Blog

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…

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

Outdoor advocacy can take many forms: from virtual meetings and policy letters, to events with members of Congress. These individual advocacy actions build momentum over time to address challenges facing our public lands, climate, and outdoor recreation. Read more…

My first fall is a well-mitigated disaster. Alvero performs his part flawlessly — the disaster is all mine. With my feet at about the height of a bolt and my knees bent, I cling to an awkwardly located crimp at my left shoulder and a side pull to my right, while twenty feet below me, Alvero explains to the group what he is going to do as I fall. Read more…

For tens of thousands of years, humans have thrived and strived alongside the natural world, protecting it for future generations of life. While protecting the forests, mountains, and coastlines of the Olympic Peninsula was one of The Mountaineers first conservation priorities, Native peoples have stewarded the lands, waters, and wildlife of the Olympic Peninsula since time immemorial. Today, Olympic National Park is at the center of a much larger ecosystem: a wild circle of rivers that encompasses ancient old-growth forests, pristine coastal expanses, and jagged alpine peaks, all possessed of rich biodiversity. Read more…

For over 100 years, The Mountaineers has enriched the outdoor community by helping thousands of people explore, conserve, learn about, and enjoy the lands and waters of the Pacific Northwest and beyond. We take pride in that legacy, and want to honor our volunteer leaders who make it all possible! Read more…

Last year, I took the Basic Alpine Climbing course with the Foothills Branch. To prepare for Basic Climbing trips – which can cover long distances, thousands of feet of elevation gain, and 12+ hour days – I completed regular conditioning hikes with The Mountaineers through the winter and spring. Read more…

Each October, the Olympia Mountaineers gather to celebrate the work we have done, the fun we have had, and the friendships we have made during the program year. Read more…

The Mountaineers BeWild Speaker Series puts passion and adventure on center stage! Join us at BeWild with Graham Zimmerman on November 9 to unlock inspiration, seek adventure, connect with nature, and work to protect the wild places we cherish. Read more…

The Mountaineers Global Adventures program is thriving and growing.  Many people who love to plan and go on multi-day adventures have been asking us what's involved in planning and leading a Mountaineers Global Adventure. Join us for an informational session on Monday, October 23 to learn more about our Global Adventures program and what it means to be a Global Adventures leader. Read more…

Mountaineers programs occur on the traditional lands and waters of the Pacific Northwest Indian tribes. As we continue to grow our practice of land acknowledgment, we must also honor the histories, stories, and wisdom of the Indigenous peoples who have been living here since time immemorial. We’re partnering with Sacred Lands Conservancy, an Indigenous-led non-profit with strong ties to the Lummi Nation, to produce a series of educational pieces on the importance of mindful recreation and how we can develop deeper connections to the histories of our natural places. Read more…

Each year, we host an annual meeting for our members to learn more about the organization's state of affairs from staff and board members. Join us to celebrate 2023 fiscal year highlights, preview 2024, learn more about our strategic priorities, and have the opportunity to ask questions of our leaders.  Read more…

Backpacking the Teton Crest Trail in Wyoming's Grand Teton National Park is a chance to experience glorious high alpine scenery like nowhere else in the United States. Highlights of this strenuous route include views of the Teton Range, alpine lakes, and a unique insight into the variety of geological structures that the park contains. Read more…

Each month we try to introduce you to one of the Foothills Branch Council members or and activity committee chairs who make our Foothills Branch thrive. This month, meet the Strategic Investment Subcommittee Chair, Travis Prescott. 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…

Donna Kreuger retired in January 2022 and in June 2023 left from Olympia on an 11,500-mile solo trip camping and exploring western Canada and Alaska.  Her trip took her through the Canadian Rockies, on the Stewart-Cassier Highway north up to the Dempster Highway through the Yukon and Northern Territories to the Arctic Ocean.  Read more…

Join us in the Gear Library at The Mountaineers Seattle Program Center for a day of volunteering during our annual inventory week! This year's inventory week is scheduled for October 17-20, 2023. See the full schedule below and RSVP to help out. Read more…

In the summer 2023 Mountaineer magazine, we shared an article on how to liven up your indoor space with a DIY mountain mural. A reader responded with their own version of indoor mountain art: a string art installation of Mt. Tahoma (also known as Mt. Rainier). Read along for some top tips on their artistic process. Read more…

Back in 1906, it took newly-minted Mountaineers 21 days to reach the top of Mt. Adams (known by Native peoples as Pahto), horse-travel time included. Popular peaks like Chimney Rock and Eldorado Peak had yet to be summited by Mountaineers members, and so few Washington residents could access the Olympic Mountains that they might as well have been on the other side of the country. The mountains, and the species that lived within them, were mostly a mystery to Western eyes. Read more…

The first time I ran the Mountain Lakes 100, I DNFed (Did Not Finish) the race at 61 miles in the middle of an early winter storm.  Read more…

This collection of trip reports is warm, fuzzy, and reminds us to munch our last marshmallow and squeeze in our last skinny dip before the weather turns lovely for ducks. So read on, dear friends, for a rodent's sleepover, what constitutes a handsome view, why we play with spice, and the ridiculous but necessary 2lb Rice Krispy Treat. Read more…

Every weekend this winter, tens of thousands of people will flock to the Cascades to play in the snow. The mountains come alive with the bustle of snow plows, ski lifts, and resort infrastructure catering to locals and tourists alike. And if you look closely, adjacent to the hubbub at three popular recreation areas, you’ll find vibrant and warm pockets of Mountaineers community. Read more…

We're pleased to present you with the outcome of the 2023 Board & Branch elections, and we're grateful to everyone who participated by voting and accepting a nomination. Your participation shows a deep commitment to the organization, and this year, we saw over 1,100 votes. Read more…

When you're sourcing content for a story about outdoor toilets, your first thought probably isn’t, “I’m going to make my mom so proud.” Well, your mom isn’t a copy editor for this magazine, but my mom is, and when I told her about this article, the first thing she did was groan and say, “Oh Kristina. You aren’t writing about poop again, are you?” Full of unconditional love, she did a quick course correction. “It has been about a year since you wrote about poop, so I guess this makes sense.” 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…

Running is often a solitary sport. Ultra-running is even more solitary. Thirty-mile training runs are a special kind of challenge and not one that my casual running friends are eager to join. Because of this, I train mostly on my own.  Read more…