editorsnote
Mt. Baker. Photo by Todd Sweatland.
Hailey Oppelt haileyo@mountaineers.org Photo by Paige Madden.
At the risk of sounding flippant, I’ll say what seems to be on everyone’s minds: what a weird year. A worldwide pandemic, polarizing politics, and civil unrest have swept through the country and altered many parts of our lives. Even going to the grocery store has become a tight-rope walk, an errant sneeze sparking anxiety in the shampoo aisle.
With so many daily tasks erased or transformed, many of us are finding ourselves with a surplus of free time. This can be seen in the global shortages of bicycles, roller skates, and baker’s yeast. It can also be found on our busy trails and city parks. In a time when reality has ground to a halt and we find ourselves suspended, suddenly new doors begin to crack open and let in some light. Who will you be? What will you explore? I myself have taken up meditation and doubled down on my climbing days. In another six months I may find myself in the back of a Winnebago doing magic tricks. At least, a gal can hope. The creative ways that many of you are approaching these unusual circumstances inspired us to choose the theme of “leveling up” for this edition. From our contributors we have a story reflecting on the challenges found in taking a forced step back from outdoor pursuits and an informational piece on stretching for climbers from Peak Nutrition co-author Mercedes Pollmeier. A quick one-pager provides thoughtful tips for rainy-day hikers, and we explore avalanche awareness
4
mountaineer | winter 2021
in the Northwest through conversations with local experts. We’re also excited to share a piece on how to watercolor in winter, and why water might not be your best bet for mixing paint. Our cover story features Kimber Cross, an adaptive climber who started climbing by taking Basic in Tacoma in 2017. She is now a Climb Leader, an avid ice climber, and a sponsored athlete; an impressive resume for any climber, much less one three years in the sport. Our regular features are exciting as well, shedding light into how COVID-19 has sparked creative solutions in our organization. We hear about re-imagined summer camps, see new tips for leaders on optimizing learning environments, and read stories from dedicated donors about why they choose to give. Retro Rewind explores the story of Marge Mueller, an avid outdoorswomen, lifetime member, and illustrator of classic Mountaineers Books guidebooks. In Conservation Currents we hear about how the increase in outdoor recreation has impacted public lands across the Northwest, and what tips you can employ to ensure you recreate responsibly. To quote a tired platitude, change is the only constant in life, and we seem to have an abundance of it these days. Our work, home, and social lives have been altered for the foreseeable future, and it’s easy to lose steam when faced with new hills to climb each day. I like to think that times like these are when it’s most important to ferret out the joyous and the interesting. When life has taken you out of the driver’s seat, what else is there to do? Whether you accept change with open arms or have it foisted upon you, either way you can be sure – something is shifting. So you might as well make it something good.
