Olympia Branch Blog Posts
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Olympia Branch Hiking and Backpacking Set For A Great Summer
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Welcome to summer and all that it entails! At the Olympia Hiking & Backpacking committee, we've been very busy gearing up for summer. Learn what's new and say hello to Monty Pratt (pictured above, left), our newest committee member! Read more…
Vote Now! Olympia Branch Elections 2018
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The Olympia Branch has three outstanding candidates for two open positions in the 2018/19 Officer’s Council. The open positions are Chair-Elect and Secretary. Read more…
Olympia Stewardship Challenge
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Jim French, a 20-year Mountaineers stewardship trip leader, has noticed a familiar refrain from new participants. After a long day clearing trails, removing invasive species, or seeding native plants, they exclaim, “Wow, that was great! I would have never done that if it hadn’t been required as part of The Mountaineers course I’m taking. I’d like to do it again.” Read more…
Update on the 2018 Stewardship Challenge
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Here in the Pacific Northwest, we're blessed with some of the most beautiful and accessible parks, forests, and refuges in the nation. Many Mountaineers understand the value of these wild places and set aside time to give back to our public lands. Read more…
Olympia Branch Seeks Volunteer Equipment Manager
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The Equipment Manager plays an important role in the management and security of the Olympia Branch’s non-climbing equipment storage. Read more…
Olympia showing "Dirtbag: The Legend of Fred Beckey" - June 3, 2018
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A 94-year-old Northwest native, Fred Beckey is the quintessential “dirtbag” - the original in a breed of rebellious, fearless mountain climbers. Director Dave O’Leske spent 10 years shadowing Beckey throughout the world as chronicled those tales in Dirtbag. We hope you'll join us for the final theater showing of the film before it's released for sale! Read more…
From the Cubicle to the Capital
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As a new-ish addition to The Mountaineers staff team, I have been looking for opportunities to get to know the complex interlocking departments that make the organization work. I work in Member Services, but recently had an opportunity to get the inside scoop on what it’s like to work on the conservation and advocacy. On January 25, I had the wonderful opportunity to spend a day in my hometown of Olympia, Washington, to speak with State Representatives and Senators about the importance of public lands in our state. Read more…
Carolyn Burreson Honored as Coordinator of Olympia Adventure Speaker Series
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Carolyn Burreson has been a member of The Mountaineers since 1982 and is the inspiration and force behind the Olympia Branch Potluck & Adventure Speaker Series, which she's coordinated for the last eleven years. We are grateful for all she's given to The Mountaineers! Read more…
Olympia Mountaineers welcomes Becky Nielsen as Youth Program Director
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Becky Nielsen grew up in the shadow of the Teton Mountains where she climbed, hiked, and kayaked. When she met her husband, who grew up in the shadow of the Olympic Mountains, he introduced her to the joys of backpacking. They have three daughters ages 5, 7, and 9 and are raising them to appreciate the outdoors. “They will push you to the top of Mount St. Helens, show you all of the best huckleberry patches on Mt. Rainier, and the coolest streams to soak your feet after a long day hike through the Olympics." Read more…
Take the Stewardship Challenge
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The Olympia Branch is challenging you to dedicate one day (or more!) to stewarding our public lands. This challenge is a great way to give back to our outdoor playgrounds and meet a vibrant community of volunteers. All Mountaineers members are welcome to join - regardless of branch affiliation. Read more…
Nominees Wanted for Olympia Branch Leadership Roles
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In June, the full membership of the Olympia Mountaineers will be electing new Branch officers. These individuals will serve as members of the Olympia Branch Council, the group tasked with building and improving the Olympia Branch’s overall programs. The Olympia Branch is growing and has a lot of energy to move forward, and we want you to be part of it! Read more…
Know Before You Go: Avalanche Danger
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I feel this is an important topic, especially in light of all the recent avalanche tragedies. Right now, we're transitioning from winter to spring, and the changing weather can increase avalanche risks. Read more…
2018 Olympia Sea Kayaking Program
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The Olympia Sea Kayaking Committee is launching our 2018 sea kayaking program with trip planning, instructor training, incident management training, Wednesday evening paddles, and a new group of sea kayak students. Join us for another season of fun on the water! Read more…
Mike Kretzler Focuses on Leading and Teaching People To Become Comfortable in the Outdoors
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These days many Olympia Mountaineers know Mike Kretzler as a trip leader for hiking, backpacking, and snowshoeing and a course chair for the Navigation program. What they might not realize is Mike's has a long leadership history with the chapter, including a term as Secretary and a term as Council Chair. Read more…
Did You Know? The Hummocks-Boundary Trail
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The Hummocks-Boundary Trail is a great way to get up close and personal with Mount St Helens and gain a new perspective of the May 1980 eruption. The trail is located within Mount St. Helens National Monument in the Gifford Pinchot Forest. Read more…
Did You Know? Mount St. Helens
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Long before Washington State's Mount St. Helens famously erupted in 1980, the mountain was a defining feature in the landscape Native American tribes called home. Check out the legend of Mount St. Helens and check out some tips for planning your trip to this beautiful area. Read more…
Leader Spotlight: Tom Eckhout
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For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Tom Eckhout, a volunteer leader with the Olympia Branch who cherishes every moment he has in the mountains. Read more…
Meet Your Olympia Enewsletter Editor
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Meet Regina Robinson, your branch email editor for the last two years. When she was recruited into the position, she thought, “No way, I don’t know how to do that!” She eventually agreed after some gentle persuasion and stated, “Okay, I will give it a try." She hasn’t looked back. She promises to keep doing it, "for as long as we will have her." Read more…
Olympia Branch Looking for Hike Leaders
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Whether you're an active hike leader looking for new ways to get out, an inactive hike leader who would like to become more active, or a member member who would like to become a hike leader, we need you! By leading hikes, you have an opportunity to develop your skills, go on the hikes you want at the pace you prefer - all while benefiting your club and meeting great new people! Read more…
Brent Williams attends Wilderness Risk Management Conference on Mountaineers Scholarship
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The core objective of the annual three day Wilderness Risk Management Conference is to offer an outstanding educational experience to help mitigate the risks inherent in exploring, working, teaching, and recreating in wild places. Brent Williams was one of two Mountaineers members awarded a scholarship to attend the 24th annual WRMC conference in Portland, Maine. Read more…
Olympia Annual Banquet Recap 2017
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The 2017 Annual Awards Banquet was attended by 130 Mountaineers and guests including Becca Polglase, Andy Bassett, and Jeff Bowman from The Mountaineers staff. Speaker Vik Sahney discussed the intersection of career and personal passions, sharing how he was able to move into a career with REI that mirrored his zeal for outdoor adventure and his personal values regarding sustainability and environmentalism. Read more…
Tech Update 2.9 - Many Small Improvements
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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…
2017 Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour
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The most prestigious mountain festival in the world, The Banff Centre’s Banff Mountain Film Festival celebrates 41 years in 2017 by continuing to bring the best action, environmental, and adventure films to audiences in Banff and in 40 countries across the globe. Read more…
An Ode to Volunteerism
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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…
Did You Know? Palouse Falls
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Formerly known as Aput Aput, meaning "Falling Water," so named by the Palouse Native Americans, you can find this incredible waterfall in the aptly named Palouse Falls State Park. It's definitely worth a visit! Here's some history and travel tips on this natural wonder: Read more…
Did You Know? Hoh Rainforest
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The Hoh Rainforest, reminiscent of a land before time, receives between 140 and 170 inches of rain a year. Some of the trees that live here are over 1000 years old. The Hoh River Valley was formed thousands of years ago by glaciers. Read more…
Did You Know? Hope Island State Park
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Hope Island State Park is a 106-acre marine camping park in Mason County on the Puget Sound. This island is not only a state park, but also part of the expansive Cascadia Marine Trail that extends all the way north to the San Juan Islands. This quiet island can only be reached by boat. It is covered with old growth forests, saltwater marshes, and a two mile long beach. With the proper training and equipment, it makes for a great adventure! Read more…
Vision 2022: Discussing Survey Results at Town Hall Sessions, Sept 28, Oct 2 & 4
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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…
Make your ideas a reality - volunteer on a committee!
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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…
Mountainfilm on Tour - October 12 & 14, 2017
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Established in 1979, Mountainfilm is dedicated to educating, inspiring, and motivating audiences about environments, cultures, issues, and adventures. Read more…