Conservation Blog

Conservation Blog

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Olympia Branch Challenges You to Give Back through Stewardship

Mountaineers members play a hands-on role in protecting, restoring, and maintaining the lands and waters of our region. The practice of stewardship brings Mountaineers together from across branches and activities to care for the places where we recreate so that they continue to thrive for future generations. Read more…

Conservation Currents | Tacoma Goes Green

Like most major Mountaineers achievements, reducing the carbon footprint of our Tacoma Program Center (TPC) became a reality thanks to the passion and drive of our volunteers. Read more…

Action Alert! Help Pass America's Outdoor Recreation Act

Last year, we came very close to passing a package of recreation bills called America’s Outdoor Recreation Act (AORA). Many of you took action to urge Congress to pass this legislation because it included one of our long term policy priorities, the Simplifying Access to Outdoor Recreation Act (SOAR Act). If passed, AORA would have improved the unpredictable recreational permitting system that creates barriers for people who want to experience the outdoors through Mountaineers courses and youth programs, as well as other changes to improve outdoor recreation on public lands and waters. Read more…

Action Alert! Support State Public Lands and Recreation this Legislative Session

Whether it’s paddling the emerald waters of Deception Pass, hiking through Capitol State Forest, or climbing the Royal Columns at Oak Creek Wildlife area, Washington’s state-managed public lands and waters connect us to nature through the many recreational activities we enjoy. Over the years, Mountaineers have been strong champions for Washington’s state parks and recreation areas and the outdoor opportunities they provide.
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Announcing Our Net Zero Vision

As we experience worsening impacts of the climate crisis on our public lands and communities, we must do more to respond to this urgent threat.
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Conservation Currents | Year One of Outdoor Alliance Washington

Whether you prefer backcountry skiing the North Cascades, climbing in Tieton, or day hiking along the Snoqualmie River, as Mountaineers you’ve likely experienced how policy and management decisions impact our public lands. Many of us have seen hazardous roads, decrepit facilities, and closed trailheads as funding falls shy year after year. But this frustration can – and has – produced change. The experiences of recreationists like you translate into compelling advocacy for conservation and recreation. Read more…

Protections Restored for Southeast Alaska’s Tongass National Forest

Over the years, we’ve been on a long journey to protect ancient, old-growth trees in Southeast Alaska’s Tongass National Forest. Our community has answered our calls to action time and time again because it understands that protecting Roadless Areas in Alaska sets a strong precedent for protecting backcountry places in Washington State and beyond. Last week, the administration finalized protections for the Tongass, securing a much-anticipated win for conservation, climate, and Indigenous communities. Read more…

Action Alert! Anti-Public Lands Measures Return to Congress in House Rules Changes

Federal public lands are central to The Mountaineers, playing host to nearly 60% of our programs and activities. Places like Mount Rainier, Washington Pass, the Olympic Coast, and the Alpine Lakes Wilderness connect us to nature and provide many public health benefits. Unfortunately, the 118th Congress spent the initial days of the new session making it easier to advance an anti-public lands agenda in the coming months.
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Conservation 101: What We Advocate For and How We Choose Our Issues

Advocacy has been an enduring theme throughout The Mountaineers history. In the face of intensifying impacts of climate change and increasing recreational use of public lands, it’s as important as ever that the outdoor community advocate to protect public lands and the outdoor experiences they provide. Read more…

Winter Access Changes for Mount Rainier National Park’s Paradise Area

We’ve heard from many members expressing concern about this winter’s weekday closure of the Longmire to Paradise Road in Mount Rainier National Park. We share those concerns for the loss of winter recreation access, and we are sympathetic to the staffing challenges the Park is currently facing. Read more…

Trip Report: Outdoor Alliance WA visits D.C.

Last year we announced that The Mountaineers is leading Outdoor Alliance Washington (OA Washington), a network of organizations representing the human-powered outdoor recreation community in Washington State. The goal of OA Washington is to forge strong relationships with lawmakers and land managers so that we can effectively advocate for shared conservation, recreation, and climate priorities. By amplifying the voices of more than 75,000 hikers,  paddlers, climbers, backcountry skiers, and mountain bikers across the state, we can achieve a more sustainable future for Washington’s outdoors. Read more…

Your gift powers conservation and advocacy

For many of us who live in the PNW, outdoor experiences on public lands have provided us with opportunities to connect to nature, experience joy and belonging in the outdoors, and adventure with purpose. As a kid in Seattle, accessible parks and trails shaped some of my best memories. Hiking under old growth cedars at Discovery Park and along the coastal dunes of Grayland Beach State Park ignited my joy and connection to nature. Read more…

Action Alert! Protect the Wild Olympics and Secure Recreational Permitting Reform

December 20 Update: Many of you took action recently to urge Congress to pass the Wild Olympics bill and secure outdoor recreation permitting reform in an end-of-year public lands and recreation package. Despite our best opportunity yet to secure these important wins for the outdoors, they failed to pass Congress by the end of the year. We'll continue to urge Congress to pass Wild Olympics and recreational permitting reform in the next session of Congress.  Read more…

Celebrating 15 Years Protecting Wild and Sacred Places

Braided River, the conservation imprint of Mountaineers Books, has deep roots in protecting nature through visual storytelling. It began with a historic vote on the Senate floor in 2003; the U.S. Senate was set to vote on opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) for drilling. At a critical moment during the debate, Senator Barbara Boxer held up a Mountaineers Books publication book with photographer Subhankar Banerjee - showing her fellow senators images that told a much different story than the “blank white nothingness” portrayed by pro-drilling senators and the oil industry. Seeing images of the abundant life in all four seasons encouraged a vote of 52 to 48 against opening up the coastal plain of this refuge to drilling. Read more…

How to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint Through the Inflation Reduction Act

As we increasingly experience the impacts of climate change in our communities and on outdoor experiences, it’s time to meaningfully invest in fighting the climate crisis. This summer, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) - a massive package of climate, healthcare, and tax bills - was passed by Congress and signed into law. Read more…

What the Inflation Reduction Act Means for Public Lands

The climate crisis is a critical issue for outdoor recreationists like you, who took action to urge Congress to go big on climate and invest in a sustainable future for the planet and our communities. In early August 2022, everything fell into place and lawmakers passed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) - a massive package of climate, healthcare, and tax bills. The final version of the bill contains $369 billion in climate provisions, making it the largest effort to address the climate crisis in our nation’s history.  Read more…

Going Beyond Land Acknowledgments

Last month, we shared our land acknowledgment statement and the process we underwent to develop it. Mountaineers staff and board members developed this statement in collaboration with Chairman Leonard Forsman of the Suquamish Tribe. We recognize that land acknowledgment is only a small piece of doing our part to help rectify historical wrongs and honor Native peoples. The actions we take as an organization are a more substantive way of showing Native peoples respect and gratitude. Read more…

Conservation Currents | Why Conservation Matters to Mountaineers Members

After several years working on policy and advocacy campaigns to protect public lands and wildlife in Washington, D.C., I intimately understand how important recreationists can be in convincing lawmakers to invest in the outdoors. I moved home to Washington State in search of conservation work that allowed me to give back to the lands and waters that first connected me to nature. I saw The Mountaineers as exactly the kind of place where I could make an impact - a place where recreation and conservation converge, for adventure with purpose. Read more…

Conservation 101: Stewardship

The practice of stewardship brings Mountaineers together from across branches and activities to care for our natural places. By working together to restore and maintain trails, pick up trash, and remove invasive species, we help ensure healthy landscapes that thrive for future generations. Read more…

Join a Virtual Lunch with Our Conservation & Advocacy Director - Oct 26 & Nov 30

Whether you’re a total newbie, seasoned advocate, or somewhere in the middle, we encourage all Mountaineers to get involved in conservation and advocacy on behalf of the public lands we love and the outdoor experiences they provide. Read more…

Did You Know? The Fall Salmon Run

Starting in the summer and peaking in the fall, our local salmon embark on a lengthy and laborious journey from Puget Sound to their native rivers, streams, and lakes. These efforts, which will ultimately end in their death, is known as the salmon run. The reason for their fatal trek? Spawning time. Read more…

Evening of Advocacy Recap - September 24, 2022

Together with our End of Summer Bash sponsored by REI Co-op, we’ve raised just shy of $40,000 to support The Mountaineers Conservation and Advocacy program.  Our community has a long and rich history as a regional leader advocating on behalf of the natural world, and our successes would not be possible without your dedication and commitment to protect the places we love. Read more…

An Evening of Advocacy: Hope and the Climate Crisis - Sep 24

We often hear about melting glaciers, burning forests, and sea level rise, leaving us feeling helpless and overwhelmed. At this year’s An Evening of Advocacy event, you’ll hear directly from a panel of climate experts who will inspire you to feel something more - hope.  Read more…

Trip Report: Outdoor Alliance Washington Summer Celebration

Last year, we announced that The Mountaineers is leading Outdoor Alliance Washington (OA Washington), a network of organizations representing the human-powered outdoor recreation community in Washington State. The goal of OA Washington is to forge strong relationships with lawmakers and land managers so that we can effectively advocate for shared conservation, recreation, and climate priorities. By amplifying the voices of more than 75,000 hikers,  paddlers, climbers, backcountry skiers, and mountain bikers across the state, we can achieve a more sustainable future for Washington’s outdoors. Read more…

Conservation 101: Mountaineers Conservation Education

Education lies at the heart of most everything we do at The Mountaineers. As a 116-year-old outdoor education organization, we’ve found that the more you know about your environment, the more you can enjoy it. Our courses, activities, and initiatives teach outdoor enthusiasts new ways to experience and enjoy Washington’s landscapes. We educate and empower youth to connect to nature by introducing them to the many benefits of outdoor experience, including perseverance, self-confidence, and appreciation for the natural world. Read more…

Trip Report: Outdoor Alliance Washington talks Climate Action and Outdoor Access with Rep. Pramila Jayapal

Last year, we announced that The Mountaineers is leading Outdoor Alliance Washington, a group of organizations representing the human-powered outdoor recreation community in Washington State. The goal of Outdoor Alliance Washington is to forge strong relationships with lawmakers and land managers to effectively advocate for shared conservation, recreation, and climate priorities. By amplifying the voices of more than 75,000 recreationists across the state, we can achieve a more sustainable future for Washington’s outdoors. Read more…

Conservation Currents | Meet New Mount Rainier Superintendent Greg Dudgeon

The magic of Mount Rainier has inspired Mountaineers for generations. From our early involvement advocating for wilderness areas and building trails (including the Wonderland Trail) to today’s river of hikers, backpackers, trail runners, and climbers flowing into the park, it has long been one of the most popular and stunningly beautiful recreation destinations in the region. Read more…

Impact Giving | Gearing Up New Adventurers

It’s a hot afternoon in July, but the Seattle Program Center basement is invitingly cool. Ethan Metzger, Gear Library Manager, sits at an old wooden desk. He is surrounded by shelves full of packs, snowshoes, and boots from floor to ceiling. A rolling workbench is cluttered with repair and cleaning supplies and a couple of large tents are set up to air out.  Read more…

Volunteer Opportunity - Olympic National Forest Sustainable Trails Survey

Join the Olympia Branch as they work to support the Olympic National Forest's Sustainable Recreation Study. The study is designed to engage the public in the care of trails and gather feedback on individual trail management. Read more…