Mountaineers Adventure Club - Tacoma

MAC Membership is $650 for the year. A $100 deposit is required for your first month. The remainder can be paid in full, or in monthly installments. 

About MAC

Mountaineers Adventure Club (MAC) is a year-round course, focused on teaching climbing and backcountry skills to teens age 14-18. (If you are 13 and going into high school, or 19 and finishing high school, you are still allowed to join.)

MAC members get to choose and plan their own outdoor trips and goals for the year, and then make a plan to achieve those goals. Members meet one Wednesday evening per month at the Tacoma Mountaineers to plan and practice skills, and then go on at least one weekend outdoor trip per month. 

Trips

Past trips have included:

Glacier climbing & mountaineering trips, such as: Climbing Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Baker, Mt. Daniel, and Sahale Peak

Rock climbing trips, such as cragging in Leavenworth, Squamish, Vantage, and Mazama

Alpine rock climbs, such as The Tooth and South Early Winter Spire

Backpacking trips

Day hikes

Skiing and Snowboarding at Meany Lodge, Stevens Pass, and Winthrop

Snow  camping at Mt. Rainier

Supervision

All trips are supervised by adult staff and trained volunteers. Parent participation is not required, though parents with outdoor skills are encouraged to volunteer! Transportation from Tacoma to the trip destination can usually be provided by staff and volunteers. All staff and volunteers must pass a background check and be certified through The Mountaineers in any skill they are teaching or trip they are leading.

Gear

Outdoor equipment can almost always be borrowed from The Mountaineers when given enough notice (usually 1-2 weeks prior to trip).  See the gear list below for more details.

Expectations

To be in good standing with Tacoma MAC, members are expected to attend at least 75% of meetings, and at least 50% of trips. Communication about trips and meetings will happen primarily over email, and members are expected to respond to email in a timely manner. Members must demonstrate proficiency in skills at meetings and training trips in order to be eligible for alpine climbs.

MAC Membership Fee

MAC Membership is $650 for the year. A $100 deposit is required for your first month. The remainder can be paid in full, or in monthly installments. Your MAC membership costs cover: staff time, transportation costs, gear, camping fees and permits, and food for longer trips. At your first meeting, you will choose how you want to pay the remainder of your MAC membership fee. Members cannot opt out of payments because they missed that month's trip.