Award Badges
History
The earliest award was the Snoqualmie 10, started in the 1910’s, given for completing ten peaks in the Snoqualmie Pass area. To gain credit for the ascent, the climber had to check in at the Snoqualmie Lodge and pay a climbing fee. This was soon expanded to an additional award, the Snoqualmie 20, for completing an additional ten peaks.
In the 1920’s, the Everett Branch created a set of three pins for three different groups of peaks, the Bronze, Silver and Gold Everett Scramble Pins. The Tacoma Branch then offered the Irish Cabin 12 and Irish Cabin 24 pins in the 1930’s. The Six Majors was a popular pin which was reduced to the Five Majors in 1980 when Mount St. Helen’s blew it’s top.
In the last few decades, several new pins and awards have been created, with at least 35 awards now available to all members. Some branches have special awards available only to members of that branch - those awards are not displayed here. Some awards were originally not branch specific, such as the Snoqualmie 10 or Five Majors, but with the creation of the Seattle Branch in the late 1990’s, the Seattle branch took on management of those awards. All members can earn those awards.
How to Obtain
Each of the award badges describe what must be done to obtain the badge and how to apply for it. Most of the physical pins and patches are given out at annual branch banquets. You'll also see the badge on your profile.