Blog

Autumn-touched larches kissed by morning sun blaze against the dark shadows of the mountain. Crystal-blue skies arch over our camp as Colchuck Lake glitters through the trees. I sit in my tent hugging my knees, crying. 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…

Just imagine: the whoosh of your cross-country skis skimming over bright, perfectly groomed snow in crisp air with aqua-blue sky and dramatic Canadian Rockies views all around. Your breath makes a crystal fog (and ice on your eye lashes!) as you experience exhilarating physical challenge on some of the most gorgeous groomed cross-country ski terrain in the world. Read more…

Mountaineers members and leaders are amazing planners and researchers. We know that we not only need to check the weather before we go - we need to read recent route conditions, double check if any fires are nearby, and verify current land manager regulations. For sea and backcountry travel, we talk to friends and scour the web for GPX tracks and more detailed map resources. (I once read through three years of WTA trip reports for a remote location to see if someone mentioned a flat camping spot before packing my tent.) Read more…

With fall finally here, we’re excited to gear up for another season of Mountaineers Leadership Conferences!  For over a century, our community has been led and shaped by volunteer leaders. The Mountaineers Leadership Conferences celebrate that legacy by supporting the continued growth of current and aspiring leaders.  Read more…

Update: On Wednesday, November 12, Congress passed - and the President signed into law - a short-term funding bill to fully re-open the federal government and end the partial government shutdown. However, it will take some time for things to return to normal.

Lawmakers in Congress failed to pass a stopgap funding bill by the end of the fiscal year deadline of September 30, resulting in a partial federal government shutdown. Read more…

We're pleased to present you with the outcome of the 2025 Board & Branch Elections, and we're grateful to everyone who participated by voting and accepting a nomination. Your participation shows a deep commitment to the organization. This year, we received nearly 1,300 votes from our membership.  Read more…

The Mountaineers is thrilled to welcome artist, climber, and adventurer Jeremy Collins to the BeWild Speaker Series for an evening unlike any other. Fresh off the release of his new graphic memoir, Eventually a Sequoia: Stories of Art, Adventure & the Wisdom of Giants, Collins is bringing his creative process to life through an immersive performance that blends visual art, storytelling, and environmental reflection. 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 Wonderland Trail is not for the faint of heart, but what happened to us on the trail would make anyone’s heart skip a beat. Read more…

Excerpted and adapted from The Outdoor Leader: Resilience, Integrity, and Adventure by Jeannette Stawski (February 2024). Published by Mountaineers Books. Reprinted with permission. Read more…

For nearly 120 years, The Mountaineers has been a regional leader advocating on behalf of the natural world, and our successes would not be possible without the dedication and thoughtful advocacy of our entire community. On Thursday September 18, we gathered for An Evening of Advocacy, an annual event that highlights and invites people to support the work of our Conservation & Advocacy program.  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…

In August, Braided River launched In the Spirit of Right and Respectful Relations: Conversations about Indigenous Ways of Knowing and Being in Nature - an Indigenous-led book and engagement campaign that draws on ancestral knowledge to further empower and inspire Indigenous-led environmental campaigns with non-Indigenous allies, partners, and supporters. Read more…

For over a decade, The Mountaineers has inspired adventures of all kinds through the BeWild Speaker Series - and this year’s lineup promises to be as unforgettable as ever. Read more…

In building a culture of philanthropy at The Mountaineers, we’re always seeking ways to communicate clearly and concisely the importance of our mission to funders. This work requires a deep understanding of the connection between our daily efforts and long-term impact. Read more…

At The Mountaineers, we know the critical role that federal land managers like the Forest Service play in the conservation and stewardship of our public lands. Behind each trail improvement, bridge replacement, and forest health project on your favorite national forest is the support and expertise of regional agency staff. Regional capacity, knowledge of local landscapes, relationships in forest communities, and on-the-ground experience are increasingly critical to carrying out the mission of the Forest Service - work that can look different from forest to forest.
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Mountainfilm on Tour will return to The Mountaineers Seattle Program Center on Thursday, October 16, at 7pm! Founded in 1979, Mountainfilm is one of America’s longest-running documentary film festivals, dedicated to celebrating stories of indomitable spirit and inspiring audiences through film, art, and ideas. 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…

Two vans, eight tents, 24 sleeping bags, 56 dehydrated meals, and countless packs of oatmeal and jerky is only a small part of what it takes to make a backpacking trip happen for a class of local high schoolers. Most people would think taking 24 teenagers into the backcountry is a big ask, but when that opportunity arose, I jumped at the chance. Read more…

Each October, the Olympia Mountaineers gather to recognize graduates of all our courses and present awards to leaders who have shown exemplary service in climbing, conservation, youth outreach, scrambling, and hiking. Achievement pins and patches are also presented. One Olympia Mountaineer is awarded the Branch Service Award, which recognizes their outstanding service over a multi-year period. Read more…

Over the last two months we’ve shared about the administration’s intent to roll back the Roadless Rule and how Washington’s Roadless Areas support Mountaineers adventures. Now the USDA has formally launched a federal rulemaking process to rescind Roadless protections for nearly 45 million acres of the National Forest System. Nearly two million acres of Washington’s forests would be put at risk. It’s time to take action once again in support of Roadless Areas.
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Hiking and camping at Baker Lake and Lake Kachess on the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest remind me of the intrinsic value of Washington’s forests. It can be easy to take our favorite public lands for granted or assume they will always be public. Until this year, I never imagined these places and other cherished national forest areas could so quickly become at risk of being sold off to developers. Read more…

I was 17 years old when I went on my first hike. It was miserable, painful, and downright humbling. A heavy pack, an environment of unknowns, and 43 miles to go, I thought what any naive teenager would: why am I here? By the end of that hike, I felt completely rebuilt by the mountains. 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 wind whistled through whitebark pines and subalpine firs. This August Friday had been hot at Mount Rainier, but with the sun beginning to set behind the volcano, temperatures cooled rapidly at these elevations. The meadows along Sourdough Ridge glowed in the warm afternoon light. Read more…

Many of the outdoor skills we teach are perishable. These skills are often in response to an incident, are used infrequently, and require periodic review and practice. Good examples of perishable outdoor skills include glacier crevasse rescue, wilderness first aid, and avalanche companion rescue. As responsible recreationists, we take many measures to avoid having to use these skills in real-life scenarios, but when incidents occur, our calm and skillful response can literally mean the difference between life and death. Read more…

Whether venturing out to climb cliffs, hike through mossy verdant forests, or paddle the Salish Sound, the Pacific Northwest offers breathtaking beauty and adventure. And with the warm days and cool nights of late summer comes a surge in bug activity. These bugs can be a nuisance, and pose real health risks. Read more…

Enjoy access to our quarterly Mountaineer magazine, keeping you up-to-date with everything our organization and community have been up to. Hear from regular contributors on topics from training exercises to trail tips, and read features from our members sharing stories from the outdoors. We encourage you to access all of our updates, stories, tips, and more in the tree free online magazine today. Read more…

August is the heart of summer, and trip reports from this month of scrambling, sea kayaking, star-gazing, and more confirm that our hearts are full. Read on for some of our favorite trip reports from this month. Read more…