Mountaineer Magazine
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Outside Insights | An Urban Take on an Outdoor Classic
In the winter of 1907, forty-eight charter members of various genders and ages walked through what is now Seattle’s Discovery Park to the West Point lighthouse on Elliot Bay. Ninety-one years later, author Jim Kjeldsen would reference this outing in The Mountaineers: A History, writing “The Mountaineers’ legacy of outdoor adventures began with a local walk.” Read more…
Bookmarks | The Adventure Gap: Changing the Face of the Outdoors
Below is an excerpt from the 10th Anniversary Edition of The Adventure Gap by James Mills published by Mountaineers Books (reprinted with permission). This excerpt comes from the afterword - a reflection on the decade following the first all-Black summit attempt on Denali, North America’s highest mountain. Read more…
Youth Outside | Exploring Winter With Your Mini Mountaineer
Getting youth outside changes with the season, and winter is no exception. Our Mini Mountaineers program helps little kids and their families enjoy and learn about nature during even the rainiest months by facilitating nature-based activities and hikes. The program – offered by our Seattle and Tacoma Branches – is designed for youth ages two through five and fosters a love for the outdoors in the next generation. Read more…
Top 10 Mountaineers of Instagram: Inspiration for 2025
If taking a photo makes a memory last longer, then memorializing a photo in print would effectively make a memory last forever.
We launched our Instagram (@mountaineersorg) over a decade ago. Since then, hundreds of Mountaineers and members of the outdoor community have shared their outdoor pursuits with us. From stewarding beloved forests to embracing grand adventures, photos go a long way in encouraging each other to appreciate, protect, and respect the lands and waters we love. Read more…
Winter Trail Running
Crisp air circulates through your lungs. You exhale and a misty cloud hangs in the cold winter air. High in the mountains, trails turn to mud and ice as snow falls, then freezes. The sun hides behind a thick layer of dark clouds. At lower elevation, mossy soil and gentle rain offer a refreshing environment in the forest canopy. You lace up your shoes and put on your vest. It’s the perfect day for a trail run.
Trail running takes you outside, away from busy streets to the trails. Forested or mountainous, well-maintained or overgrown, nicely graveled or covered with rocks and roots… there are thousands of runnable trails in Washington state. While similar to hiking, trail running allows you to move faster, explore further, and stay active all year long. Read more…
How to Hot Wax Nordic Skis
I never waxed my first pair of skis. I didn’t know any better. Twenty years later, they are still viable skis. But most avid skiers do wax their skis (and for good reason). With the right wax, your glide improves and the ski base is protected, allowing them to perform better, longer. There’s a saying: “Take care of your gear and it will take care of you.” But how? For me, waxing skis was intimidating. With seemingly endless options and advice, learning the process felt overwhelming as a beginner. My hope is to demystify the world of hot waxing so you can confidently prepare your skis for winter adventures. Read more…
Ensuring a Sustainable Future for Northwest Forests
Growing up backpacking with my family in the Cascades and Olympics, I was introduced to our magnificent Northwest forests at a young age. Those summer trips where I collected pinecones and roasted s’mores over the campfire fostered my love for recreating in these iconic landscapes. These days, trail running and backcountry skiing through the same forests remind me why I was called to conservation work and the role the recreation community can play in protecting our lands and waters through outdoor advocacy. Read more…
How to Upcycle Your Winter Gear
I like to joke that I was born with skis on my feet. The product of two skiers raising a child in Montana, I’ve always loved winter (the colder the better). And, as someone who grew up watching Captain Planet and was raised on the idea of reduce > reuse > recycle, I enjoy finding multiple uses for my treasured outdoor gear. In the spirit of reuse, I’m delighted to offer a list of ideas to help you upcycle your old winter equipment. Read more…
Mountaineer of the Week: Krithika Sankaranarayanan
Each week we bring you a personal story from one of our members. For our member profile this week we talked to.. Read more…
Tying In | Winter 2025 Leadership Update
Looking back on my 15 years as a member and volunteer with The Mountaineers, I can’t help but think about the fulfillment I’ve gained from being part of this amazing community. From leading trips and courses to serving as an activity leader and Board member, the journey has been incredibly rewarding. As a volunteer leader, I’ve enjoyed researching routes and trip reports, doing the planning, and then getting out with old and new friends. Yet, with the growing popularity of outdoor recreation, we’re also facing new challenges, particularly when it comes to navigating the complicated permitting process required to access many of our cherished public lands. Read more…
Impact Giving | How Scholarships Support Adventure and Belonging
The Mountaineers is a vibrant community, encompassing everyone from skilled alpinists summiting the world’s highest peaks to adults learning new skills to youth discovering the natural world’s wonders for the very first time. This vibrancy is made possible through our commitment to fostering a culture of equity and belonging, which drives us to reduce barriers and create welcoming spaces for all regardless of age, background, ability, or interest. We envision a future where every individual who wants to find inspiration, community, and a sense of belonging in the outdoors can have that opportunity at The Mountaineers. Read more…
Mountaineer Magazine Winter 2025
Enjoy access to our quarterly Mountaineer magazine, keeping you up-to-date with everything our organization and community have been up to. Hear from regular contributors on topics from training exercises to trail tips, and read features from our members sharing stories from the outdoors. We encourage you to access all of our updates, stories, tips, and more in the tree free online magazine today. Read more…
Safe to Say I'm Scared
I am an Alpine Scrambling graduate and course instructor, and I still feel fear every time I sign up for a scramble. This morning is no exception. At 4am, my alarm blares a jolting reminder that it’s time to get up for a snowshoe with The Mountaineers, but all I want to do is stay in bed and forget about the mountains. The last time I was on snowshoes, they tried to kill me, and I haven’t let go of my grudge. Read more…
Youth Outside | It Takes a Village
One of The Mountaineers core values is to empower our community to safely enjoy the transformative power of the outdoors. Creating the next generation of outdoor enthusiasts starts with our youth, and we’ve recently been reimagining how we engage with our youngest members at our Seattle Branch. Read more…
Reclaiming Safety After Traumatic Events
One of the greatest gifts The Mountaineers gives is the ability to be safe while recreating outdoors. From urban adventures to technical climbs, we champion safety through interactions, hard-skills, and quality standards. Yet when we have that dreaded “worst day” in the mountains, our sense of safety can shatter, and there are often deeper internal wounds that take longer to heal. Read more…
Caught Between Two Fires: A Native Perspective on Outdoor Leadership and Education
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…
How Accessible is Your First Aid Kit?
In the summer of 2023, hikes, urban walks, and family celebrations had me digging out the first aid kit nearly weekly. My wife Nancy and I keep our Wilderness First Aid badges current, and the seven kids and eleven grandkids provide abundant practice around our Redmond farm with stinging nettle, bites, stings, sprains, breaks, bruises, gashes, cuts, and the occasional bump on the head. Read more…
Post-Trail Blues: What They Are and How to Cope
Craggy, striated spires glowed pink in the evening light as I gazed up from the bottom of the Grand Canyon. I was on a four-day backpacking trip that had been on my wish list for years. After being cooped up for most of 2020 due to the pandemic, I found myself staring in surprise at the expanse around me, so much vaster in person than on flimsy postcards. Read more…
From Peaks to Peace: Embracing a Beginner’s Mindset
After 40 years of hiking, I’m still learning new things about what recreation looks like for myself and others. As an experienced health and wellness coach, part of my job is to help individuals reach their outdoor goals safely. I adjust my mentoring style based on each individual because the process to achieve a desired objective varies depending on who is learning. Read more…
Upcoming Global Adventures in Winter 2025 and Beyond
Are you interested in making new friends, collecting inspiring memories, and discovering new parts of our world? Sign up for Mountaineers Global Adventures! The rewards are great, the experiences are unparalleled, and the adventure is abundant. Read more…
Open Water Swimming 101
Walking into the Salish Sea, you pee when the water hits your waist. A reflex to the cold. You take your time cleaning your goggles with spit and salt water. Stalling. Your buddies dive in, and you follow. As your head dips below the water, you hyperventilate. Another reflex; don’t panic. Your breathing quickly normalizes. You start swimming. The cold feels like little knives all over your skin. After thirty strokes, your skin is the same temperature as the water. Read more…
Peak Performance | Confronting Fear and Building Confidence in Climbing
As a climber, I am no stranger to fear. I used to highball boulder – meaning I would climb tall boulders where the risk of falling meant serious injury – and without fail, I’d feel fear every time, whether or not I made it all the way up. One day, I was outdoor bouldering with friends fairly new to the sport. Halfway up the boulder, I reached a tricky section. Assessing the situation against my current skill levels, I realized if I went for the next move and missed, I wouldn’t just endanger myself, but my spotters, too. The move wasn’t worth the risk. I decided to descend. Read more…
Retro Rewind | Celebrating 125 Years of Mount Rainier National Park
On July 29, 1909, during The Mountaineers first organized climb of Mt. Rainier, members crafted an incredible feat of mountain engineering: a 62-person bed. Huddled on a ridgeline between the Inter and Emmons Glaciers, 62 climbers built a headboard with large rocks, then dragged and compacted soil and volcanic ash to form a mattress. If that wasn’t lavish enough, many members even had a sleeping bag. Read more…
Impact Giving | What is a Culture of Philanthropy?
While The Mountaineers has proudly championed outdoor education, mindful recreation, conservation, and environmental advocacy for nearly 120 years, I often have to remind myself that we only became a 501(c)(3) 13 years ago. This was a pivotal moment because it provided a new opportunity to build partnerships with financial donors and safeguard the future of our organization. While our tax status may have changed, community remains at the heart of everything we do. Read more…
Reframing Risk Management in “Freedom of the Hills”
When I joined The Mountaineers nearly two and a half decades ago, I was motivated - in no small way - by the biggest criticism I had heard about the organization: "They are too safety conscious." I became a Mountaineers member shortly after a guided climb up Rainier, involving many unfamiliar skills and techniques. In my first Mountaineers course, safety was the opening topic. If you can’t be safe, you can’t have fun. That’s the heritage of The Mountaineers. Read more…
Bookmarks | Origins of "Freedom"
Excerpted from the preface to Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills, 10th Edition (Mountaineers Books, September 2024). Read more…
Did You Know? Hydration
In the outdoors, many factors are out of our control. We’re often at the whim of Mother Nature and to some extent, that’s the thrill of being outside. While a certain level of risk will always exist, there are variables within our control too, and it’s our job to identify and mitigate them. Hydration - the act of replenishing vital bodily fluids - is no exception. Read more…
50 Years of The Ten Essentials
In 1974, the third edition of Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills was released and with it, a safety and packing system named The Ten Essentials. This year, we’re happily celebrating 50 years of The Ten Essentials minimizing risks outdoors. Read more…
Conservation Currents | The Mountaineers and Outdoor Alliance
When I look back on my first three years working to grow a culture of conservation throughout The Mountaineers, one phrase remains top of mind: “conservation powered by outdoor recreation.” I can’t take credit for this catchy moniker; it’s a mantra of our partners at Outdoor Alliance (OA) – a national coalition of human-powered outdoor recreation organizations working to conserve America’s public lands and waters. As a member of OA, The Mountaineers harnesses our shared passion for the outdoors to help conserve the places we love, leading to a compelling and impactful flavor of advocacy. Read more…
Mountaineer of the Week: Sushil Kumar
Each week we bring you a personal story from one of our members. For our member profile this week we talked to.. Read more…