About the Bushwhacker Climbing Club

Mission Statement:

To foster and educate a community that enjoys wilderness adventures.

The Bushwhacker Climbing Club is a non-profit organization created by Pacific Northwest area climbers. The Bushwhacker community has been hiking, climbing, skiing and socializing together for many years. In 2003 we created a club.

Our unofficial motto is Whatever the Mountaineers can climb in three days, we can climb in four! This conveys our philosophy of savoring the wilderness experience and favoring community over technical accomplishments. But make no mistake, our outings are still strenuous and we aim for the summit.

Education is an essential part of our mission. In 2004, we successfully held our flagship offering, the Basic Glacier Climbing Course. Since then we have created other clinics and courses, such as Basic Telemark Ski Class, the Outdoor Photography Course, Wilderness Advanced First Aid and Wilderness Leadership Skills. Our most recent initiative is the Backcountry Travel Skills Course, started in 2009.

We have participated in fund-raisers as well as joined other like-minded organizations such as Friends of the Northwest Avalanche Center.

The club has held multi-day climbs, such as Mount Rainier, as well as one-day rock climbing outings to local crags. We hold a Spring and Autumn Rendezvous in which we car camp and enjoy hiking, climbing and a campfire.

An important social function are our Club Nights, which are often potlucks or simply brews at a tavern. Sometimes our Club Nights feature a speaker. Milkshake Madness is our annual end-of-season party.

In 2010, we look forward to continuing our Basic Glacier Skills Course, the Outdoor Photography Course, Backcountry Travel Skills Course, and a Wilderness Advanced First Aid Course. We intend to hold many outings that range from simple rock climbing day outings to mountaineering objectives such as Mount Rainier.