Course Templates
Backpacking Building Blocks (B3) Course - Foothills
Jump-start your backpacking dreams with the Backpacking Building Blocks (B3) course, sponsored by The Mountaineers Foothills branch. In it's 13th successful year, this comprehensive season-long course supplements basic gear and skills lectures, gear demonstration and practice, with mentor groups to give you season-long support and community, and optional seminars to help you 'dig deeper' in areas like ultralight gear, food planning and prep, tips for women, trip planning, navigation and more. Whether you're a new or returning backpacker, we'll give you the knowledge and skills to become capable and confident on overnight or longer trips with the club or on your own. Open to members from any Mountaineers branch! PRE-REQUISITE: To register for B3, you must be comfortable day-hiking at least 5-miles and 1000 feet of elevation gain on a typical backcountry trail (uneven surface with roots, rocks, mud, steep gravelly slopes, fallen logs, sometimes water crossings) at a pace of at least 1.5 miles per hour, carrying at least a day-pack. If you aren't already comfortable with this type of hike, so we'd encourage you to start with the Mountaineers GoHike course, focused on helping beginners build hiking and trail experience starting with easy trails and building up. Then you can take your newfound trail skills into B3 in 2026!
Conditioning for Hiking and Backpacking - Level I
Learn exercises to strengthen major muscles used during hikes. Gain mobility, stability, and strength to hike with ease and help prevent unnecessary falls and injuries this hiking season.
Backpacking with Kids
Backpack with your kids! This course is for parents with some backpacking experience who want to take their children (little ones to teenagers) backpacking and explore the wilderness opportunities here in the Pacific Northwest. Learn more about trip planning, trail tips, kid-oriented food, gear and safety recommendations and meet other interested families.
Basic Backpacking Skills Equivalency
This is an administrative course intended to help people with existing backpacking skills and experience to apply and qualify for the Mountaineers Basic Backpacking Badge through the Foothills Branch without having to take a course. There are no associated activities. Read the course listing below, and follow the instructions and links to apply for equivalency if you meet the badge qualifications. A Foothills Backpacking Committee member will follow up with you after you've submitted the equivalency application.
Mentored Backpack Leaders' Course - Foothills
Earn your backpacking leaders' badge via a group experience with other aspiring leaders. The course will include: a plenary lecture and hands-on leader training in the field via "Small Instructional Groups" (SIG). Experienced backpacking leaders will walk the student/mentees through the process of becoming a badged leader and oversee their Mentored-led trip.
Ultralight Backpacking Gear and Strategies - Foothills
This course introduces principles, tools and gear options to dramatically shrink the weight of your overnight pack, including a hands-on clinic at Seattle Program Center and a 'practice' camp' at a local park.