Bellingham Branch Blog Posts

Say goodbye to summer by unloading your extra outdoor gear or by scoring items on your fall gear wish list with our End of Summer Gear Grab! You can stop by The Mountaineers Seattle Program Center on September 9 from 6-8pm to buy or sell gently used outdoor gear. Read more…

With over two decades of high-altitude experience, Melissa Arnot Reid has become one of the most respected voices in modern mountaineering. As the first American woman to summit Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen, Melissa’s career has been defined by resilience, leadership, and a deep commitment to learning from the mountains she calls home. Read more…

Have you ever tried to snag a campground or parking spot near Diablo Lake or another destination in the Ross Lake National Recreation Area during a busy summer weekend? Visitation to this popular area of the North Cascades has doubled over the last 20 years, and Park Service staff recorded one million visits in 2019. As recreational use via the North Cascades Highway continues to grow, land managers need new strategies to manage recreation. Park staff are preparing to develop a robust plan and holistic approach to better manage frontcountry recreation opportunities along the Highway 20 corridor, and they want to hear from you! Read more…

June is one of the best times of the year for trip goers, and one of the worst times of the year for us: having to choose between THIS many incredible trip reports was a veritable struggle. Read on, dear friends, for tales of heroic gear rescue, camaraderie, and the majesty of Peru! Read more…

We’re thrilled to share our annual impact report for fiscal year 2024 (October 1, 2023-September 30, 2024), a celebration of all that our community of outdoor enthusiasts made possible. Read more…

As you’ve likely heard, the Forest Service has a problem. Read more…

Join The Mountaineers for an unforgettable evening with world-renowned mountaineer, guide, and author Melissa Arnot Reid as part of our BeWild Speaker Series. In this special event, Melissa will share stories from her newly released memoir, ENOUGH, a raw and powerful reflection on her life both on and off the world’s tallest peaks. Read more…

Policy Update: We're encouraged to share that public lands sell-offs were kept out of the final Senate budget reconciliation bill. Washington's public lands are now safe from the recent threat of public lands sell-offs. We appreciate the thousands of Mountaineers that took action to oppose this harmful provision. Our collective advocacy made a difference.

Last week, I led a climb of The Tooth - my fifth trip with Mountaineers students on this classic climbing route near Snoqualmie Pass. My favorite part of being a rope leader on these trips is when my follower arrives at the top of the second pitch, looks around at the 360-degree view, and beams a giant smile when they fully realize the joy of being in Washington’s alpine environment.  Read more…

For over a decade, The Mountaineers has inspired adventures of all kinds through the BeWild Speaker Series - and this year’s lineup promises to be as unforgettable as ever. Read more…

In spring 2024, we completed the Tacoma Program Center (TPC) net zero project, making The Mountaineers program center in old town Tacoma our first net zero facility. This accomplishment has become a cornerstone of our organizational efforts to reduce the carbon footprint of Mountaineers facilities and operations.
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Policy Update: Thousands of Mountaineers answered our call to action, and now we're  encouraged to share that public lands sell-offs were kept out of the final Senate budget reconciliation bill. Washington's public lands are now safe from the recent threat of public lands sell-offs. Our collective advocacy made a difference. Thank you for adventuring with purpose with us.

As we shared last month, members of Congress are seeking to sell off federal public lands as a way to raise revenue, putting these lands at risk of transfer or development. Thanks in part to recent advocacy by outdoor enthusiasts, public lands sales were kept out of the final House reconciliation bill. However, this near-term win during the early stages of the congressional budgeting process was short-lived.  Read more…

Summer is arriving at Mount Rainier National Park, and with it comes a season of change - and challenge. As the iconic peak draws crowds from across the country, Park officials are rolling out new visitor access policies, temporarily closing roads and campgrounds, and navigating staffing shortages. If you’re planning to explore Rainier’s natural beauty this summer, some extra preparation will go a long way. Here’s what you need to know before you hit the trail. Read more…

Most outdoor experiences on public lands and waters begin on trail or at a trailhead. Trails serve as pathways and connectors to the special parks and recreation areas where we teach and learn outdoor skills, engage with the natural world, and make memories with our community. On the first Saturday of June each year, outdoor enthusiasts from across the country come together to celebrate National Trails Day - sharing time outdoors together and giving back to lands that make our adventures possible through on-the-ground stewardship.  Read more…

It’s that time of year, dear friends - temperatures are rising, the snow is changing, and wildlife is coming out to play. May you find exemplary leadership, geological curiosities, and extraordinary scenery in this month’s top trip reports. Read more…

We’re excited to once again be calling for nominations for individuals to join our Board of Directors, and this year we are also seeking individuals to join as part of our branch leadership. Our open nominations process is rooted in our core values and ensures we bring forward an excellent and diverse slate of candidates to be elected by membership. Nominations are due by June 22, 2025. Read more…

 For more than 25 years, Christopher Van Tilburg has served as a volunteer with the Hood River Crag Rats – the nation’s oldest all-volunteer mountain rescue organization based on the slopes of Mount Hood, Oregon. As the Crag Rats recently marked their 100th anniversary, Van Tilburg turned a reflective eye to the team’s remarkable legacy in his newly released Mountaineers Books title, Crisis on Mount Hood. Read more…

Throughout the Pacific Northwest, recreationists are facing a new reality: wildfires are impacting outdoor recreation more than ever before. From smoky skies to long-term trail closures, fire season is no longer an occasional disruption, but a defining part of the summer outdoor experience. Read more…

Bursting blossoms, migratory birds, and majestic mountain views have put a spring in everyone’s step this April. Read on, dear friends, for a warm welcome to the spring season in this month’s top trip reports. Read more…

Update: We were glad to see public lands sales stripped out of the final version of the reconciliation bill that passed the House. Support from the outdoor community and efforts by Rep. Ryan Zinke (MT-01) and the congressional Public Lands Caucus were instrumental in securing this near-term win. Unfortunately, other harmful public lands provisions were left in the final House bill, and public lands sales could crop up again as the Senate considers the reconciliation package in the coming months.

As a lover of public lands, it can be disheartening to read the news lately. Recent actions by Congress and the administration represent a mounting threat to our shared lands and waters - places where we find connection to the natural world. The largely partisan support for these harmful policies - which include public lands sell-offs - is built on the short-sighted premise that public lands are solely items on a balance sheet to be leveraged for financial gain through privatization and development. Read more…

Earlier this week, one of our longtime landscape protection priorities, the Wild Olympics Wilderness and Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, was reintroduced in the 119th Congress by two members of the Washington delegation. Senator Patty Murray continues to champion this effort in the Senate and freshman Rep. Emily Randall (WA-06) has reintroduced the Wild Olympics bill in the House. The bill protects key recreation areas of the Olympic National Forest through the designation of new Wilderness and the Peninsula’s first-ever Wild and Scenic rivers.  Read more…

Whether you’re a seasoned outdoorsperson or just beginning your journey with The Mountaineers, you won’t want to miss our Spring Gear Grab. Read more…

When we go outside together, we not only increase our connection to each other, but also to the natural world. This is why, at our core, Mountaineers are not just learners and adventurers, but also advocates and conservationists. We fall in love with places and then do our utmost to conserve that experience for others. Read more…

At The Mountaineers, we believe adventure means more than simply reaching a summit objective or snapping a photo at the perfect viewpoint. It’s about how we show up with curiosity, care, and a sense of responsibility—about connecting more deeply with nature, with one another, and with something bigger than ourselves.  Read more…

Spring is a busy time of year at The Mountaineers, and this year that feels especially true. The need to connect people with each other and the natural world has never been greater. Read more…

The Mountaineers advocacy to protect public lands and the outdoor experience transcends the places where we recreate and the courses we lead here in the Pacific Northwest. This work doesn’t happen alone; partnerships lie at the heart of our advocacy story. About nine years ago, The Mountaineers joined Outdoor Alliance (OA) - a national coalition of human-powered recreation organizations. Over the years, we’ve deepened our involvement because our community is a unique catalyst for conservation and advocacy work on a national scale. Read more…

I don’t know about you, but I feel that Washington’s state-managed parks and public lands are truly special and offer something for everyone. Outdoor places like Blanchard Mountain, Cape Disappointment, the Exit 38 climbing area near North Bend, and many others connect us to nature through recreation across every region of the state. Read more…

This month was everything March should be: glimpses of sun to get you excited for warmer weather and just enough snow for some satisfying spring skiing. Read on, dear friends, for lunar landscapes, trolls, and churning currents! Read more…

In February 2025, we invited our members and volunteers to participate in our community survey. We do this every few years to understand how experiences change over time and identify areas of need when balancing resources. We’re pleased to share these preliminary results with our community, and look forward to deeper analysis with the staff and volunteer leaders who drive our programs and accomplish our mission in the community. Read more…

Maintaining access to Washington’s cherished landscapes and the recreational opportunities they support frequently requires partnership between the State and federal land managers. Drastic reductions to the federal workforce and a looming state budget deficit underscore the need for creative solutions to safe and sustainable access to Washington’s lands and waters this year and beyond. Read more…

Since the new administration took office, they’ve adopted a “flood-the-zone” approach to policy. That means mass firings of federal employees, including ten percent of the Forest Service’s workforce, and a surge of executive orders (written directives signed by the President) that put our public lands and climate at risk.  Read more…