Stuck Inside Youth Blog

Thomas O’Keefe is a conservationist who is equally comfortable paddling a Class IV river as he is testifying before Congress (wearing his trademark bow tie). The longtime Pacific Northwest Stewardship Director for American Whitewater, Tom has dedicated his life to protecting whitewater rivers. Tom works closely with The Mountaineers to advocate for our wild places and provides strategic advice as a member of the Advisory Council. Here, we get to know Tom and learn what sparked his passion for protecting and stewarding public lands. Plus, we learn a great trick for recruiting Mountaineers members! Read more…

It was a bitterly cold day in early November, and our small group of four canyoneers had just donned our wetsuits on the hillside above the canyon. The cold weather meant water levels in the glacier-fed river were at their lowest for the year, a key consideration when descending a deep, narrow slot canyon that has never been explored before. Read more…

As Mountaineers, we are committed to learning from our experiences. We examine every incident that happens on a Mountaineers trip for opportunities to improve the ways we explore and teach. Our volunteer safety committee reviews every incident report and picks a few each month to share as examples of ‘Lessons Learned’. The trip report below describes what happened on this trip, in the leader’s own words, and outlines the lessons the leader has identified. In some cases, we offer additional key learnings from the incident. Read more…

As Mountaineers, we are committed to learning from our experiences. We examine every incident that happens on a Mountaineers trip for opportunities to improve the ways we explore and teach. Our volunteer safety committee reviews every incident report and picks a few each month to share as examples of ‘Lessons Learned’. The trip report below describes what happened on this trip, in the leader’s own words, and outlines the lessons the leader has identified. In some cases, we offer additional key learnings from the incident. Read more…

Every year, the Olympia Branch holds a banquet to celebrate committed leaders, volunteers, accomplishments, and actions that made a difference in the community. For 2020, the banquet was reimagined as a "zoomquet" so the celebrations could continue.  Read more…

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Alina Badus, a volunteer leader with the Seattle Branch who loves seeing trips come together from start to finish, and whose bucket list includes climbing Mount Rainier! 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…

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Danny Casady, a volunteer leader with the Tacoma Branch who believes leadership is all about building: building character; building up others to their full potential; and building memories one peak, one switchback, and one sunset at a time. Read more…

The Mountaineers made a commitment to reduce our organization’s carbon footprint as part of Vision 2022. In the Carbon Footprint Reduction Committee’s last blog post, we discussed the carbon footprint of food and what we can all do to make a difference. This month we’re excited to talk about another area where The Mountaineers, and most of us, can reduce our carbon footprint: transportation. Read more…

For most of us, putting 2020 in the rearview mirror is something we’re looking forward to. As I’ve shared before, the COVID-19 crisis has created significant challenges for organizations such as The Mountaineers. The biggest headwind we faced this year was the dramatic reduction of program revenue as we largely shut down. At the beginning of the crisis, we literally wondered if we’d have enough cash in the bank to get us through the summer because the courses, camps, lodges, and books retailers that traditionally support our organization had nearly ground to a halt. In what felt like the blink of an eye, we were facing a more than 25% revenue gap for the year. To successfully survive this COVID-induced storm, we’ve had to adapt to significant changes and redouble our commitment to our mission and core values. Read more…

Zion is a national treasure that begs to be explored. It is not only famous for its many hiking trails, including the most dangerous, Angels Landing, but for the milky green Virgin River that shapes what we see today. Read more…

2020 was a difficult year for our Mountaineers programs. With 2021 just a few weeks away, Olympia leaders are developing hybrid courses and tailoring activities to ensure the COVID-19 safety of all participants. Join us on January 7, 2021 to learn about new and exciting way of providing outdoor education and look forward to welcoming new members. Read more…

As Mountaineers, we are committed to learning from our experiences. We examine every incident that happens on a Mountaineers trip for opportunities to improve the ways we explore and teach. Our volunteer safety committee reviews every incident report and picks a few each month to share as examples of ‘Lessons Learned’. The trip report below describes what happened on this trip, in the leader’s own words, and outlines the lessons the leader has identified. In some cases, we offer additional key learnings from the incident. Read more…

As Mountaineers, we are committed to learning from our experiences. We examine every incident that happens on a Mountaineers trip for opportunities to improve the ways we explore and teach. Our volunteer safety committee reviews every incident report and picks a few each month to share as examples of ‘Lessons Learned’. The trip report below describes what happened on this trip, in the leader’s own words, and outlines the lessons the leader has identified. In some cases, we offer additional key learnings from the incident. Read more…

As Mountaineers, we are committed to learning from our experiences. We examine every incident that happens on a Mountaineers trip for opportunities to improve the ways we explore and teach. Our volunteer safety committee reviews every incident report and picks a few each month to share as examples of ‘Lessons Learned’. The trip report below describes what happened on this trip, in the leader’s own words, and outlines the lessons the leader has identified. In some cases, we offer additional key learnings from the incident. Read more…

Scholarships do so much more than offer someone a single course. These outdoor experiences foster community, create future volunteers, and serve as an important bridge between recreation and conservation. Inspiring new conservationists to become advocates - especially those who may not have built those connections otherwise - is immeasurably valuable for our public lands. Read more…

The outdoors have always been a source of unity. In an often divisive world, the outdoors brings us together to explore, share, and ultimately protect the experiences they provide. Indeed, even with a divided Congress the last two years, we’ve achieved significant conservation wins with the recent passage of the Dingell Act and the Great American Outdoors Act. These bills passed with overwhelming bipartisan votes, showing that protecting public lands and waters has strong support from across the political spectrum. Read more…

Chunks of rough rock covered our trail in the dry, scrubby foothills of the Taurus Mountains. The Mediterranean Sea glittered below us as we climbed, 85 miles into our 115-mile, 14-day journey. Read more…

Fluff  your couch cushions, grab some snacks, and make sure you have good internet connection, because the Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour is going virtual this year, and we have your exclusive access!  Read more…

For years, REI has closed its stores on Black Friday, paying their employees to #OptOutside instead. At The Mountaineers, we couldn't love the idea more. Our employees have always enjoyed the day after Thanksgiving as a vacation day, and two paid stewardship days each year to take care of their favorite places to play. We believe going outside is not just good for your health - but good for your soul.  Read more…

At The Mountaineers, we experienced dramatic changes to the ways we deliver courses, trips,  youth programs, events, and more. Smaller group sizes, virtual gatherings, online education - we pivoted our resources to ensure continued programming while keeping our community safe. Read more…

Voting is live for Evergreen Options participants! If you're an EVO customer, you should have received an email announcing the two grant applicants on Tuesday, December 8. Please be sure to cast your vote by 5pm on December 14 to help The Mountaineers receive a $50,000 grant that will support a new solar PV system on the roof of the Tacoma Program Center! Read more…

 Welcome back! During the spring, The Mountaineers youth team shared ideas and activities for kids of all ages to stay engaged while also staying home and safe. As we prepare for winter and once again find ourselves spending lots of time stuck inside, we wanted to share more activities that can keep your brain and body active! Read more…

For eight years, we've hosted the BeWild Speaker Series to bring you stories of passion and adventure. We're excited to announce this year's lineup, which includes award winning authors, not your average thru-hiker, and a world class alpinist. Read more…

A few years ago, I had the opportunity to take a group of incoming college freshmen on a rafting trip in Arizona. I scrambled to get all my gear together before we launched, and that first night I realized that I had forgotten to pack my tent. Thankfully we were in the desert, and I was sleeping on my boat, so I didn’t have to worry about insects and other critters on the beach. The first night I lucked out with a light breeze coming off the water and a crystal clear sky. I slept like a rock. Read more…

Interested in learning scrambling, winter travel, or other basic skills? Look no further than the upcoming Olympia Scrambling Course, Winter Travel Course, and clinics in avalanche safety, outdoor preparation, and more. Read more…

As I reflect on what I am thankful for this year, I find my thoughts more stoic and minimalist than usual. This shouldn’t be surprising: it is after all a puritanical holiday and the mental exercise itself, like a hiker stripping every unnecessary ounce from a pack, forces a consideration of what’s really essential. Read more…

The Mountaineers has the honor of impacting so many lives across Puget Sound. Our courses, events, activities, and youth clubs bring thousands of people outside each year. We strive to promote a sense of welcome, responsible recreation, and a love for the outdoors. However, we recognize that although we do our best to make our offerings accessible, financial barriers still exist for many. This is why we have created the MAP (Mountaineers Access Program) Scholarship Fund, a fund specifically designed to provide support to those who otherwise may not be able to participate in our organization and this #GivingTuesday we need your help. Read more…

We know you probably received a mountain of #GivingTuesday outreach and we appreciate your support of the organizations and causes you care about. Thank you for sticking with us today. I wanted to share one last story from a scholarship recipient who tugged at my heartstrings. Reading her testimonial reminded me that I chose fundraising as a career because the work made possible by donors really matters. It matters for individuals, it matters for communities, and – at The Mountaineers – it matters for the lands and waters we love. Read more…