CONSERVATION *protect the outdoors*
We are Washington’s leading voice for protecting the outdoor experience in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. We speak for the trails where we wander, the mountains we climb, and the waters we paddle. Our goal is to protect the natural landscapes that make our adventures possible, and we focus on issues affecting public lands and land management to ensure recreational access to these places for our members and the greater outdoor community for generations to come.
Our grassroots engagement model incorporates conservation education, stewardship, and advocacy, and is supported by deep policy expertise, making The Mountaineers unique and effective in our approach to conservation. Our volunteer-driven approach to outdoor education and getting people outdoors creates strong connections to the natural world. These immersive experiences make our outdoor community powerful advocates for public lands and wild places. Our 15,000 members are deeply connected to our community, our mission, and the landscapes where we recreate.
OUR approach
- Empowering recreationists to make their voices heard.
- Working with legislators and land managers to shape policy.
- Partnering with other organizations to build support for important issues.
Our work, past and present
We've been advocating for our wild places for over a hundred years. From the formation of Olympic National Park in 1938 to the recent expansion of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, we've seen the successful impact we can have when our members speak up.
- In 1968, with the voices of local advocates and visionaries, The Mountaineers helped lead the creation the North Cascades National Park.
- In 1976, The Mountaineers successfully advocated congress to designate the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, including publishing the book that was instrumental in this process.
- In 2019, with over 5,000 of your voices, The Mountaineers joined other partners to help protect the Methow Valley from industrial-scale mining, designate the Mountains to Sound Greenway a National Heritage Area, and permanently reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund.