Bellingham Branch Blog Posts

Bellingham Branch Blog Posts

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Action Alert! 2019 Washington State Budget & Public Lands

In odd-numbered years (like this one), Washington legislators set the two-year state budget (capitol and operating). Lawmakers are currently negotiating this year’s funding package. Critical provisions for education, human services, infrastructure, and public lands hang in the balance. From the shores of Deception Pass to the Ponderosa pines of Riverside, our state public lands - and the agencies that steward them - need sufficient funding to provide the outdoor experience we know and love. Read more…

Donate Your Vehicle To Support The Mountaineers!

When you donate a vehicle  you no longer need, you not only support The Mountaineers and Mountaineers Books, but you reduce your impact and your gift qualifies for a tax deduction! Most cars, trucks, trailers, boats, RVs, motorcycles, off road vehicles, heavy equipment, and other motorized vehicles are eligible, making it easy for you to support The Mountaineers in another exciting way! Read more…

What the New Congress Means for Public Lands

January 3, 2019 marked the start of the 116th Congress, and with it a new landscape for outdoor advocates to navigate. Here are some key changes to keep in mind as we work to conserve the public lands and waters of the Pacific Northwest and beyond: Read more…

Action Alert: The Government Shutdown and Its Impact on Public Lands

The government shutdown is now the longest in history, and it may continue for weeks or even months. One of the most visible manifestations of the shutdown has been its effects on our national parks, many of which are being kept open despite having few staff and no budget. Read more…

Equity & Inclusion Update: Community Feedback and Steering Committee

At The Mountaineers, we believe a diverse and inclusive outdoors inspires unity, respect, and passion for the places we love. As we aspire to offer outdoor opportunities for ALL, we are assembling a board-chartered Equity & Inclusion (E&I) Steering Committee to lead our efforts to become a place where, a century from now, future generations will recognize themselves in The Mountaineers. Read more…

More Than A Summit: Mountain-Queers Celebrate First Scramble Trip

At the top of Three Way Peak, our rainbow assortment of French macarons shone in contrast to the cloudy skies. My mood mirrored our brightly colored summit treats. This was the first on-the-ground outing of Mountain-Queers, an affinity group of LGBTQ Mountaineers that I started laying the groundwork for last August. When I began, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, now I couldn’t wait to see what was next. Read more…

Baker Lodge Work Party & Cookout - Sep 28-30, 2018

Baker Lodge is a special place. Its stunning location looking up at Mount Shuksan, and the sense of community it creates, brings many people to this wonderful place. There's nothing better than a day outside followed by a hot cup of tea and a hearty dinner served up by the volunteer hosts. Read more…

Building A Safe and Respectful Culture

One of our Core Values is Community. We provide opportunities for all because we believe a diverse and inclusive outdoors inspires unity, respect, and passion for the places we love. To be true to this value, our commitment to treating one another respectfully must be iron-clad. When we do this consistently, day in and day out, we build the kind of culture where all people feel safe and can enjoy outdoor experiences to their fullest. Read more…

Introducing: Vision 2022

Every five years or so, we refresh our strategic plan - a roadmap defining  the priority actions and investments we believe are essential to our future success. After a year-long process involving significant input from The Mountaineers community, our Board of Directors approved our latest strategic plan, Vision 2022. The actual document itself is hot off the presses and we're pleased to share it with our community.  Read more…

Leader Spotlight: Ted Miller

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Ted Miller, a volunteer leader with the Bellingham Branch who strives to provide a safe environment for students to learn from their mistakes. Read more…

Tech Update 3.1 - Feedback Improvements, Gift Memberships

Since the 3.0 update in mid-February to bring Mountaineers Programs and Publishing under one roof, we have continued to make many improvements to our website. The two biggest ones are committee-aggregated feedback and an improved gift membership process. Read on to learn more. Read more…

Forbidden Peak Incident - Summary Incident Report

In July of last year, The Mountaineers community experienced the tragic loss of Sue Bennett, a cherished super volunteer and extraordinary leader of the Bellingham climbing community. As a result of the incident, which occurred on a Mountaineers trip, The Mountaineers initiated a critical response process including the formation of an incident review committee. Read more…

Leader Spotlight: Kyle Breakey

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Kyle Breakey, a volunteer with the Bellingham Branch who sees a huge value in mentorship for leaders at The Mountaineers, both as a mentor and a mentee.  Read more…

Train to Become a Host at Mt Baker Lodge: Dec 27-28 or 30-31

Those who have loved and been inspired by the Mt Baker Lodge community can give back at last! You can train to become a lodge host. Trainings include a free night stay. They run from 5-8pm one evening and 6-8am the following morning. Choose between our Dec 27-28 or Dec 30-31 offerings. Read more…

Tech Update 2.9 - Many Small Improvements

From April through November, we worked on several improvements to our website and our Salesforce platform. And in October and November, we added bigger improvements and one new features. Read on to learn more! Read more…

An Ode to Volunteerism

In the process of writing a recent blog on committee volunteerism, I shared an email conversation with John Dunlap from the Olympia Branch about volunteering with The Mountaineers. John is a five year member who supports several committees, including Olympia’s Scrambling and Sea Kayaking Committees. When I asked John about his experience supporting committee work and volunteering with The Mountaineers, his response took me by surprise - in a very good way. Read more…

Vision 2022: Discussing Survey Results at Town Hall Sessions, Sept 28, Oct 2 & 4

We're more than halfway through the process of building 'Vision 2022' - our strategic plan to carry us forward through the next five years. We've completed our community survey and are looking forward to sharing the results in our upcoming town hall sessions.  Read more…

Make your ideas a reality - volunteer on a committee!

Did you know that The Mountaineers club didn’t have a paid employee until 1984? Tired of all of the paperwork, the growing organization hired a part-time administrator to help with waivers and dues so that volunteers could focus on the fun stuff: developing courses, providing instruction, leading trips, and running committees. Read more…

Strategic Plan Survey: Please Provide Feedback for Vision 2022

We're halfway through the process of building 'Vision 2022' - our strategic plan to carry us forward through the next five years. After rounds of feedback from staff, committee members, and three 'town hall' meetings, we've put together a survey to help us further define our future priorities.  Read more…

Remembering Mountaineer Sue Bennett

With great sadness we share the news of the passing of Sue Bennett, a beloved member of The Mountaineers community - a Mountaineer, Bellingham branch member, volunteer leader, and board member. Read more…

Progress On Our Next Strategic Plan - June Town Hall Recaps

We've begun building 'Vision 2022' - our strategic plan to carry us forward through the next five years. For 111 years, we have welcomed people from all walks of life into a community that shares deep connections to the outdoors. We intend to carry forward this legacy for  111 more years and beyond, which is why we're working collaboratively to create Vision 2022, our next strategic plan.  Read more…

Introducing Kick Step IPA: A Beer Partnership with Ghostfish Brewing

We're excited to introduce Kick Step IPA, a bold and distinctly Northwest India Pale Ale by Ghostfish Brewing, benefiting The Mountaineers. Read more…

Vision 2022 - Steering Committee and Plan for Engaging Our Community

For 111 years, The Mountaineers has been a passionate group of bold explorers welcoming people from all walks of life into a community that shares deep connections to the outdoors. Adventure is at the core of who we are as Mountaineers, but for us, it’s adventure with a purpose. Vision 2022, our next strategic plan, will outline the best ways we can continue to carry forward our legacy of volunteer-led outdoor education and conservation advocacy and you can get involved. Read more…

Vision 2022 - Creating Our Next Strategic Plan

For 111 years, The Mountaineers has been a passionate group of bold explorers welcoming people from all walks of life into a community that shares deep connections to the outdoors. We’re adventurers driven by imagination, challenge, and the spirit of discovery. Read more…

The Mountaineers Core Values

Mountaineers have been enjoying the lands and waters of the Pacific Northwest and beyond for 110 years, and it's our long-term aspiration to be thriving for another 110 years. As we look toward Vision 2022 - our next strategic plan - we felt it was time to put our core values on paper. Read more…

How To: Remember Your Gear

We all know how important good planning and preparation are to a successful outing. Familiarizing yourself with your route, having the proper equipment, checking the forecast, and reading past trip reports are all things that we can do to make our excursions more successful, regardless of whether they be a paddle, hike, climb or ski. Read more…

How To: Bow Out Of A Trip

You’ve been planning a trip for a while now - maybe even for weeks or months. Your buddies are all psyched. You’ve double and triple checked your gear. Everything is packed and ready to go. Car is gassed up. But something’s not quite right. Read more…

Finding Paradise in Methow Valley

I fell in love with the snow as a child. We didn’t have a lot of the white stuff where I grew up near London, England but I was fortunate in that my parents took my brother and I skiing in Austria. Every winter after that I tried to get in at least one ski vacation.  Read more…

How To: Implement Low-Impact Recreation Skills

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…

How To: Reduce Your Backcountry Bathroom Use Impact

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…