Mountaineers History Blog

Fred Beckey, a living legend among Northwest Mountaineers, is a climber, environmentalist, historian, and author. He is recognized as one the most imaginative, persistent, and thorough explorer and mountain investigator of the Cascade Range Wilderness.  Read more…

“I must stress that this book is a fascinating read,” wrote Noel Dawson in his review of Sherpa: The Memoir of Ang Tharkay, which appeared recently in an issue of the UK’s Climber magazine. “It tells a very important story that could so easily have been lost.” Read more…

Mountaineer climbers in 1939 were well aware of their unparalleled good fortune. Only the highest Northwest peaks had been climbed, and all a young climber had to do to score a first ascent was head for the nearest blank spot on the map. Many of the mountains hadn’t even been surveyed, and the climbers often went without benefit of a map. Often they explored the area first and returned later, relying on their own notes to reach the summit. Read more…

In The Mountaineers: A History, longtime Mountaineers President Edmond Meany summed up the club’s mission in the 1910 annual: “This is a new country. It abounds in a fabulous wealth of scenic beauty. It is possible to so conserve parts of that wealth that it may be enjoyed by countless generations through the centuries to come… This club is vigilant for wise conservation and it is also anxious to blaze ways into the hills that anyone may follow.” Read more…

When I first learned The Mountaineers had a theater, I thought it was a bit strange. What does acting and drama have to do with mountaineering? The answer, in short, is community. Before forest access roads and rules that limit parties to 12, it was common for large groups of Mountaineers to spend days together just to get to where we now park our cars. To entertain each other in the evenings, animated camp-fire stories and performances, when organized with props, quickly became a type of theater. Read more…

Two years ago, Mountaineers members revived the Patrol Race. With a rich history of misadventure and competition, racers were excited to take part in this storied tradition. We're honored to be hosting the event again this year on February 27. Read more…

Fred Beckey, a living legend among Northwest Mountaineers, is a climber, environmentalist, historian, and author. He has achieved enduring recognition as the most imaginative, persistent, and thorough explorer and mountain investigator of the Cascade Range Wilderness. Last year we celebrated Fred as the recipient the of 2015 Mountaineers Lifetime Achievement Award at our BREAKTHROUGH dinner and auction featuring Fred, Colin Haley, Mike Gauthier, and Alex Honnold.  Read more…

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

As Mountaineers, we have accessed and experienced some of the most remote areas of this region. Close your eyes and think about where you were on you favorite or most recent trip outdoors. Chances are this trip brought you to some sort of protected land, quite possibly to a federally designated “Wilderness” area, such as the Olympic Wilderness, the San Juan Wilderness, Mount Rainier National Park, Glacier Peak Wilderness, Boulder River Wilderness and more.  Read more…

We’re aware some people perceive us as an ‘old guy’s club’. And while that may have been the case 60 years ago when we were inventing methods of climbing the highest and most remote peaks, it just isn’t true anymore. Read more…

Some of you may have seen a little fruit cake tin in the Mountaineer Archives which contains a very old cookie or biscuit. I've seen this before and have always set it aside for another time (after scratching my head over why it was even there). Read more…

Founded over 100 years ago, The Mountaineers has a long written history of setting outdoor standards and achievements. The library archives containing this history is managed by our History committee, which has recently done an overhaul to combine our books with artifacts, photos, and collections stored in our Seattle Program Center.  Read more…

Thirteen Mountaineers Books have been selected for inclusion in the Washington Centennial Time Capsule. Read more…