Volunteers Blog

For a few days in late August, a group of students from our Mountaineers Adventure Club (MAC) joined the Access Fund's Conservation Team for stewardship work at Washington Pass. The project improved the well-used, but ill-maintained climber’s path that branches off of the Blue Lake Trail to access climbs on Liberty Bell, one of Washington’s most coveted and impressive peaks.  Read more…

Have you ever wondered who's devoting all the time and energy to run our courses and activities? How did they do it and why? Our volunteer leaders are the unsung heroes who have laid the groundwork for the programs we enjoy. This month we feature two exceptional volunteers: Darryl Olson and Rich Leggett! Read more…

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Rena Chinn, a volunteer leader with the Seattle Branch who encourages others leaders to develop a clear sense of their capabilities and limitations, and to lead within the scope of their skill base. Read more…

Thanks to support from hundreds of people and partners, we're excited to launch our new Mountaineers Gear Lending Library and leader training programs. As we seek to continue to engage future Mountaineers, expand our youth programs, and promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in the outdoors, this resource will make the outdoors more accessible to all outdoor enthusiasts. Read more…

Volunteers are the lifeblood of Mountaineers programs, and this month we want to give a big shout-out to a volunteer who has jumped in with both feet to provide fantastic energy and great help with the startup of our Trail Running Committee! Read more…

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Curtis Stock, a volunteer leader with the Tacoma Branch who encourages our members to give trip leadership a try. If your committee thinks you're ready, you probably are! Read more…

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Tab Wilkins, a volunteer leader with the Foothills Branch who encourages our leaders to be more collaborative, to learn from and recognize near-misses, and to embrace opportunities for feedback. Read more…

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Gordie Swartzman, a naturalists leader with the Seattle Branch who encourages new leaders to lead out of their passion! Read more…

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Bill Coady, a volunteer leader with the Everett Branch who encourages others to lead because he enjoys helping other similarly-minded outdoor enthusiasts ... and because he loves it! Read more…

What happens if a student isn’t able to demonstrate proficiency in a skill? What if a student has demonstrated the skill, but fails to do so during a test? When is good enough good enough, and when is an error sufficient to fail a student? When we fail a student, what options does that student have to continue to pursue this activity with The Mountaineers? Read more…

Our branch wants to give a big shout out to Patti Polinsky and Michael Montgomery! Meet these awesome volunteers whose hard work is a huge asset to the Foothills branch community. Read more…

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Ted Miller, a volunteer leader with the Bellingham Branch who strives to provide a safe environment for students to learn from their mistakes. Read more…

My arms ache. I’m terrified of heights and am gripping too tightly again. By the end of the day my fingers will be bloodied and my legs bruised. Often, my ego is too. Read more…

Our branch wants to give a big shout out to Tom Harvey! Meet this awesome volunteer whose hard work is a huge asset to the Foothills branch community. Read more…

Alpine Ambassadors are a group of climbers looking to push their limits together, learn from the mentorship of guides and highly accomplished climbers, and mentor others. The group is comprised of leaders from all branches with climbing programs! These climbers will head to Squamish in July to refine their skills and be better situated to give back to their branches as a result.  Read more…

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Henry Romer, a volunteer leader and instructor with the Olympia Branch who leads for multiple activities and encourages new leaders to take advantage of the wealth of knowledge available within our Mountaineers community! Read more…

When is a group in the outdoors too big? Too small? The answer, of course, is subjective, and also depends on the place and the activity. The Mountaineers Outdoor Ethics Policy encourages leaders to choose a maximum party size based on seven important factors. Read more…

I joined The Mountaineers two years ago – I am new to the “wild” outdoors – with Basic Wilderness Skills (BWS) as my first course. Prior to that, I was having difficulty getting questions answered about what I should wear so I didn’t die of exposure. I came to Bremerton from arid desert climate, where a t-shirt and jeans are the accepted hiking attire. I needed someone to give me the low down on what the heck “hard shells and base layers” were. Susan Graham and the BWS team gave me the core tidbits I needed to do more.  Read more…

Name: Erwin Buske
Hometown: Fairwood, Washington
Member Since: 1995
Occupation: Erwin Buske Photography & Procurement Cost Analysis Consulting Read more…

The Equipment Manager plays an important role in the management and security of the Olympia Branch’s non-climbing equipment storage.  Read more…

As a part of their annual review process, members from each of The Mountaineers sea kayaking committees met in Tacoma on February 10 for the 2018 Sea Kayaking Summit. During this meeting, the group discussed a wide variety of topics, including ways to make The Mountaineers sea kayaking programs more accessible and consistent.  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…

Our branch wants to give a big shout out to Richard Bell! Meet this awesome volunteer whose hard work is a huge asset to the Foothills community. Read more…

It was my lowest moment as a Mountaineer, and I’ll never forget it. Evening was approaching on the first day of my Basic Winter Overnight at the old Snoqualmie property. I had done pretty well at ice-ax arrest, but I was cold, wet, and ready to head back to camp to get warm and dry. Then I saw it - my home for the night (an improperly staked 3-season backpacking tent) had collapsed under the 5" of heavy, wet snow that had fallen since morning. My gear was soaked in the puddles of standing water in the tent, and with night falling soon, there was no chance of drying out. I was mortified. Read more…

Our younger members within The Mountaineers have been staying active and busy in Olympia the past few years. Volunteers from Olympia’s Youth Outreach and Family Hiking committees have pioneered new ways to get kids and their families excited about the outdoors. Since the youth program began nearly three years ago, our volunteers have created many  opportunities for youth to learn and explore. Read more…

Since our beginning in 1906, volunteers have always been the backbone The Mountaineers culture and community. Volunteers are at the core of our mission - from big to small, every aspect of The Mountaineers is powered by our volunteers! Volunteers lead our trips, teach our courses, run our branches and committees, and build our Program Centers and Outdoor Centers. Read more…

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Jacob Wolniewicz, a volunteer leader with the Seattle Branch who currently chairs the organization's largest committee ... Seattle Climbing! Read more…

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Bernadette Lamarca, a volunteer leader with the Everett Branch who was hooked on The Mountaineers after three hikes ... and one fortuitous piece of chocolate! Read more…

Our branch wants to give a big shout out to Travis Prescott! Meet this awesome volunteer whose hard work is a huge asset to the Foothills community. 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…