Blog

The Everett Branch will be included in the larger Board Elections this fall and the positions of chair-elect, treasurer, secretary, and vice chair are included on the ballot for election/re-election. Interested in running for one of these positions? Submit your self-nomination by August 20 to join our impressive slate of candidates.  Read more…

Waking up to the smell of coffee and freshly baked sweet bread… what could be better? Waking up to these after hiking along the magnificent Amalfi Coast in Italy, of course! 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…

It's safe to say Mountaineers had a good time in the high alpine this July. Read on, dear friends, for super successful summits of Mount Baker, Glacier Peak, Eldorado Peak, Mount Olympus, Bonanza Peak, Sahale Peak, and more.  Read more…

I have a tumultuous relationship with canoes. When I was eleven, my first canoe trip turned into a raging disaster when a thunderstorm upstream caused a flash flood, overturning our canoe and stranding us on a quickly shrinking island. Years later, I refused to do the canoe-tipping test required to swim at summer camp. Even into my 30s, I was the only person in my group who could not get back into a canoe after swimming in Lake Union, dumping everyone and everything out in the process (RIP iPhone 3). Read more…

At Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, Scotch broom is considered a noxious weed, displacing native species and altering natural habitats from open, light-filled systems to dense shrub land where nothing else will grow. The Olympia Mountaineers are actively organizing work parties to eradicate Scotch broom, maintaining the monument’s biodiversity and habitat health. 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…

Exploring the great outdoors is a transformative experience that connects us with nature in profound ways. For those eager to step onto the trails but uncertain about where to begin, the GoHike: Beginning Hiking Series course offers an inviting gateway into the world of hiking. The GoHike course launched in 2021 to introduce new hikers, or those who are eager to restart, to the joys of hiking while providing a supportive community and valuable resources to ensure a safe and enjoyable beginner experience. Read more…

Our volunteer leaders are a huge part of what makes the Olympia Branch such an inspiring, fun, and impactful community.  Each year we honor the hard work and dedication of one Olympia volunteer by presenting them with the Branch Service Award. Read more…

Represent The Mountaineers at this year's Wilderness Risk Management Conference (WRMC). Join us to foster an environment of open dialogue and enhance our organization’s understanding of risk management practices. As a WRMC attendee, you'll acquire valuable skills in risk management, connect with fellow industry experts, share field and administrative techniques, and contribute to the establishment of standards for risk management in outdoor adventure and education. Read more…

In June, Braided River launched Big River: Resilience and Renewal in the Columbia Basin - a stunning photography book and engagement campaign spotlighting the Columbia River watershed. The Pacific Northwest’s largest river system - called the Big River by many Indigenous nations of the West - covers a landscape the size of France, beginning in the Canadian Rocky Mountains and ending at the ocean mouth, near Astoria, Oregon.  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…

When it comes to building support for our advocacy priorities, there’s no substitute for recreating together with lawmakers and land managers out on public lands. Washington state’s congressional delegation is filled with champions of conservation and recreation, and Senator Patty Murray tops that list. Earlier this week, I joined partners from the Forest Service and the Wild Olympics Campaign to hike the Gray Wolf Trail on Olympic National Forest with Senator Murray, where we discussed her Wild Olympics Bill. Read more…

As an organization that cares deeply about a healthy future for our lands, waters, and communities, we have an obligation to respond to the climate crisis by aggressively reducing our impact on the environment. The Mountaineers is committed to reducing our organizational carbon footprint, toward the ambitious goal of achieving net zero carbon emissions for our facilities and operations. Read more…

After the print edition of our magazine, we recognized the implications of using terms like “bagging” which are associated with a culture of conquest over nature. Shifting our language and recreation frameworks is an ongoing journey. Learn more about how to experience the joys of recreating mindfully at alpine lakes. Read more…

At The Mountaineers, we strive to recreate mindfully and respectfully on the traditional lands of Native peoples. After the print edition of our magazine, we recognized the implications of using terms like “bagging” which are associated with a culture of conquest over nature. To honor our commitment to mindful engagement with the outdoors and the connections of Native peoples to the lands we love, we have revised the online version of this article to include ways to incorporate land acknowledgment and mindful and respectful recreation into your alpine lake visits. Read more…

With the recent release of our annual impact report, we're celebrating all that donors and volunteers made possible through The Mountaineers in 2023.  Read more…

Our volunteer leaders are a huge part of what makes the Foothills Branch one of the fastest growing branches offering a broad array of activities we all love. Each year, we honor the hard work and dedication of one Foothills volunteer by presenting them with the Branch Service Award. Read more…

With recent reports of  sexual harassment and sexual assault in the broader outdoor community, we’re reminded of how much work there is to be done to reverse this troubling reality. This news has been particularly painful for the many people who have been the targets of sexual harassment and sexual assault. As a global outdoor recreation community, we can and must do better. The Mountaineers is deeply committed to keeping our community safe, both physically and emotionally. We are redoubling our efforts to protect members from sexual harassment and sexual assault.  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…

Mountaineers staff and volunteers have been aware of gaps in our member and leadership training related to emotional safety for a number of years. Between 2020 and 2024, staff-sponsored Leadership Development Series hosted a number of evening seminars that touched on this topic. In 2023, staff in partnership with the Equity & Inclusion Committee introduced the Emotional Safety in the Outdoors eLearning course that connects the core values of The Mountaineers to these five themes:  Read more…

With the recent release of our annual impact report, we're celebrating all that donors and volunteers made possible through The Mountaineers in 2023.  Read more…

A year into our strategic plan, Adventure with Purpose, we’re making significant strides to continue improving support for our mission. To better address the needs of our volunteers who run and operate our three lodges, we are expanding resources and making dedicated financial investments. Of the many improvements taking place this season, I’m excited about a new opportunity to accelerate infrastructure improvements to revitalize Baker, Meany, and Stevens Lodges. 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…

Being outdoorsy didn’t come naturally to me. Although I’m from a small, blue-collar farming community, my parents' idea of spending time outside meant performing back-breaking work in the mid-Atlantic humidity or struggling to stay warm in Carhartt coveralls during blustery winters. In 2013, I migrated to Wyoming and met people who had different ideas of the outdoors: that it could be healing, peaceful, and most importantly, fun. Read more…

When you’re out enjoying the natural world, we hope your day job is the farthest thing from your mind. But the next time you find yourself daydreaming at work about your next trip, take a moment to find out if your employer has a workplace giving program that will match your volunteer hours and donations. Workplace giving programs are an excellent way to support The Mountaineers mission and future. By leveraging an employer match, you can multiply the impact of your donations, volunteer hours, or membership dues. Read more…

In June, I watched as nearly 50 drool-inducing trip reports rolled in, making the tough job of choosing just 10 even tougher. But alas, the deed had to be done. With dried drool still on the edge of my mouth, I happily offer a collection of trip reports that highlights the most tasty and delicious views of early summer. Read on, dear friends, for marmot greetings, the infamous cheese rock, a river in good flow, snake-friendly sunbathing, and directions that are occasionally diagonal.  Read more…

With the recent release of our annual impact report, we're celebrating all that donors and volunteers made possible through The Mountaineers in 2023.  Read more…

At The Mountaineers, we believe all people should feel belonging in the outdoors and everyone should have opportunities, knowledge, resources, and access to connect with nature. This work stems from our core belief that a diverse and inclusive outdoors inspires unity, respect, and passion for the places we love. Since our last Equity & Inclusion (E&I) Committee update, we’ve been focusing efforts and resources on continuing to lower barriers to get outdoors, providing ongoing training to our leaders, investing in the emotional safety of our participants and community, and more.  Read more…

In February, we shared our Technology Update 4.5, which included improvements to rosters, smarter and more dynamic site search functionality, and the option to schedule Practice Sessions and eLearning courses. With all of our technology updates, our goal is to continue to improve the experience for our leaders and members. Leading this work moving forward, we’re thrilled to welcome our new Technology Experience Manager, Devin Lampe, to the team. Looking ahead, we’re excited about forthcoming improvements to our UserVoice Feedback forum to help you better engage with our technology priorities and resources. Read more…