Courses & Activities

While I’m a fiercely proud born and bred frugalist, saving money is not one of my main motivators for commuting by bike. It might even be last on my list, with happiness, greenness, efficiency, and health vying for first place, but it’s often one of the first questions people considering a bike commute ask: how much money will I save? Read more…

With the days getting shorter and colder as we creep into winter, many climbers start looking for warmer venues for their climbing excursions. If you are looking for a weekend warm-up, we have good crags close to home, like Vantage, Tieton, and Smith Rock. However, even though these areas are usually warm during the day, they can still get bitterly cold at night. Climbers should be prepared for the temperature swings that accompany these arid, deserty crags. Read more…

For those of us who love the sound our boards make on smooth, groomed snow, the idea of someday sharing that love with our kids is exciting. We dream about family chairlift talks, racing down the groomers, and the bonding over hot chocolate at the base area. The reality is a bit different. Read more…

Are you someone who seeks out the amazing remote high places of the world that the crowds haven't discovered yet? Then the Mountaineers adventure to the remote, stunning northern Patagonian Andes is just the place! Read more…

Meet your fellow Mountaineers and learn how to get involved in our outdoor activities, then stay for our feature presentation by Julie Myer. Read more…

This book is about a new way of looking at the world. Read more…

If you've dreamed of climbing the great glaciated and rocky peaks of the Northwest, this class is for you! Tacoma's Basic Climbing Course starts in February 2016. Read more…

You may have gotten a little confused lately browsing for Navigation courses on our website. The traditional "Basic Navigation" course has recently been renamed "Wilderness Navigation" by our Seattle and Tacoma branches. If you're a student or instructor trying to satisfy a Basic Navigation requirement, HAVE NO FEAR: you will still receive the same badge by taking the newly named Wilderness Navigation course. Read more…

While some folks are still disillusioned about last year's ski season, our team at Stevens Lodge is 100% convinced that this will be a year to remember...and we are doing lots of work to prepare the lodge for an epic season! Read more…

Alex Honnold was on an academic and expected track – at least for the type of lifestyle he grew up in. Before his international climbing career, he was at the top of his class in a prestigious high school in Sacramento, California. Berkeley was his next step, with engineering as his major. Read more…

Experience the joy of moving through the silent winter landscape, brilliant light glinting from snow mounds piled in soft shapes all around. Get out into the mountains you love and get your favorite exercise - the trail kind! - through the winter months!   Read more…

Each year, Mountaineers kayakers come together to attend the advanced clinics sponsored by the Seattle Kayaking Committee at Deception Pass. Staying at the Environmental Learning Center at Cornet Bay, Mountaineers paddlers attend two full days of clinics that teach skills such as advanced paddle strokes, incident management, on-the-water navigation, introduction to moving and dynamic waters, and more! Being so close to the waters of Deception Pass for an entire weekend allows time for paddlers to spend more time learning skills and to connect with each other.  Read more…

Leave No Trace isn't just for orange peels or poop. It applies to all facets of our outdoor explorations. Climbing is unique because it is one of the few outdoor sports where you often must leave gear or webbing behind to descend safely. Consequently, the climbing community must work as a team to limit our collective impact, especially on our popular climbing routes.   Read more…

Our "100 Friends of 100 Classic Hikes" opportunity had only been open for a few hours, and hardly even promoted yet, when the first gift came in from Mountaineers hike leader Steve Payne. 

What prompted Steve to sign up? Read more…

In the spring of 1990 - when the US, China, and Soviet Union were Cold War enemies and real war seemed imminent -  I organized and led the Mount Everest International Peace Climb. But there were personal reasons for the climb as well. The expedition not only focused on peace and the environment, it fostered a global mountaineering community and inspired efforts to save a young life. Read more…

In the spring of 1990 - when the US, China, and Soviet Union were Cold War enemies and real war seemed imminent -  I organized and led the Mount Everest International Peace Climb. Planned on for the 20th anniversary of the first Earth Day, we sought not only to reach the summit, but to send a message to world leaders about the state of the environment.  Read more…

The North Cascades has just been named a finalist for the Washington State Book Awards! We couldn't be happier to have this book illuminating the stunning beauty of the North Cascades receive this recognition. 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…

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

In the spring of 1990 - when the US, China, and Soviet Union were Cold War enemies and real war seemed imminent -  I organized and led the Mount Everest International Peace Climb. Despite language barriers, foul weather, equipment failures, and illness, our expedition of mountaineers from enemy countries reached the summit and changed the conversation from one of war to one of peace. With so much tragedy and death on Everest the past couple of years - especially  on the Tibetan side of Mt. Everest where we climbed -  I want to share why I still see Everest as a symbol of hope.  Read more…

A number of small incidents on a hike to Lake Serene perfectly illustrate the need for the Ten Essentials. Read more…

Thursday, July 12, 2012. 

It could have been the last day of my life. In fact, I’m still a little surprised it wasn’t. There are certain events that occur in one’s life, to which it’s hard not to attribute supernatural meaning. It being the day before Friday the 13th, I’ve thought perhaps that Thursday was contaminated by the misfortune of its notorious neighbor. I’ve also caught myself half-believing in guardian angels, and, while contemplating other close calls, have wondered whether the Universe is out to kill me, and if so, why it hasn’t succeeded.  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…

Ski the skiers' favorite ski areas in the world: the mega resorts of Val d'Isere France with 86 lifts and Les Arc/La Plagne, France with 145 lifts - both which guarantee snow every year! Learn more at our information session on September 20. 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…

This past spring we hosted the fifth year of the Alpine Scrambling Intense (ASI) class teaching 17 students the basics of off-trail travel. Five years and 60 participants later we’ve learned some surprising things, including how modularization techniques could revolutionize the future of outdoor education! Read more…

 We took a sharp turn onto Alaska Place and parked at a dead end in front of a house with a green awning covering the front porch. “Green Seattle Partnership” lined the edge of the tent, shovels were laid out in a perfect pattern, and a huge -pile of mulch sat next to the front door. Read more…

Mountaineers members are active people, and we have the numbers to show it! Simply by looking at the trips our leaders have posted online, our membership has done some serious human-powered travel so far in 2015 - over 72k miles and 22 MILLION feet of elevation gain (and we've got plenty of time for more)!  Read more…