Mazamas | Mazama Mountaineering Center (MMC)

After over one hundred years of renting various locations in the Portland area, the Mazamas have committed to owning a permanent home at SE 43rd and Stark.

This commitment is the culmination of several years of consideration and search. At the initial request of then President Chris Mackert and Executive Director Keith Mischke, committee chairs came together to identify our needs for the next hundred years, and a search committee reviewed over one hundred potential properties. Both Mazamas Council and Mazamas Foundation worked together to secure the interim financing to enable us to run a 5-year capital campaign to fund the purchase and remodel.

The previous Mt. Hood Masonic Lodge at SE 43rd and Stark was selected as the perfect mix of location, off-street parking, and potential in the existing building.

The Mazamas Mountaineering Center will become much more than a replacement of the existing Mazamas Office. As our permanent headquarters, it will enable us to fulfill our role as the region’s premier mountaineering organization, and to share our love of the alpine world with our urban community.

Key features include:

Dedicated space for our numerous committee meetings, education and activity programs
Storage, display and research space for our extensive mountaineering library and archives
Neighborhood visibility to further the outreach of our programs
On-site parking, street level visibility and ADA access to ensure our inclusive welcome to the community
Modern office facilities, including appropriate internet and computer connectivity

History of Mazama offices

1914 - first meeting and office space at American Bank Building, Portland
1919 - move to Chamber of Commerce Bldg., SW Third Avenue
1926 - move to Pacific Building, at SW 5th & Yamhill Street
1957 - move to NW 19th & Kearney
1978 - remodel to improve layout
1999 - added 1st floor and ‘annex’ space
2002 - new owner purchases NW 19th & Kearney
2005 - purchase of the old Mt. Hood Masonic Lodge at SE 43rd and Stark
2006 - remodeling begins to create the Mazama Mountaineering Center
2007 - move into the new Mazama Mountaineering Center, or MMC