Explorers - WINTER

Please read this description in its entirety before registering.

Note: Explorers membership is $250 in total for the WINTER 2022 course. Participants may register here and pay in full, or may contact beckyn@mountaineers.org to set up a  payment plan. 

We offer financial assistance! To apply for financial assistance click here.

The  Explorers Winter Travel program provides youth ages 10-12 an opportunity to learn about a variety of snow travel techniques. The goal is to develop skills for traveling on snow, learn how to assess risk, and understand the importance of working as a group.

Explorer members will spend three months  working on their skills in a variety of outside settings once a month to practice skills learned in monthly meetings. These months include:

JAN: We will learn about snow shoes and glissading techniques, as well as avalanche risk, how to identify it, and avoid it. Our weekend trip will be practicing these skills at Mt Rainier. 

FEB: We will learn about cross country skiing and the variety of techniques that come with traveling on snow in skis. Our weekend trip will be at Crystal Springs Snow Park.

MAR: This will be a FUN weekend at the 3-Volcanoes Cabin to celebrate graduating the Explorers Winter programming! We will also spend a day snowshoeing and/or skiing at Crystal Mountain.

Explorers will be supported by Mountaineers staff, but parents are encouraged to actively participate and possibly even lead some trips if they feel ready. Staff will provide opportunities for parents to advance their own outdoor skills as well as learn key skills for leading kids safely in the outdoors. This program will focus on skill-building for both youth and adults, and on building an outdoor community.

*Note that while  parents/guardians are encouraged to be active participants in the club, there is plenty of flexibility so that youth can participate in a trip even if a parent/guardian can't make it.

Explorers is a club and requires a time commitment and program fee of $250 (which can be paid in installments). In return, members gain a community of outdoor enthusiasts who enjoy spending time learning skills together. As families grow through our programs, lifelong friendships are built. When graduates of our programs come home from college, they meet up with other Mountaineers friends to go hiking, backpacking and climbing. This program is just the beginning.

Note: Youth ages 10-12  register as participants, and therefore pay the registration and program fee. Parents should become a Qualified Youth Leader and then register for the Explorers program as a  Chaperone (there is no fee for this).