Youth & Family

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…

As summer comes to an end, many of us are focused on how to enjoy the last of the sunshine while staying socially distant. At The Mountaineers, we're gearing up for a new season of youth programming to keep our young members outside and engaged! Registration opens this month. Don't miss your chance to sign your kids up for a year of learning and exploration.   Read more…

At The Mountaineers, we believe a diverse and inclusive outdoors inspires unity, respect, and passion for the places we love. We also believe that the outdoors is for everyone. As part of our recurring Impact Giving blog series, this month we’re talking about one of our favorite donor-funded outreach efforts: Mountain Workshops. This program increases outdoor access for youth who may not easily have opportunities to enjoy positive experiences in our wild places.  Read more…

The fourth time my 6-year-old fell down on the muddy trail and screamed like there was no tomorrow, I thought, “hmmm… maybe we should turn back.” Then I figured he’ll be fine - it’s all part of getting outside. To be fair, he kept falling because he was wearing his mom’s (giant for him) rain boots, because he’d forgotten his own boots. He also forgot his shoes, and we didn’t drive an hour to not go for a hike because our kid forgot his boots when we had a perfectly good pair of rain boots in the car. Lesson learned: double-check footwear for all family members. See also: socks, pants, gloves, hats… you get the idea. Read more…

The Pacific Northwest is filled with incredible spots to explore but the type of outdoor recreation we teach at The Mountaineers teaches isn't easily accessible to everyone, To learn about barriers to being "outdoorsy", I recommend starting with this Code Switch podcast. Because gear can be one of those barriers, The Mountaineers Gear Library normally loans outdoor gear to youth groups for free. In light of COVID, we're now offering pearsonal gear rentals for Mountaineers members.   Read more…

We all know that spending time in nature is beneficial for kids. Outdoor experiences promote a healthier lifestyle, build self-confidence and self-reliance, and inspires an appreciation for the natural world. This appreciation for nature will help build a generation of young people committed to protecting our outdoor spaces, which is a benefit for everyone. Read more…

You did it! We asked for your help to get more kids outside more often and now we can! Last month you helped us raise over $30,000 toward a 15-passenger Ford Transit and this month we brought it home. Thank you to the 34 donors who made it possible, and to the 9 donors who made their first gift to The Mountaineers! We’d like to give a special shout out to The Bradley Family Foundation and donors Ken Seamon and Jane Biddle who extended your support with the matching gift challenge  and to the Gary E. Milgard Family Foundations for helping to make the van possible!  Read more…

Last spring, I saw The Wizard of Oz at the Kistsap Forest Theater. When the first notes of “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” hit, I was floored at the depth and talent coming out of the young woman singing. Everyone in the show impressed me, but the person playing Dorothy was so young and yet so professional. Where did she get her training, I thought? Where did she get her confidence to be on stage in front of hundreds of people? I learned a lesson I’ve learned many times in The Mountaineers: never underestimate the skill and dedication of volunteers. Yes, the Kitsap Forest Theater is run entirely by volunteers and is a part of The Mountaineers. Read more…

Although summer is here and many of us are busy enjoying the sunshine and fresh air, it's already time to start thinking about next season's adventures! The Mountaineers Youth Clubs are preparing to launch a new season of programming, designed to transform our young Mountaineers into lifelong outdoor enthusiasts. Registration opens this September - don't miss your chance to sign your kids up for a year of learning and exploration.  Read more…

A hush spread over the crowd of 500 well-dressed Mountaineers, all eyes on the stage in anticipation. From behind the curtain emerged Jaydalen Blossom, a 14-year old outdoor enthusiast and participant with Young Women Empowered (Y-WE), a youth-serving mentorship and empowerment organization we partner with as part of our Mountain Workshops program. Jaydalen joined us to speak about the connection to people and place she feels in being outside, and to offer a fresh perspective on why protecting these places and experiences is more important than ever. Read more…

Wynooche Lake is a remote, hidden gem in the southern Olympic Peninsula. Framed by steep, rugged peaks, the lush conifer and hardwood forested shores of Wynoochee Lake provide many opportunities for recreation. With just over 13 miles of shoreline, two campgrounds, boat access, Roosevelt Elk, a river, and many waterfalls, Wyoonchee Lake will be your next weekend getaway. Read more…

One of the core elements of our mission at The Mountaineers is to engage future Mountaineers. Many of our members may not know about everything we do to foster youth involvement in the outdoors, and we hear that some people are surprised to learn about our robust youth program, which has three distinct parts: outreach programs (like Mountain Workshops and our Gear Library), school break camps, and year-round outdoor clubs. One of these year-round programs is The Mountaineers Adventure Club (MAC). Designed for teens aged 14-18, MAC includes a wide variety of outdoor activities and focuses on developing strong alpine climbing skills.  Read more…

The Mountaineers’ Gear Library is deeply committed to helping everyone explore the outdoors. Since launching in August 2018, we have partnered with local youth-serving agencies in a joint effort to increase access and to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in the outdoors. Read more…

The following is excerpted from the new family guidebook, Yosemite National Park: Adventuring with Kids, by Harley and Abby McAllister. This is sample itinerary for families who want to get the most from a short visit to the park. Their book also includes 5- and  7-day itineraries. Read more…

In August of 2017, our sixth class of Mountaineers Adventure Club (MAC) reached graduation. MAC is a year-round outdoor club for teenagers in The Mountaineers. With about 30 participants a year, many join in 8th grade or as freshmen, and grow into outdoor leaders through their senior year in High School. Some of our MAC kids come up through Explorers, our middle-school outdoor club. Read more…

Born Mary Gaiser on December 7, 1909, in Yakima Valley, Mary loved Washington and the natural world from a young age. She moved to Seattle and taught grade school until the mid-1930s, all the while sharing her love for wild places with her students. She was especially passionate about biology and natural history. Read more…

Tuesday, November 13, 2018 marked the official kick off of the Mini Mountaineers! The sun was shining and we enjoyed a beautiful nature walk through Magnuson Park. Read more…

After every youth program, we see young Mountaineers leaving standing taller and waving goodbye to new friends. Outdoor experiences create a supportive environment for self discovery where kids are encouraged to challenge themselves and grow. Youth adventures are thrilling, complex, and social - they’re transformational, and necessary, and that’s why we’re expanding our youth serving programs with a new family-oriented program: Mini Mountaineers!  Read more…

Our Pioneers, Explorers, and Mountaineers Adventure Club (MAC) members are off and running on a year full of awesome adventures! Registration is open  and the clubs are filled to the brim with eager young members and their families. As we look to the adventures ahead, the youth department is identifying a need for more volunteers to assist with trips.  Read more…

I started climbing about twelve years ago, in the mountains of North Carolina in my mid-20s. Climbing did not come naturally to me, and I still constantly fight the cognitive dissonance of wanting to ascend higher and master moves while facing a petrifying fear of heights. Through the years I have experimented with ways to manage this fear, which has made room for this activity to make a positive impact on my life. I’ve used climbing as a vehicle for travel and exploration. My closest friends are those who’ve tied into a rope with me. And climbing is the activity I most enjoy teaching to new and aspiring Mountaineers. Read more…

For a few days in late August, a group of students from our Mountaineers Adventure Club (MAC) joined the Access Fund's Conservation Team for stewardship work at Washington Pass. The project improved the well-used, but ill-maintained climber’s path that branches off of the Blue Lake Trail to access climbs on Liberty Bell, one of Washington’s most coveted and impressive peaks.  Read more…

Thanks to support from hundreds of people and partners, we're excited to launch our new Mountaineers Gear Lending Library and leader training programs. As we seek to continue to engage future Mountaineers, expand our youth programs, and promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in the outdoors, this resource will make the outdoors more accessible to all outdoor enthusiasts. Read more…

Our younger members within The Mountaineers have been staying active and busy in Olympia the past few years. Volunteers from Olympia’s Youth Outreach and Family Hiking committees have pioneered new ways to get kids and their families excited about the outdoors. Since the youth program began nearly three years ago, our volunteers have created many  opportunities for youth to learn and explore. Read more…

It’s fall, the air is crisp, the leaves are turning golden brown, and The Mountaineers Youth Clubs are launching new seasons to transform our young Mountaineers into lifelong outdoor enthusiasts! Join our youth clubs this fall as we welcome new members and plan for a year of learning new skills and adventuring. Read more…

In August of 2017, our sixth class of Mountaineers Adventure Club (MAC) reached graduation. MAC is a year-round outdoor club for teenagers in The Mountaineers. With about 30 participants a year, many join in 8th grade or as freshmen, and grow into outdoor leaders through their senior year in High School. Some of our MAC kids come up through Explorers, our middle-school outdoor club. Looking ahead to our seventh year, we now have 26 alumni who are in college, or have graduated from college, who still come back to visit and volunteer. They are using their Mountaineers outdoor and leadership skills to do amazing things. We asked two of our past MAC presidents to tell us about what they’re doing now. Here’s what they had to say: Read more…

Many current Mountaineers had their start as kids when their parents got them out into the backcountry and taught them the skills and resilience to enjoy the outdoor world. Be a part of continuing this legacy with your own kids, by taking the Backpacking with Kids Course. Read more…

Both Stephanie Houston and Logan Urrutia served on the Mountaineers Adventure Club Leadership Team. The Mountaineers Adventure Club (MAC) is a Youth Leadership program run by teen members of The Mountaineers. With staff and volunteer support, the stated aim is to help the youth of the Puget Sound discover and explore the public lands and waterways of the Pacific Northwest, to help them grow as individuals, and to foster greater connections to our public lands to help steward and conserve them for future generations. These youth represent not only the future of The Mountaineers, but the future of responsible, sustainable outdoor recreation. But I'll let them speak for themselves… Read more…

Meany Lodge will be adventure central the first weekend of August with exciting outdoor activities for all ages. Swim in a mountain lake, take a berry hike through acres of salmon berries, huckleberries, and wild strawberries, pedal alongside the reservoir, or wander the lodge property. Read more…

Editors note: During the summer of 2016, six current and former Mountaineers Adventure Club (MAC) members hiked the Washington section of the Pacific Crest Trail. This blog is Part 4 of a 4 part recap series. To find out what already read Part 3 by Miriel McFarland. And learn what had in his pack to keep his base weight under 12 lbs through his detailed gear guide. Read more…

Editors note: During the summer of 2016, six current and former Mountaineers Adventure Club (MAC) members hiked the Washington section of the Pacific Crest Trail. This blog is Part 3 of a 4 part recap series. To find out what happened next, read Part 4 by Michael Telstad, or to see what happened before with Part 2  by Miriel McFarland. And learn what Michael had in his pack to keep his base weight under 12 lbs through his detailed gear guide. Read more…