Conservation & Advocacy

We asked, and our land managers listened. On Friday, December 30, 2016, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) issued a two-year segregation notice that temporarily protects 340,000 acres of the Methow Valley from future mining claims. The action blocks the proposed copper claim overlooking the town of Mazama for two years, providing us with a critical period to make the case for the long-term protection of the Methow Valley. Read more…

There’s nothing like that rush of exhilaration you feel upon cresting a high ridge bursting with wildflowers and surrounded by snow-capped craggy peaks. You stand upon your heavenly perch and gaze out with utter astonishment on how breathtakingly beautiful the natural world is; from the glistening glaciers before you to the fluttering butterflies among a carpet of brilliant blossoms below you. With senses completely overloaded, who among us hasn’t felt the urge to twirl amid the lupines and pull a Julie Andrews?  Read more…

Our Everett Lookout and Trail Maintenance Committee (LOTM), a “get it done” group that maintains historic fire lookouts and trails and participates in events like National Trails Day, is a great community for anyone looking to get outside and make a difference. In the coming months, 30-year member and stewardship rock star, Louie Coglas, will offer several opportunities to give back to our wild places. Open to anyone who wants to participate! Read more…

The 115th Congress spent the first day of its new session making it easier to sell off our public lands. On Tuesday evening, Congress passed a “rules package,” which contained a provision [Section 3(q)(1) of H.Res. 5 (p. 35)] allowing lawmakers to transfer federal lands to the state without accounting for the economic ramifications. Read more…

On December 20, 2016, 115 million acres of the Arctic Ocean were protected when the US and Canada issued a Joint Arctic Leaders Statement launching actions to sensure "a strong, sustainable and viable Arctic economy and ecosystem, with low-impact shipping, science based management of marine resources, and free from the future risks of offshore oil and gas activity.” This action protects the wild Arctic Ocean ecosystem. Read more…

One of the stories from The Wild Edge that resonates strongly with me is from Baja California, of gray whales approaching boats and trusting people to touch their bodies and stroke their newborn calves. People who experience these intimate encounters with whales describe them as among the most stirring moments of their lives--a connection of heart and spirit. Read more…

Last week, Governor Inslee released his proposed 2017–19 operating, transportation and capital budgets. In addition to the proposal’s primary focus – fully funding basic education – the budget demonstrates a strong commitment to conservation and recreation.  Read more…

As it turns out, if you build it, they will poop. A lot.

Three years ago, the climbing community rose up to fund a pit toilet at the Frenchman Coulee climbing area - better known as Vantage - in Central Washington. Now, those same voices are calling for a second toilet to meet the growing needs of the popular climbing destination. Read more…

Small yacht cruise specialists Discovery Voyages will be donating one-hundred percent of the trip fees for a 5 day/4 night voyage in Alaska's Prince William Sound to Braided River, our partner nonprofit organization focused on protecting wild places in western North America.  Read more…

Yesterday, the recreation community, Congress, and President Obama came together to make history. With the passage of Outdoor REC Act, the recreation economy – and the billions of dollars, millions of jobs, and invaluable public lands it encompasses – will be counted as part of the national Gross Domestic Product for the first time.  Read more…

Today, if you go to Olympic National Park, you can head to the Valley of Rainforest Giants, where you’ll find some of the oldest, largest trees in the world. Among them stands the legacy of another giant: Polly Dyer, a long-time Mountaineers member and conservation visionary, integral to protecting wild places on the Olympic Peninsula and throughout the Pacific Northwest. Read more…

At The Mountaineers, we live and breathe the outdoors. It’s our passion. We love it all - from the big picture beauty to the tiny details: the elevation gain of an alpine lake trail, the training regimen to bag a new summit, the nuances of the latest travel management plan. Read more…

At The Mountaineers, we've believe venturing into the outdoors is an essential piece of the human experience. It's important to implement low-impact recreation skills to keep our wild places as sanctuaries for the human spirit. Read more…

The first ever Northwest Youth Leadership Summit was held Saturday, October 22, 2016 at our Seattle Program Center. Working with more than 30 partner organizations, we brought together 120 youth from around the PNW for a day of leadership and learning, plus we enjoyed a surprise visit from Sally Jewell! Read more…

At The Mountaineers, we've believe venturing into the outdoors is an essential piece of the human experience. It's important to implement low-impact recreation skills to keep our wild places as sanctuaries for the human spirit. Read more…

At The Mountaineers, we've believe venturing into the outdoors is an essential piece of the human experience. It's important to implement low-impact recreation skills to keep our wild places as sanctuaries for the human spirit. Read more…

We wanted to make sure that our Native American neighbors know we respect and care about potential concerns  with our members' outdoor activities on culturally-important locations. We reached out every tribe in our state and learned of no such conflicts.  Read more…

At The Mountaineers, we've believe venturing into the outdoors is an essential piece of the human experience. It's important to implement low-impact recreation skills to keep our wild places as sanctuaries for the human spirit. Read more…

Last June, we told you about the Forest Service’s historic plans to streamline outfitter and guide permitting, shifting from heavy regulations to an inclusionary model that helps organizations, like The Mountaineers, get people outside. Now, we’re happy to report their efforts are continuing to pick up steam. Read more…

At The Mountaineers, we've believe venturing into the outdoors is an essential piece of the human experience. It's important to implement low-impact recreation skills to keep our wild places as sanctuaries for the human spirit. Read more…

Calling all students ages 14-22 involved in youth stewardship, outdoor leadership, or environmental education programs in the PNW. You're invited to a FREE, fun, and inspiring event: The Northwest Youth Leadership Summit! Read more…

From the Cascades to the Himalayas, The Mountaineers has a long history of exploring nature’s wild unknown, and now we're doing our best to protect what's left of it. Read more…

On September 22, 2016, the Methow Headwaters Protection Act of 2016 (S. 2991 ) was considered in a hearing held by the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. The hearing was a big step forward for legislation that would protect 340,000 acres of Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest in the Methow Valley from the potential development of a large-scale mine.  Read more…

The Mountaineers and other Methow Headwaters Campaign supporters recently bagged a peak with staffers from Senator Cantwell’s office. Our hike up Goat Peak showcased the treasured Methow Valley lands and waters we’re working with Senate leaders to protect from exploratory copper drilling claims. Read more…

Seventeen Mountaineers members from our Seattle, Everett, Tacoma, and Foothills branches joined the Mountains to Sound Greenway on August 27 to help disassemble social trails around popular rock climbing crags on the Little Si Trail. The Greenway staff were impressed at the efficiency of our Mountaineers - from hiking to getting work done, they said we took four hours to accomplish what it would take a normal group to accomplish in a full eight-hour day. When Mountaineers get involved, we show up in force! Read more…

Last summer, I went on a hike with a group of Mountaineers staff and supporters to experience an example of the wild places we, as an organization, work to protect. We started out as so many Mountaineers trips do: meeting at a central location in Seattle, then carpooling to the mountains. Read more…

From Olympus to Everest, the thrill of the road less traveled has literally taken Mountaineers' members to the peak of possibility. Our organization has a long history of exploring nature’s wild unknown, and now we're doing our best to protect what's left of it.  Read more…

On August 15, The Mountaineers and other outdoor leaders were joined by Congressional staffers for a hike showcasing the Mountains to Sound Greenway: the scenic 1.5-million acre corridor  stretching from the Seattle waterfront to Ellensburg, WA.  Read more…

On Aug 10, The Mountaineers joined Congresswoman DelBene, and a number of other organizations and companies involved in outdoor recreation and conservation, for a hike along the North Fork Nooksack River. An important artery of Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, the Nooksack is one of our favorite outdoor playgrounds. The thundering waters provided the perfect backdrop for a discussion that included a dozen diverse representatives  all championing the connection between conservation, outdoor recreation, and strong local economies.  Read more…