Meany Lodge Blog

Meany Lodge Blog

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10 Essential Questions: Randy Lee

Each week we bring you a personal story from one of our members. For our member profile this week we talked to... Read more…

Remembering Mountaineer Patti Polinsky

With great sadness we share the news of the passing of Patti Polinsky, a 56-year member of The Mountaineers, long-time volunteer with Meany Lodge and the Foothills Branch, ski instructor, and Global Adventures Leader. Patti passed away after a long battle with cancer on June 15, 2021. She was comfortable and surrounded by loved ones, including her husband of 45 years, Dave Claar. Read more…

Are We Open? Lodge and Program Centers Update

For many people in our Mountaineers community, spending time at our lodges is a winter and holiday tradition. During a normal year, many of our courses begin hosting lectures and practice sessions at our program centers in the winter months. And without a pandemic our Baker, Meany, and Stevens Lodges would be serving as home base for Mountaineers members and guests for snowshoeing, backcountry skiing, lift-serviced alpine skiing, and other winter adventures.  Read more…

Adventure Wellness Weekend at Meany Lodge: June 5-7

The Mountaineers would like to welcome you to our first annual Adventure Wellness Weekend! Sponsored by the Foothills Branch Trail Running Committee and located at Meany Lodge, the weekend hosts a multitude of activities designed to allow participants to experience nature in a new way. You can forage for wild plants to eat or grow at home, hike at night, try yoga in natural settings, and more! Read more…

Memories Made (And Mushrooms Consumed) at Meany's Mushroom Weekend

Each year, The Mountaineers pair up with the Puget Sound Mycological Society to host a mushroom weekend at Meany Lodge. This special weekend offers attendees a great space to learn about foraging mushrooms in the northwest, both for in food and for other purposes. Besides a bed at the lodge, guests are treated to a wide range of mushroom treats and entrees, making this much-anticipated weekend an event not to be missed! Read more…

Experience the Mushroom Weekend At Meany Lodge

Join The Mountaineers and Puget Sound Mycological Society at Meany Lodge for our annual Mushroom Weekend October 11-13! It's the perfect place to learn everything you ever wanted to know about mushrooms. Join us as we forage for local mushrooms, learn how to use fungi in and out of the kitchen, cook a variety of exciting mushroom meals, and meet others who love mushrooms just as much as you do!  Read more…

Ski Instructors Needed for Winter Season at Meany Lodge

Our Meany Lodge ski instructor team is looking for new instructors of varying experience levels for the 2017-18 season. This volunteer gig comes with free lodging, PSIA training, and a community you'll have for life. Read more…

Doing Dishes is Fun! And Other Lessons Learned At Camp

After four adventure packed days at The Mountaineers Meany Lodge, it was time for the seven campers to head home. The kids, ages 7 to 10, ran into hugs from their parents with huge grins on their faces. They instantly began to list all the fun memories they made at camp. "We went sledding, we built a snow fort, we learned to snowshoe, the lodge food was incredible..." Surprisingly, one of the loudest, most frequent, and incredibly enthusiastic proclamation was "DOING DISHES IS FUN!" Read more…

Snowboard Instructor Needed to Teach Lessons at Meany Lodge

Are you a snowboarder? Do you like teaching? Do you like free lodge stays and street cred? Meany Lodge is looking for a Snowboard Instructor to lessons on specific weekends this year. Read more…

Lodge Cook: Host our Guests like only The Mountaineers can

Meany lodge is the oldest of the Mountaineer's ski lodges. Situated near the meandering Yakima River, and surrounded by the lush, peaceful Wenatchee National Forest, it is a welcome respite from the chaos of cities and commercial ski areas. Its committee leadership would love to extend an invitation to all people looking to contribute to The Mountaineers through hosting at the Lodge and helping make the guest experience one of the best they will have all winter.  Read more…

Property Maintenance: Help Us Keep a High-Quality Presence on the Mountains

As stated in  our book "The Mountaineers: A History," the oldest of the Mountaineer's ski lodges, Meany lodge, was built in 1928. The Stevens "Ski Cabin" (as it was called at the time) opened in 1948, and Baker Lodge opened in 1959. However - let's not forget our "first in the west" forest theater on the Kitsap peninsula, which was dedicated in 1926! 

Each of these properties' committee leadership would love to have the help of people looking to help maintain and enhance the locations they steward on behalf of the organization. The properties are used by our many activity leaders to help run and administer courses, by members and the public at large who want to spend a (more comfortable) night on the mountains without long commutes, as well as our Mountaineers Players and youth programs in Kitsap County! Help us maintain our longstanding presence as stewards of the outdoors, by helping with the upkeep and improvement of our properties!  Read more…

Meany Lodge Work Parties - Help Needed July 20 & 21

Meany Lodge is undergoing significant updates in the upcoming weeks and we need your help to get all the work done! Meany is a special place to many in our community, and these projects will significantly improve the lodge for future users. The upcoming work parties are on July 20 and July 21.   Read more…

Calling all (Snow Vehicle) Mechanics - Meany Lodge

As most experienced Meanyites know, in winter, the only fashionable motorized way into the lodge is with our Sno-Cats. Our veteran, "Tom Cat," hauls equipment and guests. "Moose" is our snow mover, used to make sure we can get to the lodge when the dumps happen. We also have two snowmobiles and an antique Dodge Power Wagon. As with all machines, they need regular repair and maintenance. If you have expertise to lend us in keeping these vehicles running well, we would love to welcome you to Meany Lodge! Read more…

Help get Meany Lodge ready for winter adventures

Are you good with your hands? Can you take apart an engine? Can you swing a hammer or clean a kitchen? If you can say yes to any of the above (and even if you don't), sign up for Meany's fall work parties. These work parties are a very good way to meet the folks who run our Meany Lodge  and see the inner-workings of a winter full of fun.  Read more…

Meany Lodge Offers an Array of Ski Lessons

Built in 1938, Meany Lodge is home to a thriving ski community. We provide a family friendly atmosphere similar to the huts in Europe. Our ski school is nationally recognized, and all instructors are Mountaineers who have received formal ski instructor training. Our instructors are volunteers, who want to share their joy of skiing and help you meet your goals. Read more…

Tech Update 2.8 - Lodge Reservations, Merchandise

After lots of hard work all last fall and early this winter, we're pleased to announce two new major features have been added to our website: an online lodge reservation system and online merchandise sales. We've also made some smaller, noteworthy improvements. Read more…

Family Hike and Bike Weekend at Meany Lodge - August 4-6, 2017

Meany Lodge will be adventure central the first weekend of August with exciting outdoor activities for all ages. Swim in a mountain lake, take a berry hike through acres of salmon berries, huckleberries, and wild strawberries, pedal alongside the reservoir, or wander the lodge property. Read more…

Packing for Meany – A Beginners Guide

While tenured Meanyites know how to pack for a weekend of fun in about 3 minutes flat (hint: after unpacking, do laundry & re-pack immediately), we often see first time visitors struggle. Here’s a rule of thumb & a few specific pointers: Read more…

Mountaineers Patrol Race: A Grand Tradition Revisited - Feb 27

Two years ago, Mountaineers members revived the Patrol Race. With a rich history of misadventure and competition, racers were excited to take part in this storied tradition. We're honored to be hosting the event again this year on February 27. Read more…

Join the 2016 Meany Lodge Patrol Race!

A three-person-team backountry ski race (not a relay) 

Saturday February 27, 2016. Start time: 6am-8am. Read more…

Winter Carnival

As all Meanyites know, Meany is all about family (yes not only about skiing or snowboarding), and in this vein Meany starts the season with Holiday Week and ends with Winter Carnival. This family centered weekend features fun and games for all ages and sizes. Read more…