Tacoma Branch Blog Posts

Every five years or so, we refresh our strategic plan - a roadmap defining  the priority actions and investments we believe are essential to our future success. After a year-long process involving significant input from The Mountaineers community, our Board of Directors approved our latest strategic plan, Vision 2022. The actual document itself is hot off the presses and we're pleased to share it with our community.  Read more…

Since the 3.0 update in mid-February to bring Mountaineers Programs and Publishing under one roof, we have continued to make many improvements to our website. The two biggest ones are committee-aggregated feedback and an improved gift membership process. Read on to learn more. Read more…

My arms ache. I’m terrified of heights and am gripping too tightly again. By the end of the day my fingers will be bloodied and my legs bruised. Often, my ego is too. Read more…

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Jill Uthoff, a volunteer leader with the Tacoma Branch whose favorite piece of gear is a trucker hat ... the more ridiculous, the better! 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…

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

The organizing meeting of the New Tacoma Singles Activities Committee was a great success. Seventeen enthusiastic people joined to enjoy a potluck meal and good fellowship, and begin planning the structure and activities for this new committee. Dick Hayek and Darin Stavish were chosen as Co-Chairs, and an Executive Committee was selected consisting of Dick and Darin, Michael Bjornberg, Katie Cornejo, and Sabrina O'Donnell.  Read more…

How often do you have an opportunity to be a part of an exciting innovation? Join us at the Tacoma Mountaineers Program Center at 1pm on Sunday, January 14, to help organize a new Tacoma Mountaineers Singles Activities Committee! Read more…

Mountain Workshops, The Mountaineers’ youth outreach program, has become well established in our Seattle location over the past five years. But these programs have just recently begun in Tacoma. By partnering with other youth-serving agencies, our goal is to reach youth that may not otherwise have the opportunity for rich outdoor experiences. 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! 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…

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…

The Mountaineers lost a good friend and great person when Ben Miller passed away on June 12, 2017, following a 2+ year battle with brain cancer. 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…

We're halfway through the process of building 'Vision 2022' - our strategic plan to carry us forward through the next five years. After rounds of feedback from staff, committee members, and three 'town hall' meetings, we've put together a survey to help us further define our future priorities.  Read more…

We've begun building 'Vision 2022' - our strategic plan to carry us forward through the next five years. For 111 years, we have welcomed people from all walks of life into a community that shares deep connections to the outdoors. We intend to carry forward this legacy for  111 more years and beyond, which is why we're working collaboratively to create Vision 2022, our next strategic plan.  Read more…

For our Leader Spotlight this month we talked to Charlie Michel, a Sea Kayak Leader who can still hold his own with the young guns. Read more…

We're excited to introduce Kick Step IPA, a bold and distinctly Northwest India Pale Ale by Ghostfish Brewing, benefiting The Mountaineers. Read more…

For 111 years, The Mountaineers has been a passionate group of bold explorers welcoming people from all walks of life into a community that shares deep connections to the outdoors. Adventure is at the core of who we are as Mountaineers, but for us, it’s adventure with a purpose. Vision 2022, our next strategic plan, will outline the best ways we can continue to carry forward our legacy of volunteer-led outdoor education and conservation advocacy and you can get involved. Read more…

For 111 years, The Mountaineers has been a passionate group of bold explorers welcoming people from all walks of life into a community that shares deep connections to the outdoors. We’re adventurers driven by imagination, challenge, and the spirit of discovery. 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.  Read more…

Mountaineers have been enjoying the lands and waters of the Pacific Northwest and beyond for 110 years, and it's our long-term aspiration to be thriving for another 110 years. As we look toward Vision 2022 - our next strategic plan - we felt it was time to put our core values on paper. Read more…

This July, we'll be offering three weeks of outdoor-adventure themed summer camp. Each week has a different theme, but will all include plenty of hiking, climbing, outdoor skill-development, and tons of fun and games! 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…

Each week we bring you a personal story from one of our members. For our member profile this week we talked to .... 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 9, at the Tacoma Program Center. We’ll be honoring our most dedicated volunteers, awarding Peak Pins, and enjoying a special presentation by ultra-mountaineer, Gavin Woody. Read more…

At The Mountaineers, we've believe venturing into the outdoors is an essential piece of the human experience. It's important to implement low-impact recreation skills to keep our wild places as sanctuaries for the human spirit. Read more…

Meany Lodge is looking to fill several committee postions that will put you at the heart of one of The Mountaineers most vibrant communities.  Read more…