Equity & Inclusion

Climbing Toward Inclusivity: Join Us for Upcoming Socials

Join us for a Women and Non-Binary Mountaineers Mixer and the inaugural A BIPOC Community Conversation to connect with fellow climbers and build a more inclusive community. These events offer opportunities to share experiences, learn from each other, and help shape the future of climbing programs for underrepresented groups.

Equity & Inclusion Update: 2024 Trail Markers & the Path Ahead

At The Mountaineers, we believe all people should feel belonging in the outdoors. This work is being led by our Equity & Inclusion Committee. Read on to learn more about where we’ve been focusing our efforts and our plans for the years ahead.

We Are All Treaty People: Part II

In this second part of a two-part blog series on tribal treaties of the Pacific Northwest, our partners at Sacred Lands Conservancy share how tribal treaties are interpreted, how they affect our lives today, and how we can all work to respect and uphold our collective treaty obligations. We are all treaty people, and we offer this piece as a resource to support our community’s efforts to learn about, respect, and honor the rights and connections of Native peoples to the lands we love.

We Are All Treaty People: Part I

In this first part of a two-part blog series on regional tribal treaties, our partners at the Sacred Lands Conservancy share important history and context pertaining to the treaties that allow us to live, work, and recreate on the lands and waters of the Pacific Northwest. We are all treaty people, and we offer this piece as a resource to support our community’s efforts to learn about, respect, and honor the rights and connections of Native peoples to the lands we love.

Mount Rainier National Park Announces Timed Entry Reservations for Summer 2024

Mount Rainier National Park recently announced that many visitors will need a timed entry reservation to access the park in summer 2024. Learn more about our concerns with the pilot reservation system and best practices for navigating this big change.

The Mountaineers Equity & Inclusion Leader Toolkit: Fostering Belonging in the Outdoors

Read on for the creation and vision behind our Equity & Inclusion Leader Toolkit, a resource that supports our volunteers in providing inclusive and accessible outdoor opportunities for people of all backgrounds and abilities.

Walking the Walk: Action Beyond Land Acknowledgement

In this feature from Mountaineer magazine, guest contributor Tah-Mahs Ellie Kinley and Sacred Lands Conservancy share how we can all take action beyond acknowledgment, including by practicing gratitude, generosity, and humility while recreating on the traditional lands of Indigenous peoples.

This Land: An Indigenous Perspective on Land Acknowledgment

We’re partnering with the Sacred Lands Conservancy, an Indigenous-led nonprofit with strong ties to the Lummi Nation, on a series of educational pieces about how to develop deeper connections to the histories of our natural places. In this first installment of a three-part blog series, Lhaq’temish fisherwoman and enrolled Lummi Nation tribal member, Tah-Mahs Ellie Kinley, unpacks the practice of land acknowledgment and how you can acknowledge the land in a meaningful and impactful way.

2022 Impact Report: Creating a Culture of Belonging

Donations help to break down financial barriers and create inclusive spaces outdoors. Read about how The Mountaineers engaged a vibrant outdoor community in 2022.

New Course: Emotional Safety in the Outdoors

We are excited to share our new Emotional Safety in the Outdoors eLearning course. One of the unwritten core values at The Mountaineers is safety, and this new course highlights the connections between emotional safety and physically safe outcomes. It's designed to help leaders and instructors foster environments where all people feel belonging.

Introducing The Mountaineers Equity & Inclusion Leader Toolkit

We are excited to share our new Equity & Inclusion Leader Toolkit. Written entirely by Mountaineers volunteers, this resource is designed to help you foster a culture of belonging in your activities and courses.

Affinity Groups at The Mountaineers

What is an affinity group, and how can you participate in one or host one with The Mountaineers.

Equity & Inclusion Update: 2022 Trail Markers & the Road Ahead

We aspire to offer outdoor opportunities for everyone, and are committed to building a community where all people feel belonging. Keep reading to learn about our most recent efforts in Equity & Inclusion, and nominate yourself or someone else today to join the Equity & Inclusion Committee in 2023.

2022-2023 Leadership Development Series

We’re excited to announce new upcoming Leadership Development Series seminars, beginning in fall 2022 and running through April 2023.

Join Us at the Foundations of Leadership & Instruction In-Person Course - Dec 3

Registration is open for our all-day Foundations of Leadership & Instruction In-person Course on December 3 at the Seattle Program Center.

Going Beyond Land Acknowledgments

Last month, we announced The Mountaineers Native land acknowledgment statement. Land acknowledgment is only a first step: read on for more information about how The Mountaineers seeks to honor Native land and peoples.

The Nature of Belonging

In this feature from Mountaineer magazine, learn about how The Mountaineers is working to make sure all people feel belonging within our organization.

Announcing The Mountaineers Land Acknowledgment Statement

Land acknowledgments are a first step towards better honoring Native lands and peoples. Learn about our process of developing The Mountaineers land acknowledgment statement, and our commitment to showing respect, appreciation, and support for Native communities.

Why Do We Talk About Diversity in The Mountaineers?

We choose to talk about Equity & Inclusion in several of our courses because study after study shows spending time outdoors is good for our bodies and minds. As outdoor recreationists and as an organization, if we can lower barriers to the outdoors, we might have a positive impact on the health of our fellow humans.

New Gear Library Pricing for Fall 2022

In an effort to build sustainable programs, The Mountaineers is updating our Gear Library pricing structure for Fall 2022 and beyond.

The Best Plus Size Outdoor Apparel

Learn from plus size, Latinx hiker, climber and water enthusiast Sam Ortiz, who is also a 6-year Mountaineers member and Basic Climbing grad, about the challenges accessing plus size apparel, the difference between extended sizing and plus sizing, the importance of body representation, and the best places to find plus size outdoor apparel.

Equity & Inclusion: April 2022 Town Hall Recap

On April 12, 2022, our Equity & Inclusion Committee hosted a virtual Town Hall to introduce our new committee members, share actions taken in the last year, and hear from our community. Read a recap of the event or watch the recording.

Equity & Inclusion Update: New Committee Members + Town Hall April 12, 2022

The Equity & Inclusion Committee supports our vision to make The Mountaineers a place where all people feel belonging, and in February we welcomed five new committee members. We invite you to get to say hello, and save April 12 for our next Town Hall.

Introducing Women of Color Who Summit

"I feel like the outdoors is such a great place to feel connected to the earth and your purpose and your life. I want to do everything I can to make my teammates and other women of color feel empowered and elevated. I want them to have opportunities that I have never had, even just a few years ago."

Washington State's New List of Free Days in 2022