Mountaineers Offer Women and Non-Binary Navigation Course
The Mountaineers in Seattle will run a Wilderness Navigation course in November 2026 for women and non-binary participants and instructors, costing $160
The Mountaineers organization is offering a specialized Wilderness Navigation course in Seattle for women and non-binary participants and instructors in November 2026.
According to the source, this course covers the same curriculum as the general Seattle Wilderness Navigation course but is led by and intended for women and non-binary individuals. The group will work as a dedicated small unit while sharing online and physical classroom spaces with other course participants. A minimum of four participants is required; if this threshold is not met, the group will be combined with other workshop small groups.
Course Structure and Schedule
The course consists of three sequential, mandatory activities held between October 30 and November 15, 2026. The Mountaineers states that participants must attend all scheduled activities, as no make-up sessions are available.
The required activities are as follows:
| Activity | Format | Duration | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Activity 1 | Online, self-paced | 6-8 hours over one week | Map and compass use, declination, coordinate systems, bearings, altimeter, GPS, trip planning. Includes homework and a final quiz. |
| Activity 2 | In-person workshop at The Mountaineers Program Center | 6 hours | Hands-on practice with navigation tools, outdoor exercises, indoor lecture, and problem-solving. |
| Activity 3 | In-person field trip at Discovery Park | 6 hours | Reinforcement of core principles, skills assessment, with a focus on situational awareness and self-reliance. |
The source emphasizes that students who do not complete the online Activity 1 are automatically canceled from the course.
Skills and Outcomes
Successful completion of the course earns a 3-year Basic Navigation Badge. The Mountaineers states this badge is required for participating in their alpine climbing, alpine scrambling, and backcountry snowshoeing activities, and is useful for other off-trail travel.
The course is built around core navigation principles. These include measuring and plotting a bearing, map basics for both paper and digital topographical maps, and understanding magnetic declination. It also emphasizes an "ethic of self-reliance" and developing situational awareness for the backcountry.
The organization notes that beginners with little outdoor experience might benefit from introductory courses like "Introduction to Map and Compass" or "Staying Found," but those courses do not fulfill the badge requirements for climbing, scrambling, or snowshoeing.
Registration and Requirements
The cancellation policy is strict. Participants who cancel by October 22, 2026, receive a full refund minus a $10 fee. Cancellations on or after October 23, 2026, receive no refund.
Participants must obtain specific equipment before Activity 1 begins. The required gear includes a compass with an adjustable declination and a 0-360 degree bezel, a downloaded Caltopo Baring map, a barometric altimeter or approved smartphone app, and a cell phone with the Caltopo app installed. The Suunto MC-2 USGS compass is highly recommended. For the in-person workshop and field trip, standard outdoor gear like the Ten Essentials, rain gear, and notebooks are also required.
The source includes a note for instructors, stating they must belong to the same affinity group as the participants. Instructors needing to renew their own Basic Navigation Badge must teach at both a workshop and a field trip. The Seattle Wilderness Navigation course is offered most months, and interested individuals are advised to check back for future dates if the November 2026 schedule is inconvenient.
