Volunteer With Us
Table of Contents
- About Volunteering at The Mountaineers
- Volunteer Profile
- Volunteer Opportunities
- Volunteer Benefits
- Volunteer Hours Matching
About Volunteering at The Mountaineers
Volunteers are integral to The Mountaineers. About 3,000 of our 16,000 members volunteer their time in support of our mission each year. The Mountaineers relies on skilled and passionate volunteers to pass their love and knowledge of the outdoors on to others. Inspiring others to love and protect the outdoors - and teaching them to do it safely and responsibly - is the heart of our mission and we invite you to be a part of it. For more reasons to get involved, check out our volunteer benefits.
Do I need to be a member to volunteer?
Yes, all volunteers should be Mountaineers members. We have a number of membership options, including free guest memberships, if you are just joining our community and want to see if it is the right fit. We also have scholarships available to help offset the cost of membership. Contact Member Services with any questions.
Volunteer Profile
There are dozens of ways that you can contribute to The Mountaineers. One of the best ways to begin is to tell us about yourself in your Volunteer Profile page. When you update your volunteer interests, it helps our leadership identify what talents you have to contribute and what you'd like to get out of your time as a volunteer.
Take a moment to tell us about your volunteer skills and interests, what types of projects and activities you are most interested in, and keep your profile updated as your interests change. This helps our committees identify the people who will most enjoy volunteering for a particular task.
Volunteer opportunities
The Mountaineers is run almost entirely by volunteers. As a large organization, it can be overwhelming to figure out the best way to get involved. On this page, we provide an overview of some of the main volunteer opportunities at The Mountaineers.
If you are new or returning to our community, here are a few opportunities to consider:
- Do you like teaching? Take one of our courses and come back the following year as an instructor. Learn more.
- Are you looking for a way to meet new people in your area? Volunteer at one of our community events. Learn more.
- Do you enjoy working with youth? Help out as an instructor for our camps or partner programs. Learn more.
- Have a passion for cooking and hosting? Volunteer with one of our three Mountain Lodges. Learn more.
- Love writing and want to share your skills or experiences with other Mountaineers? Volunteer to write a blog or magazine article. Learn more.
- Used to be an active volunteer, but stepped away for some time and wish to return? Reach out to Member Services to reconnect with committee and course leaders.
You can also view some specific, upcoming volunteer opportunities on the Volunteers Needed page - or through the link on the left hand side of this page. Please check back often as we have new listings posted regularly!
Click any of the following roles for a link to more information:
- Course Instructor
- Trip Leader
- Youth Programs Volunteer
- Event Volunteer
- Outdoor Centers Volunteer
- Stewardship Volunteer
- Committee or Branch Volunteer
- Write Blog or Magazine Content
- Equity & Inclusion Working Group
- Board of Directors or Advisory Council
Roles Based on Interests vs. Availability
Curious to match with a volunteer role based on your interests and availability? Check out the roles best suited for different interests and availability below.
To view a larger version, click on the "pop-out" button on the top right corner of the image
Course Instructor
Many of our volunteers start as students in one of our courses. Take one of our courses and come back the following year as an instructor. This is a great way to stay fresh with your skills, to meet new people, and to pay your love for an activity forward. Reach out to the current course leader or Member Services for more information.
- Time Commitment: Varies by the course, but there are typically one-off or recurring opportunities
- Required Experience/Training: Course instructors are generally expected to be graduates of that course; some courses may have additional training requirements, depending on the role
- Applicable Interests: Teaching skills and advancing technical best practices, coaching students
Trip Leader
Just like many instructors start as students in one of our courses, many of our leaders start as participants in one of our activities. Whether you are new to an activity or an experienced recreationalist, we invite you to join an activity, meet our leaders, and see what we’re all about.
Are you already a participating member or are you experienced in an activity? Consider sharing your experience with others by leading groups on hikes, scrambles, backpacks, paddles & more! Leaders organize activities, including picking the location and date; they vet participants for necessary skills and experience; and they are responsible for ensuring the safety of the group. Leading activities is a great way to share your love of the outdoors with others and to do the trips you’re interested in with a group of like-minded members.
All of our courses and activities are organized and run by committees. To get more involved, contact your activity committee chairperson to learn more about the committee's needs.
- Time Commitment: Lead trips according to your own interests and schedule
- Required Experience/Training: Varies by activity; typically a skills course and leadership course prerequisite, plus a mentored lead
- Applicable Interests: Leading and building programs, mentoring participants
If you come to The Mountaineers with previous experience in one of our activities, you may be eligible for equivalency. Please contact Member Services for support with this process.
- Committee Chairs: View all of your submitted leader applications on this page.
Youth Programs Volunteer
Be a hero for a day, a week, or all year-long! Kids in our youth programs know and admire their instructors, and recognize and appreciate the support these instructors provide as volunteers. Inspired by their instructors, many of our teens begin to volunteer themselves.
The Mountaineers cares about providing a safe and fun experience for all parties during our many different Youth Programs. We require our volunteers to complete our Qualified Youth Leader (QYL) training prior to volunteering with Youth Programs. Please contact Member Services with any additional questions about this process.
- Time Commitment: Varies by program, typically one-off or recurring opportunities
- Required Experience/Training: Varies by program, in addition to QYL training, minimal experience or training required for most roles
- Applicable Interests: Helping youth develop and refine outdoor skills, working with youth in the outdoors
EVENT VOLUNTEER
The Mountaineers hosts events like film festivals and speaker series year-round across all of our branches. During these events, volunteers help with things like admissions and refreshments, offering you a great, easy way to get involved in a fun, one-off activity. See an event that interests you? Contact the event organizer to see if they need any help. For additional questions, contact Member Services.
- Time Commitment: 2-3 hours per event
- Required Experience/Training: Role-specific training provided during the event
- Applicable Interests: Socializing with fellow Mountaineers and ensuring tasks get done in a timely manner
OUTDOOR CENTER VOLUNTEER
Looking to get out of town for the weekend? The Mountaineers has a number of volunteer opportunities at our three lodges - Baker Lodge, Stevens Lodge, and Meany Lodge - hosting weekends, cooking meals, or assisting with other events and programs. Prefer a day at the theater? Consider volunteering to assist with one of the plays offered by our very own Kitsap Forest Theater! Contact the Lodge Chair or Member Services for information about how to get involved.
- Time Commitment: Half-day to full weekend
- Required Experience/Training: Training provided and varies by role
- Applicable Interests: Socializing with fellow Mountaineers, meal preparations, and repairing facilities
STEWARDSHIP VOLUNTEER
The Mountaineers hosts a variety of stewardship activities, including work parties to clean up local crags, maintain trails, and prepare our outdoor centers for the upcoming season. These stewardship activities generally happen on the weekends, spring through fall, and are primarily run by branch volunteers.
- Time Commitment: Half-day to full weekend
- Required Experience/Training: Role-specific training provided during the event
- Applicable Interests: Collaborating in groups, doing hands-on work
COMMITTEE OR BRANCH VOLUNTEER
All of our courses and activities are run by committees of volunteers. All of our committees are organized within geographic branches. These volunteers design new courses, evaluate curriculum, and ensure that we are teaching safe practices. If you like organizing groups of people, consider volunteering as a branch or committee chair. If you are good with numbers, consider volunteering as a branch or committee treasurer.
- Time Commitment: Varies by role, typically 1-3 hours per week over a 2-year term
- Required Experience/Training: Experience with our programs is a plus, training provided through mentorship
- Applicable Interests: Designing and employing scalable and sustainable initiatives. Creating and helping drive strategic priorities for The Mountaineers
Write Blog or Magazine content
Do you have tips on ways to avoid blisters on a hike? Are you the best at pitching a tent in the rain? Have you created a fool-proof packing list? We want to know!
People come to The Mountaineers because we are a community connected by a shared love and appreciation for the outdoors. As one of the oldest volunteer-led clubs in the country, we just so happen to be experts in the outdoors too! Our skills and experiences have been documented in the pages of our books and in the memories of our members. We want to share even more of your personal stories in our blog and magazine, because your voice is what makes us who we are.
- Time Commitment: Several hours or more, depending on the type of piece you want to submit
- Required Experience/Training: Contributors are generally members of The Mountaineers, or have a direct connection to our community in some way to give you an authentic voice with our readers
- Applicable Interests: Writing content to share a skill or story with others
EQUITY & INCLUSION WORKING GROUP Volunteer
The Mountaineers Equity & Inclusion Working Group was established in September 2018 to offer a forum for our members interested in contributing to The Mountaineers work to increase equity in the outdoors. The Working Group consists of ~150 individuals who have opted in to provide feedback and resources and participate in conversations as it relates to equity and inclusion work, both within The Mountaineers and as a part of the greater community.
- Time Commitment: Varies based on personal interest; group members agree to receive messages from staff on The Mountaineers a few times or more a month
- Required Experience/Training: None; group members are expected to participate thoughtfully and respectfully with other members of this working group
- Applicable Interests: Supporting initiatives to increase equity in the outdoors
Serve on the BOARD OF DIRECTORS or advisory council
The Mountaineers is guided and governed by our Board of Directors. The Board consists of members with a passion for The Mountaineers who want to be part of building and expanding the future of our organization. We seek individuals with a diversity of experience, skills, and expertise to successfully lead our organization. Core to this are the experience and judgment to understand The Mountaineers’ current and future business needs. New Board members are selected during elections each fall. Nominations for candidates are considered in the spring.
The Mountaineers Advisory Council is a group of individuals who offer fresh perspectives and professional expertise to aid The Mountaineers in our decision-making process on issues of strategic importance for the organization. The Advisory Council members help to define, discuss, and give recommendations on ways in which The Mountaineers can further our vision and strategic plan.
- Time Commitment:
- For Board of Directors: Attend meetings (6 times/year, including 1-2 day retreats) and actively participate in ad-hoc work and our philanthropic fundraising efforts over a 3-year term
- For Advisory Council: Attend meetings (2 times/year) to listen and learn about high-level issues within The Mountaineers so that they may provide out-of-the-box strategic advice.
- Required Experience/Training:
- For Board of Directors: We seek candidates with specific professional experience in each of our election cycles, contact the Governance Committee for more information
- For Advisory Council: We seek individuals with a passion for our mission and expertise from which The Mountaineers could benefit.
- Applicable Interests: Creating and helping drive strategic priorities for The Mountaineers
Volunteer Benefits
Every branch and committee has its own traditions, customs, and budget for supporting and recognizing its volunteers. In addition, The Mountaineers offers the following benefits as a thank you to our incredible community of volunteers!
DISCOUNTS ON OUTDOOR GEAR
Volunteers who donate five or more days of their time in a calendar year have access to our exclusive volunteer group on Experticity. This program provides volunteers with access to discounts from more than 300 brands! For more information about this benefit, please review the instructions for redeeming your member benefits.
Volunteer leaders at The Mountaineers also have access to several exclusive Leader Benefits. For more information about these benefits, please review the instructions for redeeming your leader benefits.
AWARDS AND RECOGNITION
Each year, each of our seven branches honors one of their members with their branch's Service Award. As an organization, The Mountaineers also honors two volunteers with The Mountaineers Leader of the Year award and The Mountaineers Service Award.
In addition, The Mountaineers recognizes many of our most committed volunteers with two additional awards. We recognize volunteers who have supported our program during 150+ hours of service in the previous fiscal year with the Super Volunteer badge on their profile. We also recognize volunteers who have led 10+ trips in the previous fiscal year with the Key Leader badge on their profile.
Our awards and recognition varies a little bit each year, but we generally offer additional benefits to our Super Volunteers, Key Leaders, Committee Chairs, Branch Chairs, and Branch Officers.
matching Volunteer Hours
Multiply the value of your gift of time through a corporate matching gift! Many employers in the Puget Sound area match their employees' volunteer hours with dollars. Employers who offer volunteer matching typically match at $10-$17 per hour. Volunteers report their hours to their employer, who then donate the matching dollars to the organization with which the employee volunteered. Learn more about Workplace Giving.
Matching your gift is easy. To find out if your company matches volunteer hours, simply contact your Human Resources Department. Many companies will also have information on their internal website. If your gift of time is eligible for a company match, please specify The Mountaineers: Tax ID 27-3009280 on the gift verification form. This is especially important for companies with online-based donation verification systems, since there may be other organizations or groups with a similar name listed. Please contact Member Services with any additional questions about how to match your hours.
Some companies that match
Many companies in the greater Seattle area have generous employee volunteer hour matching programs including:
- Boeing
- Microsoft
- Expedia
- Weyerhaeuser
- Alaska Airlines
- Starbucks
- Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
- F5 Networks
- Salesforce
- T-Mobile
- Allstate
- MANY MORE! Ask your Human Resources department if your company matches volunteer hours.