The Mountaineers
At The Mountaineers, we live and breathe the outdoors. It’s our passion. We love it all - from the big picture beauty to the tiny details: the elevation gain of an alpine lake trail, the training regimen to bag a new summit, the nuances of the latest travel management plan.
This Thanksgiving, we are thankful for our wild places as a whole. In what can seem like a disparate world, the value of nature is self-evident: it’s good for the body and soul.
This unifying principle is the bedrock of The Mountaineers. Over a hundred years ago, we set out to “…preserve, by protective legislation or otherwise, the natural beauty of the Northwest coast… and above all, to encourage and promote the spirit of good fellowship and camaraderie among the lovers of out-door life in the West.” Wild places united us then, and they continue to unite us today.
This Thanksgiving we encourage you to show your gratitude for our wild places. And to appreciate a wild place, you have to experience it. We want you to get outside. Go big! Get dirty. Cannonball into an alpine lake. Hike until you pop a blister. Stare at the ocean until the wind makes your eyes water. And remember that central to being a Mountaineer is the belief that these experiences are to be shared and protected for all to enjoy.
Play
Join The Mountaineers and our friends at REI as we #OptOutside this Thanksgiving. The campaign encourages people to skip the malls on Black Friday and explore nature instead. Check out our #OptOutside blog, for Mountie activities, courses, and destination suggestions. And make sure to use the hashtag #MountiesOptOutside, while you’re adventuring.
Share
Our dedicated volunteers share outdoor experiences with thousands of people every year. You rock! In addition, we’re exploring ways to make these experiences more accessible to people of all backgrounds. One of the main barriers to getting outside is transportation. King County is looking to improve public transportation to the North Bend trailheads and Issaquah Alps region. They’re currently seeking public input. Show your support by taking the King County Parks survey.
Protect
Public land designations are what keep our wild places wild. Unfortunately, an aggressive campaign seeks to undermine them, transferring ownership from federal to state governments, where weaker protections will open the door to privatization. At The Mountaineers, we believe our public lands exist for the good of all. Learn more and sign the petition to protect our public lands.
