• The Mountaineers
  • Mountaineers Books
  • Log in / Join
  • Donate
  • Logo The
    Mountaineers
  • Donate
  • Log in / Join
  • Activities & Courses
    • Activity Overviews
    • Course Overviews
    • Find Activities
    • Find Courses, Clinics & More
    • Virtual Education Center
    • Find Routes & Places
    • View Trip Reports
  • Conservation
    • Education
    • Stewardship
    • Advocacy
  • Volunteer
    • Volunteer With Us
    • Find Volunteer Activities
    • Volunteer Support Tools
    • Schedule & Manage
    • Leader Resources
  • Events
    • Find Events
    • Adventure with Purpose Gala
    • Adventure Speakers
    • Film Screenings
    • Kitsap Forest Theater
    • Leadership Development
    • An Evening of Advocacy
    • Rent our Facilities
    • Create New Event
  • Youth
    • Programs by Location
    • Programs by Age Group & Type
    • Summer Camp
    • Family Programs
    • Partner Programs
    • Volunteer with Youth
    • Resources & FAQs
    • Seattle Youth Clubs Calendar
  • Membership
    • Join The Mountaineers
    • Getting Started
    • Benefits
    • Gear Library
    • Give a Gift Membership
    • Scholarships
    • Badges
  • Locations & Lodges
    • Bookstore
    • Bellingham Branch
    • Everett Branch
    • Foothills Branch
    • Kitsap Branch
    • Olympia Branch
    • Seattle Branch
    • Tacoma Branch
    • Seattle Program Center
    • Tacoma Program Center
    • Baker Lodge
    • Meany Lodge
    • Stevens Lodge
    • Irish Cabin Property
    • Kitsap Forest Theater
  • Stories
    • Search Blogs
    • Mountaineer Magazine
    • Contribute
    • The Mountaineers Dispatch
  • About
    • History
    • Vision & Leadership
    • Land Acknowledgment
    • Staff
    • Employment
    • Safety Committee
    • Contact Us
    • Mountaineers Books

      Changing lives since 1960.

      Shop
  • Logo
    Mountaineers
    Books
  • Donate
  • Log in / Join
  • Books & Maps
    *Books & Maps* by Subject
    • Imprints
    • Partner Publishers
    • Climbing
    • Conservation
    • Cookbooks and Foraging
    • Field Guides
    • Gift
    • Green Trails Maps
    • Hiking & Backpacking
    • Nature
    • Photography
    • Stories
    • Search More Subjects
    *Special* Book Lists
    • Coming Soon
    • New Releases
    • Best Sellers
    • Award Winners
    • Women Authors
    • Gear & Apparel
    • Campfire Stories Collection
  • Mission
    • Adventure with Purpose
    • Donors
    • Our Partners
    • 1% for Trails—Outdoor Nonprofits in Partnership
    • Barbara Savage Memorial Award
  • Authors
    • Meet Our Spring 2026 Authors
    • Events & Web Series
    • Blog
    • Videos
  • About
    • Bookseller Info
    • Request a Catalog
    • Press Inquiries
    • Staff
    • Employment
    • Contact Us
    • Early Bird Reviewer Program
  • Gear & Apparel
    • Get outside with us!

      The Mountaineers teaches skills and leads outdoor activities for all in the Pacific Northwest. Consider joining to unlock discounts on books & maps!

      Learn More
You are here:
  1. Home
  2. Events
  3. Leadership Development
Share this Page: Facebook Twitter Email
Navigation
  • Find Events
  • Adventure with Purpose Gala
  • Adventure Speakers
  • Film Screenings
  • Kitsap Forest Theater
  • Leadership Development
  • An Evening of Advocacy
  • Rent our Facilities
  • Create New Event
Leadership Development

Leadership Development

Leadership development is central to The Mountaineers mission to lead innovation in outdoor education. By fostering a community of skilled volunteer leaders, we ensure that anyone inspired to learn outdoor skills has the opportunity to do so. To support this, we offer year-round resources, training, and events tailored to current and aspiring leaders.

Leadership Development Series

The Leadership Development Series provides high-quality, continuing education opportunities for volunteer leaders and anyone interested in gaining outdoor leadership skills. From October through April, weekly webinars are offered to help participants hone outdoor leadership skills.

Leadership Conference

The Mountaineers holds two Leadership Conferences each year: the North Sound Leadership Conference at the Seattle Program Center and the South Sound Leadership Conference at the Tacoma Program Center. Both conferences include esteemed outdoor professionals and seasoned Mountaineers leaders who explore the many facets of leadership through interactive sessions. Registration for both conferences typically opens mid-fall.

Volunteer-led Outdoor Leadership Activities 

Volunteer-led leadership opportunities go beyond courses and trips, they include skill-building clinics, practice sessions, social gatherings, and seminars tailored for both new and seasoned leaders. These volunteer-led events are hosted by our committees and branches, and designed to strengthen our volunteer community.


UPCOMING  EVENTS

New Backpack Leader Seminar - Seattle

New Backpack Leader Seminar - Seattle - Online Classroom

Backpacking Seminar
For experienced backpackers who are interested in becoming a Seattle Branch backpack leader, especially those
Tue, Apr 21, 2026
No Prerequisites
7 participants 0 leaders
Registration closes Apr 21
Seattle Branch
Todd Mitchell
From Reluctant to Ready: Inspiring Change in Your Participants

From Reluctant to Ready: Inspiring Change in Your Participants - Online Classroom

Outdoor Leadership Seminar
Learn tools to reduce resistance, build trust, and transform reluctance into growth on your trips
Tue, Apr 21, 2026
No Prerequisites
11 participants 0 leaders
Registration closes Apr 20
The Mountaineers Branch
Vienna Christensen
New Backpack Leader Seminar - Seattle

New Backpack Leader Seminar - Seattle - Online Classroom

Backpacking Seminar
For experienced backpackers who are interested in becoming a Seattle Branch backpack leader, especially those
Wed, Apr 22, 2026
No Prerequisites
6 participants 0 leaders
Registration closes Apr 22
Seattle Branch
Todd Mitchell
Lessons Learned from Aasgard Pass

Lessons Learned from Aasgard Pass - Online Classroom

Outdoor Leadership Seminar
A Leadership Development Series webinar with Steve Smith. Learn from Steve Smith's Aasgard Pass incident,
Wed, Apr 29, 2026
No Prerequisites
6 participants 0 leaders
Registration closes Apr 28
The Mountaineers Branch
Vienna Christensen
New Hike Leader Seminar

New Hike Leader Seminar - Mountaineers Seattle Program Center

Day Hiking Seminar
This 2.5 hour evening seminar provides experienced hikers information to help them become an effective
Thu, May 7, 2026
No Prerequisites
14 participants 0 leaders
Registration closes May 5
Seattle Branch
Stacey Lissit
Alpine Ambassadors-Hosted Rock Trips

Alpine Ambassadors-Hosted Rock Trips - Tieton River: The Bend

Climbing Clinic
Alpine Ambassadors host skill development trips for our top volunteers
Difficulty: Crag Rock Climb
Sat, May 16, 2026 - Sun, May 17, 2026
Prerequisites, Leader's Permission Required
6 participants 0 leaders
Registration opens Apr 18
The Mountaineers Branch
Ethan Wieczorek
Qualified Youth Leader
Intermediate Skills Practice Session

Intermediate Skills Practice Session - Mountaineers Seattle Program Center

Canyoning Practice Session
Come join us to practice intermediate level technical skills, including advanced rescue, rigging, and anchor
Sat, May 23, 2026
Prerequisites
6 participants 3 leaders
Registration closes May 21
Seattle Branch
Kevin Gilbert
Alpine Ambassadors-Hosted Rock Trips

Alpine Ambassadors-Hosted Rock Trips - Leavenworth

Climbing Clinic
Alpine Ambassadors host skill development trips for our top volunteers
Difficulty: *Varies*, Crag Rock Climb, Strenuous 3, Technical 2
Sat, Jun 13, 2026 - Sun, Jun 14, 2026
Prerequisites
8 participants 0 leaders
Registration opens Apr 18
The Mountaineers Branch
Kelsey Blodgett
Intermediate Skills Practice Session

Intermediate Skills Practice Session - Mountaineers Seattle Program Center

Canyoning Practice Session
Come join us to practice intermediate level technical skills, including advanced rescue, rigging, and anchor
Tue, Jun 23, 2026
Prerequisites
4 participants 3 leaders
Registration closes Jun 21
Seattle Branch
Kevin Gilbert
Alpine Ambassadors-Hosted Rock Trips

Alpine Ambassadors-Hosted Rock Trips - Squamish

Climbing Clinic
This is an Alpine Ambassadors hosted trip intended to develop skills for our top volunteers.
Difficulty: Crag Rock Climb
Thu, Jul 23, 2026 - Mon, Jul 27, 2026
Prerequisites, Leader's Permission Required
6 participants 2 leaders
Registration closes Apr 21
The Mountaineers Branch
Nate Moore
New Hike Leader Seminar

New Hike Leader Seminar - Mountaineers Seattle Program Center

Day Hiking Seminar
This 2.5 hour evening seminar provides experienced hikers information to help them become an effective
Tue, Sep 15, 2026
No Prerequisites
16 participants 0 leaders
Registration opens Aug 26
Seattle Branch
Stacey Lissit

Outdoor Leadership Seminar - Tacoma

Build and enhance your outdoor leadership skills through facilitated real-life scenarios, discussion and problem solving.

Oct 10, 2026
08:30 AM to 04:00 PM
Tacoma Program Center
2302 N 30th St, Tacoma, WA 98403

Classroom, Great Hall, Indoor Climbing Wall
New Hike Leader Seminar

New Hike Leader Seminar - Mountaineers Seattle Program Center

Day Hiking Seminar
This 2.5 hour evening seminar provides experienced hikers information to help them become an effective
Wed, Nov 4, 2026
No Prerequisites
16 participants 0 leaders
Registration opens Oct 7
Seattle Branch
Stacey Lissit
VIBE Outside Youth Conference

VIBE Outside Youth Conference

This November, MAC students are organizing a youth outdoor leadership conference, and we’d love to invite any high school aged youth to join us. What makes this event special is that it’s entirely student-led and student-driven (with adult speakers). A youth committee has designed every aspect of the conference—the name, program tracks, flyer, schedule, and speaker lineup.

Nov 21, 2026
09:00 AM to 03:00 PM
Seattle Program Center
7700 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115

Basement: Overhanging Wall, Executive Conference Room, Goodman A, Goodman B, Goodman C, Goodman C: Ice Walls, Goodman C: Rock Walls, Summit Room
South Sound Outdoor Leadership Conference

South Sound Outdoor Leadership Conference

The South Sound Leadership Conference is a fun day of professional development dedicated to thanking, inspiring, and empowering The Mountaineers current and aspiring volunteer leaders.

Mar 20, 2027
08:00 AM to 04:00 PM
Tacoma Program Center
2302 N 30th St, Tacoma, WA 98403

Boardroom, Classroom, Great Hall, Indoor Climbing Wall
Share this Page: Facebook Twitter Email

The Mountaineers

Helping people explore, conserve, learn about, and enjoy the lands and waters of the Pacific Northwest and beyond.

  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Feedback
  • Mountaineer Magazine
  • Employment

Mountaineers Books

An independent nonprofit publisher

  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Bookseller Info
  • Press Inquiries
  • Employment
  • Submissions

Connect with the Mountaineers Community

Connect with the Mountaineers Books Community

YouTube

The Mountaineers®, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Tax ID: 27-3009280.

Mountaineers Books is a registered trademark of The Mountaineers®, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Tax ID: 27-3009280.

Design: Neal Maher
Development by Percolator & Jazkarta. Powered by Plone.