Olympia Branch Blog Posts

Olympia Branch Blog Posts

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Equity & Inclusion Update: 2022 Trail Markers & the Road Ahead

At The Mountaineers, we aspire to offer outdoor opportunities for everyone, and are committed to building a community where all people feel belonging. Our Equity & Inclusion (E&I) Committee was founded in 2018 to work across the organization, in partnership with staff and volunteers, to bring this vision to life. Reflecting the promise of transparency to our community, our committee shares written updates twice per year and holds an annual E&I Town Hall to highlight key trail markers in our work. Today we’re excited to share the progress we’ve made since our April Town Hall, and to announce that applications are now open to join the E&I Committee in 2023.  Read more…

Winter Book Sale - Nov 28-Dec 30

Books make great gifts! Stop by the bookstore at our Seattle Program Center in Magnuson Park for deals on books, maps, and Mountaineers logo merchandise for your family, your friends, and yourself.  Read more…

Impact Giving | Branch Support Pilot Gets a Running Start

As a values and mission-driven nonprofit, everything we do at The Mountaineers is in service of our vision to get more people outside and create advocates for our natural world. Earned revenue, like book sales and course fees, help us to provide world-class outdoor training, books, and experiences. These provide a strong foundation for us to grow our impact through philanthropy. Donations help to fund youth partner programs, conservation & advocacy work, shared services across all locations and activities, scholarships, and more. Read more…

Results: Board & Branch Elections - 2022

We're pleased to present you with the outcome of the 2022 Board & Branch elections, and we're grateful to everyone who participated by voting and accepting a nomination. Your participation shows a deep commitment to the organization, and this year, we saw over 1,300 votes. Read more…

Your Input Needed: Feedback on Strategic Plan Priorities

With Vision 2022we developed a plan through high engagement from our community. Based on community feedback and support, Vision 2022 provided an important foundation for us as leaders in innovative outdoor education striving to engage future generations in advocacy, adventure, education, volunteerism, and community. We hope to build on that foundation as we look ahead to our  next strategic plan. Read more…

Olympia Social and Awards Celebration 2022 Recap

This month the Olympia Branch held its annual Social and Awards Celebration to honor 2022 course graduates and award pins, patches, and services awards to our outstanding members. Mike Endres was our guest speaker. A guide book writer and photographer, he captivated the crowd with stories about his travels climbing and adventuring from Colorado to Alaska. Although there was no banquet this year, light refreshments were served and plenty of radiant smiles were shared as members reminisced and celebrated the skills acquired, lessons learned, and memories made during this past year. Read more…

Olympia Basic Alpine Climbing 2023 Updates

When climbing courses were canceled in 2020 due to COVID-19, the Olympia Basic Alpine Climbing Committee began incorporating new virtual educational methods into the program. Learn more about how these changes will be applied to our course moving forward, and how you can get involved.  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 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…

Top 10 Trip Reports - September 2022

It’s that time of year when our favorite places begin to change. The pinks and purples of summer are fading to fiery yellows and reds of fall. Trailheads are welcoming the blanket of autumn fog that keeps our hiking cool while obscuring summit views. Temperatures are dropping, and we’re preparing to exchange our backpacks and paddles for crampons and skis.  Read more…

The Nature of Belonging

Have you ever walked into a space, say a meeting room or a new bar, and known immediately that you were out of place? Read more…

Vote Now! Board & Branch Elections - 2022

As a 501(c)(3) volunteer-led organization, The Mountaineers depend on the generosity, initiative, and leadership of our volunteers to steward the future of our organization. We are humbled by the service provided by board and branch directors whose positions are confirmed by members each year. Thank you for all you do as members to elevate our mission, and for your participation in the forthcoming election process for these organization-wide leaders. Read more…

Impact Report for Fiscal Year 2021: The Mountaineers Annual Report

We are proud to share our fiscal year 2021 Impact Report, an annual publication highlighting the ways that programs, publishing, and people combine forces to impact our outdoor community and the future of outdoor recreation. 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…

Help Shape Sustainable Recreation Planning in the Olympic National Forest

The Olympic National Forest draws Mountaineers from all over the region year-round to hike, camp, and experience the natural beauty of the Olympic Peninsula. Whether you’re drawn to peaks like Mount Ellinor or love to hike lush river valleys like the Skokomish, the forest’s five wilderness and twenty developed campgrounds offer something for everyone hoping to experience these iconic old growth forests. Read more…

Announcing The Mountaineers Land Acknowledgment Statement

From craggy summits to windswept beaches, Washington’s lands and waters provide inspiration, connection, and transformative experiences. For more than 115 years, The Mountaineers community has been connected through a passion for these places and a commitment to leave outdoor spaces better than we found them. However, it is important to recognize that the places where we gather, learn, and recreate are the lands of Native peoples who have lived here since time immemorial. Read more…

Watch The Mountaineers Annual Meeting from Sep 13, 2022


Each year, we host an annual meeting for our members to share a retroactive tour of our last fiscal year. Members are invited to join virtually to hear about how The Mountaineers is doing, learn more about our strategic planning process and upcoming focus sessions, have the opportunity to ask questions of our leaders. Per our bylaws, the Annual Meeting also allows Mountaineers members to make At-Large Director nominations from the floor for the 2022 election season. Here's the recording from September 13, 2022. Read more…

Why Do We Talk About Diversity in The Mountaineers?

Recently, my partner and I helped teach the Kitsap Alpine Scrambling Course. We began class with an icebreaker question: “When did you fall in love with the outdoors? And if you’re not sure you’re in love yet, when did the outdoors start to call to you?” The responses varied, and even though we came from vastly different backgrounds, we found we had as much common ground as we had differences. This icebreaker served as an introduction to our 20-minute module on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). We continued our conversation by asking a question, in some cases considered the question, then talked about other ways we, as leaders and students, can help foster a culture of belonging for ourselves and each other. Read more…

Mountaineer Magazine Fall 2022

As a Mountaineers member, you receive free access to our quarterly Mountaineer magazine, keeping you up-to-date with everything our organization and community have been up to. Hear from regular contributors on topics from training exercises to trail tips, and read features from our members sharing stories from the outdoors. We encourage you to access all of our updates, stories, tips, and more in the tree free online magazine today. Read more…

Top 10 Trip Reports - August 2022

How fitting that this fall's magazine theme would be Trip Reports, because this month’s members absolutely rocked it with theirs! Stories, photos, and beta galore, these reports were a joy to read through, especially because our trip leaders were quite the comedians this time around. Read more…

Saying Goodbye to Amber Carrigan

Few people have done more to change the trajectory of our organization than Amber Carrigan. In her five years serving as Development Director, Amber built a talented and high-performing team, dramatically transformed our fundraising mission and messaging to build a stronger culture of philanthropy, and most importantly built deep and caring relationships with hundreds of donors and volunteers. While we are sad to say goodbye, we wish her the best of luck as she moves on to her next chapter at the end of September. Read more…

Trip Report: Clear Creek Intra-Urban Trail

Clear Creek Trail is an intra-urban, family-friendly trail located in Silverdale, Washington that winds through riparian zones, wetlands, and dense forests. This trail is open for walking, running, biking, or strolling leisurely with your kids. The best time to walk the beach is in the early mornings during low tide when you can observe wildlife and the many birds fishing for lunch around the estuary. My most recent visit was a quick jaunt with my pops and Bilbo the Adventure Dog to see the wetlands and the interior forests. Read more…

An Evening of Advocacy: Featured Artists - Sep 24

Join us on the waterfront on Saturday, September 24 for An Evening of Advocacy and incredible artwork!  Read more…

How To Get Involved as a Volunteer

The Mountaineers began as a volunteer organization, and 116 years later we are still largely run by volunteers, with a small staff supporting administrative tasks. Whether your interests are in teaching, leading trips, helping at events, supporting stewardship efforts, or serving on a committee that orchestrates such activities, we have opportunities for you to pitch in and make a difference!  Read more…

You're Invited to join our Strategic Plan Focus Sessions

Our five-year strategic Plan, Vision 2022, provided an important foundation for us as leaders in innovative outdoor education striving to engage future generations in advocacy, adventure, education, volunteerism, and community. Vision 2022 also put a stake in the ground for our goal of becoming a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization where all people can feel belonging. 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…

End of Summer Gear Grab - August 29

Have a gear wishlist a mile long, or some extra gear you'd like to unload? Come to The Mountaineers Seattle Program Center from 6-8pm on Monday, August 29 for our upcoming Gear Grab.  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…