Tacoma Branch Blog Posts

As we well know at The Mountaineers, teamwork and a shared passion for the outdoors can produce some incredible things. Over the past few years, volunteers and staff at The Mountaineers have enjoyed deepening our relationships with our partners at the American Alpine Club, Colorado Mountain Club, and the Mazamas as we work together to develop national climbing education standards for volunteer clubs. Through this work, relationships and friendships have formed, new climbing partners were found, and we all quickly realized how much we have in common. Today, The Mountaineers is proud to be a part of the newly-named Mountain Education Alliance (MEA) - a formalized partnership between our organizations, and we’re excited to be a part of a new program to recognize volunteer educators, both in the United States and worldwide. Read more…

We believe a diverse and inclusive outdoors inspires unity, respect, and passion for the places we love, and that's why we seek to provide opportunities for all. As a reflection of our Core Values and the strategic priorities of Vision 2022, we’ve invested in internal equity to be sure everyone feels a place of belonging in The Mountaineers. Recently, we invested in improvements to the My Profile page for you to share your pronouns and demographic information. Read more…

The scene is one familiar to every Mountaineer: a full car on a long drive back from a successful outing. The conversation is flowing and everyone is at ease after having shared an inspiring time out in the wilderness. Then, inevitably, a fellow climber asks me the question: “Where are you from?” Read more…

Join the Tacoma Mountaineers this winter season to enjoy the outdoors while it's cold, beautiful, and uncrowded! With upcoming courses in Basic Snowshoeing, Backcountry Snowshoeing, and Winter Camping, we have something for everyone. Courses are open for registration - sign up now before they're full!  Read more…

You may not immediately look to Washington’s third largest city for a walk in the wild. So be prepared to have Tacoma surprise you. Within the hustle and bustle of this metropolitan area are some large natural areas laced with excellent trails that invite walkers, hikers, and runners of all ages and abilities to explore and be wooed. So no need to head to the backcountry this weekend if you're looking for a great place to do an all-day hike, long run, or get-back-to-nature stroll. Check out these three urban wildernesses in and near the City of Destiny from my new book Urban Trails: Tacoma instead.  Read more…

It's time to select our branch leadership for the coming year. Please join in voting for our new leaders, and thanking our retiring leaders for their service!  Read more…

The world-renowned Banff Centre's Banff Mountain Film Festival celebrates its 43rd year, continuing to bring the best action, environment, and adventure films to audiences in Banff and no less than 40 countries across the globe. Join us this Nov & Dec to catch showings in Tacoma (Nov 25-26), Seattle (Dec 4-5), or Olympia (Dec 6-8).  Read more…

The hard truth is that public lands legislation is complicated, victories can be slow, and our public lands are chronically underfunded. The threats to these places are becoming increasingly urgent, and our ability to respond to issues – and thus create space for you to engage – is limited by staff capacity and funding. In order to provide more opportunities for outdoor recreationists to learn about and understand the issues facing our public lands and become an even stronger voice for threaten landscapes, we need to bring on a staff position focused on public lands advocacy and engagement. To make sure we not only keep our footing on this precarious ground, but also find ways to play offense and not just defense, we need your help.  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) Committee to direct our strategy, priorities, and resourcing to make progress on this goal. We have recently completed our committee charter, and are planning our next town hall style listening session to gather your feedback and share some of the results of our committee work. Read more…

SheJumps and The Mountaineers are pleased to present Wild Skills Day again this year - a free day camp for young girls (age 6-12) to learn the skills they need for outdoor adventuring. You can read more about this exceptional experience from Wild Skills Director Christy Pelland. We still have a few spots left to join us in Tacoma on June 8, 2019. Read more…

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…

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…

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…

Join our Mountaineers skippers for a raft-up party potluck and sail out of Port Madison on March 23. Then, sign up for a sailing course to learn how to sail this spring and enjoy free sailing all summer long! 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…

In 1965 Jim Whittaker led Senator Robert Kennedy to the first ascent of a remote mountain in the Yukon named after the late president, JFK. Fifty years later, the sons of the original climbing team - a raucous band manager, a candidate for governor, and a young mountaineer - embark on an expedition to the mountain to celebrate the special bond that connects them all. Featuring unreleased instrumentals by Eddie Vedder and never before seen footage and photos of Robert Kennedy, the feature-length documentary sits at the intersection of politics, human rights, environmentalism, and adventure. 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…

Please join us for an evening of fun, camaraderie, and festivities as we celebrate the accomplishments and contributions of our fellow Tacoma Mountaineers! This year’s Tacoma Branch Awards Banquet will be held on Friday, Dec 7, at the Tacoma Mountaineers Program Center. We’ll be honoring some of our most dedicated volunteers, awarding Peak Pins, and enjoying a special presentation by Tacoma Mountaineer Tom Shimko on his epic mountain bike ride of The Great Divide. Read more…

The world-renowned Banff Centre's Banff Mountain Film Festival celebrates its 42nd year, continuing to bring the best action, environment, and adventure films to audiences in Banff and no less than 40 countries across the globe. Read more…

Join us on December 18, in partnership with Washington Climbers Coalition, to see The Dawn Wall, a film capturing the captivating free climb of Yosemite's Dawn Wall. Read more…

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Curtis Stock, a volunteer leader with the Tacoma Branch who encourages our members to give trip leadership a try. If your committee thinks you're ready, you probably are! 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…

It’s fall, the air is crisp, the leaves are turning golden brown, and The Mountaineers Youth Clubs are launching new seasons to transform our young Mountaineers into lifelong outdoor enthusiasts! Join our youth clubs this fall as we welcome new members and plan for a year of learning new skills and adventuring. Read more…