Seattle Branch Blog Posts

Join us September 20, 2018 to hear from Andrew Mclean, the first person to summit and ski the 'Alaska Family' of peaks Father Denali, Mother Sultanan, and child Mt. Hunter. Read more…

On June 24, I will be leaving home - along with a group of three other Mountaineers sea kayakers - to paddle down the west coast of Vancouver Island. Our plan is to take three weeks, starting in Winter Harbor and ending in Tofino, paddling a distance of over 200 nautical miles of exposed and remote outer coastline.  As a part of our safety plan, we've included electronic signaling devices which we can use to call for emergency help. This blog describes the various options that I considered for our trip, an overview of what we decided to bring, and how we will use these devices throughout our journey.  Read more…

Heather Hansen is an award-winning environmental reporter and author. Her book, Prophets and Moguls, Rangers and Rogues, Bison and Bears: 100 Years of the National Park Service, published by Mountaineers Books, won the Colorado Authors’ League General Nonfiction award and was a finalist for the Colorado Book Award. Read more…

Name: Erwin Buske
Hometown: Fairwood, Washington
Member Since: 1995
Occupation: Erwin Buske Photography & Procurement Cost Analysis Consulting Read more…

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Jacob Wolniewicz, a volunteer leader with the Seattle Branch who currently chairs the organization's largest committee ... Seattle Climbing! Read more…

In the grey of very early morning I was awakened by fluttering, scuttling, and pecking on the metal roof. The tiny, three-bed Ball Hut is perched on the moraine of the Tasman Glacier in Aoraki-Mount Cook National Park. On New Zealand's South Island, the hut is just a stone's throw away from the sheer 6000-foot Caroline Face of Mount Cook.  Read more…

We're very excited to host Charlotte Austin,  IMG mountain guide and adventure writer, for an evening writing workshop. Whether you're an experienced author, part-time blogger, or curious novice, this unique workshop will give you a glimpse into the wide world of travel writing and help you hone your storytelling and adventure writing skills! Read more…

You can capture the magic of nature right in your own backyard. Join us this spring for field trips with our Seattle Photography Committee to explore a city lake, the waterfront, downtown, a ghost town, see migratory birds, and more! Read more…

The Seattle branch Photography Committee has three workshops coming up between now through May, two of them brand new! Join us to learn how to  master landscapes, close-ups, and street scenes. Read more…

Join our Mountaineers skippers for a raft-up party potluck and sail out of Port Madison on March 18. Then, sign up for a sailing course to learn how to sail this spring and enjoy free sailing all summer long! Read more…

A year ago, I had the notion to lead a group of Mountaineers sea kayakers on a difficult trip around the northwest corner of Vancouver Island. This is a classic trip because the launch point (Port Hardy) and the landing point (Coal Harbor) are separated by only 20 minutes of driving - and 100 miles of remote, beautiful coastline. It is a thru paddle with a very easy shuttle. But the paddling is mostly open coast, much of which is exposed to ocean swell with surf on the beaches. It's an advanced paddle and it takes two weeks. So, I wondered:  How will I find a group of capable and compatible kayakers? Read more…

The Mountaineers are proud to present the BeWild Speaker Series, putting passion and adventure on the stage! Come to these talks to unlock inspiration to seek adventure, connect with nature, and work to protect the wild places we cherish. This March we welcome photographer Joe Riis. Read more…

Each week we bring you a personal story from one of our members. For our member profile this week we talked to.... Read more…

Sunny Walter was a dedicated Mountaineers member and passionate photographer, with a keen interest in the natural world. When she was Chair of our Seattle Photography Committee, she compiled a list of the best places and times to capture nature in Washington. Read more…

On Sunday, January 21, a group of 30 donors and volunteers gathered at the Seattle Program Center to celebrate the long overdue completion of the Friction Slabs project. The idea was born in 2012. Plans were drawn and funds were raised, however the process became much more of a lift than anyone could have anticipated. Fast forward six years, and we have (as far as we can tell) the only fabricated friction slab training structure in existence!  Read more…

Each week we bring you a personal story from one of our members. For our member profile this week we talked to.... Read more…

Pull up a chair, settle in, and enjoy stories and video from award winning filmmaker Justine Curgenven. With 15 years of sea kayaking adventures spanning six continents, Justine's hair-raising experiences appeal to anyone with an adventurous spirit ... be they climbers, skiers, sailors, or kayakers themselves! Read more…

The 13th Annual Winter Wildlands Alliance Backcountry Film Festival will show at the Bellevue Botanical Garden on Monday, January 22 and at the Seattle Mountaineers Program Center on Monday January 29.  Adventure, environment and climate, youth outdoors, ski culture - you’ll find it all in this award winning lineup of eight films.  Read more…

In 2007 a terrific team of volunteers worked together to renovate and build the impressive community facility we have today. Check out photos from the renovation and learn more about what it really took to turn Navy Building 67 into The Mountaineers Seattle Program Center.  Read more…

The Mountaineers are proud to present the BeWild Speaker Series, putting passion and adventure on the stage! This year, we're presenting adventurers who've 'found' themselves in the outdoors. Come to these talks to unlock inspiration to seek adventure, connect with nature, and work to protect the wild places we cherish. Read more…

Name: Dennis Day
Hometown: Lake Forest Park
Member Since: 2008
Occupation: Educator
Favorite Things to Photograph: Macro, landscapes, long exposures, macro. 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…

Name: Heidi Walker
Hometown: Grew up in Monroe but now live in Edmonds
Member Since: 2003
Occupation: Desk Jockey at a nonprofit
Favorite Things to Photograph: flowers, landscapes, and people out adventuring Read more…

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…

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…

My own Mountaineers leadership story started with a search for trail companions. I was seeking a compatible group on the types of hikes and backpacks that interested me. Then, one day, I took a new arrival from China on his first hike, and I saw the joy and wonder blossom on his face when Mount Rainier emerged in all her glory behind a ridge covered with meadow wildflowers. That was it, I was hooked. Read more…

Are you good with your hands? Can you take apart an engine? Can you swing a hammer or clean a kitchen? If you can say yes to any of the above (and even if you don't), sign up for Meany's fall work parties. These work parties are a very good way to meet the folks who run our Meany Lodge  and see the inner-workings of a winter full of fun.  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…

Back by popular demand, and open to all branches, FOREFRONT 2017 will take place Oct 13 from 6-9pm at the Seattle Program Center. You will have a chance to move from one table to the next learning climbing techniques and concepts from instructors and special guests, including representatives from Black Diamond and Petzl.  Read more…