Blog

Calling all Conditioning Hiking Series (CHS) trip leaders and alumni! Join us June 21 at the Seattle Program Center to celebrate and congratulate CHS founders Kelly & Matt Cleman for their vision and dedication. Since 2005, nearly 1,000 Mountaineers have graduated CHS, earning their course badge, improving their fitness, and hiking to farther and more spectacular places than they ever thought possible. Read more…

April... It was the best of months, it was the worst of months. Read on, dear friends, for occasional chaos, butt-scraping fun, superior starts, few redeeming qualities, and the promise to never return. Oh, and two straggling March trip reports that you'll be grateful we didn't let go unnoticed. Read more…

What is biodiversity, and what creates it? What defines the ecosystems ranging from saltwater marshes to alpine tundra, and what species inhabit these areas?  Join the Seattle Naturalists for an engaging virtual exploration of Washington's diverse ecosystems, led by the Washington Natural Heritage Program Manager, Joe Rocchio.  Read more…

The sweat pours from your brow as you trudge under the spring sun, a mere half-mile from the summit. You know you’re tired, but begin to question if you’re unwell when you see not one, but a dozen people bounding toward you, clad in all kinds of hiking-inappropriate garb. One man is in a hula skirt, followed by a woman dressed as Belle from Beauty and the Beast. You sit down for safety and watch the apparitions get closer. You’re not hallucinating. You’ve just stumbled upon the elusive Mother’s Day hikers outside of their usual haunt. Read more…

As someone who cares deeply about the outdoors, you’re well positioned to be an effective advocate - it just takes a little training and knowing the best opportunities to engage. In addition to advocating on behalf of our community of more than 16,000 outdoor enthusiasts, The Mountaineers amplifies opportunities to leverage your voice to advance conservation and recreation policy and create new ways to deepen your engagement in our conservation work. Read more…

Have a mile-long gear wish list or some extra gear you'd like to unload? Come to The Mountaineers Seattle Program Center from 6-8pm on Monday, May 20 for our upcoming Gear Grab.  Read more…

After an exciting seven months, we wrapped up our sixth year of the Leadership Development Series, providing high-quality, continuing education opportunities for our volunteer leaders. Thank you to all participants and presenters who joined us. Read more…

 Have you ever wondered who builds and maintains the trails where you recreate, or who cuts the downed trees off the trails? We do. Read more…

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

Mountaineering, an exhilarating and challenging pursuit centered around scaling towering peaks, transcends mere physical conquest. It embodies teamwork, resilience, and selflessness, all hallmarks of servant leadership. Read more…

Calling all spelunkers and scramblers! This September, Global Adventures has a unique adventure planned for you: an unforgettable trip to Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky. This wonder is featured as one the “Top 10 Experiences” in Moon's USA National Park Guide – and for good reason. Read more…

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

The Mountaineers is partnering with the Sacred Lands Conservancy, an Indigenous-led nonprofit with strong ties to the Lummi Nation, to produce a series of educational pieces on the importance of mindful recreation and how we can all develop deeper connections to the histories of our natural places. Tah-Mahs Ellie Kinley is a Lhaq’temish fisherwoman, an enrolled Lummi Nation tribal member, an elected member of Lummi Nation’s Fisheries and Natural Resource Commission, and President of the Sacred Lands Conservancy (SLC). We hope you enjoy this blog from her, written in collaboration with SLC’s Julie Trimingham, which shares history and context about the regional tribal treaties that allow us to live, work, and recreate on these lands and waters. - Conor Marshall, Advocacy & Engagement Manager Read more…

It was a humid summer day in the other Washington, as I donned a sport coat and tie and met with fellow bird conservation advocates on Capitol Hill. As a budding conservation advocate, this was my first in-person lobby meeting – a short 15-minutes with a congressional staffer about a bill that would help make federal buildings safer for birds. Read more…

With summer sun and fun right around the corner, our team is diving into camp preparation and planning. This year will include many of the traditional Mountaineers Summer Camp activities in addition to new ventures. This year, we’re launching a Day Camp program on the East Side, expanding our Summer Camp offerings to include week-long Day Camp programs in Renton starting in 2024.  Read more…

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

Headstrap authors Nandini Purandare and Deepa Balsavar share insight into the start of this decade-long project.  Read more…

Each year, our community gathers at our annual fundraising Gala, Adventure with Purpose, to make a difference for people and places through the mission and vision of The Mountaineers. The funds raised in this single night represent more than a third of our charitable revenue for the year, elevating  mission and values driven initiatives across all branches and activities. Your support is vital for some of our most impactful programs such as youth outreach, scholarships, volunteer leadership development, nonprofit publishing, conservation advocacy efforts, and more. At this year’s Gala, we raised an astonishing $650,000 elevating the way we LEAD innovation in outdoor education, ENGAGE a vibrant community of outdoor enthusiasts, and ADVOCATE on behalf of the natural world. Read more…

As Mountaineers know well, land managers need new tools and resources to sustainably manage growing recreation on public lands in Washington State and across the country. For several years, The Mountaineers and our partners at Outdoor Alliance have been advocating for federal legislation that improves sustainable and equitable access to outdoor recreation, and we’re now one step closer to achieving a big win for the outdoors.  Read more…

On a wintry Saturday in Olympia, Claire Edwards, Mountaineers Youth Program Associate Manager, is getting kids and families stoked on snowshoeing during the “Ice Days” event at the Hands On Children’s Museum. It’s equal parts wonder, chaos, and pure delight as participants attempt walking in snowshoes on top of makeshift “snow.” While most participants have never snowshoed before, many leave excited to try this new activity with their family in real snow. Read more…

Meet Jessica Umayam, a Foothills Hike and Scramble Leader and 2023 Super Volunteer with fond memories doing yoga in the evening light at Seward Park during the Yoga for Hikers, Backpackers, and Trail Runners Course. Jessica is working on the Smoot’s List and loves helping people explore new places. Read more…

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

In 2019, I joined a Global Adventures trip – first to Torres del Paine in Chile and then to the Fitz Roy Massif in Argentina. I was 76 and rather long in the tooth for a backpack classified as “very strenuous.” But Fitz Roy was a mountain I’d wanted to see since my late teens. This was my first chance. Jump! Read more…

Summoning my life’s longest, most formative journey, I sometimes put the maps of my arctic traverse end to end. When I do, all the wilderness I could ever want spreads across my living room floor, a smorgasbord of possibilities. “You must walk like a camel,” Thoreau counseled, “which is said to be the only beast which ruminates when walking.” And I did. Read more…

Everyone knows that adventures are more fun with friends. This golden rule applies to adventures with our furry besties as well. These four-legged adventurers earn just as many miles - if not more! - than their two-legged counterparts, and it’s high time we recognized their service to outdoor exploration with a badge. That’s why we’re thrilled to finally introduce the Four-Legged Hike Leader badge! Read more…

It's officially spring, and as such, it feels fitting to share this perfectly packaged collection of trip reports wrapped in sunshine and reminiscent of the good old days. Read on, dear friends, for our tried and true bestie, the occasional need to crawl, skiing hot pow, and this thing we call snow.  Read more…

Nearly thirteen years ago, The Mountaineers made a strategic investment in Youth Programs to offer more programming for our younger members. Since then, we’ve expanded youth programming in all branches and outdoor centers. With the help of volunteers, families, and staff, we now have opportunities for youth to explore the Pacific Northwest throughout the year. This year, we’ll have offered over 100,000 total youth experiences since the inception of these programs. Read more…

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

Lou Whittaker, a world-renowned mountaineer, legendary mountain guide, and local entrepreneur, passed away at his home near Mt. Rainier on March 24, 2024 surrounded by family and loved ones. ’Big Lou’ or ‘Rainier Lou’ was 95. Read more…

Dreaming of your next big adventure? Enjoy this look at a few of the auction items available at the 2024 Mountaineers Gala: Adventure with Purpose! The Gala, taking place on April 6, 2024 at Fremont Studios, is our biggest fundraiser of the year. The live and silent auction are big parts of the Gala that help us reach our Gala fundraising goal of $620,000. Bid on the ultimate getaway, experience or gear package and feel great knowing that your donation will help elevate the way our community transforms lives through outdoor education and conservation.  Read more…