Volunteers Blog

If you love exchanging stories of the trail or are interested in a mini vacation close to home, we have the perfect opportunity for you. The volunteers who run our  Mountaineers Lodge at Stevens Pass are hoping to open the lodge to Pacific Crest Trail thru hikers, and we need a few volunteers to commit to staffing Stevens Lodge for a week apiece from August 20 - September 30.  Read more…

I often head to the backcountry to escape the madness of civilization. In nature, I see order, purpose, and reason. In cities, I often see chaos, confusion, and conflict. There’s nothing like a walk in the woods to rejuvenate a tired, tormented and tried soul. There’s nothing too like an invigorating hike to help validate my existence and place in the world. And while I need the natural world for my sanity and sanctity; the natural world very much needs me and other like-minded folks to help keep it from being compromised, abused, and lost forever. Read more…

As many of our most experienced leaders know, there's a lot to learn about our website and running Mountaineers programs. Whether you’re a new or seasoned leader, we want to make your life easier by making sure you know what resources are out there for you.  Read more…

Funny songs and unlimited jokes. That’s what Andre brings to the mountains according to his friends — along with his gregarious nature and enthusiasm for people. He moved from New Orleans to Seattle with his mom and sister after Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005, staying for college and beyond.  Read more…

Our branch wants to give a big shout out to Barbara Folmer and Monty Pratt! Your hard work is a huge asset to the Foothills community. Thank You! Read more…

The Mountaineers Service Award is given annually to one volunteer in the entire organization who has contributed to the mission of The Mountaineers in a way that exceeds all expectations. Learn about our 2016 winner Eric Linxweiler. Read more…

Join the Seattle Branch as we recognize the outstanding achievements of all of our Mountaineers volunteers. The event is open to volunteers across the entire organization and tickets are available on a first come first serve basis. Read more…

Our branch wants to give a big shout out to Chris Ensor and Gerry Haugen! Your hard work is huge asset to the Foothills community. Thank You! Read more…

Congratulations to Doris Hatton, recipient of the Larry Ingalls Distinguished Service Award for 2016! Read more…

We appreciate every one of our leaders, but this month we highlight one of our most dedicated: Deborah Fisher. Read more…

We are pleased to announce David Geeraerts as the Olympia Branch Alpine Scramble Leader of the Year.  David was also selected in 2015.  This year he has lead over 15 trips, and more importantly people enjoy his trips.  Read more…

In 2016, we've had 42 Foothills hike and backpack leaders take members on 162 hikes and backpacks, for a total of 1819 miles and 364,595 feet of elevation gain. We appreciate every one of our leaders, but here are three of our finest and most dedicated: Read more…

Beginning in late 2012, our volunteer climb leaders started dreaming about new, easier ways to teach friction climbing. From their imaginations came the idea to build our very own friction slab climbing center. The plans are drawn, the money is raised, and now we need a project manager to help make this dream a reality. Read more…

There have been lots of great improvements in leader support over the past few years, so whether you’re a new or seasoned leader, we want to make your life easier by making sure you know what resources are out there for you. Staff will be on tour hosting informational seminars that are certain to be exciting and useful, and make it easier for you to lead trips and courses. Read more…

Incivility is rude or unsociable speech or behavior, like an impolite or offensive content. Experiencing or witnessing incivility in the behavior of others has measurable impacts on us. Using a variety of measurements, professors Christine Porath and Christine Pearson have learned the impacts of experiencing incivility: Read more…

Creating an inviting and diverse membership is an important goal for all of us. It's a challenge because building an inviting, diverse, inclusive environment for learning and adventure will take many steps and The Mountaineers, with a predominantly white membership, could do more to make progress on this journey.  Read more…

These changes now apply to all Sea Kayaking activities at every branch.  Read more…

The recent discovery of gravitational waves by the LIGO project has provided a boost of interest in space travel like nothing else since the 2013 budget sequester. This scientific breakthrough has spurred a number of private donations and have officials making plans for manned missions to Mars. Learning from mankind's explorations of earth, the principles of safe mountain travel will be used to ensure the safety of astronauts (who may be traveling at faster-than-light speeds very soon). Mountaineers volunteers have already begun crafting the curriculum.  Read more…

If you have been a Mountaineers member for a while, you may have noticed some members with award badges on their profiles. With some recent website improvements, we've made it easier for you to learn about the awards and how you can get one!  Read more…

Everything accomplished by The Mountaineers as an organization can be credited to the efforts of our volunteers. Our courses, trips, youth programs, and advocacy efforts are fueled by  passionate people who are engaged because they want to be, not because they receive financial motivation. Each year we hold a Volunteer Appreciation Dinner to recognize these tireless individuals. Read more…

As an organization, The Mountaineers just reached a huge milestone. Our members - through their collective trips - just reached the 100,000 mile mark for the year - the weekend before Christmas (our members registered about 800 miles on Mountaineers.org on 12/19 and 12/20)! That’s a lot of human-powered adventuring in 2015!  This includes 30 MILLION feet of elevation gain over all of our different activities.   Read more…

At The Mountaineers, we know the power of nature to restore our souls and inspire our spirits. Read more…

Mountaineers members are active people, and we have the numbers to show it! Simply by looking at the trips our leaders have posted online, our membership has done some serious human-powered travel so far in 2015 - over 72k miles and 22 MILLION feet of elevation gain (and we've got plenty of time for more)!  Read more…

As a 15,000 person community, our membership has a wide variety of skills, talents, and volunteer interests. But as a large and decentralized organization, one challenge we face is connecting interested volunteers with our many different volunteer opportunities. Read more…

REI was hoping to spread the word about some full-time opportunities with their Outdoor Programs in Portland and Seattle. There are Senior Instructor positions open in each city. The role is a bit unique in the industry because it is full-time with great benefits, allows someone to come home every night and has a good balance of field and office time.  Read more…

The Mountaineers puts a large emphasis on the importance of leadership, and we encourage our members to become an activity leader and join our vibrant volunteer community. But what does it really mean to be a leader for The Mountaineers, and what is expected of these individuals? Read more…

We are looking for a talented graphic design intern proficient in Adobe Illustrator and InDesign. We have a creative illustration project that will add value and variety to any design portfolio. Read more…

These changes now apply to all Sea Kayaking activities at every branch.  Read more…

The Mountaineers depends on a steady stream of new volunteers to bring fresh energy, ideas, and innovation to what we do. Therefore it's critical we remember to help these new volunteers be successful and feel rewarded by their roles.  Read more…