Olympia Branch Blog Posts

A 94-year-old Northwest native, Fred Beckey is the quintessential “dirtbag” - the original in a breed of rebellious, fearless mountain climbers. Director Dave O’Leske spent 10 years shadowing Beckey throughout the world as chronicled those tales in Dirtbag. We hope you'll join us for the final theater showing of the film before it's released for sale! Read more…

As a new-ish addition to The Mountaineers staff team, I have been looking for opportunities to get to know the complex interlocking departments that make the organization work. I work in Member Services, but recently had an opportunity to get the inside scoop on what it’s like to work on the conservation and advocacy. On January 25, I had the wonderful opportunity to spend a day in my hometown of Olympia, Washington, to speak with State Representatives and Senators about the importance of public lands in our state. Read more…

Carolyn Burreson has been a member of The Mountaineers since 1982 and is the inspiration and force behind the Olympia Branch Potluck & Adventure Speaker Series, which she's coordinated for the last eleven years. We are grateful for all she's given to The Mountaineers! Read more…

Becky Nielsen grew up in the shadow of the Teton Mountains where she climbed, hiked, and kayaked. When she met her husband, who grew up in the shadow of the Olympic Mountains, he introduced her to the joys of backpacking. They have three daughters ages 5, 7, and 9 and are raising them to appreciate the outdoors. “They will push you to the top of Mount St. Helens, show you all of the best huckleberry patches on Mt. Rainier, and the coolest streams to soak your feet after a long day hike through the Olympics." Read more…

The Olympia Branch is challenging you to dedicate one day (or more!) to stewarding our public lands.  This challenge is a great way to give back to our outdoor playgrounds and meet a vibrant community of volunteers. All Mountaineers members are welcome to join - regardless of branch affiliation. Read more…

In June, the full membership of the Olympia Mountaineers will be electing new Branch officers. These individuals will serve as members of the Olympia Branch Council, the group tasked with building and improving the Olympia Branch’s overall programs. The Olympia Branch is growing and has a lot of energy to move forward, and we want you to be part of it! Read more…

I feel this is an important topic, especially in light of all the recent avalanche tragedies. Right now, we're transitioning from winter to spring, and the changing weather can increase avalanche risks.  Read more…

The Olympia Sea Kayaking Committee is launching our 2018 sea kayaking program with trip planning, instructor training, incident management training, Wednesday evening paddles, and a new group of sea kayak students. Join us for another season of fun on the water! Read more…

These days many Olympia Mountaineers know Mike Kretzler as a trip leader for hiking, backpacking, and snowshoeing and a course chair for the Navigation program. What they might not realize is Mike's has a long leadership history with the chapter, including a term as Secretary and a term as Council Chair. Read more…

The Hummocks-Boundary Trail is a great way to get up close and personal with Mount St Helens and gain a new perspective of the May 1980 eruption. The trail is located within Mount St. Helens National Monument in the Gifford Pinchot Forest. Read more…