The Mountaineers
As a Mountaineers member, you receive free 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.
“I believe that White-tailed Ptarmigan are the very best mountain foul. Now, before the birding community comes at me, I should say that this belief has no basis in science or facts and solely represents a strong personal opinion that, admittedly, is heavily influenced by a deep-seeded love for words that start with a silent “p.” (I may have chosen a dinosaur theme for my son’s nursery because of pterodactyls. I like to pronounce the silent letter for extra amusement.) Putting my personal psychology aside, I’m drawn to ptarmigan because of their adaptability. I’m sure other birds can completely change their plumage to match the season in order to outsmart predators, but I have yet to see them in the wild.”
-Kristina Ciari, Editor
Like the White-tailed Ptarmigan, this edition features personal stories exploring our theme of “Adaptability.” We look at how we adapt and grow as humans to both change within ourselves and to an ever-changing environment. The “Climb Like a Mother” cover story by Cindy Hong explores how one new mom adapts her expectations to getting outside, both pre and post baby. In “A Journey Through Cancer & Resilience,” author Kiana Ehsani interviews longtime Mountaineer Ida Kaller-Vincent on how Ida has adapted to climbing with significantly reduced lung capacity after lung cancer (twice). We also have a feature from Meryl Lassen on the many ways you can help your body adapt for high altitude success.
Our regular columns deliver on the theme as well. In “Outside Insight” we share the origin story of our new Bikepacking Committee, which is complimented by a feature story by Sam Hendrix about how you can go on your first three-day bikepack across the San Juan Islands. In her regular column “Peak Performance,” Courtenay Schurman reminds us all of the importance of adapting our bodies for new pursuits with sound advice about how to avoid doing too much, too fast. And in “Retro Rewind,” Skye Michel explores how we adapt to a changing environment in the face of climate change.
I hope this edition inspires you as we look ahead to the changing season, where nature’s ability to adapt to a new environment is on full display.
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Although there are probably many similar comments concerning this by now, the leadoff photo of "The Priviest Views In Washington" is of Mount Stuart, not Mount Shuksan. It was taken in Healight Basin below Ingalls Peak. I've used that privy on several occasions.
"Headlight" Basin.
