Reader Feedback

In Youngest Finisher of the Bulger List: Nathan Longhurst Climbs Washington’s 100 Highest Peaks at 21, we spoke with Nathan about his incredible accomplishment, his outdoor background, and his big plans for the future. The community response was overwhelming, with over 450 likes on Facebook and notes of support flowing in:

“Amazing! Looking forward to reading, listening, or watching Nathan's SPS List adventure.” -Maya Magarati, 18-year member

“Great read! Loved his summation for success; ‘do it for the love of being in the mountains.’” -Karyn Lynn Payton, FB commenter

“What a great mindset for anyone, and not just because he is young.” -Karen Wallace, 6-year member

“Very cool! I’m sharing this story with my tweens. A great example of young men and women doing BIG things. This one is so impressive!!” -Heather Wadia, FB commenter

In January 2022, we published the fourth annual Mountaineers of Instagram feature to ring in the New Year. It included Leave No Trace tips, including the advice to “Limit Geo-Tagging.”

WWW.MOUNTAINEERS.ORG Winter 2022 • VOLUME 116 • NO. 1

“No one person owns public lands and thus treating any space like a Mountaineer

E X P L O R E • L E A R N • C O N S E R V E

“secret” or “special” space that is on public lands is ethically wrong. Limiting location information is in this issue: Belaytionships, Packmances, and Nature-Loves Mountaineers of Instagram a form of gatekeeping and is a Finding Meaning in Tragedy Grab Your Gortex and Get Out contentious issue in the outdoor world. It basically promotes the idea that public lands are only public to some and not all, or that only some folks are “worthy” of knowing the secret places. This behavior has led to acts of exclusion, aggression, even violence… I am concerned that The Mountaineers appears to be endorsing this erroneous belief and harmful behavior by publishing a tip about it that does not reflect the truth of the situation.” -Katja Hurt, 6-year member

We thank Katja for her feedback and for providing an opportunity for us to learn more about the controversy surrounding Leave No Trace. For more information, read our piece The Case for Geotagging on page 26.

In The Hansen Family Legacy at Stevens Lodge, we told the story of volunteer John Hansen, who spent decades helping build Stevens Lodge into what it is today (quite literally – he was there for both the original build in 1946 and the expansion!). Our community was touched by his dedication:

“Wonderful article! Having spent a few nights at the Stevens Pass Lodge, I love knowing this back story of an amazing person (and family) who helped make it possible!” -Barbara Rose, 6-year member

“Thank you for featuring John's story with Stevens Lodge. We had such fun going on work parties, skiing with friends, shoveling out the outhouse, learning to folk dance, and hanging out around the fireplace. The Mountaineers community was so important to him.” -Theresa Northcutt, John’s daughter

“Wow, just wow. What a wonderful man.” -Kathleen Johanson, FB commenter

Conservation is at the core of who we are as Mountaineers, and time and time again our members have reaffirmed their dedication and joy in protecting the outdoors:

“Thanks for this blog post! I have often found myself eager to advocate but lacking clarity about issues, processes, and how best to engage. This provides a helpful framework for resources and action.” -Anita Wilkins, 16-year member, responding to “Conservation 101: What is Advocacy, and Why is it Important”

“What a great article on our stewardship efforts, Dee Ann! Thanks so much for highlighting our work on the trails. We really do enjoy doing it.” -Jennifer Fortin, 7-year member, responding to “Stewardship is a Year Round Calling for Members of the Olympia Branch”

“Thanks for sharing this reflection of Norm and his accomplishments. He certainly did a lot to help promote and conserve outdoor spaces here in the PNW.” -Doug Stauffer, 3-year member, responding to “Remembering Mountaineer Norm Winn”