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Partnership Highlight: The Mountaineers

The Mountaineers is a nonprofit outdoor community of 12,000+ active members in the Pacific Northwest. Founded in 1906, the Mountaineers have been getting people of all ages outside safely and responsibly for over 100 years. They host hundreds of monthly courses and activities–all led by a coalition of volunteers–to offer ways to get outside and connect with people passionate about the outdoors.

Public Benefits:

Outdoor Courses and Activities: The Mountaineers aim to get community members outside exploring new places and finding new challenges through a variety of courses and activities, such as climbing, hiking and sea kayaking. Learn about their many activities here.

Conservation: The Mountaineers is involved in educational initiatives that illuminate issues and help share resources to empower conservation champions. The Mountaineers focus on stewardship through hands on restoration projects, and the organization also focuses on advocacy by working with legislators and land managers to shape policy, uniting with partner organizations to build support, and empowering recreationists to make their voices hear. Learn more here.

Youth/Senior Scholarships and Financial Aid Opportunities: The Mountaineers strive to serve everyone, regardless of ability to pay. They are committed to providing access to outdoor recreation, education and conservation opportunities for all members and youth in the communities they serve. Financial assistance is available for annual membership dues, and individual scholarships for courses are available. Click here for information and to apply.

Events: The Mountaineers host a wide variety of events, such as outdoor adventure films and speakers, at all their branches and program centers around Western Washington throughout the year. See a list of upcoming events at the Seattle Program Center that are open to everyone here.

Climbing Wall, Friction Slabs, and Basalt Columns Open to Public: The Seattle Program Center offers climbers a number of walls and structures that can be climbed year-round. A climbing wall, friction slabs, and basalt columns are open to the public.

Bookstore Open to the Public: The Mountaineers Bookstore is the place to go for outdoor books, maps and software. Located in The Mountaineers’ Seattle Program Center, it is one of the best outdoor bookstores in the world. The store carries an extensive assortment of guidebooks for hiking, climbing, sea kayaking, skiing and snowshoeing, as well as narratives, biographies, mountaineer literature and instructional “how to” books. The Northwest Forest Pass, Discover Pass and Sno-Park permits area also available for sale.

Native Plant Garden and Education Display: The garden, located at The Mountaineers’ Seattle Program Center, provides a “classroom” for learning to identify native plants and provides examples of native plants suitable for home gardens. Establishing the garden helped restore native habitat for wildlife in an area that was previously an acre of invasive plants.

Free Basic Hiking Seminar: This course is designed to answer questions that a novice hiker may have about how to get out hiking. Participants learn from experienced hikers what to put in a hiking pack and how to dress for comfort and safety. The course covers clothing, boots, packs, the Ten Essentials, seasonal trail hazards, where to shop for equipment and how to research hiking trips.

Facility Rentals: Serving as the premier venue in Northeast Seattle, The Mountaineers Seattle Program Center is a hub for Mountaineers events and activities, and community events for private and public organizations. See facility rental information here.

First Aid Instruction: The Mountaineers offer a variety of first aid courses, including Alpine/Wilderness First Aid, Mountaineering Oriented First Aid (MOFA), Wilderness First Responder, and Wilderness First Responder Recertification. Participants learn from qualified first-aid providers how to safely handle an injury or accident in a remote location. Details available here.

Youth Summer Camps: The Mountaineers offer a variety of youth summer camps filled with fun curriculum to teach campers how to be safe in the outdoors. Summer camps feature traditional summer camp games, songs, and a heavy dose of outdoor adventure. Click here for details on camps and how to sign up.

How to access public benefits:

Courses, Events, Youth Programs, and Bookstore are open to the general public (Mountaineers members receive discounted rates). Outdoor activities are open to Mountaineers members. Climbing Wall, Friction Slabs, and Basalt Columns are open to the general public. School groups and youth serving agencies can book Mountain Workshops, which offer single or multi-day experiences designed to expose youth to basic outdoor skills. Facility rentals are open to the general public.

You can find and register for all offerings at www.mountaineers.org. You can also speak with a member services representative who can provide more information and registration assistance. Member service representatives can be reached by phone at 206-521-6001.