Tacoma Mountaineers Clubhouse Reconstruction Nears Completion

Approaching the imposing hill on 30th, passersby may have noticed an intriguing structure with an angular, slanted roof springing up in place of the old Tacoma Mountaineers Clubhouse.

At first, the two-story building’s spiffy, modern architecture might seem more at home in a metropolitan district of art but its presence on 30th certainly raises the bar for Tacoma’s future construction projects.

The Mountaineer’s project has been in the works for several years now, but 2012 has been a big year for the club. Permits for the building were finally approved in late January, and in March the group celebrated 100 years in Tacoma and broke ground on the new project. Plans are for the building to be complete this summer.

Following its 100th birthday on March 19th, 2012, the Clubhouse was deconstructed down to its cement foundation and rebuilt with “three separate meeting rooms, an office/bookstore, larger kitchen and bathroom facilities, more storage and other improvements,” according to the mountaineers’ website. By the end of April the exterior was framed up, and May saw the addition of windows and siding. The building features reclaimed elements, including siding that comes from log booms in the Ballard Locks, along with beams, concrete block caps/windowsills, and granite tiles for the new hearth reclaimed from the original clubhouse. The inside of the building is now starting to come together with painting and other touches.

While work continues on the building, meetings are scheduled to continue in various locations throughout Tacoma; contact the Clubhouse’s activity coordinators in order to stay up-to-date with mountaineering events. Over the summer, mountaineers will be able to partake in the Intro to Hiking and Backpacking course which starts on August 1st, donate to receive a personalized concrete paver outside the Clubhouse and sign up for a trip to Orcas Island from August 17th through August 19th where participants can hike, fish, play volleyball or basketball.

As the Clubhouse nears its completion in late July, mountaineers can look forward to updated facilities, a revamped event calendar and the inevitable festivities surrounding its Reopening Ceremony.

For more information about the Clubhouse’s upcoming events or its reconstruction progress, visit www.tacomamountaineers.org or www.tacomaprogramcenter.blogspot.com, respectively.

Previously from Exit133: Mountaineers Have a Couple Things to Celebrate.