The Cascadians were organized in 1920 with 104 charter members. The founding president of the club was C. E. Rusk, a pioneer mountaineer in the Northwest, and the author of the book, Tales of a Western Mountaineer, published by The Mountaineers of Seattle. Throughout the years the purpose of the club has been to promote interest in and enjoyment of non-motorized outdoor activities in the Northwest. 

In its first decade, the Cascadians club was responsible for popularizing snowshoeing, tobogganing, and skiing in Yakima, in addition to extending the limits of mountaineering experiences to anyone interested. The club was also responsible for having 90 acres set aside for the development of Boulder Cave and the camp and picnic grounds associated with it. With the help of the Chamber of Commerce and the Forest Service, money was allocated to improve the grounds, build a lodge, and install a piped water system.
 
In the years since, Cascadians has developed, or has been blessed with, some of the Northwest's most outstanding mountaineers. In earlier years the Central Washington Mountain Rescue was maintained as a committee of Cascadians. Although the Council now has its own autonomous organization, almost all of its members are also members of The Cascadians. For many years, Cascadians was instrumental in the development of ski areas locally and in the Cascades, and over its history has often assisted in the construction or reconstruction of various trails in cooperation with the Forest Service.  

In 1976 the club worked with the old Tieton Ranger District to relocate campsites at Apple and Pear Lakes; in 1977 we re-established an abandoned trail to Kloochman Rock; in 1978 we began the Pleasant Valley Loop Trail project, a thirteen mile long hiking, skiing trail along the American River (and on which we are still doing maintenance); and in late 1986 work was begun on a new project--the Tieton River Nature Trail--in cooperation with the Washington State Department of Wildlife and the Yakima-Tieton Irrigation District.

Cascadians continue the tradition of conservation and preservation through participation in dozens of trail maintenance projects, and an active voice in recreation and environmental issues throughout the Pacific Northwest. The club and its members have also had an important role in the designation of Forest Service Wilderness Areas.