Blog

Please join us for an evening of fun, camaraderie, and festivities as we celebrate the accomplishments and contributions of our fellow Tacoma Mountaineers! This year’s Tacoma Branch Awards Banquet will be held on Friday, Dec 7, at the Tacoma Mountaineers Program Center. We’ll be honoring some of our most dedicated volunteers, awarding Peak Pins, and enjoying a special presentation by Tacoma Mountaineer Tom Shimko on his epic mountain bike ride of The Great Divide. Read more…

You'll probably see a lot of deals on Cyber Monday, and we're here to offer you something a little different: a way to connect with the outdoors all year round. Mountaineers members share a community built around collective enjoyment and protection of the outdoor experience. A membership with us opens a world of self-discovery and exploration, and creates opportunities to serve as a champion for our public lands.  Read more…

White, male and “midcareer,” Seattle’s Charles Beall in a lot of ways is the face of the National Park Service that turned 100 on August 25, 2016.

He also may be the best hope the agency has for changing that face to match the diversity that is rapidly transforming this country. And the reasons essentially start out the same: Because he is white, male and “midcareer.” 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…

Although the first Thanksgiving was not as inclusive as the standard narrative portrays, today we celebrate the intention behind this day: To come together and express gratitude for one another and the world around us. Read more…

This #GivingTuesday, help us get more people outdoors through the Mountaineers Access Program (MAP) scholarship fund. This fund supports those who otherwise would not be able to participate in Mountaineers programs, reducing  barriers for adults and youth to get outside and experience the power of our wild places. All donations made on #GivingTuesday will go directly to our MAP scholarship fund. Read more…

So you're vegan - no meat, no fish, no dairy, and if you're hardcore no gummy worms either. Whether you do it for your health, the environment, or for animals, it's not always convenient to have a plant-based diet. This is especially true in the world of backpacking, where beef jerky is its own food group. But I have good news- it's entirely possible to vegan and well in the backcountry. All it takes is a little extra planning and a lot of legumes.   Read more…

The first outing of the Mountain-Queers took place in September – a scramble trip to Three Way Peak, led by Louise Suhr. The group is looking forward to scheduling more trips and events soon, and wants to hear from folks who are interested in getting involved! Read more…

Fresh off a trail run behind his house on Orcas Island, Washington State Senator Kevin Ranker hopped on the phone with The Mountaineers, exclaiming “I got outside this morning; everything’s good!” The senator joined us on the heels of a grueling legislative session in Olympia and was recharging as he always has: with a healthy dose of nature. Ranker has been bridging passion (for the outdoors) and policy, since taking office in 2008. He was instrumental in bringing our state its first policy advisor on outdoor recreation, implementing No Child Left Inside legislation, and establishing the San Juan Islands National Monument — all important issues to The Mountaineers. Read more…

The Mountaineers is partnering with Colorado Mountain Club, the Mazamas, and the American Alpine Club to draft national standards that meet UIAA qualifications for our leader trainers. Beginning with scrambling, this cooperative of mountain clubs is tackling one skill set at a time. To date, we have begun work on Scrambling, Top Rope Climbing, Sport Climbing, and Single-Pitch Trad Climbing. Read more…