The Mountaineers
If you were one of hundreds of Mountaineers who woke up early on Wednesday to join us for our second annual fundraising breakfast, Thank You! This early morning adventure to downtown Seattle brought hundreds of outdoor enthusiasts together to celebrate and champion our public lands. The messages shared inspired us with renewed commitment to protect our wild places. As our CEO Tom Vogl said:
"People go outside and fall in love with our wild places. And people defend the things they love. It's time for us to come together and speak as one - to protect our public lands. If we speak together, we can move mountains together."
Patagonia's Rose Marcario Gives Keynote
Rose Marcario, President and CEO of Patagonia and Patagonia Works, gave the keynote address.
Rose spoke to the conservation legacy of the outdoor industry:
“It’s really no coincidence that some of the most important conservationists of our lifetime came out of the climbing movement of the 60s and 70s, the dirtbag climber conservationists. Many of them [devoted] their lives and, in some case, their fortunes to protect the places that they came to know and love.”
Rose Marcario with Mountaineers legend Jim Whittaker
Rose also spoke to the very specific threats that face our public lands: legislation that would transfer public lands to private interests, a failure to fund our National Parks and Forests, and the current administration’s proposal to roll back protection on several national monuments.
Taking Action
Fortunately, as we face these challenges, Rose had some practical advice as well:
- Push your politicians to acknowledge the outdoor recreation economy.
- Support efforts like The Mountaineers' conservation programming. Providing financial support at the grassroots level is really where things get done (and you can do it right here!).
- Be vocal advocates. Talk about what’s going on right now. Help educate people.
On this last point, The Mountaineers are more resolved than ever - whether we’re teaching a student the value of public lands through the simple act of experience or calling on our elected officials - to do the right thing.
Mountaineers Dave Belding, Nick Block, and Amanda Piro
Washington State Senator Kevin Ranker also took to the podium and reminded us that saving public lands requires commitment, resolve, and a determination to reach out to new communities. “We need a diverse and loud voice to stand up,” he said, reminding us that simply speaking out is not enough. "We need to build bridges within our local community, and we need to work with our industry and nonprofit partners."
Together, we can do this. We have to.
Thank You
The Mountaineers is deeply grateful for everyone who joined us for an alpine start for breakfast on Wednesday. We’re especially grateful to Patagonia for its support of both our breakfast event and our conservation programs. REI, Stanley, and Waypoint Outdoors also provided sponsorship support and were an important part of the morning.
Join our Mission
If you missed the breakfast and feel strongly about keeping our public lands public, you can make a contribution in support of The Mountaineers conservation programs.
