Blog

The American Alpine Club, Appalachian Mountain Club, Colorado Mountain Club, Mazamas, and The Mountaineers join with those speaking out and taking action against racist, sexist, and otherwise derogatory route names, and we welcome the conversation about how best to move forward as a community.  Read more…

If the COVID-19 pandemic has brought one consistency to our lives, it is uncertainty. Leadership Development is a central component of The Mountaineers strategic plan, and over the past six years, we've grown our leadership development programming at a near-exponential rate. And while the pandemic doesn't change our commitment to this priority, it does impact our approach. We're excited to announce some big changes coming for the 2020-2021 season, and we look forward to connecting with you as a part of our reimagined programming. Read more…

The high temperatures we've been having lately have us dreaming of the cooler days ahead.  Don't misunderstand, we've been trying to get the most out of summer. Gardening, swimming, running - all activities best enjoyed in warm weather. That doesn't mean we're not looking forward to winter activities and a beautiful blanket of fresh snow.   Read more…

Each year, we host an annual meeting for our members to share a retroactive tour of our last fiscal year. Learn about our state of affairs from our board members and staff, hear about Governance Committee and Board nominations for At-Large Directors, and have the opportunity to ask questions of our leaders. Per our bylaws, the Annual Meeting also allows The Mountaineers Membership to make At-Large Director nominations from the floor for the 2020 election season. Join us virtually on September 15, 2020. Read more…

March 2020 stunned us nationwide with national, state, and city park closures, school cancellations, Stay Home orders, and changes to our everyday freedoms. But that doesn’t mean our mental and physical wellness must shut down with it. To develop resilience and versatility in the comfort of your own home, include the plank. It is one of the most versatile upper body movements you can perform to develop core, triceps, shoulders, and chest strength. You can make it part of an anaerobic workout by adding a jump, or a meditative workout by adding a downward-facing dog. Pull out a mat and move! Read more…

The Mountaineers made a commitment to reduce our organization’s carbon footprint as part of Vision 2022. In the Carbon Footprint Reduction Committee’s last blog post, we discussed the carbon footprint of our buildings and what we’re doing to reduce that footprint with things like LED lighting and solar panels. This month we’re excited to talk about another area where The Mountaineers, and most of us, can reduce our carbon footprint: food. Read more…

The Mountaineers are proud to call Puget Sound home. From the towering glaciers and old growth forests of Mount Rainier to the stunning waters and diverse wildlife of the Salish Sea, our home is a special place. The natural beauty and adventure of these wild places inspires us to not only enjoy our special spaces but fight for their protection for future generations. That desire for preservation is centered within our core value of conservation. From the mountains to the sea, we are dedicated stewards of our backyard and beyond. Read more…

When my partner and I moved to Seattle two years ago, we both felt pretty lucky. Here we’d found a place with year-round outdoor activities, a cohort of adventure partners, and views of the mountains from every angle. I was warned that winters could be tough in the Pacific Northwest and to be prepared to go a while without seeing the sun. I steeled myself for this reality, checking the weather app every morning with my coffee to see how many minutes of daylight we’d be gifted that day. Read more…

We are excited to announce that three of our titles are 2020 Washington State Award finalists! In its 54th year, the program (formerly called the Governor's Writers Awards) recognizes outstanding books published in 2019. There are a total of 39 finalists in all eight categories. Read more…

On August 4, 2020, the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) was signed into law. This historic victory was the result of years of work by the conservation and recreation community, including The Mountaineers. What does the Great American Outdoors Act mean for Washington state and the places we love to explore? The answer is both “a lot” and “we’re not quite sure yet.” The Mountaineers will be working hard over the coming months to make sure that communities and outdoor spaces in Washington maximally benefit from this new infusion of funding.  Read more…

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, The Mountaineers has seen a wave of creativity from our volunteers. From fully online courses to hybrid online and in-person courses with small-group cohorts, volunteers are leading how we reimagine outdoor education in today's world. Read more…

While I can feign ease at a party - and enjoy myself - I’m not a naturally social person. I choose to spend much of my free time alone reading books or knitting, and I’m content to see no one but my dog for days at a time. On paper, I read like someone who might struggle to make friends, but even though I’ve relocated to new cities several times in my adult life, I’ve been lucky to always find connections. I attribute my social success to the outdoor community rather than my own innate charm: the outdoors facilitates new and lasting adult friendships in a way that "normal life" does not. Read more…

What do Chantrelles, Morels, Lobsters, Oysters, Shaggy manes, Cauliflower, King Boletes and  Matsutake have in common? They are all wild edible mushrooms found in Northwest forests. If you would like to start gathering wild mushrooms or if you are looking for a refresher, this one evening seminar is for you. Read more…

There’s no arguing that Conrad Anker is one of the most accomplished climbers of our time. During his 30+ years as a professional climber, he’s completed numerous first ascents (including the infamous Shark’s Fin on Meru), set speed records on big mountains around the globe, and scaled many of the tallest and most technical peaks on the planet. In between expeditions and explorations, he’s busy paving the way for outdoor enthusiasts to participate in a different kind of adventure: environmental activism. Join us on September 24 for a virtual conversation with this outdoor legend. Read more…

Exposing ourselves to the most unforgiving elements of nature can be cathartic, electrifying – and dangerous. Uncertainty is a necessary part of her appeal, but when Mother Nature (or plain bad luck) starts baring her teeth, today we have measures in place to help you get home safely. Read more…

We have just announced our new distribution agreement with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC). The ATC is a West Virginia-based nonprofit with the lead role in protecting and managing the Appalachian Trail and surrounding 250,000 acres of public lands in cooperation with an array of federal, state, and local agencies. Beginning August 17, we will be the exclusive distributor of ATC books and maps. Read more…

Our volunteer leaders are a huge part of what makes the Olympia Branch such an inspiring, fun, and impactful community. Each year we honor the hard work and dedication of one Olympia volunteer by presenting them with the Branch Service Award. To help with this process, we ask our branch members to submit nominations for those they believe go above and beyond their volunteer responsibilities to enhance the courses, activities and spirit of The Mountaineers. Read more…

As Mountaineers, we are committed to learning from our experiences. We examine every incident that happens on a Mountaineers trip for opportunities to improve the ways we explore and teach. Our volunteer safety committee reviews every incident report and picks a few each month to share as examples of ‘Lessons Learned’. The trip report below describes what happened on this trip, in the leader’s own words, and outlines the lessons the leader has identified. In some cases, we offer additional key learnings from the incident. Read more…

Eighteen years after his first attempt to reach the summit of Link Sar, Steve Swenson, legendary alpinist, Mountaineers Board Director, Mountaineers Books author, and past president of the American Alpine Club, finally stood atop the notoriously technical peak in Pakistan’s Karakoram. He was joined by alpinists Mark Richey, 61; expedition leader Graham Zimmerman, 33; and Chris Wright, 36. “The climbers succeeded because they were persistent, used their 126 years of combined climbing experience, and understood what partnership meant,” and for this they are being awarded the prestigious 2020 Piolet d’Or. Read more…

A typical Seattle Summer Camp day at Magnuson Park has always included swimming in the lake, making nature art near the tennis courts, and taking breaks from walking to savor blackberries. This year, however, we spread out in the water, make individual nature art projects, and sanitize our hands thoroughly before and after foraging. Seattle Day Camp, like everything else in our lives, has reorganized to keep campers, counselors, and their loved ones safe and yet the camp traditions and fun remain the same. Read more…

Camping in designated campgrounds can be tough on short notice. With the growing popularity of outdoor recreation, many areas book up months in advance. Dispersed camping is a fantastic alternative to staying in campgrounds, and can be a great way to explore new areas and get further off the beaten path.  Read more…

There is so much to see an explore in Mount Rainier National Park that sometimes it's temping to trail hop. That's exactly what we decided to do one hot summer day, and I'm happy to share with you a detailed report of our adventures so that you can plan your own trip to this gorgeous part of the park.  Read more…

This summer, Mountaineers members are finding safe and creative ways to get out into the natural world to learn, explore, and generally have a good time. For some, that means small group activities with the requisite 11th essential, a mask, and for others, it means the pursuit of a new badge by completing the Youth Summer Quest Challenge! The Mountaineers Youth Education team has loved the creative and thoughtful submissions we’ve received so far and we are excited to share them with you. Read more…

When you’re hanging on a rope, upside-down in a waterfall, 50’ off the deck, you’re not doing a lot of thinking. It’s disorienting, the pummeling of ice-cold water. Despite the fact that the vertical momentum of the water very clearly indicates the way down, you can’t keep track of whether you cartwheeled left or right or flipped backwards and it’s not like you can look around to get your bearings. Read more…

There’s something truly wonderful about not knowing what lies over the next ridge, or how to get there. If I climb down into the creek bed, will it connect? And if so, will I be able to climb back out? Or is it better to scramble up the talus and hope things aren’t too steep on the other side? Read more…

Many of the 100 peaks in Mount Rainier National Park are seldom visited and we believe under appreciated. In this sense they are “secrets” and worthy of being featured in this series. In this chapter of Secret Rainier we describe Goat Island Mountain, one of our favorite scrambles. Notable are the views of Little Tahoma looming above Rainier. It’s is a super summer scramble and a great destination to plan for in the midst of winter. Read more…

This week, we're thrilled that legislation we've been working on for over six years - the Simplifying Outdoor Access for Recreation (SOAR) Act - passed out of the U.S. House Natural Resources Committee. Next, the bill will head to the House floor for a vote. That means we're one step closer to fixing the current inefficient, unpredictable recreational permitting system that creates barriers for people to experience the outdoors through outdoor programs like The Mountaineers. Read more…

We're over half way through 2020. Doesn't that feel weird? Where did the year go? Why has it felt like a decade? Will it continue to feel both incredibly long and insanely short at the same time? 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…

For this month's Leader Spotlight, we're changing things up and running a group feature. As a part of this special edition, we talked with Shuko Hashimoto and Christina Buckman, both leaders with the Backpacking Building Blocks (B3) course offered by the Foothills Branch. Read more…