Seattle Mountaineers Adventure Club (MAC) Ages 14–18
YOUTH-DRIVEN, STAFF & VOLUNTEER-SUPPORTED
From single-day outings to week-long camping trips, activities include rock climbing, backpacking, hiking, car and snow-cave camping, cross-country and back-country skiing, and mountaineering. Our goal is to give our students the skills necessary to safely travel in backcountry and alpine environments, gain an appreciation for our wild places, learn teamwork skills, and grow in confidence. While attendance at all meetings is not required, the more meetings and outings attended, the more rewarding the program!
The registration period for the 2024 MAC season is closed.
Trips, Meetings, and skills
Trips
Trips are planned and led by MAC students with support from Mountaineers staff, volunteers, and parents. MAC students are given the opportunity to go on one or more trips per month. These trips range from single-day hikes and climbs, to multi-day backpacking, mountaineering, or camping trips. Some trips have a maximum capacity, while others are open to as many youth and adults as want to attend. Adult staff, volunteers, and small number of chaperones accompany youth on each trip.
Meetings
Students meet monthly at the Seattle Mountaineers Program Center to build community, learn about various outdoor topics ranging from Leave No Trace to navigation to conservation, practice skills, and more. These meetings are also used for trip planning and Q&A.
Skills
Students are offered the opportunity to participate in skills workshops each month, teaching them climbing skills starting with belaying and lead climbing all the way up to trad and multi-pitch. Skills workshops take place at the Seattle Program Center.
Gear
Outdoor equipment can almost always be borrowed from The Mountaineers when given enough notice (usually 1–2 weeks prior to trip). Gear lists are noted on the activity page for each trip as well as the check out and return time for gear.
membership fee
MAC is $2,200 in total for the year. By default, members will pay the entire annual course fee all at once upon registering for the club. Upon request, families may elect to agree to an installment plan in order to make 4 payments on the annual course fee over the course of the year.
The membership fee covers: staff time, transportation costs, gear, camping fees and permits, and food for group meals on overnight trips. In return, members gain a community of outdoor enthusiasts who enjoy spending time learning skills and getting outside together. As families grow through our programs, lifelong friendships are built. When graduates of our teen program come home from college, they meet up with other Mountaineers friends to go hiking, backpacking, and climbing. This program is just the beginning.
We offer scholarships! To apply for assistance from our scholarship funds, click here.
Become involved
Sign up for a family membership
To get involved, you'll need to sign up for a Family Membership with us. Once you have created your new account, add your kids to your account by clicking on the "Membership" tab and adding a family member. Here is an FAQ on that process.
enroll in MAC
The MAC course page for 2023-2024 is full and we are no longer accepting lottery applications. We will start accepting applications for the '24-'25 season in the fall of 2024.
Questions?
Contact the MAC program manager or our member services team with questions or for more information.
- seattleyouthclubs@mountaineers.org
- 206-521-6014
- info@mountaineers.org
- 206-521-6000