Outdoor Leadership

I can introduce myself in many ways: a member and volunteer of The Mountaineers, a guide, a rescue specialist, and a Doctor of Education. Beyond these roles, and more importantly, I am a Native American who is a proud member of the Cherokee Nation. As my grandfather would say, “I find myself caught between two fires,” advocating for the rights of Native Americans and the rights of outdoor enthusiasts. Sometimes, these two do not align. There is a lack of representation of Native Americans and other peoples of color in the outdoors. However, one area in which they do align – and can have the most significant impact – is outdoor leadership and education. Read more…

 The Mountaineers is driven by our core value of community. This means that we continually strive to ensure that all feel welcomed and supported as members of The Mountaineers. Did you know that over half the global population menstruates, and 1.1 million people worldwide will be in menopause by 2025? Read more…

The Mountaineers North Sound Leadership Conference is a day-long conference held on Saturday, December 7, 2024, at the Seattle Program Center in Magnuson Park. We hope you’re able to join us for this engaging and exciting day of leadership development. All are welcome to attend! Read more…

For over 100 years, The Mountaineers has enriched the outdoor community by helping thousands of people explore, conserve, learn about, and enjoy the lands and waters of the Pacific Northwest and beyond. We take pride in that legacy and want to honor our volunteer leaders who make it all possible. Read more…

The Mountaineers is committed to leading innovation in outdoor education. A key component of this commitment is investing in our volunteer leaders, the heart and soul of our vibrant organization. We’re excited to announce new Leadership Development Series seminars that provide high-quality, continuing education opportunities for our current and aspiring volunteers. Read more…

Mountaineers staff and volunteers have been aware of gaps in our member and leadership training related to emotional safety for a number of years. Between 2020 and 2024, staff-sponsored Leadership Development Series hosted a number of evening seminars that touched on this topic. In 2023, staff in partnership with the Equity & Inclusion Committee introduced the Emotional Safety in the Outdoors eLearning course that connects the core values of The Mountaineers to these five themes:  Read more…

With the recent release of our annual impact report, we're celebrating all that donors and volunteers made possible through The Mountaineers in 2023.  Read more…

The Mentored Backpack Leaders course is an exciting, new offering for the Foothills community. The main objective of the course is to provide an additional pathway for branch members pursuing the Backpack Leader badge. Read more…

As part of The Mountaineers leadership development team, I have the privilege of supporting our impressive collective of 3000+ volunteers. The dedication of our volunteers is incredible, to say the least. The list of their contributions to our community and the greater outdoors has grown significantly over our 117-year history. From planning and guiding activities, to mentoring new Mountaineers, to managing our lodges, it’s clear that our volunteers are generous with their time. While they share a common passion for the outdoors, our volunteers are driven by a range of motivations, such as paying it forward or expanding their adventure partner network. Our leadership development programs enhance these intrinsic rewards and invest back into our volunteers. Read more…

The outdoors has always been a source of inspiration and rejuvenation. It presents an opportunity to forge deep connections with nature, push our boundaries, and craft lasting memories. At The Mountaineers, we believe all people should have equitable access to the outdoors and the transformative benefits it provides. Through our volunteer-led programs, we strive to empower our members and foster a culture of belonging by providing outdoor skills education to individuals from all backgrounds. Read more…

Every weekend this winter, tens of thousands of people will flock to the Cascades to play in the snow. The mountains come alive with the bustle of snow plows, ski lifts, and resort infrastructure catering to locals and tourists alike. And if you look closely, adjacent to the hubbub at three popular recreation areas, you’ll find vibrant and warm pockets of Mountaineers community. Read more…

With the recent release of our annual impact report, we're celebrating all that donors and volunteers made possible through The Mountaineers in 2022. 

The model of volunteer-led outdoor education at The Mountaineers is imbued with a sense of purpose that cultivates friendships, mentorships, and lifelong learning opportunities. We approach our outdoor pursuits with more than a “one and done” attitude; we build a culture that fosters collaboration between students and teachers and care for the natural world. And as our community grows out of authentic relationships, consistent values crop up across all activities: safety, respect, communication, and the joy of being outside together. Read more…

One of the unwritten core values at The Mountaineers is safety. When we go out together, we make every effort to return safely. And, safety is about more than just physical safety. Feeling emotionally safe - to ask questions, share concerns, and show up as your full self - is a key component to physically safe outcomes. To support emotionally safe environments for our participants, we are excited to share our new Emotional Safety in the Outdoors eLearning course. Read more…

As you sit down to plan your next activity with The Mountaineers, we encourage you to consider how your listing may impact registration and last-minute cancellations. Read on to find some helpful tips from the staff at The Mountaineers. Read more…

The Mountaineers is committed to leading innovation in outdoor education. A key component of this commitment is investing in our volunteer leaders, the heart and soul of our vibrant organization. Read more…

Each week we bring you a personal story from one of our members and volunteers. For our volunteer profile this week we talked to... Read more…

For over 100 years, The Mountaineers has enriched the outdoor community by helping thousands of people to explore, conserve, learn about, and enjoy the lands and waters of the Pacific Northwest and beyond. We take pride in that legacy, and we we want to support our volunteer leaders who make it all happen!  Read more…

Each week we bring you a personal story from one of our members and volunteers. For our volunteer profile this week we talked to... Read more…

Historically, The Mountaineers Leadership Conference has been a one-day conference of leadership development for our community of outstanding volunteers. This year, the Leadership Conference will take on a new format and name, but the heart of this one-day professional development event and opportunity to collaborate across branches will remain.  Read more…

Each week we bring you a personal story from one of our members and volunteers. For our volunteer profile this week we talked to... Read more…

The Mountaineers began as a volunteer organization, and 116 years later we are still largely run by volunteers, with a small staff supporting administrative tasks. Whether your interests are in teaching, leading trips, helping at events, supporting stewardship efforts, or serving on a committee that orchestrates such activities, we have opportunities for you to pitch in and make a difference!  Read more…

Each week we bring you a personal story from one of our members and volunteers. For our volunteer profile this week we talked to... Read more…

Over the past year, two new courses have been developed by staff and select volunteer leaders to help set the benchmark for outdoor leadership training at The Mountaineers. These courses are the Foundations of Leadership and the Foundations of Instruction eLearning courses. They were designed for our current and future volunteer trip leaders and instructors, with the goal of fostering diverse and passionate connections throughout The Mountaineers.  Read more…

Each week we bring you a personal story from one of our members and volunteers. For our volunteer profile this week we talked to... Read more…

After an exciting seven months, The Mountaineers wrapped up our fourth year of our Leadership Development Series this May. It was another year of  high-quality, continuing education opportunities for our volunteer leaders. Thank you to all participants and presenters that joined us this past season! We are already excited for the next season of Leadership Development Series starting in October 2023. Read more…

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Meredith Mosman, a climbing, backcountry ski, and avalanche education volunteer leader with the Tacoma Branch. Meredith strives to constantly learn from fellow leaders and advises aspiring leaders to always look for opportunities to grow.  Read more…

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Alyssa Opland, a volunteer leader with the Tacoma Branch who focuses on inclusive leadership in her climbing programs by asking questions and seeking input. She encourages prospective volunteers to get connected with mentors!  Read more…

It's been a busy six months for our Leadership Development Series! We hosted over 35 high-quality, continuing education remote seminars for over 500 volunteer leaders from October 2021 through April 2022, and it's not done yet. We're excited to highlight five more upcoming sessions as we wrap up our 2021-2022 Leadership Development Series. Read more…

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to SuJ'n Chon a volunteer leader with the Seattle Branch who has volunteered with the Equity & Inclusion Committee and overcame her fear of heights through the Basic Alpine Scrambling Course.  Read more…

On any given weekend, you can find hundreds of people enjoying local parks, forests, waterways, and more under the leadership of a Mountaineers volunteer. Last year, we had an average of 11 Mountaineers activities every day. 2,300 volunteers donated more than 200,000 hours of service in 2021 to connect people with safe and meaningful outdoor experiences. The Mountaineers has an administrative staff of just 25 people to support programs; this kind of impact simply would not be possible without our extensive network of volunteer leaders, instructors, lodge hosts, and committee members.  Read more…