Blog

You’ve got the gear, taken the avalanche classes, found some friends, and are ready to hit the slopes. But where do you go for your first self-directed backcountry ski tour? Finding a safe place to explore, especially when you’re new to touring, can feel overwhelming. To help you on your way, here are five favorite ski (and splitboard!) tours for beginners, from our enthusiastic backcountry-loving staff. Be sure to check the local weather and NWAC forecast before you go, always pick tours within your ability level, and of course carry a beacon, shovel, and probe (and know how to use them). 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…

Each year, The Mountaineers partner with Banff Mountain Film Festival to bring their World Tour to the Pacific Northwest. In addition to a heavy dose of stoke, the festival provides a gathering place to visit with old friends and new adventure buddies. Banff also provides the prefect venue to recognize and celebrate our Peak Society donors, who bolster our ability to serve a growing outdoor community in ways we could not do with earned revenue alone. Read more…

At the 2022 Annual Awards Celebration, the Olympia Branch recognized outstanding leaders, awarded  hiking and climbing pins, and congratulated students who graduated from a wide variety of courses.  Read more…

December 20 Update: Many of you took action recently to urge Congress to pass the Wild Olympics bill and secure outdoor recreation permitting reform in an end-of-year public lands and recreation package. Despite our best opportunity yet to secure these important wins for the outdoors, they failed to pass Congress by the end of the year. We'll continue to urge Congress to pass Wild Olympics and recreational permitting reform in the next session of Congress.  Read more…

Since taking on the role of Everett Branch Chair about a month ago, I’ve been humbled by the words of encouragement I’ve received and by the number of volunteers who have stepped forward to take on leadership roles in our community. Many of you heard the calling I made at our Annual Awards Banquet on November 5 and have raised your hand to help and to learn more about the critical roles in Everett that need filling. Read more…

We are excited to announce that three of our titles are 2022 Banff Mountain Book Competition finalists! This internationally recognized literary competition included 166 books from 11 different countries this year.  Read more…

At The Mountaineers, we believe a diverse and inclusive outdoors inspires unity, respect, and passion for the places we love. This belief is reflected in our core values and is the driving vision to foster outdoor experiences where all people feel belonging. One way we strive to do that is through affinity group activities.  Read more…

As life changes, the way we play outside does too. This is true of families with newborns, folks with caretaking responsibilities, those of us who might be nursing an injury or just want to take it a little slower for whatever reason. If you’re looking to get outdoors in a way that requires less planning and is less strenuous, consider an indoor adventure like renting a beachfront cabin at Cama Beach State Park on Camano Island. Read more…

As we increasingly experience the impacts of climate change in our communities and on outdoor experiences, it’s time to meaningfully invest in fighting the climate crisis. This summer, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) - a massive package of climate, healthcare, and tax bills - was passed by Congress and signed into law. Read more…

Giving Tuesday was a day to remember! 

As snow descended across Western Washington, many of you chose to give back to The Mountaineers with a special donation in support of The Mountaineers Access Program (MAP). We got a special surprise when a member offered to match up to $5,000 with a gift of $100 for every Giving Tuesday donation of any size. And to round out the day, a few people even joined Peak Society with gifts of $1,000! Read more…

Rain on the windshield distorted the headlights of other cars waiting in the dark parking lot. My older sister was in the backseat next to me, leaning against our dad’s headrest as she looked over his shoulder. He flipped on the windshield wipers just as a school bus pulled in. “Is that it?” my sister asked. Mom replied, her eyes intent on her husband. “Looks like it. They said the bus would be here at 6.” 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 Meany Patrol Race is back and open for registration with racers lining up on Saturday, March 18, 2023. Steeped in the rich history of Mountaineers winter backcountry exploration and the nearly one hundred year old Meany Lodge, The Patrol Race remains the backcountry ski touring race in the Pacific Northwest. Sign up to race or to cheer the racers on as they cross the finish line at Meany Lodge.   Read more…

As a Mountaineers member, you receive free access to our quarterly Mountaineer magazine, keeping you up-to-date with everything our organization and community have been up to. Hear from regular contributors on topics from training exercises to trail tips, and read features from our members sharing stories from the outdoors. We encourage you to access all of our updates, stories, tips, and more in the tree free online magazine today. Read more…

Since 1906, Mountaineers members have come together to discover the best ways to go farther together. Today, members still continue to find ways to promote the benefits of getting outside to resource and elevate our mission using their shared love of the natural world, along with a healthy dose of imagination, hospitality, determination, and generosity. Read more…

November is a time to be grateful not only for leftovers, but for stunning adventures and perfect days exploring with The Mountaineers. This month there was a surprising amount of blue sky that made for sunny lunch breaks, great weather conditions, and wonderful photographs of our iconic mountains. Read more…

Every Giving Tuesday, our community comes together to improve access to the outdoors through scholarships. Will you join us with a special donation today? Read more…

Do you find yourself scouring our website, waiting for new courses and activities to be posted? Save yourself some time by signing up for Alerts & Notifications! This website feature sends you customized email alerts whenever your favorite Mountaineers programs are added to the website so that you never have to miss an opportunity to get outside with us.  Read more…

When I reflect upon my life of 74 years, many treasured memories are of nights in tents. What is it about the little nylon-framed shelter that offers so much? It provides protection from the elements, yet allows us to be closer to nature and the world around us. When in tents, we can hear rain pelting off tent walls, owls hooting in the night, ice breaking off glaciers, rivers rushing, waves lapping, and sometimes the sounds of bears and wolves coming into camp. Read more…

It starts with a twinkle of curiosity in their eye. The twinkle turns into an adventurous grin, and in an instant, a child can become lost in their imagination. We want to nurture the spark of joyful adventure when working with youth in the outdoors, and that’s why the goal for each Mountaineers youth program is to introduce kids to the benefits of outdoor experiences. Read more…

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

As you sit down to plan your next activity with The Mountaineers, we encourage you to consider how your listing may impact registration and last-minute cancellations. Read on to find some helpful tips from the staff at The Mountaineers. Read more…

Izy loves everything about the outdoors. As a single mother working in social services, I’ve always made a modest salary, but I didn’t want my financial hardships to keep Izy from going to summer camp. I wanted my daughter to have the experiences that other kids have like climbing, sailing, kayaking, paddle boarding, whitewater rafting, hiking, learning to respect our natural world, and even things like outdoor cooking and first aid.  Read more…

Braided River, the conservation imprint of Mountaineers Books, has deep roots in protecting nature through visual storytelling. It began with a historic vote on the Senate floor in 2003; the U.S. Senate was set to vote on opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) for drilling. At a critical moment during the debate, Senator Barbara Boxer held up a Mountaineers Books publication book with photographer Subhankar Banerjee - showing her fellow senators images that told a much different story than the “blank white nothingness” portrayed by pro-drilling senators and the oil industry. Seeing images of the abundant life in all four seasons encouraged a vote of 52 to 48 against opening up the coastal plain of this refuge to drilling. Read more…

The following is an excerpt from All and Nothing: Inside Free Soloing by acclaimed author Jeff Smoot. Once considered a fringe activity, free soloing - climbing without a rope - has entered the mainstream consciousness. Yet climbers have been free soloing all along, motivated by reasons as varied as the climbers themselves. All and Nothing delves into the cultural history of free soloing and explores the interplay between climbing and risk, as well as psychological theories, evolving climbing ethics, and the effect of media coverage. With a complex personal connection to free soloing, Jeff Smoot examines our relationship with risk, how we perceive our sense of control, and what it means to consider our mortality. 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 climate crisis is a critical issue for outdoor recreationists like you, who took action to urge Congress to go big on climate and invest in a sustainable future for the planet and our communities. In early August 2022, everything fell into place and lawmakers passed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) - a massive package of climate, healthcare, and tax bills. The final version of the bill contains $369 billion in climate provisions, making it the largest effort to address the climate crisis in our nation’s history.  Read more…

At The Mountaineers, we aspire to offer outdoor opportunities for everyone, and are committed to building a community where all people feel belonging. Our Equity & Inclusion (E&I) Committee was founded in 2018 to work across the organization, in partnership with staff and volunteers, to bring this vision to life. Reflecting the promise of transparency to our community, our committee shares written updates twice per year and holds an annual E&I Town Hall to highlight key trail markers in our work. Today we’re excited to share the progress we’ve made since our April Town Hall, and to announce that applications are now open to join the E&I Committee in 2023.  Read more…

November 29 is Giving Tuesday, a global day of giving that inspires millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity. The power of your generosity unlocks opportunity and equity everywhere – around the world and in our own community. Every year, Mountaineers members like you come together to pay it forward.

This Giving Tuesday, we hope to raise $30,000 to improve access to the outdoors.  Read more…