Outside Insights | An Urban Take on an Outdoor Classic

In this piece from Mountaineer magazine, learn about the history of urban walking at The Mountaineers and how you can get invovled.
Vienna Christensen Vienna Christensen
Manager of Volunteer Development
January 28, 2025
Outside Insights | An Urban Take on an Outdoor Classic
Urban walkers at Section 10 of the Seattle Olmsted 70. Photo by Yoko Sato.

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.”

Since our founding in 1906, Mountaineers have explored near and far places, understanding that great adventure still exists close to home. Today, this legacy continues through Urban Walk, a program that joins members in community to enjoy the benefits of frontcountry recreation.

Reviving a Mountaineers tradition

While steeped in tradition, formal urban walks are fairly new offerings at The Mountaineers. The formalization of the Urban Walk Committee began amid the global upheaval of 2020 when the Foothills Branch asked Mountaineers leaders Liz McNett Crowl and Peter Hendrickson to launch a committee around this popular activity. Over the next two years, Liz, Peter, and other leaders designed a new iteration of a longstanding Mountaineers tradition, building out structure and guidance for Mountaineers to take urban walking to new heights.

To formalize urban walks as a Mountaineers activity, the committee developed activity standards for leading safe walks in urban and suburban environments. Prior to the committee’s founding, Mountaineers would simply lead “hikes” in urban areas. But frontcountry terrain brings its own set of challenges and risks that need to be planned for and mitigated, such as how to manage pedestrian safety, crowded streets, increased contact with dogs, and a multitude of shared trail users (like cyclists, strollers, skaters, groups, and wheelchairs). The committee also had to define terms, set leadership standards, develop training requirements, and create badges.

Through the intentionality and dedication of Peter, Liz, and the rest of the committee leaders, Urban Walk now has organization-wide standards (adopted in January 2023) that solidify its offerings as distinct Mountaineers activities. Liz currently serves as the Foothills Urban Walk Committee Chair and Peter as the Seattle Urban Walk Committee Chair.

D888A451-F360-41DC-BF02-60DFB7DAE1FE.jpgEarly Mountaineers on the first local walk to the West Point Lighthouse at Seattle’s Fort Lawton. Photo from the 1907 Mountaineer Annual.

What is urban walking?

The Mountaineers defines urban walks as “outings two miles or longer that take place on city or suburban streets, parks, or greenbelts, where there is consistent cell phone service and nearby emergency response access and egress points.” While urban walks are different from hikes, they share a similar goal: to provide members an opportunity to engage in physical activity outdoors with a like-minded community.

Some differences between urban walks and hikes may be obvious, such as traveling on sidewalks, incorporating cultural or urban venues and activities, and an altered Ten Essentials. Traditional hikes tend to explore areas beyond city limits, but urban walks embrace the city and celebrate spaces where the built and natural world intersect and interact. Because of this, urban walks are often more accessible.

For instance, some urban walks take advantage of mass transit or don’t require driving at all. Access to water stations, restroom facilities, and emergency care makes outdoor adventuring more feasible for people who can’t risk being in the backcountry for hours on end. In addition, the regular walking opportunities offered by the Urban Walk Committee help reduce risk factors for chronic disease, especially when done with community.

McNett Crowl.jpgLiz admiring the foliage on a local walk. Photo courtesy of Liz McNett Crowl. 

New urban setting, same spirit of exploration

Urban walks are a low-barrier opportunity for families and individuals of all ages and abilities to enjoy the healing effects of movement outdoors in a supportive environment. Some folks participate in urban walks to stay connected to The Mountaineers after a long legacy of climbing, scrambling, and backpacking; some join to see our waters, hills, and mountains in a new light; and some, as Peter described, come for the “tug of finding or nourishing new social connections. There’s a lot of time to chat.”

In the few years since its inception, Urban Walk has thrived at The Mountaineers. Volunteer leaders embody the spirit of adventure in the city’s bustling and dynamic terrain, often centering walks around historical and memorable elements such as historical districts, seasonal attractions, art installations, and gardens. Urban Walk activities have also incorporated city night walks, geocaching, yoga, and even pit stops at street markets and pumpkin patches. “I love exploring the metropolitan area to see how more than three million folks live, work, and play together,” shared Peter Hendrickson. For him, these activities are an opportunity to appreciate the ebb and flow of different cultures within a landscape, as well as contemplate the dynamic landforms and glacial history that lie beneath our cities.

Urban Walks 10.jpgUrban walkers smiling beside the Brunn Idun Troll at Section 8 of the Seattle Olmsted 70. Photo by Peter Hendrickson.

Urban Walk is for everyone

When asked who would most enjoy urban walks, Liz’s immediate response was, “who wouldn’t?” Urban Walk caters to everyone and anyone who wants to join. Currently, only the Foothills and Seattle Branches offer Urban Walk trips, but members and guests from any branch are welcome to participate. During Seattle’s darker months, the Seattle Branch also offers the GoWalk! course, providing monthly urban walk outings and seminars to improve skills and make new friends.

Whether you’re a seasoned outdoor professional or just dipping your toes into outdoor recreation, Urban Walk invites you to continue elevating this Mountaineers legacy within an ever-growing community of fellow explorers.

PRO TIPS

Sign up for Urban Walk notifications

If you are interested in participating in Urban Walk activities, adjust your Alerts & Notifications preferences in your online profile to include Urban Walk activity announcements. This feature notifies you when an urban walk is posted, so you can sign up immediately.

Become a leader

If you are an aspiring Urban Walk Leader, the path ahead is easy, especially if you are already a Hike Leader or have taken leader courses. Learn the steps to becoming an Urban Walk Leader by visiting mountaineers.org/urban-walk-leader.

WALKING THROUGH HISTORY

Olmsted 50k and 70k

One of the crowning achievements of the Urban Walk program is the Seattle Olmsted 50k and 70k routes, created by Peter Hendrickson in partnership with Friends of Seattle Olmsted Parks. The Seattle Olmsted Circuit, which spans a total of 75 miles divided into 12 six-mile sections, beautifully links together both green and urban spaces as you walk through forests, ravines, hidden parks, shorelines, clothing-optional beaches, greenbelts, and parks, as well as the Woodland Park Zoo, marine and aeronautical industrial areas, the University of Washington campus, and spaces abounding in art installations and murals. Visit our website to find urban walks covering sections of the Olmsted 50k and 70k: mountaineers.org/Seattle-Olmsted-Circuit.


This article originally appeared in our winter 2025 issue of Mountaineer magazine. To view the original article in magazine form and read more stories from our publication, visit our magazine archive.