Hiking & Backpacking

Join us October  7 at the Mercer Island Library at 6:30pm for our Hike and Backpack Leader Seminar. Read more…

Most people have heard about the granite towers and lakes of southern Patagonia, but the peaks and lakes of the northern Patagonian Andes are a relatively undiscovered treasure for hikers and backpackers - a treasure often mentioned by local guides as their favorite place to backpack in all of Patagonia!   Read more…

On a Bellingham Basic Alpine Climb of Horseshoe Peak, the group chose to stay out an extra night at their base camp after returning from their climb. As climbers progress and start attempting longer, more technical routes, it becomes a matter of not if, but when they will be benighted.   Read more…

One of our members, Linsey Warren, recently became the youngest person to complete the Bulger List, climbing to the top of the 100 highest peaks in Washington. All those miles on the trail taught her some valuable lessons. Check out some of her favorite hacks to make your time on the trail more comfortable, convenient, and FUN! Read more…

Terry Breaux is what you would call an expert camper. He fell in love with the outdoors as a kid the first night he slept in a tent under the stars. He continues to pursue bikepacking expeditions today, always testing gear and seeking ways to create better shelters for outdoor users.  He's been designing tents since 1989, and for the last nine years he's worked at MSR. Now he's spreading his tent knowledge with you. Read more…

A group was recently out on Mt. Baker for an instructional session that was to be immediately followed by a climb of the mountain via the Easton Glacier. Read more…

Is it on your life-list to backpack the lovely, unique landscapes of the Patagonian Andes?  The Mountaineers can take you there. Read more…

From hiking in the stunning Methow Valley, to trail work in the Darrington area, The Mountaineers does a lot to celebrate National Trails Day.

The Everett Branch partners with the Darrington Ranger district of Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and the city of Darrington each year for a day of trail work. Read more…

Spring is turning to summer, which means we'll soon have more folks out on the trails and in the hills. Most climbers will probably do conditioning hikes or easier alpine scrambles to get started, but even on these easier outings, mishaps can occur. Here are some pointers to stay safe out there. Read more…

 This spring  wildflowers are at their peak in the desert country of the Yakima Canyon! Join Foothills hike leader and photographer Chris Pribbernow for a fun series of hikes through beautiful desert wildflowers in the Yakima Canyon!  Read more…

A spot has unexpectedly opened on this spring's Mountaineers Global Adventure trek in southwest Turkey, along the historic Lycian Way.   Read more…

When getting ready for a multi-day adventure, the best way to train is through “back-to-back” weekend outings. Carry a weighted pack, two days in a row, while training and your backpacking, climbing, scrambling or sea kayaking adventures will be that much more comfortable, so you can focus on the scenery rather than your muscles. Read more…

Like my first love, I’ll never forget my first grizzly bear encounter. It was highly emotional and intense. Short-lived too, but forever etched into my mind. But unlike my first love, I wish to continue my relationship with grizzly bears into the future. Read more…

Foothills Branch brings you another fascinating photo journey with prolific traveler and guidebook author Craig Romano! Read more…

With winter here, and snow in the mountains, your land-based training for the should include strengthening exercises for the quadriceps, particularly if your plans call for snow fun like skiing, snowboarding, or snowshoeing. Read more…

Sheri Goodwin, a certified personal trainer and veteran of trekking adventures all around the Northwest and overseas, now runs a business focusing on helping others succeed in similar life-changing hiking and trekking journeys.     Read more…

This free evening workshop offers participants individualized hands-on learning for activity leaders about how to use the Mountaineers website to list activities and courses, manage rosters, and communicate with activity/course participants, and any other website skills that participants wish to learn about. Bring your laptop or tablet if you have one (you can also share someone else's or follow along with demonstrations on the screen). Read more…

“I didn't know how living outdoors and sleeping on the ground in a tent each night and walking alone through the wilderness all day almost every day had come to feel like my normal life, but it had. It was the idea of not doing it that scared me.” Read more…

Join long-time Mountaineers trip leader Royce Poetter for a five-day getaway in Maui's Haleakala National Park next March. Read more…

Join trip leader and long-time world traveler Patti Polinsky for a potpourri of life-list experiences! This trip promises lots of sun and spectacular scenery with few tourists. Read more…

Join us October  16 at the Newport Way Library at 6pm for our new  Hike and Backpack Leader Seminar. Read more…

Join us for the Tacoma Hiking & Backpacking Committee Fall Potluck! Read more…

On August 10, 2014, Mountaineer Joe "String Bean" McConaughy reached the Canadian border and completed a historic effort: thru-hiking the full 2,600 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail from the Mexican border to the Canadian border in just 53 days and six hours. He averaged 51 miles a day on the PCT. He broke the "assisted hike" PCT speed record, set just one year earlier, by an astonishing six days and two hours. As recently as 2011, the PCT speed-hike record was 64 days. Read more…

Attendees of our Leader Seminar will learn what it means to lead a Mountaineers hike or backpack, how to prepare and lead your participants in a safe and enjoyable outing, and how to handle some common on-trail leadership challenges, as well as how to post a hike or backpack and a post-trip activity report. This course will get you started towards becoming a trip leader for the Seattle and Foothills Branches. Read more…

This month we spoke with Nina Crampton, a volunteer leader who enjoys teaching almost as much a good beer after a long day in the mountains. For extra entertainment, read her interview with a British accent – she’s from the UK! Read more…