Blog

Ah, finally, summer has arrived and, if you’re like me, you want to spend as much time as you can exploring the outdoors in summer’s warm sun. But too much fun in the sun can cause problems beyond the occasional sun burn. I’m talking about hypernatremia and hyponatremia. Read more…

On August 14, 2018, my best friend Stephen Kornbluth and two other climbers set out to summit Dewey Peak on the Sunrise side of Mt. Rainier. During the descent, the anchor built to support their rappel down the mountain failed, and Stephen fell. Despite heroic efforts from the other climbers to provide emergency care, Stephen did not survive. Read more…

One of the ways The Mountaineers advocates to protect backcountry recreation on our national forests is by defending important conservation safeguards like the Roadless Rule. Inventoried Roadless Areas protect one third of the national forest system (59 million acres, including two million acres in Washington state) from logging and development. Roadless Areas support recreational opportunities across Washington’s six national forests. For example, the Mount Baker, Lake Quinault, and Washington Pass areas offer popular opportunities to recreate in backcountry forest areas protected as Roadless. Read more…

The Mountaineers is recruiting for the Sexual Harassment and Sexual Assault Prevention (SHSAP) Implementation Team, a volunteer group working to prevent sexual harassment and assault and foster a Mountaineers community where all members feel safe and supported. Read more…

In recent years, The Mountaineers has expanded its risk management activity to include an increased focus on the interpersonal environment, understanding that there is a direct link between physical and emotional safety. The Mountaineers recognizes the importance of organizational culture in establishing an inclusive and welcoming environment. Read more…

The Mountaineers relies on technology to stay connected and support our mission. From using laptops to register for courses to using cell phone apps for backcountry navigation, technology plays an essential role in our daily operations. But while tech can make our lives more efficient, it also comes with environmental costs.  Read more…

Each week we bring you a personal story from one of our members. For our member profile this week we talked to.. Read more…

The Mountaineers is a group of people who love the outdoors, and who share their experience freely. As a volunteer organization, we hold a unique spot in the continuum of leader-follower dynamics: on one end is the IFMGA-certified guide, goddess-like in her competence and inspiring absolute confidence by her clients; on the other side is a group of buddies stumbling around in the woods with a dog eared copy of Freedom of  the Hills. Sometimes our trips may look more like the first case, sometimes more like the latter. Let’s talk about how this affects safety. Read more…

When I started out in the bicycle industry, I was full of enthusiasm, excitement, and passion. With my head in the clouds and my heart with the stars, I didn’t know where my feet were supposed to be planted. I needed a mentor – someone who could redirect my tractor beam aspirations into a plan with a focused goal, process, and outcome. Read more…

Meet Terri, a Foothills hike and urban walk leader who is inspired to give back to the outdoor community that has provided her with so many beautiful experiences. Read more…

With over two decades of high-altitude experience, Melissa Arnot Reid has become one of the most respected voices in modern mountaineering. As the first American woman to summit Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen, Melissa’s career has been defined by resilience, leadership, and a deep commitment to learning from the mountains she calls home. Read more…

“Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature - the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter.”

- Rachel Carson, The Sense of Wonder Read more…

Each week we bring you a personal story from one of our members. For our member profile this week we talked to... Read more…

Have you ever tried to snag a campground or parking spot near Diablo Lake or another destination in the Ross Lake National Recreation Area during a busy summer weekend? Visitation to this popular area of the North Cascades has doubled over the last 20 years, and Park Service staff recorded one million visits in 2019. As recreational use via the North Cascades Highway continues to grow, land managers need new strategies to manage recreation. Park staff are preparing to develop a robust plan and holistic approach to better manage frontcountry recreation opportunities along the Highway 20 corridor, and they want to hear from you! Read more…

June is one of the best times of the year for trip goers, and one of the worst times of the year for us: having to choose between THIS many incredible trip reports was a veritable struggle. Read on, dear friends, for tales of heroic gear rescue, camaraderie, and the majesty of Peru! Read more…

Summer is here! We’re celebrating longer days and warmer weather with our annual Summer Book Sale from July 1-30, 2025. Stop by the Seattle Program Center to plan your next trip from our selection of best-selling guidebooks and Green Trails maps, find an adventure story to read at camp, or rep The Mountaineers on trail with Mountaineers merchandise. You can also pick up a Discover Pass or Northwest Forest Pass while you’re here.  Read more…

We’re thrilled to share our annual impact report for fiscal year 2024 (October 1, 2023-September 30, 2024), a celebration of all that our community of outdoor enthusiasts made possible. Read more…

Risk is inherent in all that we do as outdoor enthusiasts, and it can take various forms in different situations. Risk is also not limited to physical danger - Mountaineers activities can involve psychological and emotional risk as well as environmental risk. Read more…

As you’ve likely heard, the Forest Service has a problem. Read more…

As a former competitive tennis player and climber, I learned early on that being mentally prepared for an event is just as important as being physically prepared. When I showed up to a competition unfocused or unconfident, it reflected in my results. But when I was mentally in the zone, my performance followed suit. Read more…

Each week we bring you a personal story from one of our members. For our member profile this week we talked to... Read more…

Join The Mountaineers for an unforgettable evening with world-renowned mountaineer, guide, and author Melissa Arnot Reid as part of our BeWild Speaker Series. In this special event, Melissa will share stories from her newly released memoir, ENOUGH, a raw and powerful reflection on her life both on and off the world’s tallest peaks. Read more…

Policy Update: We're encouraged to share that public lands sell-offs were kept out of the final Senate budget reconciliation bill. Washington's public lands are now safe from the recent threat of public lands sell-offs. We appreciate the thousands of Mountaineers that took action to oppose this harmful provision. Our collective advocacy made a difference.

Last week, I led a climb of The Tooth - my fifth trip with Mountaineers students on this classic climbing route near Snoqualmie Pass. My favorite part of being a rope leader on these trips is when my follower arrives at the top of the second pitch, looks around at the 360-degree view, and beams a giant smile when they fully realize the joy of being in Washington’s alpine environment.  Read more…

The folded rock feels like sandpaper. My index finger traces the miniature ridges, trying to sense the organisms that formed them. Some hundred and fifty million years ago, billions of Radiolaria skeletons floated to the ocean floor. The pressure from the ocean’s depth compressed and crunched the skeletons into a ribbon chert (a form of sedimentary rock). Then the chert moved, through continental drift, from Baja California to northern Washington, where the ocean crust uplifted and folded to form the landscape where I’ve come today: Rosario Head. Read more…

Our Introduction to Flatwater Packrafting course is a basic introductory course that teaches you how to safely and proficiently packraft on lakes and slow rivers, as well as how to backpack with your packraft.  The course begins September 3, 2025 and is suitable for anyone who desires an introduction to packrafting equipment, gear, and paddling skills in a fun and supportive environment. Read more…

Each week we bring you a personal story from one of our members. For our member profile this week we talked to.. Read more…

Since its founding in 2018, The Mountaineers Equity & Inclusion Committee has played an important advisory role in helping the organization identify barriers to participation and explore ways to make our community more welcoming and accessible. This group of volunteers and staff partners has guided our organization in identifying and addressing barriers to participation, offering tools for inclusive leadership, and supporting efforts that make our community more welcoming. As our understanding of equity has grown, so too has our language, and with it, a renewed commitment to fostering true belonging. Read more…

In spring 2024, we completed the Tacoma Program Center (TPC) net zero project, making The Mountaineers program center in old town Tacoma our first net zero facility. This accomplishment has become a cornerstone of our organizational efforts to reduce the carbon footprint of Mountaineers facilities and operations.
Read more…

On my way home from work in February, I gave one of my colleagues at the Forest Service a ring. A wave of federal agency workforce cuts had just been announced, and while I knew the Forest Service was impacted, I had no idea how deeply. I won’t forget my colleague’s response when I asked about the extent of the layoffs. After a long pause, they said “…we’ll only have a single person working in the Enchantments this summer.” Read more…

Policy Update: Thousands of Mountaineers answered our call to action, and now we're  encouraged to share that public lands sell-offs were kept out of the final Senate budget reconciliation bill. Washington's public lands are now safe from the recent threat of public lands sell-offs. Our collective advocacy made a difference. Thank you for adventuring with purpose with us.

As we shared last month, members of Congress are seeking to sell off federal public lands as a way to raise revenue, putting these lands at risk of transfer or development. Thanks in part to recent advocacy by outdoor enthusiasts, public lands sales were kept out of the final House reconciliation bill. However, this near-term win during the early stages of the congressional budgeting process was short-lived.  Read more…