Olympia Branch Committees
Intro to Leading on Bolted Routes
This course can teach you the skills to safely lead on sport (bolted) routes. Instruction includes clipping, anchors, lowering off, and climbing techniques. The course is suggested for anyone who wants to further develop their rock skills and learn to lead outside.
Olympia Adventure Speakers Committee
The Olympia Adventure Speakers Committee helps to organize our popular Adventure Speakers series. Join us as we bring fresh, exciting stories to our branch socials.
Olympia Alpine Scrambling Committee
The Olympia Alpine Scrambling Committee offers a Scrambling course each year between February and June. Trips are scheduled year round.
Olympia Backcountry Ski Committee
The Olympia Backcountry Ski Committee is in its beginning stages. Currently we are offering an Into to Backcountry Skiing program. It is our hope that we can build on our program so that we can offer a more robust program in the future.
Olympia Basic Alpine Climbing
The Basic Alpine Climbing course is designed to teach the fundamental skills necessary to safely climb most rock and glaciated peaks in the Pacific Northwest with an experienced leader. The course includes instruction and practice in alpine travel and in the technical aspects of roped climbing on rock, snow and glaciers. Trips are scheduled year round.
Olympia Climbing Committee
The Olympia Climbing Committee includes Courses and Trips in Basic Alpine Climbing, Traditional Climbing, Intro to Leading on Bolted Routes, and Intermediate Alpine Climbing. Climbs vary from nontechnical ascents to high angle rock and ice. Depending upon the classification, they are open to Alpine Scramble graduates, Basic Alpine Climbing graduates and equivalents, and Intermediate Climbing students and graduates. The Olympia Mountaineers offers an array of climbing courses and activities.
Olympia Climbing Self-Rescue
The Climbing Self Rescue course is a seminar-based course with the goal of facilitating practice and learning of self rescue skills by providing scenarios for the participants to work through.
Olympia Conditioning Hiking Series
This course is part of the Olympia Branch Hiking and Backpacking Committee. It offers participants the chance to develop their fitness capabilities, hike with many of the same people throughout the duration of the course, and reach new distance and elevation goals. OR if you are an experienced hiker who wants to enhance your capabilities, hike further and higher, explore the majestic mountains and trails so readily available to us in the Pacific Northwest.
Olympia Conservation & Stewardship Committee
We foster interest in natural resource conservation and provide opportunities to advocate for conservation issues, to organize and lead stewardship work parties, and to develop and present conservation education.
Olympia Family Hiking Committee
The Olympia Branch Family Hiking Committee is a sub-Committee of the Olympia hiking committee established to allow families and their young children a way to get out and explore nature in family friendly hiking activities.
Olympia Hiking & Backpacking Committee
The Hiking and Backpacking Committee offers hikes year-round and backpacks during the warmer months. Enjoy day hikes or extended trips in the wilderness. We offer the Conditioning Hiking Series Course, Backpacking Course, Family Hikes, Day Hikes, and Backpacking trips.
Olympia Leadership Committee
Our Leadership course is aimed at promoting and producing activity Leaders in Hiking, Scrambling, and Climbing.
Olympia Library
The library is open! Thanks to our hard-working library volunteers, the Olympia Branch maintains the only operating library in the club. Without Jeff Bowman, who we will greatly miss, this website page would not be so easy to use!
Olympia MOFA (Mountaineering Oriented First Aid)
This is a 32 hour Wilderness First Aid Course. Course material includes CPR and AED certification, basic first aid diagnosis and treatment and Seven Steps to Accident Response. Course materials are taught via lecture, skills practice and simulated accident scenarios.
Olympia Naturalists Committee
Our outings are primarily easy paced hikes designed to allow hikers to enjoy the beauty of the natural world. They are often theme based: waterfalls, wildflowers, photography, bird watching and sometimes include a subject matter expert. The naturalist committee also offers Talks and Walks- a talk by a local expert followed with a hike/walk/field trip.
Olympia Navigation Committee
Our navigation course consists of lectures, in-person practice workshop, and a day of outdoor exercises and testing.
Olympia Nordic Ski Committee
Come ski with us! We are currently seeking cross-country ski leaders for trips and instructors for the course and field trip. Contact the chair if you are interested in leading some wintery adventures or helping teach for the Olympia Nordic Ski Committee!
Olympia Sea Kayaking Committee
We are a community of avid sea kayakers who enjoy the Puget Sound and coastal waters of the Pacific Northwest. We range from beginner sea kayakers to internationally paddled experts.
Olympia Snowshoe Committee
Come snowshoe with us! We are currently seeking snowshoe leaders. Contact the chair if you are interested in leading some wintery adventures for the Olympia Snowshoe Committee!
Olympia Trail Running Committee
We're still running! If you're interested in running trails in the South Sound with the Olympia Mountaineers during reduced activities phases, please email Julie to find out more.
Olympia Wilderness Skills Committee
Wilderness Skills prepares people to day hike and be safer on an unplanned overnight, along with the basics of backpacking. The 16-hour course on two consecutive Saturdays includes presentations, hands-on activities, and a short local hike with scenarios and navigation exercises.
Olympia Youth & Family Activities
Join us as we explore opportunities to bring outdoor experiences to youth through outdoor youth activities and family programs.
Traditional Climbing
The Traditional Climbing course (formerly Beyond Basic) provides classroom and field instruction designed to teach the techniques of safe climbing on rock. It occurs annually between March/April and July. There are four instruction and practice sessions followed by scheduled field trips at Leavenworth, Tieton, Vantage, and Exit 38.