Blog

Today we kick-off #GiveBIG, a two day celebration of donors and volunteers who give back in honor of the people, places, and books that influence positive change in our world. Whether you’re a brand-new member or have been with us for decades, our mission is to provide you with educational and experiential opportunities so that you are equipped to receive the full benefits of spending time in nature. Read more…

With summer around the corner, it’s time to train for upcoming outdoor goals. In this edition of Peak Performance, I hope to help you assess the components of your alpine sport, and describe how to put together a safe, suitable, and personalized training program. Read more…

Utah, Colorado, Maine. Three different states all offering unique natural wonders worthy of exploration. Our new guidebooks, Mountain Bike Park City, Hike the Parks: Acadia National Park, and Hike the Parks: Rocky Mountain National Park include everything you need to get the most out of your time in these beautiful places. Read more…

Each spring we gather our community to celebrate our collective achievements and support future efforts to transform lives and protect wild places. With the pandemic preventing us from gathering in person, we hosted our second (and hopefully final) virtual Gala. Read more…

Tonight’s the night! We invite you to join us for our biggest fundraising event of the year: The Mountaineers 2021 Virtual Gala: Adventure with Purpose. This event has a huge impact on our organization, with all proceeds from donations and winning auction bids supporting mission-driven programs and initiatives. Read more…

When we began planning the 2021 Virtual Gala, we knew we wanted to host an outdoor awards show unlike anything we’ve ever done before. Mountaineers Books author and Guinness World Record-holding ocean rower Jordan Hanssen had a musical project that was the perfect fit. Since the pandemic began, Jordan has been inviting musicians to play in his rowboat for his newly-created  TinyBoatSessions. We asked him if he would organize a TinyBoatSession for the auction, and he found the perfect performers for the occasion: The Musical Mountaineers. Read more…

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Deloa Dalby, a volunteer leader with the Foothills Branch who helped launch the Trailhead Ambassadors program in partnership with the Mountains to Sound Greenway earlier this spring! Read more…

Attention bidders! We know you’ve been dueling it out on the auction website for great getaways, unique experiences, and first-class gear, but we have a surprise for you... two brand new packages, including a Corey Rich print of the Dawn Wall signed by Tommy and Kevin and a super secret chanterelle mushroom forage and feast. With over 60 packages to bid on, there’s a little something for everyone. Read more…

Teaching kayak self-rescue on a bleary Northwest day. Practicing crevasse rescue with a “fallen climber” twice your size. Encountering surprise sleet and snow on a backpacking trip. Of the many challenging situations they encounter, navigating federal permitting processes is one of the few that make our volunteer leaders groan. Read more…

Access to green spaces and wild places have played a critical role in supporting the physical and emotional wellbeing of our communities during this stressful time. At The Mountaineers, it is our mission to provide educational and experiential opportunities so that youth and adults of all ages can benefit from the transformative power of spending time in nature. As someone who cares about creating a culture of belonging in the outdoors, you can help build a welcoming community centered around safety, inclusion, and advocacy with a tax-deductible gift during #GiveBIG.  Read more…

As we continue to reopen and restart our programs, we’re excited to welcome back our Seattle Mountain Workshop partners after nearly a year of hiatus - and we need your help! Read more…

After weeks of pining after your potential new vacation, experience, or awesome gear featured in The Mountaineers online auction...your moment has finally come. It’s time to place your bids! Read more…

Happy Earth Day, Mountaineers! There are so many ways to celebrate this marvelous planet that we inhabit. Being a good steward of the environment is a great way to show that you care, and if you need some specific ideas of things you can do in the coming weeks, we’ve got you covered. 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 wrote about electric vehicles and some things to think about if you’re considering purchasing one. In this blog, we introduce you to carbon offsets. Read more…

Just in time for Earth Day, a new photo exhibit from Braided River is launching in celebration of the stunning Salish Sea. Read more…

Have you been meaning to register for The Mountaineers Virtual Gala, but life keeps getting in the way? We get it, this week’s sun is so tempting!. If you’re reading this now, take a quick detour and head to our registration page. Now is your last chance to register before the online auction goes live on April 22! Read more…

To cope with the challenges of the last year, more and more people are seeking refuge in the outdoors. Access to green spaces and wild places have played a critical role in supporting the physical and emotional wellbeing of our communities during this stressful time. At The Mountaineers, it is our mission to provide educational and experiential opportunities so that youth and adults of all ages can benefit from the transformative power of spending time in nature.  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…

With the addition of four new members, the Equity & Inclusion Steering Committee started building The Mountaineers first organization-wide Equity & Inclusion (E&I) strategy in the latter half of 2020. That work has continued into this year and we are thrilled to share it with you now.  Read more…

We are less than a month away from The Mountaineers Annual Gala: Adventure with Purpose! While you still have time to register for your free ticket to attend the virtual Gala, it’s the last call for meal purchases from Kaspars Catering. Crusted halibut, rainbow carrot cake, specialty cocktails and hibiscus mocktails - oh my! Read more…

We’ve all experienced a moment of true fear. Your fingers grow cold and your stomach drops. Time slows while your mind and body prime to react, and all you can think is, “This is actually happening.” Read more…

What I find fascinating about the Oregon Coast is that geological events helped shape what we see today. The Colombia River Basalt Group is a series of flood basalts similar to what is found in Hawaii, where large amounts of basalt erupt and cover an extensive area. Read more…

The Banff Mountain Film Festival has been a part of the fabric of the Olympia Branch for over 20 years. This multi-night event brings Mountaineers and the local community together to immerse themselves in the best adventure and environmental films from around the world. The Banff Film Festival is not only a significant source of revenue for the Olympia Branch, but it provides the Olympia Mountaineers with a venue for promoting our classes, programs, and activities. We will soon meet again on those cold December evenings, but until then please join us for the Banff Mountain Film Festival Virtual World Tour. Read more…

Family vacations, unique experiences, adventures near and far - good things are coming in 2021!

The sun is shining again in the Pacific Northwest and our community is itching to travel beyond their backyards. There is hope on the horizon for new experiences and adventure travel! And there is no better way to kickstart your plans than through The Mountaineers Annual Gala: Adventure with Purpose. With over 50 auction packages, including adventurous getaways, beautiful artwork, and awesome outdoor gear, you can feel great knowing that your next vacation or new swag benefits a cause you care about! Read more…

Here in the Pacific Northwest, the Forest Service manages some of our most spectacular natural landscapes and favorite places to hike, ski, climb, and camp. But even as the popularity of outdoor recreation increases and climate change intensifies, funding for the Forest Service and other land management agencies has decreased.  Read more…

It was 4am in the Yarigatake Hut, nestled high in the snowy mountains of Japan. All who had persevered through the previous day's steep trek up to the hut  (elevation 9,908ft) started stirring in the large open sleeping quarters, struggling to fold the futon beds by our feet as silently as possible. The numbering system posted above the sleeping positions were very close together - one wonders during the crowded season how anyone can sleep without disturbing their neighbors!   Read more…

Reading the journals of many naturalists, outdoorspeople, and adventurers, you immediately feel their strong love for the land. You can sense how this love touched their souls and tantalized their emotions. But what about romantic, familial, or platonic love? Did they experience that too while out and about in the backcountry? Read more…

Sometimes a story asks to be told. As part of my role as Assistant Director of Development, I have the privilege of connecting with members to learn how Mountaineers philanthropy has positively impacted their lives. In last fall’s #GivingTuesday scholarship fundraising effort we introduced 18 year-old scholarship recipient Lily Walker, a five-year member of our year-round teen program, the Tacoma Mountaineers Adventure Club (MAC). Read more…

Everybody poops... but not everyone knows how to poop in the wilderness in an environmentally friendly way. The Mountaineers are addressing this challenge with a new course launching April 1, 2021, just in time for summer: Wilderness Pooping.   Read more…

Adventure and travel are on the horizon! 

This past year, social distancing and virtual experiences have helped keep our community safe. While we’re not out of the woods, we’re feeling hopeful and excited about near-term experiences and opportunities to travel! And what better way to kickstart your plans than through The Mountaineers Annual Gala: Adventure with Purpose? Read more…