Youth & Family

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…

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 2 of a 4 part recap series. To find out what happened next, read Part 3 b y Stephanie Houston, or to see what happened before with Part 1 by Logan Urrutia. And learn what self proclaimed "gram-weenie" Michael Telstad 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 1 of a 4 part recap series. To find out what happened next, read Part 2 by Miriel McFarland. And learn what self proclaimed "gram-weenie" Michael Telstad 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 outlines how to prep for a trip. To find out what happened on the actual trip, read Part 1 by Logan Urrutia. Read more…

The first ever Northwest Youth Leadership Summit was held Saturday, October 22, 2016 at our Seattle Program Center. Working with more than 30 partner organizations, we brought together 120 youth from around the PNW for a day of leadership and learning, plus we enjoyed a surprise visit from Sally Jewell! Read more…

Calling all students ages 14-22 involved in youth stewardship, outdoor leadership, or environmental education programs in the PNW. You're invited to a FREE, fun, and inspiring event: The Northwest Youth Leadership Summit! Read more…

Meet Our Parks | Your Adventure's Caitlin O'Brien. Together with her brother Colin O'Brien, she will climb the Grand in Grand Teton National Park in under 24 hours, all in support of The Mountaineers Youth Programs.  Read more…

Meet Our Parks | Your Adventure's newest Adventurer, Emily Guyer. A Mountaineers member since 2014 and hike leader extraordinaire, Emily has big challenge goals ahead to raise funds for The Mountaineers Youth Programs.  Read more…

In our suburban household in northern California, when the kids were little, we didn’t talk about conservation. But we did talk about love, care and respect — for our home, our selves, others — for our surroundings. When we went up to Lake Tahoe, we talked about how fragile an environment it was and how easily ruined. When we drove across the country to see grandparents, we talked about the landscape and the animals we saw, and how our behavior affects them. How many there are and how many there used to be.  Read more…

We are thrilled to announce The Mountaineers is a recipient of a 2016 Explore Fund grant from The North Face. The North Face selected a total of 45 nonprofits - out of hundreds of applications - that engage their participants in opportunities to inspire a lifelong love of the outdoors. Read more…

In celebration of the National Parks Centennial, we’re launching Our Parks | Your Adventure, a fundraising opportunity we hope will inspire you  to choose a challenge in our National Parks. We hope to raise $40,000 between July 1 and September 5, 2016!  Read more…