Blog

It’s one of the best times of the year: The Mountaineers Bookstore Winter Sale! Come get lost in a great adventure story, check out our incredible selection of maps and trail guides to inspire your next trip, and find your new favorite Mountaineers merch at the Seattle Program Center Bookstore. Our winter sale runs for the entire month of December. We also sell Discover Passes, Northwest Forest Passes, and Sno-Park Passes to help you get outside this season! Read more…

Each week we bring you a personal story from one of our members. For our member profile this week we talked to... Read more…

Wild blueberry leaves, red and encrusted with frost, sparkle as early morning sunlight peeks through trees lining the meadow. The cold air awakens my nose and lungs. While I am happy with my choice of a long-sleeve shirt, I might regret the decision later when I’m higher on the mountain. Right now, the long sleeves keep me warm. Through the trees, I can see the top of Mt. Baker glowing against a blue sky. A cleansing rain in the lowlands brought early season snow to higher elevations a few days before. Read more…

Toiling up a dry mountain shoulder in desert heat, I briefly question why I signed on to hike the highlights of Jordan’s national trail on a Mountaineers Global Adventures trip. Then I crest the shoulder of Jordan’s Grand Canyon and see the Dead Sea glimmering in the hot haze. I remember that this place has history. Jordan encompasses the biblical land of Moab. Nearby Mt. Nebo, above the Dead Sea, is where Moses saw the Promised Land. To the south, where we’re headed, lies Edom,  abled site of Sodom and Gomorrah. Visiting the desiccated salt flats around the Dead Sea, I can see these stories come to life. Read more…

Washington state has it all when it comes to outdoor recreation opportunities: an idyllic coastline, jagged peaks, and golden larches. But unfortunately, eroded trails, ancient bathrooms, washed out roads, and other challenges can prevent outdoor enthusiasts from experiencing the restorative power of our public lands.  Read more…

From picking a trusted guidebook to feeling included by a volunteer leader, there are many aspects to finding belonging outside. One barrier that people face is the financial cost of learning new skills. Donor-funded scholarships through the Mountaineers Access Program (MAP) allow people to learn skills that help outdoor recreation to be safe, sustainable, and fun, regardless of their ability to pay.  Read more…

One of my favorite things about my role at The Mountaineers is working with and recognizing our volunteers and supporters. This was the primary theme at the 2023 Annual Meeting, an event hosted to reflect on what we accomplished together during our fiscal year (Oct-Sep). We are celebrating a terrific year and highlighting exciting priorities in the year ahead, all made possible by the generosity, skill, and dedication of our community. Read on to meet our award recipients, check out our 2023 highlights, get a look at how we’re implementing our strategic plan, and/or watch a recording of the Annual Meeting. Read more…

Tired of the hustle and bustle of the big city? Come for a relaxing getaway in a cabin in the woods. Nestled next to the Stevens Pass Ski Area, our lodge is the perfect place to stay after a long day of shredding powder. Enjoy hot food, great company, and ski trails right from our lodge’s front door. Read more…

Each week we bring you a personal story from one of our members. For our member profile this week we talked to... Read more…

At the 2023 Annual Olympia Awards Celebration, outstanding leaders were recognized, hiking and climbing pins were awarded, and graduating students were celebrated for their hard work. Read more…

Picture this: you’re a small instructional group (SIG) leader for the Basic Alpine Climbing course with The Mountaineers. You've planned out all of your weeknight rope-tying and anchor-building clinics, and now you're excited to challenge your students with their first field trip on real rock. But all of your favorite teaching crags are already booked, The Mountaineers is out of permit days, and you can't find a location to run a trip. You may be the latest Mountaineer impacted by Washington’s cumbersome and inflexible public lands permitting systems. Read more…

From essentially inventing modern Yosemite big wall climbing in the 1960s to pioneering a philosophy of climbing and conservation that continues to reverberate today, Royal Robbins is a legend by any measure. Now for the first time, award-winning author David Smart illuminates the full story of the man who the New York Times deemed the “conscience of rock climbers” — in all its soulful ambition, rivalry, and romance. Published by Mountaineers Books, Royal Robbins: The American Climber is the definitive biography of one of history’s most influential climbers, from a hardscrabble youth to the heights of Yosemite and beyond. Read more…

Take a slideshow hiking tour of Washington’s breathtaking Central Cascades with award winning guidebook author, Craig Romano. Drawing from his newly released Day Hiking Central Cascades, 2nd Edition, Craig will introduce you to a diverse array of trails along the Stevens Pass US 2 corridor, the Icicle River Valley, Lake Wenatchee area, Blewett Pass, Wenatchee Foothills, lightly-hiked Entiat River Valley, and Lake Chelan area, including the remote Stehekin Valley. Read more…

Lore has it that owls are wise creatures. So, what does it mean when, as a runner, barred owls repeatedly attack me? This is not a joke.  Read more…

Each week we bring you a personal story from one of our members. For our member profile this week we talked to... Read more…

The Paradise area of Mount Rainier National Park offers an unparalleled outdoor experience and is an integral landscape for Mountaineers programs and activities. Last winter looked a little different on the mountain, as the Park restricted weekday access to Paradise through the Longmire gate. We heard from many in our community about the closure, and we shared your concerns. Over the last year, The Mountaineers and several of our partners have engaged with Park leadership around the decision to limit access for the 2022-2023 winter season. Read more…

While unrestricted giving is critical to grow our mission impact across all program areas, some members seek to leverage donations to strengthen the community within their local Branch. One of our strategic goals is to deepen our culture of giving back by providing new opportunities to contribute.  Read more…

Each month we introduce you to the Foothills Branch Council members or activity committee chairs who make our Foothills Branch thrive. This month, meet the At-Large Branch Council Members, Tom Eng, and Karen Wallace. Read more…

Each year, our Mountain Workshop program gets over 1,000 young people outside. Mountain Workshops are single or multi-day experiences designed in partnership with other youth-serving organizations. They are collaboratively designed to create memorable and accessible outdoor recreation experiences for youth while meeting the needs and goals of their respective communities. Read more…

I just signed up for my first 100k trail run. Call it Existential Crisis Number — who knows, as I’ve had so many now, I’ve lost count! I was cursed at a young age knowing that there are so many things to experience in life, yet so little time to do them. This curse was also a blessing, as I’ve tried to live my life to the fullest, not wanting to waste a moment as moments are finite. Read more…

Each week we bring you a personal story from one of our members. For our member profile this week we talked to... Read more…

From drinks to dessert, these five recipes will give your Thanksgiving dinner a creative, tasty twist.  Read more…

This collection of trip reports is fruity, unexpected, and teeters (gracefully) the fine line between larches and pow. Read on, dear friends, for a Croatian truffle hunt, how to avoid a terrible whipper, the restricted zone, and a Camp Muir trip report that dangles snowy, wintery candy right in front of our faces. Sure, it's only fall after all, but there's still much to do in this dear and dynamic shoulder season.  Read more…

The Mountaineers strategic plan and vision, Adventure with Purpose, is shaped by the wisdom and passion of our volunteer-led community. We believe the impact of our adventures can extend beyond our own personal enjoyment. We’re working toward a future where all people can confidently enjoy the natural world and are inspired to protect it. Read more…

It was November 2018, and I was sobbing in my car at the Seattle Bouldering Project (SBP). David had just broken up with me. He was a skier, mountaineer, and climber I’d met six weeks prior. I’d fallen head over heels with both him and the rock climbing hobby he introduced me to. Read more…

With the school year well underway and the weather getting wetter here in the PNW, kids are ready to bounce off the walls with all their pent-up energy, which we all know can cause some… challenges for caregivers. But fear not! The Mountaineers are excited to announce our Seattle youth After-School programs are back with seven-week sessions starting in the new year. Read more…

Each week we bring you a personal story from one of our members. For our member profile this week we talked to... Read more…

Have a gear wish list a mile long or some extra gear you'd like to unload? Stop by our holiday Gear Sale at The Mountaineers Seattle Program Center on Monday, December 11 from 6-8pm to find great gear at bargain prices. Read more…

The outdoors has always been a source of inspiration and rejuvenation. It presents an opportunity to forge deep connections with nature, push our boundaries, and craft lasting memories. At The Mountaineers, we believe all people should have equitable access to the outdoors and the transformative benefits it provides. Through our volunteer-led programs, we strive to empower our members and foster a culture of belonging by providing outdoor skills education to individuals from all backgrounds. Read more…

Mountaineers from all branches, their guests, and community members are invited to join the Olympia Mountaineers on the first Wednesday of each month from November 2023 through March  2024 for our much-loved Adventure Speaker Series! Olympia Mountaineers have hosted this amazing free event for 16 years. Join us at our evening socials featuring speakers who are guaranteed to inspire your next adventure. Read more…