The Mountaineers (club)

The Mountaineers is an outdoor recreation, education, and conservation 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Seattle, Washington, founded in 1906.

It has 7 branches in Western Washington, 3 mountain lodges, and 2 program centers, one in Magnuson Park in Seattle, and one in Tacoma. All classes and trips are organized and led by volunteers, and includes activities like hiking, climbing, scrambling, navigation skills, first aid, photography, sailing, kayaking, and skiing, as well as community activities like film festivals and potlucks. The Mountaineers also publishes books, ebooks and guides on outdoor education, recreation and conservation.

There are no restrictions on who may join.

Originally a Seattle-based part of the Mazamas, a Portland based group founded in 1894, The Mountaineers formed their own branch shortly after the 1906 Mazamas Mount Baker expedition and dubbed themselves "The Mountaineers" with 110 charter members—nearly half women. The club constitution was officially adopted in 1907 by a membership of 151. Among these original members were Henry Landes (University of Washington geology dean and later acting president), Edmond S. Meany (the father of the University of Washington Forestry school), the famous photographer Asahel Curtis, and Seattle photographer and North Cascades guide Lawrence Denny Lindsley.

The activities initially were local walks with the first trip being a hike through Fort Lawton to the West Point Lighthouse (now part of Discovery Park). The first mountain climbing trip was Mount Si. In 1907, 65 members made a group climb of Mount Olympus and exploration of the Olympic Mountains. The next year a summit of Mount Baker was organized, followed by Mount Rainier in 1909. In 1915, a club outing became the first sizable group to hike around Mount Rainier and established the route that would later become known as the Wonderland Trail. The club organizes thousands of trips per year, has a large library and historical archive, teaches instructional courses, and advocates access and environmental causes.

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