Hiking & Backpacking

Whether you are first time hiker or more experienced backpacker looking for advanced tips from our experienced group of leaders, we've got something for you. Check out our Beginning Backpacking, Intro to Hiking, and Lightweight Backpacking Seminars! We've got two seminars happening in Seattle and one in Tacoma at the end of next week! Read more…

Over 545 days between July 2, 2011 and December 28, 2012, Australian adventurer Cam "Swami" Honan completed an amazing - almost superhuman - feat: through-hiking 12 of the most iconic long trails in 29 US states and 4 Canadian provinces. In the process, he set records for the most miles hiked in a calendar year (10,204 in 2012), the fastest completion of a calendar-year Triple Crown (PCT, CDT and AT in 236 days), and the most dehydrated beans consumed in an 18 month period (123.7 lbs)! Read more…

We've been hearing from many hikers and backpackers who want to learn navigation and field first aid/emergency-response skills, but aren't ready to invest the time and expense for the full Wilderness First Aid or Navigation course. Others really want to get strong and in shape for the trail season but would like some professional guidance to design a tailored conditioning program. To help, our volunteers from the Foothills branch have developed clinics tailored for hikers and backpackers from all walks of life.  Read more…

My own Mountaineers leadership story started with a search for trail companions. I was seeking a compatible group on the types of hikes and backpacks that interested me. Then, one day, I took a new arrival from China on his first hike, and I saw the joy and wonder blossom on his face when Mount Rainier emerged in all her glory behind a ridge covered with meadow wildflowers. That was it, I was hooked. Read more…

Ever wonder how much fuel is left in a used canister? In this short, instructional clip, MSR shows how to measure MSR canister fuel.  Read more…

Nuts, trail mix, energy bars? They do the trick. But it doesn’t take long for regular snacks like those to become boring and bland. So I went on the search for something full of flavor, but healthy and compact. And something that would sustain me too.  Read more…

Our Pacific Northwest is seeing rapid rate of growth. We're welcoming people from all over the country who are moving here to participate in our vigorous economy and enjoy our incredible natural places and outdoor recreation opportunities. Some of our newcomers are experienced hikers but don't know our major hiking areas, permit requirements, and our unique trail hazards and gear requirements. Others haven't hiked before but want to know where to go and how to do it safely. We have a solution for both. 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…

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…

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…

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…