Most Popular Blogs

On the morning of July 10, 2023, Rose Vanderhoof, 33-year Mountaineers member and avid outdoor enthusiast, became the oldest woman to summit Mt.Rainier at 78. She reached the summit with her son Chris Haugen, granddaughter Aleah Haugen, friend Mingrey Hildebrandt, and Mt. Tahoma Trails Association’s High Hut Manager Dr. Leyton Jump, who led the climb. This trip marked Rose’s ninth, and last, summit of Mt. Rainier.  Read more…

Izy loves everything about the outdoors. As a single mother working in social services, I’ve always made a modest salary, but I didn’t want my financial hardships to keep Izy from going to summer camp. I wanted my daughter to have the experiences that other kids have like climbing, sailing, kayaking, paddle boarding, whitewater rafting, hiking, learning to respect our natural world, and even things like outdoor cooking and first aid.  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…

Mountaineers programs occur on the traditional lands and waters of the Pacific Northwest Indian tribes. As we continue to grow our practice of land acknowledgment, we must also honor the histories, stories, and wisdom of the Indigenous peoples who have been living here since time immemorial. We’re partnering with Sacred Lands Conservancy, an Indigenous-led non-profit with strong ties to the Lummi Nation, to produce a series of educational pieces on the importance of mindful recreation and how we can develop deeper connections to the histories of our natural places. Read more…

Join recent graduates of the Olympia Intermediate Climbing Course as they share information premier climbing destinations. The presenters will cover route recommendations, logistical considerations, and inspirational photos, so that attendees can plan their own trips to these fantastic crags. Read more…

The Mountaineers is partnering with the Sacred Lands Conservancy, an Indigenous-led nonprofit with strong ties to the Lummi Nation, to produce a series of educational pieces on the importance of mindful recreation and how we can all develop deeper connections to the histories of our natural places. Tah-Mahs Ellie Kinley is a Lhaq’temish fisherwoman who has previously served as an elected member of Lummi Nation’s Fisheries and Natural Resource Commission. She is President of the Sacred Lands Conservancy. This final blog from her, written in collaboration with SLC’s Julie Trimingham, shares about the history and meaning of Indigenous place names with a focus on two of our region’s mountains. Read more…

Cuba’s inherent joie de vivre awaits Mountaineers in the upcoming Global Adventures Day Hiking and Naturalist trip (Nov 19 – Dec 4, 2024). The past six decades of Cuba’s political landscape has shaped a people who are generous, gracious, confident, and unreserved, and a landscape that has escaped heavy tourism impacts. Read more…

A collection of trip reports as golden as a larch. Read on, dear friends, for mediocre views, a failed comet sighting, wumping sea lions, our first taste of snow, a beautiful day in the neighborhood, and more.  Read more…

Over the years, I’ve lost track of how many times someone has shot me a puzzled look and asked, “why did you decide to become a fundraiser?” Read more…

In our Mountaineers climbing and alpine scrambling courses, an essential skill we are always trying to instill in our students is what I call “mountaineering judgement.” To be safe outdoors and in the mountains, one always needs to be aware of - and alert to - risk factors, changing conditions, and issues with other party members. Because of this, courses in activities like climbing, scrambling, and kayaking could just as easily be called risk management courses. Everything students learn in these courses reduces risk and makes the activity safer. Read more…

For a couple of years, Mountaineers Leader Rena Chinn has been asking me if I wanted to start a book club with her that featured adventure and outdoor books written by women and people of color (POC). We somehow never found time with our own adventuring to fit it in. When the COVID-19 shutdown happened, we felt it was the perfect time to start our club with online meetings. Read more…

The GoHike: Beginning Hiking Series, opening for registration January 25, is your gateway to breaking through the hurdles that have kept you from realizing your hiking dreams! Join a compatible, low-pressure community that lets you start from where you are. Read more…

We are so excited to show off our latest new releases! Learn all about Northwest trees, travel across Canada on skis, dig into avalanche science and stories, and read about some of the most heartbreaking and dangerous feats in mountaineering history. Read more…

Since our last organization-wide COVID-19 update, we’ve settled into a new normal of mask-wearing, smaller group and lower-risk activities, and virtual programs in place of larger, in-person gatherings. We’ve demonstrated resilience and creativity as a community, and although we know the year ahead will likely throw many challenges at us, more and more, we have confidence that The Mountaineers will survive. Here's an overview of some of the challenges we’ve overcome this summer and the plans we’re building for the coming year to ensure we continue to support our community and the mission of The Mountaineers.  Read more…

Give a Great New Cookbook like Fresh Pantry
Headed to a wedding this summer? Of course, you want to bring a gift that is meaningful, practical, fun, personal, inspiring, beautiful … and still within your budget. Read more…

The annual Recognition and Awards Banquet has been a feature of the Olympia Branch for many years. Members meet at the end of October to greet old friends, celebrate successes, learn what has been happening, and get an idea of what to look forward to in the next year.   Read more…

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

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

Join The Mountaineers and Puget Sound Mycological Society at Meany Lodge for our annual Mushroom Weekend October 11-13! It's the perfect place to learn everything you ever wanted to know about mushrooms. Join us as we forage for local mushrooms, learn how to use fungi in and out of the kitchen, cook a variety of exciting mushroom meals, and meet others who love mushrooms just as much as you do!  Read more…

Fjallraven, a new outdoor clothing and gear brand in the Northwest, and Canoe Ridge Vineyard, a Seattle-based winery, are anxious to meet Mountaineers, show you what they offer, and give you a big discount - all while you learn about Seattle parks that you've probably never heard of. Read more…

On Wednesday, REI Co-op leadership partnered with The Mountaineers to celebrate the 25th anniversary of REI's Seattle Flagship store and support conservation and advocacy efforts led by The Mountaineers. Attendees gathered on the outdoor terrace to enjoy handmade tamales from Frelard Tamales, freshly baked cookies from Bell’s Cookie Co., and local beer and wine from Georgetown Brewery and Tinte Cellars. After nearly two years of virtual-only connections, it felt great to finally gather in-person in support of our wild places. Thank you to those who came out and joined the celebrations! Read more…

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

Thanksgiving may be a little different this year, but it's still an opportunity to recognize the positive in your life, express appreciation for family and friends, and of course cook up a meal that will live on in memory for years to come! Read more…

As sometimes happens on trips, successive events combine to leave participants mentally exhausted, and small mistakes can become serious. Though all the scramblers on this trip were relieved to get down unscathed with tales for their families, sometimes group members in these kinds of situations might want to think about turning the party around before circumstances become dire. Read more…

The Mountaineers, Mountaineers Books, and adidas outdoor are pleased to present the 2016 BeWild Speaker Series, putting passion and adventure at center stage! This year, we're presenting adventurers who've achieved great things and overcome huge challenges through the outdoors. Come to any one of these talks - or all four - and we guarantee you'll leave inspired to seek adventure, connect with nature, and work to protect the wild places we cherish. Read more…

Wildfires are burning across our region and smoke is causing extremely poor air quality in some counties. Our hearts are heavy with concern for those affected by fires in Washington State and beyond. We ask our community to practice good decision-making skills and respect public land closures when getting outside this summer. Read more…

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

The following is an excerpt from My Old Man and the Mountain, by Leif Whittaker. The Seattle Times called Leif's memoir "an entertaining coming-of-age yarn from a likable, talented diarist."  Rock & Ice  said it was "engaging and humorous." The American Alpine Institute found it to be "a beautiful piece of writing, funny and sad, insightful, and engaging." 

The book is just out in the paperback edition. See what you think. Read more…

The complex landscape of permitting rules and regulations can be difficult to navigate as a Mountaineers leader. To help make things clearer, we've created a series of pages describing the various permit processes pertaining to Mountaineers activities, all organized by land manager. Read more…

Each year, we host an annual meeting for our members to share a retroactive tour of our last fiscal year. Learn about our state of affairs from our board members and staff, hear about Governance Committee and Board nominations for At-Large Directors, and have the opportunity to ask questions of our leaders. Per our bylaws, the Annual Meeting also allows members of The Mountaineers to make At-Large Director nominations from the floor for the 2021 election season. We held the session virtually on September 14, 2021, and you can watch the recording here. Read more…