of the volunteers that we could identify with our rosters and available information. This included people who volunteer with us as leaders, course instructors, committee members/branch administration, event support, help for our youth programs, the lodges, stewardship volunteers, Mountaineers Players and on the Board or Advisory Council. We received feedback from 482 people.  Read more…

Giving and receiving feedback is an integral part of our organizational culture at The Mountaineers. From staff, to volunteers, to members, we strive to create a healthy loop of feedback that allows us the opportunity to continually evaluate, assess, and improve our programs! Read more…

Sometimes this works - we have amazing volunteers - but it can be a recipe for increased burnout. For us to be effective in the long run, everyone must create the change they would like to see and not pressure others to do things they may not have time for. Read more…

The Mountaineers offers a wide range of outdoor experiences through our courses and activities. Our outdoor experiences are organized and led by volunteers across seven branches. Our volunteer structure, and the fact that some of our activities can only be done seasonally, means our courses generally happen on a seasonal basis as well. Read more…

For our member profile this week we spoke to Maiza Lima, a rock climber and mountaineer from Brazil who signed up with us to learn how to climb and found a great community that makes her heart smile. Read more…

The level of outdoor community support in the Pacific Northwest is truly unmatched. As a transplant myself, I know it can be difficult to make connections in a new place. Not so much when you go outside. You can roll up to any trailhead, crag, or mountainside and form friendships to last a lifetime. That’s why it’s only fitting that I should find myself here, working at The Mountaineers, through a lucky connection with a fellow outdoor enthusiast: Miles McDonough. Read more…

For our member profile this week we spoke to Tommy Cafcas, a cyclist, mountaineer, and hiker who signed up for our Basic Climbing Course with a friend and discovered just how fun it can be to practice tying knots in a frigid shower while fully dressed. Read more…

For our member profile this week, we take a different approach and introduce you to Katherine Hollis, our conservation and recreation manager. Learn about why she became interested in conservation, and what excites her most about working with The Mountaineers. Read more…

You’d be hard pressed to miss the invitations and communications over the past couple of months about our Mountaineers BREAKTHROUGH fundraising event on April 11. With an all-star lineup of climbers in the program, you’re probably wondering why we’re writing about it in relationship to conservation. Well, underlying the climbing theme of the evening is the impact story about why anyone should care about The Mountaineers efforts to get people outside – conservation is a primary driver of that story. Read more…

For our member profile this week we spoke to Sue Ritter, a rock climber and route setter at Warehouse Rockgym, nordic skier, hiker, photographer, and Dental Hygienist, about why she joined The Mountaineers and her favorite Mountaineers memory. Read more…

For our member profile this week we spoke to Erik Swanson, a bsnowshoer, hiker, scrambler, and electrical engineer, on why he's inspired by his fellow Mountaineers.  Read more…

On behalf of The Mountaineers, I'd like to wish a Happy Birthday to one of our longest standing and most distinguished members: Wolf Bauer - pioneer, first-ascensionist, champion skier, sea kayak course and boat innovator, founder of Seattle Mountain Rescue Council, and esteemed conservationist.  Read more…

For our member profile this week we spoke to Susan Myers, a birder, hiker, backpacker, and photographer, about who inspires her and why she gets outside with The Mountaineers. Read more…

For our member profile this month we spoke to Jan Deveny, a climber, skier, hiker, and retired Polic Chief, about why he joined The Mountaineers and how the community here has inspired him to give back.  Read more…

Everything accomplished by The Mountaineers as an organization can be credited to the efforts of our volunteers. Our courses, trips, youth programs, and advocacy efforts are fueled by the passion of people who are engaged because they want to be, not because they receive financial motivation. Each year we host a Volunteer Appreciation Dinner to recognize these tireless individuals. Find out which volunteers were honored this year with the Branch Service awards and the organization-wide Leader of the Year and Mountaineers Service Award (there are other awards at the branch level that are not highlighted here but which show how our community can embrace those that contribute to it - at the bottom of this blog, we'd love to hear how different committees and branches choose to thank and recognize their other volunteers).  Read more…

For our member profile this month we spoke to Vik Sahney, a mountaineer, climber, skier, and VP of Strategy at REI, about who inspires him and why he volunteers with The Mountaineers. Read more…

The Mountaineers have been part of the Pacific Northwest since we were founded in 1906. We are pioneers and adventurers. 

Young and old, new and seasoned, passionate teachers and eager learners – the outdoors bring us together. The Pacific Northwest is our home. Read more…

fric·tion
/'frikSH(e)n/
The resistance that one surface or object encounters when moving over another
slab
/slab/
A large, thick, flat piece of stone, concrete, or wood Read more…

For our member profile this month we spoke to Loni Uchytil, a climber, skier, and dental hygenist about who inspires her and why she volunteers with The Mountaineers. Read more…

For our member profile this month we spoke to Patrick Mullaney, a climber, skier, and Land Use Attorney about who inspires him and why he volunteers with The Mountaineers. Read more…

We're teaming up with AmazonSmile to support the mission of The Mountaineers - to get more people outside enjoying the lands and waters of our beautiful Pacific Northwest. Read more…

With great sadness we share the news of the passing of Lisa Berntsen, a beloved member of The Mountaineers community - a Mountaineer, Tacoma branch member, volunteer leader, and board member. Read more…

Members join our community for all sort of reasons. Some folks simply want to support our mission to get more people outside. Others are passionate about our commitment to bring outdoor experiences to young people through our youth programs. And many more join to learn specific skills or increase competencies to better enjoy their outdoor pursuits. Read more…