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 community.

Key features include:

• Space for our numerous committee meetings, education and activity programs
• Storage, display and research space for the extensive library, museum and historical archives
• Neighborhood visibility to further the outreach of our programs to our community
• Space to provide for the use by like-minded non-profits and collaboration
• On-site parking, street level visibility and ADA access to ensure our inclusive welcome to the community
• Large Auditorium for first aid training, cultural & scientific presentations
• 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