Kitsap Branch Blog Posts

The Mountaineers values diversity – including persons with diverse abilities – in its programs. While we do not specialize in integrating persons with disabilities into our programs, we encourage people of all abilities to consider participating in Mountaineers programming. Read more…

The Mountaineers’ Kitsap Forest Theater is one-of-a-kind. Attendees take a winding, quarter-mile path through lush woodlands sprinkled with wild rhododendrons. At the trail’s end, almost as though designed by the forest itself, the theater rises from the greenery. Giant firs surround terraced seating, moss-covered bark forms theater wings, verdant ferns serve as footlights, and sunlight shines through the tree canopy to create spotlights. Read more…

Yosemite, September 1998. Marie, Andrew, and I are standing at a trail junction in northern Yosemite National Park, unable to decide which trail to take. We've had a spectacular week of high country, off-trail rambling in beautiful, high basins. Now we're making our way back to Tuolumne Meadows on-trail. The plan was to go left at this junction and do two more days of hiking through a valley none of us have visited. Now that we're at the junction, we realize we have the option to go right and make it back to the car this evening. Tempting. Read more…

The complex landscape of permitting rules and regulations can be difficult to navigate as a Mountaineers leader. To help make things clearer, we've created a series of pages describing the various permit processes pertaining to Mountaineers activities, all organized by land manager. Read more…

A revamped building in Bremerton is set to transform how The Mountaineers Kitsap Branch teaches and trains students. But before we get too far into the future, the story of our new home warrants a look at the past. Read more…

Cross-country skiing in the Methow. Climbing at Exit 38. Hiking at Ebey’s Landing. There's nothing like the amazing landscapes of the Pacific Northwest, and thanks to your advocacy, they are more protected than ever! Read more…

One of Vision 2022's strategic imperatives is to Lead Innovation in Outdoor Education. Our program centers and lodges play a key role in this by providing physical places for us to teach outdoor skills and build community. Teaching and gathering places can also help us reduce our environmental footprint on public lands and improve our relationships with the broader outdoor community.  Read more…

At The Mountaineers, we believe a diverse and inclusive outdoors inspires unity, respect, and passion for the places we love. We aspire to offer outdoor opportunities for ALL, and have assembled a board-chartered Equity & Inclusion (E&I) Steering Committee to direct our strategy and financial investments to become a place where, a century from now, future generations will recognize themselves in The Mountaineers. Read more…

In odd-numbered years (like this one), Washington legislators set the two-year state budget (capitol and operating). Lawmakers are currently negotiating this year’s funding package. Critical provisions for education, human services, infrastructure, and public lands hang in the balance. From the shores of Deception Pass to the Ponderosa pines of Riverside, our state public lands - and the agencies that steward them - need sufficient funding to provide the outdoor experience we know and love. Read more…

When you donate a vehicle  you no longer need, you not only support The Mountaineers and Mountaineers Books, but you reduce your impact and your gift qualifies for a tax deduction! Most cars, trucks, trailers, boats, RVs, motorcycles, off road vehicles, heavy equipment, and other motorized vehicles are eligible, making it easy for you to support The Mountaineers in another exciting way! Read more…

January 3, 2019 marked the start of the 116th Congress, and with it a new landscape for outdoor advocates to navigate. Here are some key changes to keep in mind as we work to conserve the public lands and waters of the Pacific Northwest and beyond: Read more…

The government shutdown is now the longest in history, and it may continue for weeks or even months. One of the most visible manifestations of the shutdown has been its effects on our national parks, many of which are being kept open despite having few staff and no budget. Read more…

At The Mountaineers, we believe a diverse and inclusive outdoors inspires unity, respect, and passion for the places we love. As we aspire to offer outdoor opportunities for ALL, we are assembling a board-chartered Equity & Inclusion (E&I) Steering Committee to lead our efforts to become a place where, a century from now, future generations will recognize themselves in The Mountaineers. Read more…

At the top of Three Way Peak, our rainbow assortment of French macarons shone in contrast to the cloudy skies. My mood mirrored our brightly colored summit treats. This was the first on-the-ground outing of Mountain-Queers, an affinity group of LGBTQ Mountaineers that I started laying the groundwork for last August. When I began, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, now I couldn’t wait to see what was next. Read more…

One of our Core Values is Community. We provide opportunities for all because we believe a diverse and inclusive outdoors inspires unity, respect, and passion for the places we love. To be true to this value, our commitment to treating one another respectfully must be iron-clad. When we do this consistently, day in and day out, we build the kind of culture where all people feel safe and can enjoy outdoor experiences to their fullest. Read more…

Every five years or so, we refresh our strategic plan - a roadmap defining  the priority actions and investments we believe are essential to our future success. After a year-long process involving significant input from The Mountaineers community, our Board of Directors approved our latest strategic plan, Vision 2022. The actual document itself is hot off the presses and we're pleased to share it with our community.  Read more…

Since the 3.0 update in mid-February to bring Mountaineers Programs and Publishing under one roof, we have continued to make many improvements to our website. The two biggest ones are committee-aggregated feedback and an improved gift membership process. Read on to learn more. Read more…

I joined The Mountaineers two years ago – I am new to the “wild” outdoors – with Basic Wilderness Skills (BWS) as my first course. Prior to that, I was having difficulty getting questions answered about what I should wear so I didn’t die of exposure. I came to Bremerton from arid desert climate, where a t-shirt and jeans are the accepted hiking attire. I needed someone to give me the low down on what the heck “hard shells and base layers” were. Susan Graham and the BWS team gave me the core tidbits I needed to do more.  Read more…

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Christine Grenier, a hike leader with the Kitsap Branch who offers other Mountaineers the chance to slow down, look around, and enjoy the scenery. Read more…

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Jerry Logan, a volunteer with the Kitsap Branch who takes pride and joy in helping new climbers achieve summits they didn't think were possible! Read more…

From April through November, we worked on several improvements to our website and our Salesforce platform. And in October and November, we added bigger improvements and one new features. Read on to learn more! Read more…

In the process of writing a recent blog on committee volunteerism, I shared an email conversation with John Dunlap from the Olympia Branch about volunteering with The Mountaineers. John is a five year member who supports several committees, including Olympia’s Scrambling and Sea Kayaking Committees. When I asked John about his experience supporting committee work and volunteering with The Mountaineers, his response took me by surprise - in a very good way. Read more…

We're more than halfway through the process of building 'Vision 2022' - our strategic plan to carry us forward through the next five years. We've completed our community survey and are looking forward to sharing the results in our upcoming town hall sessions.  Read more…

Did you know that The Mountaineers club didn’t have a paid employee until 1984? Tired of all of the paperwork, the growing organization hired a part-time administrator to help with waivers and dues so that volunteers could focus on the fun stuff: developing courses, providing instruction, leading trips, and running committees. Read more…

We're halfway through the process of building 'Vision 2022' - our strategic plan to carry us forward through the next five years. After rounds of feedback from staff, committee members, and three 'town hall' meetings, we've put together a survey to help us further define our future priorities.  Read more…

We've begun building 'Vision 2022' - our strategic plan to carry us forward through the next five years. For 111 years, we have welcomed people from all walks of life into a community that shares deep connections to the outdoors. We intend to carry forward this legacy for  111 more years and beyond, which is why we're working collaboratively to create Vision 2022, our next strategic plan.  Read more…

We're excited to introduce Kick Step IPA, a bold and distinctly Northwest India Pale Ale by Ghostfish Brewing, benefiting The Mountaineers. Read more…

For 111 years, The Mountaineers has been a passionate group of bold explorers welcoming people from all walks of life into a community that shares deep connections to the outdoors. Adventure is at the core of who we are as Mountaineers, but for us, it’s adventure with a purpose. Vision 2022, our next strategic plan, will outline the best ways we can continue to carry forward our legacy of volunteer-led outdoor education and conservation advocacy and you can get involved. Read more…

For 111 years, The Mountaineers has been a passionate group of bold explorers welcoming people from all walks of life into a community that shares deep connections to the outdoors. We’re adventurers driven by imagination, challenge, and the spirit of discovery. Read more…

Mountaineers have been enjoying the lands and waters of the Pacific Northwest and beyond for 110 years, and it's our long-term aspiration to be thriving for another 110 years. As we look toward Vision 2022 - our next strategic plan - we felt it was time to put our core values on paper. Read more…