Social Profiles

Overview

The Mountaineers was formed in 1906 to explore the wild areas and peaks surrounding the still-young city of Seattle. The club grew in leaps and bounds, eventually reaching a high point of 15,000 members in the 1990's. Today, the club is home to around 10,500 active members.

Although the club has a small full-time staff, volunteers are responsible for running most of the programs. Volunteer leaders do everything from leading trips to teaching classes to promoting their programs.

In our early years, offerings were limited to a few hikes and mountain scrambles. The club now offers a wide range of activities such as hiking, snowshoeing, climbing, sea kayaking, photography, skiing, backpacking and more. When you join The Mountaineers, it's like having many smaller clubs all rolled into one. It's not uncommon for members to pursue more than one sport, and quite a few switch from one sport to the other depending on the season.

In addition to the recreational activities we pursue, The Mountaineers works to ensure that wilderness areas are preserved and protected through the actions of our Conservation, Recreation Resources and Stewardship divisions. Volunteer members track issues, mobilize members, perform trail maintenance, work with coalitions and lobby legislators (local and national).

It's easy to get involved with The Mountaineers. We offer trips, classes and events for all experience levels. So if you are an absolute beginner with a desire to get outside, or you are an experienced outdoor enthusiast, we have something for you. Our trips range from easy to very strenuous, with everything in between. You pick your own pace.

Members pay a yearly dues, and the trips are completely free. Courses usually have a fee, but members will find that these fees are less than a commercial instution's, and members get a substantial discount on those classed we offer to the public.

The Mountaineers is a 501(c)4 organization.