Blog

There’s no denying it - our community is an incredible force for good. Even in a year mired with challenges and social distancing, we found ways to come together and support one another through our shared love of wild places and the outdoor experience. Our volunteers have done a tremendous job of creatively offering opportunities for us to grow our skills through modified courses and virtual offerings, and our members continue to speak up and advocate for our big backyard. Mountaineers Books helped millions around the world seek refuge in adventure through pages in a book (and won 13 prestigious awards for their titles!) Read more…

We’re excited to announce Trailhead Ambassadors, a new program launching this summer to help promote responsible recreation and environmental stewardship in the Snoqualmie Corridor area. Volunteer Trailhead Ambassadors will serve as a welcoming entity at popular trailheads along the I-90 corridor and help educate and empower trail users. The program is currently recruiting volunteers.  Read more…

In the dark days of winter, one of the few reliefs we have from the gloomy weather is the promise of snow. Uncommon in the lowlands west of the Cascades, snow is a treat reserved for just a few days every year, blanketing the damp Northwest in a sheet of white. As a result, lowland snow days are a hectic delight. School is cancelled, roads are salted, snow plows deployed, and the Midwesterners shake their heads at our four inch dusting. Each year we act like it’s a surprise – and it may just be that it’s more fun that way. Read more…

As Mountaineers, we are committed to learning from our experiences. We examine every incident that happens on a Mountaineers trip for opportunities to improve the ways we explore and teach. Our volunteer safety committee reviews every incident report and picks a few each month to share as examples of ‘Lessons Learned’. The trip report below describes what happened on this trip, in the leader’s own words, and outlines the lessons the leader has identified. In some cases, we offer additional key learnings from the incident. Read more…

Is there a nagging little voice in the back of your head saying that you really should learn how to read a map and use a compass on your next hike or backpack trip, but you haven't quite gotten around to it?  Are you a bit intimidated by it all but haven't wanted to admit it? Or are you ready to take the next step in your personal preparedness to plan and carry out a safe on-trail adventure? Read more…

It sounds like clickbait - “I rucked a mile a day for 31 days, and here’s what happened!” But I did indeed ruck at least a mile each day in January 2021. Here’s what happened. Read more…

A passionate skier since he was a child, Anders Morley dreamed of going on a significant adventure, something bold and of his own design. And so one year in his early thirties, he decided to strap on cross-country skis to travel across Canada in the winter alone. Read more…

Mount Rainier offers many winter recreational opportunities at Paradise, including family sledding areas, Ranger-guided snow walks and talks, backcountry skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, and winter camping. Read more…

For eight years, we've hosted the BeWild Speaker Series to bring  you stories of passion and adventure. On February 11, we're excited to host Elsye "Chardonnay" Walker, who in 2018 became the first African American woman to complete the "Triple Crown of Hiking" - trekking 7,900 miles along the Appalachian, Pacific Crest, and Continental Divide trails. Read more…

A decade ago, The Mountaineers undertook a radical endeavor: to become a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. This year, we’re celebrating the 10-year anniversary of this important accomplishment and giving thanks to the thousands of donors from all over the world who demonstrate to us every day how small gifts can add up to big change.   Read more…