Mazamas
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
MAZAMAS PROMOTES MOUTAINEERING AND WILDERNESS EXPLORATION. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO COLLECTS AND DISSEMINATES AUTHORITATIVE AND SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION CONCERNING MOUNTAINS AND WILDERNESS, AND ENCOURAGES THE PRESERVATION OF THE NATURAL WORLD.
- Income
- $1.4 million
- Spending
- $1.1 million
- Spent on programs
- 72%
- Reserves
- 6.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 67%
- Employees
- 5
- Volunteers
- 500
- Highest pay
- $105,360, executive dir.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 74% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 6.6 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 7% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 25% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 98% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1572% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 12 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 94 out of 100. Higher than 52% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 259 of 9 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
9 of 15Its accounts were reviewed or compiled by an independent accountant, but not audited.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (5)
- $300,195 spent. FACILITIES:LOCATED IN PORTLAND, OREGON, THE CARBON-NEUTRAL MAZAMA MOUNTAINEERING CENTER IS THE MAZAMAS HEADQUARTERS. IT HOUSES OFFICES FOR STAFF, MEETING ROOMS AND CLASSROOMS, AN EXTENSIVE MOUNTAINEERING LIBRARY AND COLLECTION OF HISTORICAL ARCHIVES, AND A LARGE AUDITORIUM WITH EDUCATIONAL CLIMBING WALLS FOR CLASS ACTIVITY. CULTURAL AND SCIENTIFIC PRESENTATIONS ARE ALSO HELD IN THE FACILITYS AUDITORIUM.MAZAMAS ALSO OWNS A LODGE LOCATED IN GOVERNMENT CAMP, OREGON, THAT RESIDES ON U.S. FOREST SERVICE LAND. PARTICIPANTS IN MAZAMA EDUCATION PROGRAMS, MEMBERS, SKI CLUBS, AND OTHER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS INCLUDING YOUTH GROUPS IN THE PORTLAND, OREGON AREA USE THE FACILITY DURING THE YEAR. THE LODGE IS ALSO USED AS A BASE FOR MT. HOOD CLIMBS LED BY MAZAMAS. USERS ARE CHARGED A FEE TO COVER THE DIRECT COSTS OF LODGING AND MEALS.
- $164,505 spent. EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS:MAZAMAS CONDUCTS EDUCATION IN MOUNTAINEERING, ROCK CLIMBING, ICE CLIMBING, BACKCOUNTRY SKIING, NORDIC SKIING, WILDERNESS FIRST AID, AND OTHER MOUNTAIN-RELATED OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES. THE COURSES INCLUDE TECHNIQUES, SAFETY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS, AND CONSERVATION ETHICS. NON-MEMBERS MAY PARTICIPATE IN CLASSES OFFERED THROUGH MAZAMAS. MORE THAN 600 STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN OUR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS ANNUALLY.
- $130,547 spent. DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS: INITIATIVES IN 2024 SUPPORTED MEMBER AND VOLUNTEER OUTREACH, ENGAGEMENT, AND EDUCATION, SPECIFICALLY THROUGH THE PUBLICATION OF A BIMONTHLY MEMBERSHIP MAGAZINE AND NEWSLETTERS, VOLUNTEER SERVICE AWARDS, AND OTHER VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION STRATEGIES.
- $122,734 spent. ACTIVITIES & EVENTS:MAZAMAS OFFERS ACTIVITIES INCLUDING HIKING, CLIMBING, BACKPACKING, AND LOCAL STREET RAMBLES LED BY VOLUNTEER LEADERS. PARTICIPATION IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND SUBJECT TO THE PHYSICAL FITNESS REQUIRED FOR EACH ACTIVITY. PARTICIPANTS ARE NOT CHARGED A FEE FOR ACTIVITIES, EXCEPT FOR CLIMBS IN THE MT. HOOD NATIONAL FOREST. IN A TYPICAL YEAR, APPROXIMATELY 1,500 CLIMBERS PARTICIPATE IN OUR CLIMBING PROGRAM, 2,000 HIKERS PARTICIPATE IN OUR HIKING AND STREET RAMBLES PROGRAM, AND A FEW HUNDRED PARTICIPATE IN SPECIAL EVENTS. MAZAMA OUTINGS ARE ACTIVITIES THAT ARE FIVE DAYS OR LONGER. OUTINGS VARY IN SCOPE AND NUMBER FROM YEAR TO YEAR, DEPENDING ON VOLUNTEER LEADERSHIP. MOST OUTINGS INVOLVE HIKING, CLIMBING, BACKPACKING, TREKKING, OR SKIING, BUT SOME MAY INCLUDE IN-TOWN EXCURSIONS. ALTHOUGH MOST OUTINGS TAKE PLACE IN THE WESTERN UNITED STATES, SOME TRAVEL TO FOREIGN DESTINATIONS. LIKE OTHER ACTIVITIES, THEY ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC; PARTICIPANTS PAY FOR THEIR OWN TRAVEL AND ACCOMMODATIONS. MAZAMAS ALSO AWARDS GRANTS THAT HELP FUND CLIMBING EXPEDITIONS INTO HIGH OR REMOTE MOUNTAIN REGIONS OF THE WORLD. MAZAMAS OFFERS INFORMATIVE AND ENTERTAINING PROGRAMS THAT ARE HELD AT THE MAZAMA MOUNTAINEERING CENTER FOR THE COMMUNITY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. THE OUTDOOR-ORIENTED PROGRAMS ARE FREE WITH A SUGGESTED DONATION, AND RANGE IN NATURE FROM FILM SCREENINGS TO RESEARCH AND ADVOCACY UPDATES TO PRESENTATIONS BY MISSION-ALIGNED PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS.
- $37,068 spent. STEWARDSHIP:IN ADDITION TO RECREATION ACTIVITIES AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS, CONSERVATION IS CENTRAL TO THE MAZAMA MISSION. FROM THE BEGINNING, MAZAMAS HAS PLAYED A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN PRESERVING EXISTING WILDERNESS AREAS, HAVING BEEN INVOLVED IN THE ESTABLISHING BOTH CRATER LAKE AND MT. RAINIER NATIONAL PARKS, CASCADE FOREST RESERVE, THE THREE SISTERS WILDERNESS AREA, AND PORTLANDS FOREST PARK. MAZAMAS CONTINUES THIS TRADITION BY ORGANIZING TRAIL- AND CRAG-TENDING ACTIVITIES, AS WELL AS FUNDING CONSERVATION AND RESEARCH GRANTS TO QUALIFIED NON-PROFITS AND STUDENTS EACH YEAR.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since May 1946.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.