Volunteers Blog

The Mountaineers values diversity – including persons with diverse abilities – in its programs. While we do not specialize in integrating persons with disabilities into our programs, we encourage people of all abilities to consider participating in Mountaineers programming. Read more…

The Mountaineers’ Kitsap Forest Theater is one-of-a-kind. Attendees take a winding, quarter-mile path through lush woodlands sprinkled with wild rhododendrons. At the trail’s end, almost as though designed by the forest itself, the theater rises from the greenery. Giant firs surround terraced seating, moss-covered bark forms theater wings, verdant ferns serve as footlights, and sunlight shines through the tree canopy to create spotlights. Read more…

Yosemite, September 1998. Marie, Andrew, and I are standing at a trail junction in northern Yosemite National Park, unable to decide which trail to take. We've had a spectacular week of high country, off-trail rambling in beautiful, high basins. Now we're making our way back to Tuolumne Meadows on-trail. The plan was to go left at this junction and do two more days of hiking through a valley none of us have visited. Now that we're at the junction, we realize we have the option to go right and make it back to the car this evening. Tempting. Read more…

Meet Foothills volunteer Russ Levy! Russ moved to the Northwest 22 years ago and found The Mountaineers through his passion for hiking. He is a hike leader and is most fulfilled when he's leading a trail crew.  Read more…

Happy Earth Day, Mountaineers! We are proud to be one of Washington’s leading voices for protecting the outdoor experience in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. To achieve our goals, we partner with a number of environmental and outdoor industry groups and coalitions, and work closely with land managers and lawmakers to fight for public lands. Our strength comes from our members, who are inspired by the wild places they explore everyday. Join us in our stewardship efforts by volunteering at one of our many upcoming  opportunities with partners this spring. Read more…

For the entirety of our 113-year history, volunteers have been at the heart of The Mountaineers mission. From big to small, nearly every aspect of what we do is powered by our volunteers! We truly cannot thank you enough for your leadership and service, and we're excited to have another opportunity to celebrate your hard-work and accomplishments during the 2019 National Volunteer Week! Read more…

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Lisa Hayek, a hike and backpack leader with the Tacoma Branch who loves getting to know members with a wide variety of backgrounds and interests. Read more…

As a part of our Vision 2022 strategic plan, The Mountaineers is committed to leading innovation in outdoor education. A key component of this initiative is investing in our volunteer leaders, the heart and soul of our vibrant organization. Read more…

One of Vision 2022's strategic imperatives is to Lead Innovation in Outdoor Education. Our program centers and lodges play a key role in this by providing physical places for us to teach outdoor skills and build community. Teaching and gathering places can also help us reduce our environmental footprint on public lands and improve our relationships with the broader outdoor community.  Read more…

For many participants in Mountaineers activities, Park & Rides around Western Washington are convenient places to meet. They're a great place to arrange carpools and are often accessible via public transit. With rules varying by location, we're crowd-sourcing info to help everyone understand the implications of using each Park & Ride. Read more…

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Krissy Fagan, a climb leader with the Bellingham Branch who is learning to appreciate the many different speeds of mountaineering ... but who still prefers a good sufferfest! Read more…

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Debbee Lynn Straub, a volunteer leader with the Kitsap Branch who co-chairs the Basic Climbing course and believes that outdoor adventure is all about camaraderie. Read more…

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Karen Wallace, a volunteer leader with the Foothills Branch who is inspired to get newer members out on the trail, encouraging them to become advocates for the outdoors! Read more…

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Ginger Sarver, a volunteer leader with the Olympia Branch who loves hiking and dove head-first into leading stewardship activities with The Mountaineers! Read more…

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Atsuko Yamaguchi, a volunteer leader with the Everett Branch who encourages all group members to be active participants! Read more…

Volunteers are at the core of our Mountaineers community. During the 2017-18 fiscal year alone, we had an outstanding 2,865 volunteers support our programs. This could be as a trip leader, committee member, instructor, lodge host, event volunteer, or even as stewardship activity participant! Read more…

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Lonny Moore, a volunteer leader with the Kitsap Branch who loves to sing 80's medleys and wear Leader Yellow. Read more…

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Lisa Loper, a volunteer leader with the Everett Branch who believes that every person you meet in the mountains has something to teach you. Read more…

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Nancy Lloyd, a volunteer leader with the Olympia Branch who loves spending time in the mountains and encourages leaders to set the right tone for their trip through thorough communication! 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…

It is no secret that volunteers are at the absolute core of The Mountaineers success. Nearly everything we do is driven by volunteer initiative and support, and it’s humbling to dive into our annual numbers and take a look at our collective impact. Read more…

Another year has passed and we are thankful for everything our community has brought us. Adventure, excitement, and friendships old and new have filled our year and brought us together. Thanks to you, we're starting off the new year with gratitude. We asked for your help to raise $75,000 before the close of 2018, and we exceeded that goal with 435 donors giving over $85,000 in support of a community that connects with and protects the outdoor experience. Thank you! Read more…

Meet Foothills Super Volunteer Chris Caviezel. Chris joined The Mountaineers in 1999 and has led over 100 hikes, and recently was a part of the establishment and growth of our new Alpine Scrambling program. Chris is a Search and Rescue volunteer and met his wife, Melissa, through The Mountaineers.  Read more…

We gathered 146 Olympia Mountaineers and guests at Saint Martin's Pavilion for the Olympia Mountaineers Annual Awards Banquet, held on Oct 27. We celebrated a year of hard work, connected with new friends, shared a delicious meal, and remembered friends we lost this year. Read more…

On November 2, 2018, members of the Everett Mountaineers had a great time celebrating course graduates and honoring award recipients at the annual award banquet. Read more…

Meet Foothills Trail Running Committee co-chair Gabrielle Orsi. A San Diego native who relocated to Washington State from Colorado in 2013, she leads trail running, hiking, backpacking, and snowshoeing trips for the club in addition to her committee work. Read more…

If you didn’t notice, the larches were out in force this month, along with exceptionally sunny October weather inviting us to play outside. I think Mother Nature remembered to let the trees know it’s autumn, but she forgot to invite the rain. That's just dandy by me. Read more…

After every youth program, we see young Mountaineers leaving standing taller and waving goodbye to new friends. Outdoor experiences create a supportive environment for self discovery where kids are encouraged to challenge themselves and grow. Youth adventures are thrilling, complex, and social - they’re transformational, and necessary, and that’s why we’re expanding our youth serving programs with a new family-oriented program: Mini Mountaineers!  Read more…

Our Pioneers, Explorers, and Mountaineers Adventure Club (MAC) members are off and running on a year full of awesome adventures! Registration is open  and the clubs are filled to the brim with eager young members and their families. As we look to the adventures ahead, the youth department is identifying a need for more volunteers to assist with trips.  Read more…

Ruth Nielsen has practiced law in Washington for 30 years, specializing primarily in sports-related personal injury defense and outdoor product liability defense. She has successfully defended claims involving many of the activities that we lead at The Mountaineers - including skiing, rock climbing, mountaineering, and backpacking - and she is a frequent presenter at The Mountaineers annual Leadership Conference. Read more…