The Mountaineers
As a Mountaineers member, you receive free access to our quarterly Mountaineer magazine, keeping you up-to-date with everything our organization and community have been up to. Hear from regular contributors on topics from training exercises to trail tips, and read features from our members sharing stories from the outdoors. We encourage you to access all of our updates, stories, tips, and more in the tree free online magazine today.
"For many, Mt. Rainier is the symbol of our region. Perched on the skyline behind our cities and towns, we look for it even on the darkest winter days. When the clouds break, 'the mountain is out' and an undercurrent of revelry bubbles up. It’s an emblem of the stunning natural beauty of Washington and our tantalizing proximity to it, even as we stare out the window at work or from stop-and-go traffic on I-5. It doesn’t matter if you grew up sledding it, spend winters skiing it, while away summers hiking it, or have only admired it from a distance. The sun is back, the mountain is out. Thank goodness."
–Hailey Oppelt, Editor
Our collective attachment to Mt. Rainier made this edition’s theme an easy one. In "Ananth’s Rainier 100," Ananth Maniam shares his thoughts and experiences from his climbs of 100 peaks across Mt. Rainier National Park. Watercolor artist Claire Giordano has lent us her considerable talents once again in "Hunting for Watermelon Snow," an informational resource for mountain travelers to help gather snow algae samples for the Living Snow Project. "Make Your Own Backpacking Meals" is an excellent resource for backpackers and climbers who would like to do away with store-bought freeze-dried food, written by Foothills Backpacking Committee Chair Cheryl Talbert. We’re also excited to share "The Stories of Mt. Rainier," a collection of books, maps, and guides published by Mountaineers Books on Rainier and the surrounding park.
As always, our regular columns are full of useful information and new perspectives. In Craig Romano’s column "Trail Talk," he shares a few thoughts on how our draw to places like Rainier can overshadow the equally exquisite (and equally worthy of protection) lowlands. In "Peak Performance," Courtenay Schurman gives climbers a few unique tips to prepare for their big summit day. And "Retro Rewind" shares the story of Alma Wagen, a Mountaineers member and the first female ranger at Mt. Rainier National Park.
All of this - along with our regular features, tips, and tricks to enjoying a life outdoors - is available now.
SPECIAL THANKS
This edition, we would like to extend our thanks to Ananth Maniam, Claire Giordano, John Porter, Cheryl Talbert, Craig Romano, Courtenay Schurman, Walter Friesen & Megan Bond, Alan & Wendy Vogt, Heather Anderson, Logan DeGrand, Greg Dudgeon, Katie Gerber, Jiordi Henderson, Jake Huddleston, Carbon Marshall, Tashi Quinn, Shelby Turner, and Tom Unger.
