March 2018 Vol. 100 | No. 3
Bulletin
On Mentorship The Eyes and Ears of Search & Rescue The Other Side of Patagonia
CONTACT US MAZAMA MOUNTAINEERING CENTER 527 SE 43rd Ave., Portland, Oregon, 97215 | 503-227-2345 adventure@mazamas.org | Hours: Mon.–Thu. 11 a.m.–7 p.m.; Fri. 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
CANYONEERING
MAZAMA LODGE 30500 West Leg Rd. •Government Camp, Oregon, 97028 503-272-9214 Hours: Thu. Noon–Mon. Noon LEE DAVIS Executive Director lee@mazamas.org
RENEE FITZPATRICK Finance & Office Coordinator reneefitzpatrick@mazamas.org
SARAH BRADHAM, Marketing & Communications Director, sarah@mazamas.org
MOLLY MOSENTHAL Youth Program Coordinator mollymosenthal@mazamas.org
ADAM BAYLOR Stewardship & Advocacy Manager, adam@mazamas.org
CLAIRE NELSON Youth & Outreach Manager clairenelson@mazamas.org
MATHEW BROCK Library & Historical Collections Manager, mathew@mazamas.org
JUSTIN ROTHERHAM Education & Activities Program Manager justinrotherham@mazamas.org
LAURA BURGER Development Coordinator, lauraburger@mazamas.org CHARLES BARKER Mazama Lodge Manager mazama.lodge@mazamas.org
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JOHN BARKHAUSEN Education & Activities Program Coordinator, johnbarkhausen@mazamas.org
KELSEY SHAW Member Services Administrator, kelseyshaw@mazamas.org
PUBLICATIONS TEAM
Editor: Sarah Bradham, Director of Marketing & Communications (mazama.bulletin@mazamas.org) Members: Jonathan Barrett, Sue Griffith, Darrin Gunkel, Kevin Machtelinckx, and Wendy Marshall (publications@mazamas.org)
The Mazamas partners with Patagonia to bring Dirtbag: The Legend of Fred Beckey to Portland on March 27, 2018 at Revolution Hall.
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How do communcations get through during search and rescue incidents?
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FEATURES Mazama Celebration, p. 7 Get Ready to Run, p. 10 Canyoneering in the Pacific Northwest, p. 11 My Mazama Experience, p. 12 Used Equipment Sale, p. 15 On Mentorship, p. 16 Adventure WILD!, p. 19 The Other Side of Patagonia: The Lake District, p. 20 Mazama Beta Website Details, p. 26 The Eyes & Ears of Search and Rescue, p. 30 MONTHLY CONTENT Executive Director’s Report, p. 4 Events & Activities, p. 6 Volunteer Opportunities, p. 6 Membership Report, p. 9 Mazama Lodge, p. 18 Classics, p. 22
AYM, p. 24 Evening Programs, p. 28 Outings, p. 34 Trail Trips, p. 36 Executive Council, p. 38
ADVERTISER INDEX Bend Marathon, p.29 Embark Exploration Co., p. 40 Himalayan Trekking Alliance, p. 29 Montbell, p. 33 Next Adventure, p. 23 The Mountain Shop, p. 2
OMC, p. 36 Peru Hiking, p. 6 Rab, p. 39 Ravensview Capital Management, p. 29 Yatvin Computer Consultants, p. 32 Advertise now! tinyurl.com/ MazamaAdvertising
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The power of a mentor.
Cover: Jed Stash enjoying the sunset from Mt. Shuksan basecamp. Photo: Keith Thomajan.
MAZAMA (USPS 334-780): Advertising: mazama.ads@
mazamas.org. Subscription: $15 per year. Bulletin material must be emailed to the editor. All material is due by noon on the 14th of the preceding month. If the 14th falls on a weekend, the deadline is the preceding Friday. The Mazama Bulletin is published monthly by the Mazamas—527 SE 43rd Ave., Portland, OR 97215. Periodicals postage paid at Portland, OR. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to MAZAMAS, 527 SE 43rd Ave., Portland, OR 97215. The Executive Council meets at 3 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month. Meetings are open to members. The Mazamas is a 501(c)(3) Oregon nonprofit corporation organized on the summit of Mt. Hood in 1894. The Mazamas is an equal opportunity provider.
MARCH 2018 3
Mountain Safety What Does it Mean?
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DEAR MEMBERS –
n addition to being sent to all of your and our many friends, this issue of the Mazama magazine is given to all of the new and incoming students in our Basic Climbing Education Program (BCEP). So, for our longtime members, this article is filled with many thoughts you’ve heard before and facts you know well. For all of our incoming students reading this, I want to share a little about the purpose of our programs, as well as a few thoughts on some of the most important messages you’ll hear in your Mazama classes this year.
In every mountaineering textbook or course we say that climbing and mountaineering are inherently dangerous sports. What that means is that, as climbers, we choose to engage in an activity, and in an environment where even in the best conditions, making all the right decisions, things can go wrong and people can be hurt or killed.
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At the Mazamas we provide the most comprehensive, and largest climbing education programs in our region. In addition, our programs are unique because they are community-based and community-focused. Our students become our volunteers, members, and donors who engage and support the Mazamas year after year. We also have some of the most enthusiastic and engaged volunteers you’ll meet anywhere, many of whom have dedicated years and decades to helping the next cohort of students learn how to safely get started in their climbing careers. When our students move through and graduate from our beginning and intermediate level courses we work to hammer home a couple of key messages. First and most important is the concept that safety in the mountains is something that can only be learned slowly over time. Many of our students hope someday soon to be ready to climb independently in the mountains, and to take their friends and family with them to these remarkable environments. At the Mazamas we want you to know that taking a class and spending time with experienced volunteer mentors is only the first step in your climbing career. To climb safely and independently in the mountains requires hundreds of hours of experience, continued and ongoing skills training, patience, listening to the wisdom of our teachers and mentors, and more often than you’d like, making the decision to turn around when you’re not sure of what you’re getting into. We like to remind all of our friends who love to play in the mountains that fundamentally we
do this for fun, so it’s never a bad choice to turn around and go home. The other message is a bit more harsh, and yet so deeply important. I’d bet that for many of our students in our classes, if your mother called today and asked you why you were taking a Mazama class, the first thing you’d say is that you want to learn how to do this incredibly fun and inspiring thing called climbing. And then you’d quickly also tell her that you’re investing a lot of time in making sure you can do it safely. That’s a good response for your mom, but we need to make sure all of our students know that this sport is never entirely safe. In every mountaineering textbook or course we say that climbing and mountaineering are inherently dangerous sports. What that means is that, as climbers, we choose to engage in an activity, and in an environment where even in the best conditions, making all the right decisions, things can go wrong and people can be hurt or killed. Just last September, on the upper faces of El Capitan in Yosemite Valley, a roughly ten foot thick piece of rock, 65 feet wide, and the height of a 13 story building separated from the rock face and fell hundreds of feet to the ground. Miraculously only one person was injured that day, and nobody died, but this is the reality of our sport. So no, it’s not safe. Go ahead and say what you need to say to your loved ones, but once you’ve graduated from our classes you’ll have heard this message many times, you’ll understand it, and you hopefully you won’t ever walk into
Mazamas2020 ACTIVITIES & EVENTS GOAL
Expand the capacity of the Mazamas activity programs and events to create more shared experiences and opportunities in the outdoors, and to inspire and unite our community. The full strategic plan, Mazamas2020, is available at beta.mazamas.org/mission-vision-plan/
the mountains thinking you can control their behavior. And in response to these two messages, the Mazamas have designed programs and activities that are chock full of long-time climbers with decades of experiences in the mountains. Our programs, climbs, hikes, and classes are all great ways for our newer students to connect with experience climbers, so they can learn and grow with the wisdom of our elders in mind. Our programs like the Basic Climbing Education Program, as well as our intermediate and advanced level classes, do more than introduce new people to the joys of hiking and climbing in the mountains. Our programs teach leadership, team-building, trust, risk management, incident response, and help all of our students slowly learn
STRATEGIES Support and expand traditional Mazama activity programs to create equitable and inclusive experiences in the outdoors for everyone each year. Pilot and scale alternate program models for activities to add capacity where traditional programs do not meet community or market demand. Host community social events to support existing members and to invite and engage our broader community.
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ACTIVITIES & EVENTS
how to engage safely in these inherently unpredictable alpine environments we love best. We know that our time in the mountains makes the memories, friends and stories that we’ll cherish for decades to come. For all of the incoming students in our spring classes reading this, we welcome you, and we encourage you to be safe, to be responsible in the outdoors to your community and your environment, and to support our work in the years to come. Have fun, and be careful out there.
Lee Davis Executive Director
STEWARDSHIP & ADVOCACY
YOUTH & COMMUNITY OUTREACH
CULTURE & INFORMATION
BCEP, as well as our intermediate and advanced level classes, do more than introduce new people to the joys of hiking and climbing in the mountains. Our programs teach leadership, teambuilding, trust, risk management, incident response, and help all of our students slowly learn how to engage safely in these inherently unpredictable alpine environments we love best. MARCH 2018 5
EVENTS & ACTIVITIES BANFF MOUNTAIN FILM FEST
April 13, 14, 15 at Revolution Hall April 20, 21, 22 at Cinema 21
There are three nights of unique line-ups featuring the latest adrenaline inducing, cinematic adventure stories to date! There are three opportunities in the Portland Metro area this year for the Banff Mountain Film Fest due to popular demand. ▶▶ Cinema 21: Tickets go on sale soon at Portland Metro REI locations. ▶▶ Revolution Hall: Tickets go on sale soon Portland Metro REI locations.
MOUNTAINFILM ON TOUR
March 8 at Revolution Hall
Portland Mountain Rescue is hosting the Mountainfilm on Tour at Revolution Hall! Come out for an evening of epic outdoor documentary films, prizes, drinks, mingle with Portland’s outdoor culture, and meet the volunteer rescuers. All proceeds go to support PMR’s nonprofit mission. Doors open at 6 p.m. and show starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are $17 in advance and $22 at the door. tinyurl.com/ PMRMountainfilm
USED EQUIPMENT SALE
March 30, 5–8 p.m. at the MMC
The Used Equipment Sale (UES) is an annual event. Sellers can clear out their unused gear and make some cash, and buyers can snap up field-tested equipment at great prices! Get full details on page 10.
Fundraiser for Liberty Bell Conservation Initiative
Get tickets: tinyurl.com/dirtbagmoviepdx
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES WRITERS, EDITORS, AND PROOFREADERS ... OH MY! Do you have a passion for the written word? Are you at your happiest when you are wielding a red pen? Are you interested in sharing tales of Mazama adventures through Mazama publications, both print and web? Then we want you! The Publications team has a variety of roles available, from monthly content editors and proofreaders, to features writers and project managers. We’d love to welcome you to our team. Interested? Email publications@mazamas.org 6 MAZAMAS
WE HIKE HIGH
Join our 3rd annual fully supported trek to the astounding area of the world’s largest tropical glacier, the Quelcaya Icecap, in Peru at 15–17,000 feet elevation. Opportunities available in advance to acclimate. October–November timeframe (exact dates to be determined later). Additional cultural/historical sites and day hiking options from Cusco custom-crafted for the participants. Contact climb leader ellengradison@gmail.com if interested.
Let’s Celebrate! by Sarah Bradham, Director of Marketing & Communications
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t’s BACK! The 2018 Awards & Volunteer Recognition Evening: A Mazama Celebration returns on Wednesday, April 25. We will once again be gathering at The Evergreen, 618 SE Alder Street, from 6–9 p.m. You'll enjoy an evening filled with Mazama Awards, including the Parker Cup, Hardesty Cup, 16 Peaks, Mazama Honorary Member, and many more. There will be slideshows and stories celebrating Mazama volunteers, and postcards where you can write a note of thanks to a volunteer who has made a positive difference in your life. And of course, there will be plenty of time for you to socialize with your Mazama friends, and hopefully meet some new ones. Get your tickets today at tinyurl.com/mazvolawards so we can accurately plan food and goody bags!
Wednesday, April 25 from 6–9 p.m. at The Evergreen
Mazama Awards Parker Cup Hardesty Cup Honorary Member 16 Peaks Oregon Cascades Guardian Peaks
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Welcome
NEW MAZAMAS!
Lindsey Addison—Mt. St. Helens Alan Armstrong—Mt. St. Helens Tim Bankroff—Mt. St. Helens Suzanne Beaupre—Mt. St. Helens Juli Beck—Mt. Adams Jeff Bissett—Mt. Hood Ishaan Biswas—South Sister Alexis Blank—Mt Shuksan Lacey Breton—Mt. St. Helens Nicholas Buck—Niehaus—Mt. Hood Douglas Busack—Old Snowy Scott Campbell—Mt. St. Helens Claire Carder—Mt. Adams Suvi Chisholm—Mt. Hood Brian Clament—Mt. St. Helens Howard Cohen—Mt. Adams Diana Collins—Matterhorn Melissa Crest—Mt. Adams Swathi Dhanavanthri—Mt. St. Helens Prateek Dujari—Mt. Rainier Ashley Emerson—Mt. Adams Philip Evans—Mt. Adams Melissa Farrell—South Sister Cory Fiendell—Mt. St. Helens Brad Fiscadlo—Mt. Adams John Gist—Mt. St. Helens Nicolas Gruenenfelder—Mt. St. Helens Ingrid Hannan—Mt. Arrowsmith, NZ Annette Harris—Mt St. Helens Caden Harris—South Sister Emily Harris—South Sister Kyle Hayslip—Mt. Shasta Kirsten Jacobson—Mt. Adams Amanda Jennewein—Mt. St. Helens Lacey Jones—South Sister Jessica Joyner—Mt. Adams Kevin Jung—South Sister Robbie Kaufman—Mt. Adams Krista Lawrence—Mt. St. Helens Peter Lizotte—South Sister
Shane Lorimer—Mt. Hood Kevin Marold—Mt. St. Helens David Martinez—Mt. Rainier Megan McCarroll—Mt. St. Helens Ian McCluskey—Mt. Hood Alex McManus—Mt. St. Helens Andres Mendoza—Mt. Adams Bret Merchant—Mt. Hood Alexis Millett—Mt. St. Helens Steve Moulton—Mt. Adams Sumedh Naik—Mt. St. Helens Stephanie Nelson—Mt. Rainier Brian O’Grady—Mt. Hood Kaitlyn Olszewski—Mt. St. Helens Zach Parsons—Mt. St. Helens Steven Payne—Mt. St. Helens Katherine Peterson—Mt. Hood Nachiket Rajderkar—Mt St. Helens Christopher Reigeluth—Mt. Adams David Rempel—Mt. St. Helens Jeannine Rouleau—Old Snowy Marc Rouleau—Old Snowy Austin Rufener—Mt. Hood Vivian Schoung—South Sister Daniel Scott—Mt. St. Helens Jamie Sharp—Mt. Hood Megan Skwirz—South Sister Tre Smith—South Sister Levi Stubblefield—Mt. Adams Andrew Taylor—South Sister Pragya Tikku—Mt. St. Helens Michael Tran—Mt. Adams Ben Ulsh—Mt. St. Helens Jacqueline Viet—South Sister John Viet—South Sister Loren Wertz—Mt. St. Helens Michael Whitlock—Mt. Adams Alan Wiest—Mt. Adams Jen Worth—Mt. Adams
New Members:........................................................................ 79 Reinstatements:........................................................................ 41 Deceased:................................................................................ 0 Total Membership as of Jan. 31: 2018—3,262; 2017—3,406
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Our new members join a 123-year legacy of mountaineering, exploration, stewardship, advocacy, and a love of the outdoors and outdoor recreation. Please give them a warm welcome if you encounter them in a class, activity, or an evening program. We welcome you to our ranks!
New member Andres Mendoza on the summit of Mt. Adams.
New member Annette Harris (left) on the summit of Mt. St. Helens.
@johnfrieh
k @rachap
@hollamentors
Interested in Joining the Mazamas? The Mazamas works to create a vibrant mountaineering community through education, advocacy, cultural preservation, and shared experiences. The Mazamas is one of the oldest mountaineering organizations in the country, formed on the summit of Mt. Hood in 1894. We promotes responsible outdoor recreation and conservation values through outdoor education programs, youth outreach, and advocacy. Headquartered in Portland, Ore., the Mazamas has been working to represent and support everyone who loves to play in and protect the mountains of the Pacific Northwest for more than 120 years. To join the Mazamas you must have summited a glaciated peak. Glaciated peaks are—you guessed it!—peaks that have a glacier on them. Examples of the most commonly summited glaciated peaks in our area include: Mt. Hood, South Sister, Mount St. Helens, and Old Snowy. You don't have to be an intrepid mountaineer to tackle this goal. A pair of sturdy hiking boots, a backpack, some trekking poles, a fit body, and some backcountry know how, will get you to the top of South Sister in the summer months without ever touching snow or leaving a trail! Better yet, we have a Hike to the Summit program that will help you achieve this goal. We would love to have you join our ranks. Especially now, in this time of turmoil for public lands, the Mazamas is working hard on the advocacy front to ensure that our public lands stay public and that the voices of outdoor recreationists are heard. In addition to knowing you are joining an organization that is working to ensure access to trailheads you frequent, to keep climbing areas open to climbers, and working actively to get the next generation of outdoors people connected to the outdoors through our youth outreach programs, there are also some great member benefits (see sidebar)! Learn more about the Mazamas and JOIN NOW at beta.mazamas.org.
Stay Connected ▶▶ Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/mazamas.pdx ▶▶ Follow us on Instagram: mazamaspdx and tag us in your photos with #mazamaspdx ▶▶ Subscribe to our blog: mazamas.blogspot.com ▶▶ Read the Mazama Bulletin online at issuu.com/ mazamas. ▶▶ Advertise your business in the Mazama Bulletin. Go to tinyurl.com/MazamasAds for details.
MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS Whether you are a lifelong Mazama member, currently enrolled in the Basic Climbing Education Program, reading this Bulletin at your local climbing shop, or somewhere in between, you should make sure you know all of the benefits of Mazama membership. JOIN THE MAZAMAS TODAY! Get all the details on how to become a member of one of the most active mountaineering organizations in the country: mazamas.org/join ▶▶ DISCOUNTED rates on all Mazama activities—climbs, hikes, classes, and outings. ▶▶ This MAGAZINE, filled with articles, photos, activities, and events delivered to your door monthly. ▶▶ DISCOUNTS at local retailers and gyms. ▶▶ Access to MAZAMA LODGE at the base of Mt. Hood. ▶▶ The Mazama Annual, a yearbook of the past year at the Mazamas, including articles, awards, and recognition of our volunteers. ▶▶ Free RESCUE INSURANCE anywhere in the world below 6,000 meters. ▶▶ Full access to the world-class MOUNTAINEERING LIBRARY.
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Get Ready to
Photo: Jacob Raab
! n u R
Photo: Jeff Fisher
Photo: Jacob Raab
MAZAMA MOUNTAIN RUNNING CAMP
MAZAMA ULTRA RUNNING CAMP
Fri., Aug. 3–Sat., Aug. 5 at Mazama Lodge
Sat., Aug. 11–Mon., Aug. 13 at Mazama Lodge
Located at the base of Mt. Hood, at beautiful Mazama Lodge, the Mountain Running Camp is geared towards road and trail runners interested in taking their running to the mountain environment as well as honing their mountain running skills. This 2½-day, 2-night camp will include group runs, a bootcamp, hill running clinic, mountain safety clinic, mountain running movies, excellent instruction by top-level runners, and much more! Led by Yassine Diboun, Joelle Vaught, Amy Sproston, and Jason Leman, this camp will get you ready to confidently run and explore the mountains on your own. Transportation, meals (excellent quality, fresh foods, vegetarian and gluten-free available) are included, along with bunk-style lodging. New options this year to accommodate returning students! Registration opens March 1, 2018 at beta@mazamas.org.
Located at the base of Mt. Hood, at beautiful Mazama Lodge, the Mazama Ultra Running Camp is for ultra runners to experience trail running at its finest! We’ll have two teams this year, led by Krissy Moehl and Jeff Browning, and two instructors TBD, you’ll spend 3 days and 2 nights exploring the beautiful trails in the Mt. Hood National Forest and learning from some of the masters of ultra running. During the camp, you’ll have the opportunity to circumnavigate Mt. Hood as a team. This circumnavigation is considered to be one of the crown jewels of Pacific Northwest ultra running and involves 40 (ish) miles on trail with appx. 10,000 ft of elevation gain and a variety of technical challenges—river crossings, glacier crossing, steep descents and ascents, and more all in a stunningly beautiful location. Registration opens March 1, 2018 at beta@mazamas.org.
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Canyoneering in the Pacific Northwest Registration Opens March 15 Canyoneering (or “canyoning”) is the sport of exploring canyons using a variety of techniques such as scrambling, climbing, rappelling, wading and swimming. The term is most often used to describe technical descents requiring ropes, harnesses and other specialized gear. Like climbs, canyons can vary widely in level of difficulty: ranging from the easy hike-through variety to the extremely technical. Dry canyons are significantly easier in terms of rigging and preparation compared to those with flowing water. The more water, the more difficult the canyon. Today, canyoneering is practiced all over the world—although it is most well known in Europe and the United States. It is a sport that is rapidly growing in popularity. In North America, most people associate canyoneering with the famous slot canyons of the Colorado Plateau, although it is also practiced in the Rocky Mountains, the Sierras, Arizona, British Columbia, Mexico, Hawaii, and here in the Cascades. With one of the greatest concentrations of waterfalls in the world, canyoneering is a natural fit for the Pacific Northwest. PREREQUISITES The ideal applicant will have Intermediate Climb School (ICS) or equivalent training/experience. OVERVIEW Students will attend five lectures and two field sessions. The lectures will introduce participants to planning a canyon rip with a discussion of gear, water protection, ethics, hazards, and good practices. Students will be introduced to Single Rope Technique (SRT), the concept of setting the length, rope blocks, releasable rigging, and ghosting. SCHEDULE Lectures: May 31, June 7, June 14, June 28, and July 12. Field Sessions: ▶▶ Session #1: June 16, 17, 23 or 24 (students pick one). ▶▶ Session #2: July 7, 8, 14 or 15 (students pick one) LOCATION The Mazama Mountaineering Center (527 SE 43rd Ave) and local creeks. TUITION $225 members/ $290 nonmembers.
FULL INFORMATION Please see the class webpage for more information: https://beta.mazamas.org/canyoneering/
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My Mazama Experience by Christine Rontal
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’ve always been an athlete and loved the outdoors. Growing up in New Jersey, it was more about traditional sports like gymnastics, basketball, and lacrosse and less technical outdoor experiences like camping, skiing, and hiking with my parents. Looking back, it always seemed like I was just skimming the surface of a life more involved in technically-skilled outdoor adventures. I majored in Parks and Recreation in college, but went down the Therapeutic Recreation path and spent more time in hospitals than on trails. I biked all over the Netherlands ... on a $15 bike I bought off a guy who probably stole it in Amsterdam. It wasn’t exactly “high performance.” As a Peace Corps volunteer, I took a bush taxi, motorcycle, canoe, and hiked three miles to get to and from my village— adventurous, yes, technical, not so much. In Alaska, I had lots of opportunities, but spent my time supporting Alaska Native Tribal Councils with the kind of technical skills more involved in economic development. And then it was off to Manhattan for grad school. Central Park was as good as it got.
Finally, I moved to Portland in 2008 and thought this is my moment to really get some technical expertise in outdoor adventure activities. And then I got pregnant with my first child, Graham. And then I got pregnant with my second child, Sylvia. Happy barriers, but barriers nonetheless to achieving this ever-present vision. Luckily for me, a friend introduced me to the Mazama Family Mountaineering 101 course last summer. Here was an opportunity to bond with Graham while learning technical skills like rock climbing, fixed line traversing, rappelling, wilderness first aid, orienteering, and snow climbing. And I briefly got to have that “badass mountain girl” vibe I’ve always wanted! Perfection. We had the best time. It seemed like an overwhelming commitment at times,
given everything else we had in our lives, but once we were on the road to another Mazama adventure that feeling faded and we had a great time, every single time. The course wasn’t without its challenges, afterall, Graham is only 8 years old and I had zero experience. However, it was facing those challenges and learning together that gave us the biggest opportunity to bond. Now that Families Mountaineering 101 is over, we’ve settled back into our “skimming the surface” routine again filled with all of the school, sports, and family commitments that always seem to take precedence in our lives. What has really stuck with us is the more profound relationship Graham and I share. And, not for nothing, every once and a while I get to glimpse a shade of my badass-mom-self in the mirror, too!
My Favorite Weekend by Graham Rontal
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thought the drive to the Mazamas Lodge was fun. Just having crampons on for the first time made me feel like I was a real mountaineer. Then came the walk in then snow. It was even more fun to use a ice ax. My favorite was glissading. We would make a snow slide and we would slide down with an ice ax and when you would go to fast you would turn over and use your ax and feet to self-arrest. We got to spend the night at the Mazamas lodge that weekend. We had trivia and there was a ping pong table, pool table, and foosball table in the game room. There were big bunk rooms that had triple bunks. The dinner was really good and at the end we even got ice cream. At the end of the weekend there was a surprise in the woods. I got so much snow in my boots! We trudged our way to a really fun experience that I want to keep secret. After that we had a really fun snowball fight. We said our goodbyes and went home.
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LIBRARY NOTES Established in 1915, the Mazama Library is nationally recognized as holding one of the top mountaineering collections in the country. Located on the ground floor of the Mazama Mountaineering Center, the library is a fantastic resource for members and the general public to find information on hiking, climbing, camping and exploring the rich history of regional and global mountaineering culture. acquired for the Mazama Library’s Special Collection by longtime library supporter Peter Green. Limits of the Known, David Roberts, 2018. Roberts reflects on humanity’s— and his own—relationship to extreme risk. Part memoir and part history, this book tries to make sense of why so many have committed their lives to the desperate pursuit of adventure. 796.5 R54
Walk There! 50 treks in and around Portland and Vancouver, 917.95.M57 Portland Hill Walks: Twenty Exploration in Parks and Neighborhoods, 917.95.F81 One City’s Wilderness Portland’s Forest Park, 917.95.H81c
DID YOU KNOW? ▶▶ The first all women’s Mazama climb took place in July of 1932 when Margaret Lynch, Beatrice McNeil, Edith Pierce, and Karin Maki all reached the summit of Mount Hood. ▶▶ Stacy Allison was the first American woman to reach the summit of Mt. Everest, in 1988 ▶▶ Miriam O’Brian was one of the best-known climbers of the 1920s and 1930s, she was on the first all-female ascent of the Matterhorn and, with her husband Robert Underhill, made the first traverse of the Aiguilles du Diable near Chamonix. ▶▶ Catherine Destivelle, a French climber, is famous for her solo rock-climbing exploits. In 1994 she became the first woman to solo the three classic north faces of the Alps in winter (Eiger 1992, Grandes Jorasses 1993, and the Matterhorn 1994).
THE MAZAMA LIBRARY NEEDS SUPPORT—FROM YOU!
NEW RELEASES AND ADDITIONS PDX Hiking 365, Matt Reeder, 2018. Where should we go this weekend? Like most Portland hikers, you want to go outside year-round, rain or shine. But most guidebooks tantalize you with places you can only access a few months a year. PDX Hiking 365 breaks through the fog to provide you fantastic hikes all year long, from January to December. Organized by month, 365 gives you ten great hikes for each month of the year, from New Years Day to New Years Eve. With PDX Hiking 365, you should be able to explore yearround for years to come. 917.95 R25 Steep Trails, John Muir, 1918. This rare book chronicles, among other things, Muir ascent of Mount Rainier in 1888. It was on this climb that Muir first met Mazamas founder William G. Steel. The two men would remain acquaintances and correspond over the next seventeen years as they worked to established Yosemite and Crater Lake National Parks. Steep Trails was
BOOKS FOR EXPLORING PORTLAND:
CLASSICS OF MOUNTAINEERING: A Search for the Apex of America, by Annie Smith Peck, 1911. Smith Peck was a professor at Smith College who climbed with her Swiss guide at the turn of the century. She made the first ascent of Huascaran, 22,000 feet, the highest peak in Peru and one of the highest in the Andes famed Cordillera Blanca range. Annie Peck’s accomplishments were remarkable. She was one of the leading American mountaineers of her time and a founding member of the American Alpine Club.
Do you, your parents, grandparents, or great grandparents have vintage mountaineering gear that is looking for a home? Don’t give it to Goodwill, donate it to the Mazama Library and Historical Collections! We are always on the lookout for wood handle ice axes, early climbing gear, vintage catalogs, turn of the century photographs, early mountaineering books, and more. Please contact library manager Mathew Brock at mathew@ mazamas.org to discuss potential donations. We apologize, but we cannot not accept any Mazama Annuals published after 1925 or National Geographics magazines. Please consider a financial contribution to support the Mazama Library, a nationally recognized collection and one of the few remaining mountaineering libraries in the United States. Your financial donation will help support our full-time librarian, acquire rare mountaineering books and historic photographs, and maintain our valuable archives and historic objects collections. Thank you for your support. MARCH 2018 13
Close Call?
What You Need to Know
Call CISM by Sandy Ramirez The Mazama Critical Incident Stress Management team provides incident debriefs and mental health referrals to Mazamas and members of our mountaineering community. Incident response debriefings are indicated whenever one’s usual coping abilities have become overwhelmed. A fatal accident does not have to take place to ask for a debriefing; a close call is often more than enough to leave one feeling out of sorts and to set off acute and chronic stress responses.
Debriefings can promote self-healing by accelerating the natural processes of reorganizing and restructuring the experience of the event. They can prevent long term problems and facilitate healthy grieving, moving one to feel better faster. Debriefings are totally confidential, amazingly simple, and they WORK! The Mazamas has a group of trained peer debriefers. We are Mazamas members who volunteer to assist other Mazamas with this important process. Debriefings are ideally conducted 24 to 72 hours after
2017 Mazama Annual The Mazama Annual will be release in August/September 2018. You'll be treated to the same great stories, reports from the previous year, a history of the last year of events, in addition to the most recent award winners from the Mazama Celebration on April 25, 2018.
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an incident but even if years have passed a debriefing can help restore equilibrium. It’s most effective if everyone in the party can attend. Anyone can contact the Mazama Mountaineering Center at 503-227-2345 to request a debriefing. Sandy Ramirez has been a Mazama since 1983 and a member of CISM since 2013. She worked as a school psychologist in Portland and Beaverton until her retirement in 2003. She is also a licensed clinical psychologist and a Disaster Mental Health Responder for the American Red Cross.
The CISM team is here and ready to serve you, but YOU need to initiate the process. It’s easy to do: Call us at 503-227-2345 or email adventure@mazamas.org and let us know you want to arrange a debriefing. We will need your name and a way to contact you. We will take it from there and will get back to you within 24 hours. This process is confidential. You do not have to be a member to take advantage of this service. More details: beta.mazamas.org/CISM/
Donate Your Warm Clothing In previous years the Mazamas have donated over 600 pounds of much appreciated warm winter clothing to Mainspring Portland. You can help our Portland neighbors again this winter. What is needed? Warm coats & jackets Gloves, mittens, hats, and socks Warm shirts & pants
Donation boxes are in the lobby of the Mazama Mountaineering Center.
Mainspring is located at 3500 NE 82nd Avenue and they serve residents from our Mazama neighborhood. For more information about MainSpring, please visit their web site: www.mainspring.org. For more information contact Kelsey Shaw at kelseyshaw@mazamas.org.
Mazamas.
Your adventure starts here.
MAZAMA
USED EQUIPMENT
SALE
▶▶Sale: Friday, March 30, 5 p.m.–6 p.m. for Mazama members and students in climb classes; 6–8 p.m. for the general public. ▶▶Gear Drop-off: March 29, 4 p.m.–8 p.m. ▶▶Location: Mazama Mountaineering Center, 527 SE 43rd Ave., Portland, Ore.
Each year the Mazama Used Equipment Sale provides the perfect opportunity for folks with lots of gear to clear out the old, and for folks who are looking for used gear to find some great gems to add to their collection! You could sell your used equipment on eBay or Craigslist but then you would have to deal with the entire sales process, including mailing your item to the buyer. This way, you simply drop off your gear, retain 70 percent of the sale price, and 30 percent helps fund Mazama programming! Buyers can find some great deals on fieldtested equipment, as well as some new equipment at discounted prices from local retailers. You’ll find nordic and telemark ski gear, snowshoes, all kinds of outdoor clothing, assorted (very assorted!) camping and backpacking gear, shoes and boots, books and technical climbing gear, and more! Sell some gear, buy some gear, help make the world go round!
SELLERS: ALL THE DETAILS ▶▶ Look in your gear closet for sale-able equipment or clothing you aren’t using or have upgraded. ▶▶ Price it reasonably and it will sell; you’ll keep 70 percent of all proceeds. ▶▶ Pick up price tags and tally sheets at the MMC starting Feb. 24. ▶▶ Mark your calendars for March 29 from 4–8 p.m. to drop off items for the sale. ▶▶ Pickup of leftover items is Saturday, March 31. If leftover items are not picked up on Saturday they will be donated to charity. Once again, we’ll be collecting warm clothing for Mainspring (formerly FISH Emergency Services) to distribute to those in need. For questions, email ues@mazamas.org or visit the website tinyurl.com/maz-usedsale
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On Mentorship
Jonathan Barrett
I
n 2007, I received word from an old high school acquaintance that my first climbing mentor, Jim Salem, had passed away. The news report had said that he had been struck by a passing car while he was riding his bike. That was the extent of the information he was able to give me. Our conversation was brief. Before he hung up the phone, he offered his sincere condolences because he knew the deep and resonating impact that the man had had on my life. The first time Jim invited me to his home, I was struck by the fact that his shed,where he threw pots, was larger than his house. Some of the vessels, shaped like rotund soldiers, were as tall I was at seventeen. Years later I can still recall their fine-boned structures standing in regimented rows waiting for the kiln. Waiting to be fired. His kitchen’s centerpiece was a wood stove, and herbs hung in thick bunches from exposed beams to dry. At the time, I didn’t know many climbers, or for that matter any besides him who were adults. His home would never have read “climber’s house” in the modern era of Instagram. Instead it whispered haikus about a loving husband and skilled potter, a soft-spoken environmentalist and a conflicted hippie. He was certainly one of the most well-paid staff members at my boarding school because he was the comptroller, but he lived like an ascetic. His art and his connection to the natural world were given pride of place. He split wood for heat, not
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because it was photo-worthy, but because it was elemental. He had invited me into his home at that time out of compassion and a growing sense of connection. Jim— although it was always Mr. Salem until I got married— saw in me interest more than potential. While the other kids in our school’s climbing club were satisfied to loll about the base of Chapel Ledge and socialize, I wanted to test myself against every line regardless of the grade. From a cabinet beneath the stairs Jim produced a pair of ice axes which would seem laughable to climb on now. At the time they were beautiful and mysterious to me. That afternoon we top-roped snot-colored frozen drips at a road cut in western Massachusetts. I had never swung an ice tool before,and he was far from a seasoned ice climber himself. The whole experience was foolish, meaningless, and profound. Jim recognized in me a hunger to know what was just beyond the horizons of my own life and was willing to take me there
even though the territory was unfamiliar to him as well. After I graduated from high school, he and I drove north into New Hampshire for a brief foray into multi-pitch climbing and dirtbagging. We slept in the back of his skyblue two-wheel-drive Toyota because it was cheap and easy. Over twenty years later, the sound of the rain drumming on the truck’s cap is still a resonant tone in my memory. I had felt frustrated that the opportunity would be lost, that the cliff would be soaked. “No point making plans until the morning,” he had said to me. It was neither an affirmation of the fact nor optimism. It was just the truth spoken by a man who lived a truthful life. At the first meeting of our little climbing club several years earlier, he had distributed photocopied pages from Freedom of the Hills and led us in a knot tying lesson. We also constructed harnesses out of one inch tubular webbing which he assured us would, “pinch the boys” something fierce. “Don’t worry,” he said.
“Eventually you may be lucky enough to own a harness.” The rain eventually passed and a stiff spring breeze dried the granite of Cannon quickly in the morning. I led every pitch that day while wearing a Black Diamond Alpine Bod harness that was only marginally better than one inch webbing I had worn for my first year. Jim was not a talented climber, so he struggled with sequences that I had felt weightless on. A short finger crack which left me feeling that universal joy of fine movement over perfect stone had him hangdogging through the sequence. This didn’t matter though. Our pack was far too large that day, particularly by our current light and fast standards, but his perspective was not one of speed or grades or sophisticated equipment, but being present. We sat on some ledge for far too long and assembled sandwiches with all the urgency of a Victorian summer picnic. There was a huge, crusty loaf of bread, a mountain of sliced deli meats and cheeses, an entire glass
Left: The membership of the Deerfield climbing club, 1995. Jonathan Barrett is at the top right. Jim Salem is at the bottom right. Photo: Deerfield yearbook staff.
jar of Dijon mustard. It was stupid and beautiful simultaneously. In the place of speed we had a focus on being entirely in the moment. When I think back on the power of his mentorship, it is clear to me now that I was deeply shaped by his point of view, that climbing was only an element of his life and not elemental to it like it can be for so many self-described climbers. He never aspired to live the life of a dirtbag as we would now recognize it, nor did he want to make it his whole focus. Instead he saw his life through the lens of finding balance. Only once did I ever watch him throw a pot on the wheel, and it was masterclass to witness. His hands which had seemed old and weak in contact with the granite of Whitehorse were confident and steady in contact with the clay. The form never wobbled even as he drew its perilously thin walls up towards his snowwhite beard. It found its own center of gravity, its own point of balance against the whirling wheel. My apprenticeship with Mr. Salem lasted only three years. I left New England and came to Oregon because in that short time his outlook became kiln-fired into my
In that brief span Jim offered me something that I was not sure that I wanted or could even imagine to exist: he gave me the gift of a range of mountains, the Cascades, and the promise that the whole world was not like New England. Mentors work this kind of magic. They stand in a place and offer the opportunity to join them. They say that there is room enough for everyone.
outlook. In that brief span Jim offered me something that I was not sure that I wanted or could even imagine to exist: he gave me the gift of a range of mountains, the Cascades, and the promise that the whole world was not like New England. Mentors work this kind of magic. They stand in a place and offer the opportunity to join them. They say that there is room enough for everyone. Some years after I got married, I found myself in western Massachusetts with my new wife and time on my hands. An query to Jim about his availability opened up the chance to bring my old world and my new world together. Shelbourne Falls, where he lived, has one notable tourist attraction, the Bridge of Flowers, so when we agreed to meet, he wanted it to be there. I can’t recall Carissa’s initial reaction to this man who loomed large in my life. Surely she was struck by his snow-white beard, glacierblue eyes, and genuine warmth. The three of us strolled across the bridge that was, at that moment in early spring, still only beds planted with promises to be fulfilled. He and I did not
spend the time reminiscing about Chapel Ledges or nameless road-side icelines. We talked about Oregon which was a place my new wife had been to only once. We were thinking of moving there, I told him, but it would be a huge change for us to leave our families behind in Massachusetts. He simply smiled and began to spin stories of living on the Warm Springs Reservation as a economics teacher, of his little apartment which is now a parking lot for a trendy NW 23rd business, and of the iconic image of Mt Hood seen from Portland. With Jim there was no formal curriculum, no immutable agenda. His life was one of clay, infinitely moldable, always reformable, and yet eternally fragile. The wheel spins, and he held on but never too tightly, neither to his own life nor to mine. Such was both the freedom and security of his mentorship. When my friend offered up his condolences that day in 2007, I think that he had missed the point. He should have instead expressed his joy that I had been given such a rare and transformative gift at all.
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MAZAMA LODGE Your Home on the Mountain. Fall/Winter Lodge Hours: Noon on Thursdays–Noon on Mondays. Our members will be pleased to know that the smoke issue has been resolved at the lodge. The lodge fireplace has never had a great draw. Some guests would build up too large of a fire causing smoke to drift into the main room. Others would build a fire and let the fire dieout, which would also cause smoke to drift into the lodge. A year and half ago the firebox of the chimney was rebuilt and a new liner was placed in the chimney. This caused even more smoke to drift into the lodge, frequently making being in the lodge unpleasant with all the smoke fumes. Finally a solution was found—a six inch metal plate across the fireplace that keeps the smoke from drifting into the lodge has been installed. Now you can still enjoy the ambiance of a real fire and no smoke. The recent cost for the installation of the metal plate was $450. We want to give a shout out to our summer ski guests that are competing this year in PyeongChang at the Winter Olympics. Megan McJames, and Alice McKennis are both on the women’s Alpine Ski Team. During the summer month they both live at Mazama Lodge for half the summer and coach young women to ski on the Palmer Snowfield. And good luck to Josh Benge who has stayed at Mazama Lodge for the past 14 summers, both as an athlete and coach. Josh is now the assistant coach for the South Korean Men’s Alpine Ski Team (and North Korean Teams). Josh has always been helpful getting kids to help with chores around the lodge and dealing with conflicts that come up. Maybe Josh can help broker a peace deal on Korean Peninsula. Good luck coaches and athletes! Government Camp has around 200 full time residents. According to one study done by the US Forest Service over 90 percent of the visitors to the Mt. Hood National Forest are day visitors. That may soon change with the Mt. Hood Meadows land swap. President Trump signed the “Mt. Hood Cooper Spur Land Exchange Clarification Act” on January 10, paving the way for development in Government Camp that will likely effect not just the 200 residents that live there but potentially Mazama Lodge. The act allows development of 100 acres west of Mazama Lodge along the western side of the Summit Ski Area. In exchange 700 acres on the North Side of Mt. Hood are protected from development. We will keep you posted on how this development could impact your future visits to Government Camp and Mazama Lodge. Mazama Lodge will be open every day during Spring Break from Thursday, March 22 until Monday April 2. The one day we are closed for exclusive use in Saturday, March 24 for BCEP. We are finally getting some cooler weather and snow. WE look forward to a great spring ski season!
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Mountain Science School enjoying skit night with a warm fire.
SUMMER SPEAKER SERIES The summer speaker series offers dinner at 5 p.m. and a program at 6 p.m. Dinner is $13.25.
HILL WALKING IN IRELAND
Sunday, May 6
Trek along with Alice Brocoum, Carol Beauclerk and Rex Breunsbach on Ireland’s Wicklow Way, south of Dublin and the Western Way, north of Galway: two of the many long distance self-guided walking trails in Ireland. These trails travel through a patchwork of landscapes and historic sites. Experience the vibrant culture and history of Ireland close-up while walking along national trails and country lanes. We travel through mountains, upland lakes, peat bogs, steep-sided glacial valleys, fast flowing streams, forests, and farmlands. Each night is a unique stop along the way, from farm to B&B to manor house.
SWITZERLAND’S “BERNER OBERLAND” & HIKING THE HAUTE ROUTE Sunday, June3
The Bernese Alps in Central Switzerland offer rugged glaciers and high alpine lakes, fervent meadows full of cowbell toting bovines, and a never ending landscape of trails for hikers of all abilities. We settled in the cozy and high village of Gimmelwald for four days and hiked the Lauterbrunnen Valley trails, before starting our eleven day Haute Route trek out of Chamonix, France. As we travelled from the Bernese Alps to the French Alps to begin our trek, we spent time with three prominent Swiss: Eiger, Jungfrau and Mönch. The Haute Route is a lesser known Alps’ trek (125 miles) connecting Chamonix in the West to Zermatt in the East. We will share with you our planning and packing and our variations to the route. We did not use a guide service or company. Join Ann Ames and Tom Davidson to catch a glimpse of the Bernese Alps and to see the vibrant beauty of France and Switzerland from the Haute Route path.
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The Other Side of Patagonia The Lake District By Darrin Gunkel
I
t’s that time of year when hikers and climbers begin returning from Patagonia, wowing their friends and family with tales of hurricane force winds on the Torres del Paine circuit or climbs up immense granite walls in the Fitz Roy Range. Then, to drive the superlative points home, they brag about how little they paid for their wine and steak celebration in El Calafate, the region’s tourist and climbing hub.
At the foot of the Tronador. Photo: Darrin Gunkel
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The national parks of Torres del Paine in Chile and Los Glaciares in Argentina (home of the Fitz Roy Range and Perito Moreno Glacier) deserve the attention they get, but they’re just the tip of Patagonia’s iceberg, lying at its southern end. The region sprawls far to the north, over 386,000 square miles, equivalent to the area of Washington, Oregon, California and half of Nevada combined. Its terrain is as diverse as the western US, too. Close to 50 parks and preserves protect everything from active volcanoes to ancient rainforests to penguin colonies. At Patagonia’s northern end lies the Lake District. This part of the Andes is not about the south’s soaring granite
towers or vast ice caps that are, honestly, mostly inaccessible to non-elite climbers and adventures. In the Lake District, most summits are within the reach of non-pros, many via routes that the Mazamas would give an A-rating. Yearround adventuring like hiking and skiing are on par with the Pacific Northwest. In fact, the region looks and feels a lot like home to a Cascadian. Pacific Ocean storms soak temperate rain forests west of the Andes and to the east, tall white volcanoes line the horizon above the steppe baking beneath blue, blue skies. So why go all that way just to get what we’ve already got here? First, if the Cascade Range is a thicket of volcanoes,
Working hard on Lonquimay. Photo: Darrin Gunkel
the Lake District Andes is a forest. Second, there’s nowhere else on Earth you can see a thousand-year-old Monkey Puzzle Tree, or better, a forest of them. Third, the weather’s better than southern Patagonia’s (not to mention the Pacific Northwest’s in January). Fourth, while the Lake District is most definitely a “destination”, towns there predate the travel boom; you stand a better chance of meeting Argentinians and Chileans who have lives outside the global tourist industry. Fifth, whereas the Northwest sports one landlocked fjord (Lake Chelan), this part of Andes has more than you can count. And finally, the wine and steak cost less than in El Calafate. Of the many, many Lake District outdoors destinations to choose from, here are three highlights:
PARQUE NACIONAL NAHUEL HUAPI One of the finest features of Lago Nahuel Huapi National Park is that you can take a city bus to get there. The park protects two million acres—from alpine heights to rolling Pampas—around Lake Nahuel Haupi, a 1,400-foot deep fjord that winds dozens of miles from the Chilean border to the edge of the pampas. On the lake’s south shore, the city of San Carlos de Bariloche bustles like a big, noisy version
of Washington State’s Leavenworth ( faux Bavarian architecture included). There, you can catch a city bus to the trailhead for Pico Tourista, a 3800-foot climb to views that encompass wide swaths of the national park. The first part of the trail is thoroughly civilized, with two well-stocked refugios (back country chalets that sell food, drink, and dorm beds.) The rest of the trail continues 30 true wilderness miles to Pampa Linda, a long valley at the foot of Tronador, the 11,660-foot volcano anchoring the park. There are easier ways to get to Pampa Linda than walking 30 miles, but get there you should. It’s difficult to overstate the drama of the setting. Picture Old Maid Flat, the approach to the Ramona Falls trail on Mt Hood’s west side below the Sandy Glacier. Now picture it twice as wide and twice as long, and the glacier flowing all the way to the valley floor, dumping icebergs into a jade green lake. Add a tent only campground on the banks of the river, a couple of nearby, but low key, car camps, a small hotel with a picture window view of Tronador in its dining room, and a hostel with a warm fireplace and an international crowd of climbers and hikers. This part of the park is not wilderness, but wilderness is a short walk away.
A road runs to Pampa Linda, and deadends 4 miles beyond, at that calving glacier. You do see a few cars, but the majority of visitors take the bus offered by Bariloche’s answer to the Mazamas, Club Andino Bariloche. You can base camp at Pampa Linda, a fine option if you want to end your day with a steak and a glass of wine. Options include strolling the lush valley to forested waterfalls or great amphitheaters of rock and ice. Or you can launch a backcountry trip from there to the heights on Tronador, venturing to the climbers’ refugio, Otto Meling, at 6,500 feet, or walk back to that bus stop on Bariloche’s outskirts.
PARQUE NACIONAL LANÍN An inland fjord and soaring volcano lie at the heart of Lanín National Park, too. But Lanín is about 100 miles north of Nahuel Huapi, just far enough that the climate tilts drier. Here, the grassy plains of the pampas roll all the way up to the shores of Lago Huechulafquen, at the base of 12,388-foot Volcan Lanín. There’s no public transportation to this park, but private bus companies run from San Martin or Junin de los Andes, Lanín’s two nearest towns.
continued on next page
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Slogging up from the bus stop. Inset: Wild fuschia in Pampa Linda, Nahuel Huapi NP. Photos: Darrin Gunkel
PATAGONIA, continued from previous page San Martin is a smaller, more upscale version of Bariloche. More Aspen than Leavenworth, it’s the launch pad for Chapelco ski resort. Closer to Lanín, Junin de los Andes is decidedly less posh, but it’s just as good a base for exploring the national park (and happens to bill itself as the trout fishing capitol of Argentina!) A company runs high season busses from Junin to the string of campgrounds along the north shore of Lago Huechulafquen. The camping’s comfortable and scenic, but can be noisy and crowded during Argentina’s high season in January. There’s something to be said for partying in the woods until all hours with campers from Buenos Aires, but you can find quieter spots along the lake. Either way, camping here is the simplest way to explore to ridges and slopes of Lanín’s south face— 22 MAZAMAS
and its old growth Monkey Puzzle forests, perhaps reason alone to visit this part of Patagonia. The Monkey Puzzles you see growing around the Pacific Northwest can be impressive, but they’re just babies compared to centuriesor millennia-old giants on the slopes of Lanín and neighboring volcanoes. Known in these parts as Araucaria (or Pehuen, in the native Mapuche language), these spiky, scaly ancients look like holdovers from the Mesozoic. There’s a grove of them a few hours up the trail from Puerto Canoas along the Rucu Lefu creek: a hundred feet tall, five-foot wide trunks, bark like plating on the back of a dinosaur – in fact, standing in a grove of these things, seeing a Brontosaurus lumbering by would make perfect sense.
RESERVA NACIONAL MALALCAHEULLONALCAS If Lanín whets your appetite for volcanoes and ancient Araucaria forests, it’s worth considering heading across the border into Chile. (Technically, you leave Patagonia when you enter Chile, but you’re still in the Lake District.) Most visitors to the region get their fill at Villarrica National Park, which shares the summit of Lanín, and includes two more volcanoes, one of them very much active. It’s a pretty touristy scene, however. A few hours more travel to the north gets you off the beaten path and lands you at one of the region’s gems: Malalcahuello reserve. The Monkey Puzzles grow even fatter, and in full-on forests, here on the wet side of the Andes. And so do the volcanoes. In the 150-mile
stretch between Villarrica and Laguna del Laja national Parks in Chile, there are a dozen major volcanoes, half of them very recently (or even currently) active. Lonquimay in Malalcahuello is one of them. The 9400-foot peak last spawned lava flows between 1988 and 1990. Confined to the north and east, the eruption didn’t damage the huge monkey puzzle forests on the south slopes of the mountain. And it’s hiking or skiing up through these forests to reach the alpine heights that are half of the magic of the place. The other half is the amazingly comfy Suizandia Guesthouse, located at one of the trailheads on the highway passing the reserve; you’d be hard pressed to find a better or easier basecamp in the region.
CLASSICS For Mazamas with 25 years or more of membership or those who prefer to travel at a more leisurely pace. CONTACTING THE CLASSICS If you wish to contact the Classics, you can call or email Chair Flora Huber at 503-658-5710 or flobell17@comcast.net, Executive Council liaison Steve Couche at 503-998-0185 or stephencouche@mazamas.org, or classics@mazamas.org.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED We are looking for volunteers to step up and help run the committee. Positions we need to fill are secretary, activities coordinator, and database updater, and help or backup for same. You don’t have to commit to three years but, of course, it would be so nice if you could. Email classics@mazamas.org to join our team!
LEADING EVENTS IN APRIL Send details to classics@mazamas.org by the twelfth of each month for inclusion in the Bulletin.
CLASSICS COMMITTEE MEETING MARCH 26 & MAY 28, 11 A.M.–12:30 P.M. AT THE MMC We meet the fourth Monday of every other month. Join us!
CLASSICS TRANSPORTATION PLAN Our east side transportation pick up point is Gateway; our west side location is the Sunset Transit Center. If you are interested in providing or receiving rides to Classics events you can sign up on the Classics section of the Mazama website or contact our transportation coordinator Flora Huber at flobell17@comcast.net or 503-658-5710.
OAK ISLAND STROLL TUESDAY, MARCH 6 AT 9:30 A.M. Oak Island is within Sauvie Island. Enjoy a 2.9 mile stroll to explore and see the birds. Meet at MMC. Leader: Flora Huber, flobell17@ comcast.net
ELMERS LUNCHEON TUESDAY, MARCH 13 AT 11:30 A.M. Our speaker will be Matthew Brock, Mazama Library & Historical Collections Manager. Elmers is located at 10001 NE Sandy Blvd. Contact Flora Huber, flobell17@comcast.net.
WHITE RIVER OR TWIN LAKES MONDAY, MARCH 19 AT 11:30 A.M. The idea is a gentle snowshoe hike at White River. However, there may not be any snow. In which case, this hike will be to Twin Lakes. In either case, meet at respective trailheads; White River Snopark on Hwy 26 or the Barlow Pass Snowpark 2.6 miles north of Hwy 26 on Hwy 35. Bring lunch. Meet at 9:30 a.m. and be ready to leave at 10 a.m. (Be flexible and check in with David to receive updates. ) David will bring a stove to heat soup, tea, or coffee for anyone to enjoy with lunch. Expect around 3–4 hours total round-trip, weather permitting. Email David.R.Christopher@gmail.com to check in and to receive updates. MARCH 2018 23
ADVENTUROUS YOUNG MAZAMAS (AYM) Activities for those in their 20s & 30s or anyone young at heart.
Featured Event
CAPE DISAPPOINTMENT AND ASTORIA AREA YURT WEEKEND
Sat., April 7–Sun., April 8
S
pend the weekend exploring the rugged Northwest Oregon and Southwest Washington coast. This area in particular is full of historical significance and sites as it was the endpoint of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Hikes will be easy to moderate. Exploratory. Cost: $25 members/$35 nonmembers. Drive ~220 miles RT. Fee includes yurt fee, does not include contribution to drivers, required passes/fees, or food. Advance payment/registration required, group size limited to 12. Detailed prospectus will be sent to participants upon registration. Leader: Reena Clements.
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PORTLAND HISTORY HIKES: HIKE: SILVER FALLS INTERIOR LOOP PORTLAND HEIGHTS TO Saturday, March 17 COUNCIL CREST
Saturday, March 3
New to Portland, or just curious about the city you live in? Want to wake up late and stick close to town? If so, come join me for a Portland History Hike! For this hike, we’ll be exploring the Portland Heights area as we walk up to Council Crest. 4.5 miles. 400 feet. Meet at the corner of SW Vista and SW Spring St, 10:30 a.m. Leader: Krista Collins
HIKE: HAMILTON MOUNTAIN
Saturday, March 10
This is a classic hike in the Columbia River Gorge on the Washington Side. You’ll find beautiful gorge vistas, waterfalls, and some steep switchbacks. 7.5mi roundtrip, 2,100 ft. Meet Gateway NE 99th Park & Ride, 7:30 a.m. Drive: 70 RT. Discover Pass required. Leaders: Sweeney Grabin and Keith Dechant
PORTLAND HISTORY HIKES: SELLWOOD RIVERFRONT TO JOHNSON CREEK LOOP
Sunday, March 11
New to Portland, or just curious about the city you live in? Want to wake up late and stick close to town? If so, come join me for a Portland History Hike! For this hike, we’ll be exploring an array of different areas, from the scenic woods of Oaks Bottom up to different neighborhoods in and around Sellwood. 3.75 miles. 110 feet. Meet at the parking lot of Sellwood Riverfront Park, 10:30 a.m. Leader: Krista Collins.
How much green can you take? Join AYM for a loop up through the hills of Silver Falls State Park’s wilderness backcountry. We’ll skip the waterfalls, opting for mysterious trails in the rugged backcountry of one of Oregon’s most famous parks. 10 miles, 2,000 feet elevation gain. Drive: 110 miles. $5 per car entrance fee to the state park. Exploratory: leader has done part of these trails but not the entire loop. Meet at Gateway Transit Center at 8:30 a.m. Leader: Matt Reeder
PORTLAND HISTORY HIKES: WILLAMETTE HEIGHTS TO BALCH CREEK CANYON LOOP
ADVENTURE HIKE: GOOSENECK RIDGE
Saturday, March 31
One of Oregon’s great adventures takes hikers up and over Cottonwood Canyon, where you will be greeted with views of the surrounding canyonlands, farms, and wind turbines. We’ll make a mostlyoff trail loop up and over Gooseneck Ridge on the west slopes of Cottonwood Canyon, before returning along the Pinnacles Trail that follows the John Day River. Expect epic views, early spring wildflowers, wildlife, and few people— but also bracing winds, steep slopes and a very long day. 8.8 miles, 1,800 feet elevation gain. Drive: 240 miles roundtrip. Meet at Gateway Transit Center at 7:30 a.m. Leader: Matt Reeder
Saturday, March 24
New to Portland, or just curious about the city you live in? Want to wake up late and stick close to town? If so, come join me for a Portland History Hike! For this hike, we’ll be exploring a bit of Forest Park (specifically some of the Wildwood Trail along Balch Creek) and the Willamette Heights neighborhood. 4.75 miles, 350 feet. Meet at the corner of NW 29th and NW Wilson street, 10:30 a.m. Leader: Krista Collins.
Check the website at tinyurl.com/maz-aymactivities, and the AYM Meetup page frequently for the most up to date schedule. All trips are $2 for members/$4 for nonmembers unless otherwise noted. MONTHLY EVENTS ▶▶ AYM Committee Meetings are on the fourth Monday of the month at 6:30 p.m. at the MMC. ▶▶ Interested in learning what AYM is about or looking for a casual introduction to our group? Be sure and join us for pub night on the third Monday of the month. ▶▶ We also host board game night on the first Thursday of the month. Check the Meetup page for location as they rotate every month!
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Beta
It’s Time!
Mazama Website The new Mazama website is now online in beta mode at beta.mazamas.org. This new website is set to bring exciting new functionality to the Mazamas. We want you to be ready for the beta launch so you can enjoy the new features and help report any bugs you might find.
Features
NEXT STEPS
All class & activity registration will be online, including climbs, hikes, outings, and educational programs
If you haven’t already, make sure you have your own unique email address to take advantage of the new website (your email address will be your unique ID, you cannot share an email address with another user).
All class & activity management will take place online Mazama activity participation will be tracked in your online profile (new activities) Mazama training and some relevant external training will be managed through the new badge system Some of your Mazama history MAY be a part of your profile upon launch, including the last 4 years of Mazama climbing information and the last two years of class information. You will be able to view a complete calendar of Mazama activities, including climbs, hikes, classes, AYM events, Classics events, and more in ONE location—the searchable online Mazama calendar
PHOTOS? Do you have a photo that you think would be great for the new website? Please send it to us! We want to feature more of YOU in action on the site. Email to: photos@mazamas.org.
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When the site is ready, if you are a member or have been a member, we will email you a link to login to the site. This link will go to the email address we have on file for you. You’ll click the link in the email, create a password for the site, and you’ll be ready to go. Your profile will be pre-populated with data we already have for you in our database, including your address, phone number, and the date you joined the Mazamas. You’ll be able to complete your profile with additional information that will allow you to get matched up with volunteer opportunities and view your activity history with the Mazamas. YOU have control over who can see your data. You can make certain data public for other members to see, and other data that would only be available for your activity leader. More details will be sent to you by email this month. We look forward to sharing this new website with you and look forward to hearing your thoughts!
2018 Climb Schedule How To Apply for a Climb 2018 Climb Application Processss 1. Go to the beta.mazamas.org 2. Create your account (see right) 3. Complete your profile, including adding a profile photo, bio, and emergency contact 4. Review the Mazama Calendar 5. Apply the filter “Climbs”—this will show you just climbs that are on the calendar 6. Starting April 15 you’ll be able to begin applying for climbs (some climbs will have an application open date of April 15, while others may a later date). 7. The application process has four steps: create an account, sign the liability waiver, enter your credit card, apply 8. Your credit card will only be charged if you are accepted 9. Once the climb leader updates your status—accepted, wait listed, not accepted—you will receive an email that will prompt you to login to your account 10. Login to your Mazama account, and click on your dashboard, and look at your “My Schedule” section 11. Click on the climb you were accepted on 12. You will now see your climb leader info, climb team, and other relevant climb information 13. If you need to cancel, hit the withdraw button and confirm that you need to withdraw from the climb
ou ar
Did you know?
Our paper climb card process started in 1976 and has undergone very few changes during the last 41 years. The card itself got a bit longer, and the liability waiver received a significant overhaul, but overall the process has been unchanged for 4 decades.
MAZAMA MEMBERS OR PAST MAZAMA MEMBERS: HOW TO SETUP YOUR ACCOUNT If you are a current Mazama member or have been a Mazama member in the past, you’ll want to use the email address we have on file for you to create your account. This will allow your account to sync up with your record in our database. Please note: The beta site is not related to our current website. Your login credentials for mazamas.org cannot be used to login to beta@mazamas.org. If you do not know what email address we have on file for you, please contact us at beta@mazamas.org BEFORE creating your account. STEPS: ▶▶ Go to beta.mazamas.org ▶▶ Click on Login ▶▶ Click on Sign Up ▶▶ Enter your Email Address (the email address we have on file for you) ▶▶ Click on Verify in the verification email you received (check your spam box if you don’t immediately see this email) ▶▶ Enter your first name, last name, and create a password ▶▶ You will now be logged in to beta.mazamas.org ▶▶ In the upper right hand corner you will see your first name and the initial of your last name—click on your name ▶▶ You will be presented with three options: Profile, Dashboard, and Logout ▶▶ Click on Profile ▶▶ Complete your Profile (note: if you do not see any data in your profile, such as address or phone number, this means that you did not sync your account with our database. Email us a beta@mazamas.org to merge your records.)
NEW USERS: HOW TO CREATE AN ACCOUNT If you are a new user (i.e. you have not been a Mazama member) and you have not already created an account at beta.mazamas.org, follow these directions to setup your new account. STEPS: ▶▶ Go to beta.mazamas.org ▶▶ Click on Login ▶▶ Click on Sign Up ▶▶ Enter your Email Address ▶▶ Click on Verify in the verification email you received (check your spam box if you don’t immediately see this email) ▶▶ Enter your first name, last name, and a password ▶▶ You will now be logged in ▶▶ In the upper right hand corner you will see your first name and the initial of your last name Click on your name ▶▶ You will be presented with an option of Profile, Dashboard, or Logout ▶▶ Click on Profile ▶▶ Complete your Profile MARCH 2018 27
EVENING TRAVEL PROGRAMS EVERY WEDNESDAYS AT 7 P.M., MID-OCT. THROUGH MID-APRIL AT THE MAZAMA MOUNTAINEERING CENTER.
MARCH 7—HIKING TASMANIA
MARCH 14—ADVENTURE RUNNING
Tasmania is a beautiful, unique, and vastly varied land. There is a wide range of experiences to be had there. Erin “Wired” Saver will present her month in Tasmania hiking the most popular trails and routes. Through anecdotes, photos, and videos Erin shares her journey. Be ready to take note of all the amazing places to visit in Tasmania. This is a highly recommended destination for anyone that loves hiking. A detailed daily journal of her trip can be found at http://www. walkingwithwired.com
Along the spine of the Left Coast is a landscape of unspeakable vastness and soul-stirring beauty; a true glimpse into the world as it once was. The Cascade and Sierra Nevada Ranges have been inspiring adventurers, wanderers, and wonderers for many years. There is no greater setting for discovering one’s self than running among these resplendent and magical spaces. Local trail runner and ultramarathoner Sean Harrasser has spent almost thirty years exploring these mountain wildscapes, and exploring the edges of his own capabilities. These are not stories of setting speed records or of competitive racing. They are an ordinary person’s quest for something extraordinary; a sparkling obsession with discovering the beauty and mystery of the Wilderness around us and the Wilderness within us.
Programs are free and open to the general public. We appreciate voluntary contributions at the discretion of each attendee. Carpooling, public transportation, biking, and walking to the MMC are encouraged. Thank you for supporting our successful series by your regular attendance.
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MARCH 21—HIKING THE KUMANO KODO IN JAPAN
MARCH 28— CANYONEERING IN THE NORTHWEST
John Osaki of Mountain Hiking Holidays shares his experience hiking the Kumano Kodo, an ancient pilgrimage route in Japan. Begin at Koyasan, a sacred mountain, and hike to the sea on trails through the Kii Mountains. Follow in the footsteps of pilgrims from the 11th century, and enjoy forests, views, rivers, and shrines. Now a UNESCO World Heritage site, and officially “twinned” with the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage in Spain, you can earn “Dual Pilgrim” status by completing both pilgrimages. Preview of images online at www.mountainhikingholidays. com/slideshows/kumano_ kodo/kumano_kodo_show. htm.
A couple of years ago Wim Aarts and Kaitlin Rupert were introduced to canyoneering in the Northwest and began making in-roads into the canyons of the Columbia Gorge, Central Oregon, Southern Washington and the Oregon Coast Range. Many of these canyons and gullies have seen very little traffic or even complete descents. The NW has amazingly green canyons while Southwest canyons have the lightning spectacular red sandstone that makes for very dramatic photos. This presentation will point out differences between SW and NW canyoneering and some specific topics to pay attention to when canyoneering in the Pacific NW. The objectives of the Mazama Canyoneering Education effort will be presented.
April 22, 2018
www.bend-marathon.com
5K & 10K
SP ONS ORE D B Y:
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The
Eyes and Ears of Search & Rescue
Kevin Machtelinckx
T
he news stories about search and rescue operations that happen every summer in Oregon, from overdue hikers and climbers in the national forests to missing persons in urban areas, often focus on the K-9 units and front line searchers. Much less in the spotlight are the men and women of the support units who act as the lynch pins of all those operation. One of these units that help search and rescue organizations function more effectively is a communications group. Russell Gubele, president, board member, and command officer of Mountain Wave Search and Rescue gives us an insight into this critical backbone of his organization. WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE COMM (COMMUNICATIONS) TEAM IN MOUNTAIN WAVE SAR? The role of the communications team is to provide communications, coordination, documentation, situational awareness, and technical support to search and rescue operations.
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WHAT GOES ON IN THE COMM TRUCK DURING A MISSION? During a mission, the communications team is actively monitoring and communicating with field SAR teams, aircraft, 911 centers, law enforcement, the military, and any other agencies involved in the search. They also would be issuing satellite trackers to team leaders, radios and GPS units to those that need them, and providing any needed
technical support. They are also tracking teams, making missing person flyers, mapping, tracking clues, social media, downloading GPS units and providing overall coordination for the mission. DO ALL SAR ORGANIZATIONS HAVE A COMMUNICATIONS TRUCK/ TEAM? No, most don’t.
HOW CRUCIAL IS THIS TEAM TO THE SEARCHERS IN THE FIELD? Communications is one of the most critical parts of any SAR mission. HOW DID YOU PERSONALLY GET INVOLVED IN THIS ROLE? After being involved with dozens of incidents where communications was a problem, and always hearing at mission debriefs that the biggest problem on a mission was communication, I got involved because I felt I could help make this situation better. WHAT EQUIPMENT DO YOU USE? Too much to list! The short list is radios that can communicate with almost everyone, computers, phones, GPS units, drones, satellite trackers, and more. WHAT MAKES MOUNTAIN WAVE’S COMM TRUCK SPECIAL OR UNIQUE? Our rig is unique because it has the ability and equipment to communicate with all agencies; local, state, and federal and not just our agency or a local agency. It is built to be highly functional and able to handle any type of SAR mission or large scale event or disaster.
The biggest challenge is to be able to communicate with everyone all the time. There is often little or no communication infrastructure in the rural areas where most searches occur.
Left: Com 4 setup and ready for a training mission at Timothy Lake. Above: Comm team doing communications and mapping on a SAR mission. Inset above: Com 4 being setup on a SAR mission for a missing climber on Mt. Hood.
WHAT TECHNICAL SKILLS OR QUALIFICATIONS DOES ONE NEED TO BE A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNICATIONS TEAM? A background in electronics, public safety communications, and computer technology is very helpful. Being a Ham radio operator is also a plus. Many times SAR organizations work in conjunction with the sheriff or other local authorities. What is the communication team’s role with these local authorities when out on a mission? Search and rescue operations in Oregon are the responsibility of the County Sheriff. That is who calls Mt. Wave and the other SAR teams out
on missions. Our role is to provide communications and documentation for all the teams and agencies working on the mission. ARE THERE SITUATIONS THAT REQUIRE MORE INVOLVEMENT OF THE COMMUNICATIONS TEAM/ TRUCK THAN OTHERS? WHY? Yes. Larger incidents are usually very active and require more resources and equipment. There are lots of communications from many sources, and a large amount of documentation. For example, the recent search for Kyron Horman at times had more than 400 searchers
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MOUNTAIN WAVE, continued from previous page in the field in addition to state and federal agencies involved. At times, we had 40 people involved and 3 communications rigs deployed. WHAT WOULD YOU SAY ARE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES IN THIS ROLE? The biggest challenge is to be able to communicate with everyone all the time. There is often little or no communication infrastructure in the rural areas where most searches occur. Our challenge is to setup an infrastructure quickly so everyone can communicate. WHAT ARE THE MOST REWARDING CHALLENGES? When everyone can communicate and we play a role in bringing the missing person and all the searchers home safe.
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DO YOU HAVE ANY NOTABLE RESCUES OR MOMENTS AS PART OF MOUNTAIN WAVE AND THE COMMUNICATIONS TEAM? The Kelly James search on Mt. Hood in 2006 comes to mind. Our team was able to pinpoint his location in a snow cave near the summit by tracking his cell phone. It was the first time this had been done and caused cell phone tracking to be used in almost all searches. WHAT DO YOU DO FOR A DAY JOB? I work as an I.T. and communications manager for American Medical Response. WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COMM TEAM? We have current and former public safety first responders, teachers, software developers, nurses, office managers, pilots, truck drivers, and many other occupations.
WHO MIGHT FIND THIS KIND OF POSITION INTERESTING AND HOW CAN THEY GET STARTED IF INTERESTED IN VOLUNTEERING? Anyone that has an interest in communications and technology and wants to use these skills to help missing and injured people can go to our web site at www.mwave.org for more information.
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OUTINGS HAWAII VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK MARCH 24–31
DEATH VALLEY: HIKING & EXPLORATION MARCH 11–17
Join us on the Big Island of Hawaii where we'll spend a week exploring Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, one of the world's most fascinating biological and geological landscapes in the most geographically isolated group of islands on Earth. We'll be staying in two cabins right in the park, each with three bedrooms, two baths, a kitchen, and all the comforts of home. Our itinerary will include day hikes (B and C level, the longest will be 10 miles), depending on permits, an overnight backpack either down to the coast (Halape) or up to Red Hill Cabin on Mauna Loa, and one day to explore Hilo and the Hamakua coast. Outing cost depends on participant numbers (8 min/10 max, plus 2 leaders). Costs range from $684/$828 members/ nonmembers for a team of 10, or $754/$898 members/nonmembers for a team of 8 (includes lodging and fees). Each participant is responsible for their meals, rental car, and air travel. Sign up and a deposit of $150 is required by Dec. 15. Contact outing leader, Jay Feldman, at JayF1111@gmail.com or assistant leader, Rex Breunsbach at rbreunsbach@ gmail.com for more information or to apply.
Take a late winter getaway to warm, dry, and scenic Death Valley national park in southern California. We will have a variety of hikes, from easy walks to moderately strenuous day trips up various canyons, washes and peaks. There are cultural and historical activities—Scottie’s Castle, Furnace Creek Inn, and abandoned mines and ghost towns. Wildlife viewing, including desert pupfish, bighorn sheep, reptiles, birds and insects is possible. March is around the wildflower bloom, which is very impressive in some years. Those interested in photography should bring their camera gear. We have the opportunity to view sunrise, sunset, and wildflowers in different areas of the park, such as Zabriskie point, Badwater, and the sand dunes. This is also dark sky park, and we have moonless nights for great views of the heavens. The trip will be low key and nonregimented. Participants may go off on their own or be part of organized activities, as they desire. Be prepared for a variety of weather conditions, as it can be hot and cold the same day, as well as windy. We will camp six nights at the Furnace Creek group campground. Participants responsible for their transportation ( flying to Las Vegas and car rental, or driving from Portland.) The cost including Outing fees and campground is $110–$190, depending on group size (6 min/13 max). Signup deadline is February 15, 2018. Deposit is $50. Contact leader Bob Breivogel, breivog@teleport.com, 503-292-2940.
More information and applications available at tinyurl.com/maz-outings.
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HELLS CANYON BACKPACK APRIL 21–27 Backpack through the deepest canyon in North America along the Snake River National Recreation Trail. Our 54-mile adventure includes five days of backpacking and offers uncommon solitude, old West historical sites, fabulous scenery, and abundant wildlife. Participants should be able to backpack 10 to 12 miles per day at a comfortable/moderate pace, carrying five days of food and camping gear. Outing cost of $225 to $295 for a group size of 12, including leaders, and includes carpool mileage to and from Hells Canyon, plus campground and outing fees. Does not include meals or equipment. A trip overview meeting including gear assessment and recommendations will be held prior to departure, tentatively on Tuesday, April 10. Full payment due March 20, 2018. Contact leader Rex Breunsbach, rbreunsbach@ gmail.com, or assistant leader Alice Brocoum, alicevivianb@gmail.com for more information or to apply.
GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS—HIKES, GEOLOGY, AND CULTURE MAY 12–20 Enjoy a week in western North Carolina as we explore the spectacular Appalachian scenery along with learning about the geology, flora, and mountain culture of the area. The hikes will be B-level, 7 to 8 miles and elevation up to 2,000 feet, with options for tougher B hikes up to 10 miles and 3,000 feet. The typical pace will be leisurely so we can enjoy the beauty of the oldest mountains in North America, at least two sections of the Appalachian Trail, and one hike in the Pisgah National Forest. We will have time in the evenings to enjoy the arts, crafts, and music of the area or simply hang out at the Creekside Lodge with its indoor swimming pool, fire pits, and other amenities. We will take a break Wednesday to visit Asheville, N.C., or other places in the area. The outing cost is $495 to $575 depending on number of participants and includes lodging, one meal, and all fees. Participants are responsible for their other meals, airline cost, and car rental. Maximum 16 participants. Deposit of $200 due ASAP. For more information, contact leader Rex Breunsbach, rbreunsbach@gmail.com, 971-832-2556; assistant leader Alice Brocoum, alicevivianb@gmail. com, 702-682-9653; Advisor/Area Expert: Jim Selby, selbyjb@comcast.net
WEST COAST TRAIL BACKPACK, VANCOUVER ISLAND, CANADA JUNE 12–20
HIKING GLACIER NATIONAL PARK (ALTERNATES ONLY) JULY 22–28
Canada’s West Coast Trail (WCT) is an epic 46-mile backpacking adventure. You’ll see tide pools, sea lions, and picturesque geologic features. Visit lighthouses and trailside restaurants. Cross coastal rivers with four cable cars and two boat rides. We’re paying close attention to the tides to ensure visiting the most spectacular parts of the trail, such as Owen Point and Tsusiat Falls. Whenever we can, we will walk on coastal rocks at low tide. The inland portion of the trail features ladders, mud, roots, and slick boardwalks. This is an outing for people in excellent physical condition. Outing cost is $661 for members and $751 for nonmembers if the outing is full: a northbound team of 8 and a southbound team of 8. If each team has 7, the outing will cost $755 for members and $845 for nonmembers. Cost includes transportation to/from Portland, the WCT permit fee, and three nights in Victoria hotels (there’s one free day in Victoria at the end of the outing). Participants are responsible for meals and optional activities. Maximum 16 participants. Deposit of $200 is due now to hold a spot, and an additional deposit of $200 is due by December 31 to keep a spot. Contact outing leader Bill Stein, billstein.rpcv@ gmail.com, for more information or to apply. The assistant leaders are Bob Breivogel, Rex Breunsbach, and Meg Linza.
Spend a week hiking the trails in America’s mostbeautiful national park: Glacier. Established in 1910, this 204 square mile park in NW Montana offers breath-taking, rugged landscapes that are rich in wildlife and flora. There will be an assortment of A and B level day-hiking during the five days, led by Richard Getgen and Robert Smith. Wildlife sightings, mountains carved by intense glaciation, alpine lakes, wildflowers, and rushing streams await you. Attention will be given to the history of Glacier, as well as the park’s topographic features, and the flora and fauna we encounter. The group site will be at KOA in St. Mary’s and we will carpool to the trailheads. The cost of the trip is $220 for members and $280 for nonmembers. KOA offers tent sites, RV hookup, and three types of cabins. Campsite/lodging expenses are not included in the cost. Contact Richard at teambears@frontier.com for an application. There will be a pre-outing meeting in the spring for participants to meet and receive additional information.
NEW! HIKING THE SPANISH PYRENEES JULY 25–AUGUST 8, 2018 The Pyrenees are an amazing mountain system that act as the natural border between Spain and France. The GR11 (Grand Route or Gran Recorrido) is a trail of 522 miles that takes you from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea across these beautiful mountains. We will be hiking around 90 miles of the first part of the GR11 for 12 days. We will start in Puerto de Urkiaga and finish in Canfranc. We will be sleeping in small villages, hostels, campground bungalows, and mountain refuges. We will enjoy the different landscapes that the Pyrenees offer from the lowest altitudes to the highest ones. Tons of amazing views (such as the Alanos Zuriza) and lots of mountain passes. Outing costs of $935 to $1,155 for a group of 10 or 8. Costs include lodging, outing fees, and two group meals. Trip overview meeting will be scheduled in May or June. Contact leader Juanfran Carceles (jfcarmar@gmail.com) or assistant leader Reuel Kurzet (rkurzet@comcast.net) for more information. Signup deadline April 15. Deposit of $200 due upon acceptance. Full payment due June 1.
HIKING IN THE NORTH CASCADES AUG. 12–19 This outing is for those who love spectacular mountain vistas and glorious alpine meadows. You’ll spend seven nights in fully furnished rustic log cabins surrounded by pristine forests in the foothills of Mt. Baker where you can almost reach out and touch the Canadian border. Each day we will carpool from the cabins to enjoy either a B- or C-level hike. The hikes will offer opportunities for wildlife sightings, wildflowers, waterfalls, and grand panoramic views of snow-capped mountains. Outing cost is dependant upon the number of participants, 9 minimum/12 maximum. Member range is $446–$333; nonmember range is $516–$403. The cost includes all fees and lodging. Each participant is responsible for his/her own food. Dinner is available at nearby restaurants. The signup deadline is May 1, 2018. A deposit of $200 is required upon acceptance of application. For more information please contact either Larry Solomon, muensterhump@hotmail.com or co-leader Sherry Bourdin, sbourdin@reig. com.
TRINITY ALPS HIGH ROUTE TREK SEPTEMBER 8–14 FULL, ALTERNATES ONLY Join us as we hike a large portion of northern California’s Trinity Alps High Route. This ~35-mile alpine trek circumnavigates the Canyon Creek drainage and includes the summits of up to four named peaks in the Trinity Alps Wilderness. The six to eight participants will need to be in good physical condition and have experience in at least one 50-mile (or greater) trek. We will be traveling light and fast, up to 10 miles per day with daily elevation gains varying from near zero to almost 5,000 feet. A $100 deposit will be required upon acceptance. Contact the leader Gary Bishop (gbish90@hotmail.com) or assistant Brooke Weeber (bweeber@ gmail.com) for more information.
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TRAIL TRIPS JOIN US! MAZAMA TRAIL
TRIPS ARE OPEN TO EVERYONE Contact Trail Trips chair Bill Stein at trailtrips@mazamas.org with any questions. To lead a hike next month, go to: mazamas2.org. HK A1.5 Mar 03 (Sat) Explore Metro Parks—Cooper Mountain Rick Craycraft 503-679-2113 or leftfield5@juno.com. A system of trails draped on the side of Cooper Mountain in southwest Beaverton. Forested paths, open views and patches of preserved prairie. “B” hike steepish in places. Dress for the weather. 3.5 mi., 800 ft., Drive 40, MMC 9 a.m. HK B2 Mar 03 (Sat) Cape Lookout—North Lot to South Beach Rex Breunsbach 971-832-2556 or rbreunsbach@gmail.com. We will hike up to the top of the cape and then back down to the beach and tidepools on the south. Some good elevation with magnificent ocean views and a wide variety of trails. 8 mi., 2,000 ft., Drive 160, TH, Gateway 8 a.m. MU HK C2 Mar 03 (Sat) Table Mountain (West Ridge) David Zeps davidz24130@gmail.com 503-3337783. Up and down west ridge. Could be springtime or winter conditions; be prepared. Microspikes, gaiters, poles with snow baskets, sun block might be useful. Approach will be from the BPA powerline access. 9 mi., 3,500 ft., Drive 84, Gateway 7:30 a.m. (AR,GH) HK A1.5 Mar 04 (Sun) Valley of the Giants Bill Stein billstein.rpcv@ gmail.com Note six hours of driving. We’re planning to visit the most impressive stand of Douglas Fir and Western Hemlock in Oregon. Our short lollipop loop hike is in the Class A: Easy to moderate; less than 8 miles and under 1,500 feet elevation gain Class B: Moderate to difficult; less than 15 miles with 1,500–3,000 feet elevation gain OR 8–15 miles with less than 1,500 feet of elevation gain Class C and Cw: Difficult to strenuous: 15+ miles in distance or 3,000+ feet elevation gain; Class Cw indicates winter conditions Class D and Dw: Very difficult, strenuous trips in challenging conditions. No specific distance or elevation gain. Special equipment, conditioning, and experience may be required. Contact leader for details before the day of the trip is mandatory. Dw indicates winter conditions. “Wilderness—Limit 12” indicates the hike enters a Forest Service-designated Wilderness Area; group size limited to 12.
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coastal mountains west of Salem. RSVP is required by March 2. 1.4 miles 535 ft. Drive 224 Clackamas P&R Garage 6:30 a.m. MU HK A2 Mar 04 (Sun) Salmon River Trail (Lower) Susan Koch 971-6783446. From the main Old Salmon River Trailhead, the trail quickly descends into deep forest, and soon traverses above a quiet stretch of the Salmon River and crosses a string of log bridges over mostly seasonal streams. Beyond the Green Canyon campground, at the 2.5-mile mark, the trail curves up to the main trailhead for the popular Salmon River Trail, this is the turnaround point for the hike. 5.2 mi., 100 ft., Drive 80, TH, Gateway 8 a.m. (MH) HK B2 Mar 04 (Sun) Kings Mountain Bruce Giordano brucegiord32@gmail.com. Good workout in short amount of time. Should be back by early afternoon. 5 mi., 2,500 ft., Drive 66, Target/185th 8 a.m. MU HK C2.5 Mar 04 (Sun) Cook Hill Bob Breivogel 503-292-2940. This challenging hike begins at the junction of highway 14 and CookUnderwood Rd 2.5 miles beyond the Dog Mountain trailhead. If you want solitude and an abundance of wildflower species in the spring, this is the place to go to avoid Dog’s crowds. 8.5 mi., 3,000 ft., Drive 104, TH, Gateway 8 a.m.
Numeral after class indicates pace. All pace information is uphill speed range; e.g. 1.5 = 1.5–2 mph: a slow to moderate pace; 2 = 2.0–2.5 mph: a moderate speed common on weekend hikes; 2.5 = 2.5–3.0 mph: a moderate to fast pace and is a conditioner. MU: Hike is posted on Meetup. WF: Qualifies for Waterfall Award. AR: Qualifies for Awesome Ridges Award. GH: Qualifies for Gorge High Points Award. WO: Qualifies for Wild Ones Award. MH: Qualifies for Mt. Hood Award. Hike fees: $2 for members, each family participant, and those belonging to clubs in FWOC; $4 for nonmembers. No person will be turned away if they are unable to pay. Street Ramble fees: $2 per person; $1 per person if over 55 or 14 and under. Both members and nonmembers are welcome at all trail trips. Trail Tending events are free.
WEBSITE UPDATES Leaders may schedule a hike after the Bulletin is published, or occasionally a hike location will change. Visit mazamas.org/hike for updates! WESTSIDE STREET RAMBLES: TUESDAYS & THURSDAYS Multiple teams hike at different paces with various leaders. Bring a headlamp. 4–8 miles, 500–1,500 feet. Meet at REI–Pearl, NW 14th and Johnson. Group leaves promptly at 6 p.m. MORE HIKING Adventurous Young Mazamas (tinyurl.com/maz-aymactivities), and other Mazamas lead hikes as well. See the full list at: mazamas.org/activities-events. HK B2 Mar 05 (Mon) Chocolate Falls—Snowshoe Rex Breunsbach 971-832-2556 or rbreunsbach@ gmail.com. A close-up look at Mt. St. Helens. From Marble Mount SnoPark we will snowshoe the Worm Flows climbers route to timberline. 8 mi., 1,000 ft., Drive 160, SnoPark, MMC 8 a.m. DH B2 Mar 06 (Tue) Crown Zellerbach Trail—North Scappoose Section Don McCoy donald1020@aol.com. This is a flat out and back hike along the North Scappoose Creek. Leashed, wellbehaved dogs are welcome. 9.8 miles mi., 485 ft., Drive 0, CZ Trailhead across from Scappoose (B&B) Market, 32284 Scappoose Vernonia Hwy 9 a.m. HK B2 Mar 07 (Wed) Duncan Creek Rex Breunsbach 971-8322556 or rbreunsbach@gmail.com. Exploratory—Let’s check out this developing trail on the Washington side of the Gorge. We may end up doing a little bushwhacking and stream crossing. Poles and gators recommended. 5 mi., 1,500 ft., Drive 90, TH, MMC 8 a.m. HK A1.5 Mar 10 (Sat) 5T Trail Bill Stein billstein.rpcv@gmail.com. Commit to a TriMet day pass. From wherever you start in the region, pay $5 for adult or $2.50 for child/ senior on bus or MAX. The 5 T’s Meeting Places: Gateway–SE corner of P and R Garage near 99th and Pacific (I-84 Exit 7); L and C–Lewis and Clark State Park (1-84 Exit 18); Oswego TC–Boones Ferry Rd at Monroe Parkway; Salmon Creek P and R–Vancouver P and R at 134 St (1-5 Exit 7 or 1-205 Exit 36); Parkrose/Sumner Transit Center–Sandy Blvd. and 98th Ave. (1-205 Exit 23A); Durham–P and R at Boones Ferry and Bridgeport (1-5 Exit 290); MMC– Mazama Mountaineering Center, 527 SE 43rd at Stark; Pendleton–Pendleton Woolen Mills in Washougal; REI–Pearl, NW 14th and Johnson; Target185–Target P/L Sunset Hwy at 185th. Dr.–round-trip driving mileage. ft–Hike elevation gain. TH Pass–USFS parking pass needed for trailhead; SnoPark–Snow park pass. FLTC–3510 SE 164th Ave. in Vancouver. 99th TC–9700 NE 7th Ave. in Vancouver. Trail Trips Hike Rules: Hikers are encouraged to carpool and share costs. The maximum suggested total rate each is a donation of ten cents per mile for up to three people per
for this urban hike are Trail, Tram, Tilikum, Trolley, and Train. We will gather at the Oregon Zoo end of the Washington Park MAX station. We’ll take the 4T Trail up to Council Crest and then mostly down to OHSU. We’ll take the free (in that direction) Portland Aerial Tram to South Waterfront and then walk across Tilikum Crossing. We’ll next take the streetcar to the downtown food carts before returning to the Zoo by MAX. 5.3 mi., 650 ft., Drive 0, Washington Park MAX Station 10:30 a.m. MU HK A1.5 Mar 10 (Sat) Lower Loop of Dog Mountain Kelly Marlin mazamamama@frontier.com or 503665-6778. Slow and steady get’er done. Short and steep (almost a “B”) loop on the lower flanks of Dog Mountain. Optional lunch at Bridge Side ( formerly Char Burger) Restaurant after the hike, for those interested. No dogs. Plan to share bridge tolls. 4.5 mi., 1,900 ft., Drive 70, TH, Lewis & Clark—near toilets 8 a.m. HK B2 Mar 10 (Sat) Gales Creek Rex Breunsbach 971-832-2556 or rbreunsbach@gmail.com. The middle portion of the Gales Creek Trail, in the heart of the Tillamook Burn. Plan on muddy trails and several stream crossings. Poles and gators recommended. 13 mi., 2,000 ft., Drive 120, Gateway 8 a.m. vehicle. Dogs are not allowed except for hikes designated as “dog-walks.” Alcohol and firearms are not allowed. Participants should wear appropriate hiking shoes; carry lunch, water, rain gear (umbrella, parka, or poncho), and the 10 essentials (whistle, extra food and clothing, sun protection, map, compass, flashlight, first aid kit, pocket knife, waterproof matches, fire starter). Participants should be in a physical condition appropriate for the difficulty of the hike. Leaders may decline anyone not properly equipped or judged incapable of completing the hike in a reasonable time frame. Hikers voluntarily leaving the group are considered nonparticipants. In case of accident, illness, or incapacity, hikers must pay their medical and/or evacuation expenses whether they authorize them or not. Hikes leave the meeting place at the time listed. Adverse conditions, weather, and combined circumstances can affect difficulty.
HK C2 Mar 11 (Sun) Elk-King Traverse Rick Craycraft 503-6792113 or leftfield5@juno.com. THE classic coast range traverse, only this time not in the middle of the winter. Might have nice weather, may see some Spring flowers. On the other hand ... be prepared for whatever the weather forecast calls for. Doing a car shuttle because the hike is hard enough without the loop. To further complicate things, this is the day that Daylight Savings time starts. 8.5 mi., 3,400 ft., Drive 66, Target—185th & Hwy 26 7:30 a.m. HK B2 Mar 12 (Mon) Hardy Ridge David Gast pdg17838@gmail.com. This lovely loop hike at Beacon Rock State Park will give you views, and a good climb. Please dress in layers and bring micro spikes and hiking poles if the weather looks icy. 8.1 mi., 2,200 ft., Drive 52, TH, Fishers Landing Transit Center in Vancouver 8 a.m. (AR)MU HK A2 Mar 14 (Wed) Catherine Creek Kate Evans 503-635-6540. Expect wild flowers and consider poles if the weather has been wet. We’ll head east uphill then loop back down past the Arch. 6 mi., 1,200 ft., Drive 126, TH, MMC 8 a.m. (AR,GH) HK B2 Mar 16 (Fri) Cottonwood Canyon Pinnacles Trail Eric Hall 503-867-4738 or erichall@q.com. Sagebrush, sunshine (maybe), and wide-open spaces. We will hike out and back on the Pinnacle Trail, a former ranch road, which follows the John Day River beneath the basalt cliffs of Cottonwood Canyon. 10.5 mi., 250 ft., Drive 244, MMC 7:30 a.m. SS A Mar 17 (Sat) Trillium Lake— Off Trail Snowshoe David Nelson dkbmnelson@gmail.com. We will head down off trail down a small gully towards Summit Meadows. Once we reach the meadows, we’ll cross the former air strip as we continue our trek to the lake. We’ll enjoy lunch at the lake and then traverse around the lake before retracing our route to the cars. Be prepared for winter conditions. No cotton clothes. Pace will be easy/moderate. Please contact leader via email reserve a spot. 5 mi., 600 ft., Drive 100, SnoPark, Gateway 8 a.m. (MH)
HK B2 Mar 21 (Wed) Silver Falls State Park—Perimeter Loop Larry Solomon muensterhump@hotmail. com. Nice alternative to the more popular trails. Hike in solitude through lovely forests on quaint wooden bridges over babbling creeks. $5 fee per vehicle. 10.3 mi., 1,750 ft., Drive 123, MMC 8 a.m. HK B2.5 Mar 24 (Sat) Catherine Creek/Coyote Wall Loop Bob Breivogel 503-292-2940. Spring wildflowers and Gorge views. Moderate pace over uneven terrain above Catherine Creek and Coyote Wall. We will climb Sunflower Hill and descend via the Labyrinth and Rowland basin. Poison oak may be present in places. 10 mi., 1,500 ft., Drive 126, TH, Gateway 8 a.m. HK B2 Mar 25 (Sun) Cottonwood Canyon’s Gooseneck Loop Bill Stein billstein.rpcv@gmail.com. Not for novice hikers! This loop hike at Oregon’s second-largest state park, two hours east of Portland, starts out gentle, but the return involves offtrail scrambling, descending a steep ravine, crawling beneath barbed wire, and the like. Be tick-safe, rattlesnakeaware, and wind-ready. For our efforts we’ll see bighorn sheep, windmills, and lots of John Day River geology. RSVP required by March 23. 10.6 mi., 1,500 ft., Drive 244, Gateway 7 a.m. MU HK B1.5 Mar 28 (Wed) Kings Mountain Tony Spiering 503-6808112. Good hike in the Coast Range on well-maintained trail. Viewpoint at the summit. Back in town early PM. 5 mi., 2,500 ft., Drive 66, Target/185th 8 a.m. HK B2 Mar 30 (Fri) North Siouxon Creek Trail Hike William O’Brien 5036795194 text. Nice spring hike following the north branch of Siouxon Creek not to be mistaken for the popular Siouxon Creek Trail with numerous waterfalls. This creek trail features mature forest scenery, solitude and ending with the turnaround point at a 55 ft. waterfall that makes for a nice lunch spot. 9.4 mi., 1,300 ft., Drive 84, Salmon Creek Park & Ride Vancouver, WA 8 a.m. (WF)MU
HK A1.5 Mar 31 (Sat) God’s Thumb/The Knoll Loop Joe Whittington joewhittington@ gmail.com This is a newly available loop hike starting at Road’s End State Recreation Site, just north of Lincoln City. The way is not clearly marked and is a combination of roads and trails with a steep finish with some exposure at the top of the Thumb. This is exploratory, so patience and directional skills will be assets. We’ll meet at the Ash Street (SE) end of the Tigard Transit Center parking lot. Please contact leader if you plan to go. 4.4 miles 1,400 ft. Drive 155 Tigard Transit Center Park & Ride, 8960 SW Commercial St, Portland, OR 97223 7 a.m. HK A2 Mar 31 (Sat) Opal Creek Loop Larry Solomon muensterhump@hotmail.com. Wilderness—Limit 12. Follow the Little North Santiam River past several waterfalls among huge old growth Doug fir & red cedar. Visit Jawbone Flats, once a mining settlement now an educational retreat. Then on to stunning Opal Pool. Possible extension of hike to 10.8 miles with 1500 ft. of elevation gain. 7.1 mi., 600 ft., Drive 190, TH, MMC 7:30 a.m.
HK B2.5 Mar 31 (Sat) Swale Canyon—Klickitat Trail Bob Breivogel 503-292-2940. The hike along Swale Creek is the most remote section of the Klickitat Trail on the Washington side of the gorge above Lyle. We will start at a high trailhead and descend the canyon. Mileage will depend on weather and conditions. RSVP by phone or at breivog@teleport.com 15 mi., 1,010 ft., Drive 130, TH, Gateway 8 a.m. (GH,WO) BP Jun 29 (Fri) Steens Mountain Gorges Loop Bob Breivogel breivog@teleport.com. Wilderness—Limit 12. This is a challenging backpack into one of Oregon’s premier scenic areas. We will hike up Big Indian Gorge to the Steens Mountain summit. Traverse north along rim to Little Blitzen Gorge, which we will then descend. We will allow 3 days and 3 nights actual hiking for the trip, starting from the South Steins camp trailhead on the morning of June 29. Challenges include steep scrambles up and down canyons, stream crossings, and the general desert environment. Plan to return to Portland by evening of July 2. Reach me at breivog@teleport.com or 502-292-2940 to discuss your interest.
OREGON MOUNTAIN COMMUNITY
PORTLAND, OR
ESTABLISHED 1971
OMCGEAR.COM 2975 NE Sandy Blvd. Portland, OR Hours M-F 10-7 SAT 10-6 SUN 12-5 503-227-1038
OT B3 Mar 19 (Mon) Approaching Trail Running at Gales Creek Trail Mamiko Okada mamiko927@hotmail. com. The central portion of the Gales Creek Trail, in the heart of the Tillamook Burn. Power hike pace. Up to 4mph. Bring a lot of snacks and hydration. Please contact leader via email if you have any questions. 13.6 mi., 2,040 ft., Drive 100, MMC 8 a.m. MU
MARCH 2018 37
THIS MONTH IN EXECUTIVE COUNCIL (MAZAMA BOARD OF DIRECTORS) The next board meeting date is Tuesday, March 20. All meetings begin at 4 p.m. and are open to all members. There is a member comment period at 5:30 p.m. This summary has been approved by the Mazama President or Vice President for publication. Members can access full meeting minutes one month after the meeting at this location: https://mazamas.org/members/executive-council-reports/ (you will need to be signed into the Mazama website to access this page). by Mathew Brock, Mazama Library and Historical Collections Manager President Chris Kruell called the Executive Council (EC) meeting to order at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, February 20. Chris reviewed the meeting’s agenda and asked for approval. Secretary Keith Campbell offered an amendment to the agenda. Motion carried to approve the revised agenda. Keith reported that current membership is 3,262, marking a net loss of 144 members over this time last year. Keith offered, and the board accepted, his resignation as secretary. Traci Manning offered to assume the role and motion carried to elect her as the new secretary. Treasurer Marty Scott reported that at the end of November, total operating revenue for the year is $301,100, and total operating expenses are $300,352. Total assets are $1,412,922. Revenue is tracking three percent above budget and expenditures are three percent under budget. Marty noted that the primary sources of income for November were membership dues and grant funds. Vice President Laura Pigion asked council members to consider changes to the Mazama mission statement and to send her agenda items for the upcoming May 6 retreat. In his Executive Director’s report, Lee Davis shared several upcoming events. A showing of the film Dirtbag: The Legend of Fred Beckey on March 27, co-sponsored by the Mazamas, is a fundraiser for the Liberty Bell Conservation Initiative. The American Lung Association’s Climb for Clean Air is coming up; one climb is full, and the other is filling up. The Basic Climbing Education Program (BCEP) begins March 6, and the aforementioned Spring EC Retreat is May 6. In internal reporting, Lee gave brief updates on MMC facility work. He noted that the newly renovated downstairs conference room is now in use by programs staff as office space. Lee proposed a trial run of Program Admin Nights as a way to bring together diverse committee members for networking and socializing. Lee concluded his internal reporting with an update on the status of membership renewals. The switch from the old database to the new IT system has caused a lag in renewal follow up. He 38 MAZAMAS
and staff are exploring ways to revive that process and reach out to lapsed members. In external reporting, Lee focused on Mazama advocacy work. Lee and staff members recently attended the Roadmap to the Outdoors Event hosted by Oregon’s first gentleman, Dan Little. Sally Jewell, former head of the Department of the Interior, was the guest speaker. Attendees reported progress toward expanding outdoor recreation access to diverse populations statewide. A group of Bend outdoor retailers has formed the Oregon Outdoor Alliance (distinct from the national Outdoor Alliance) to help promote recreation and policy. Local Portland-based businesses have asked the Mazamas to help organize a similar group. Movement on the Big Think project has been paused and is awaiting funding. Lee wrapped up his report by asking the board to help communicate the launch of the new IT project among members and committee chairs. Adam Baylor, Advocacy and Stewardship Manager, gave an update on his recent work. Key takeaways include a recent 30 percent reduction in the Forest Service’s budget for recreation. The cut threatens road and trail projects and shifts even more of the burden of maintenance to USFS partners and the private sector. The Oregon Office of Outdoor Recreation is viewed as a success, and the Mazamas were a principal driver behind its creation. Adam ended his report by asking the board to consider splitting his position and hiring a stewardship manager to better handle current and future stewardship projects. Justin Rotherham, Education & Activities Program Manager, introduced John Barkhausen as the new Education Program Coordinator. John comes to the Mazamas with a strong background in outdoor education and holds certificates from American Mountain Guide Association (AMGA) and Wilderness First Responder, among others. John will assist in revamping and streamlining Mazama educational programs.
Sarah Bradham, Director of Marketing & Communications, gave the board an update and walk through of the new mazamas.org website. She showed board members the BCEP registration application process. Key takeaways include better team management; communication tools; improved relational database; and how the strategic plan is woven throughout the website. Claire Nelson, Youth & Outreach Program Manager, closed out the staff reports with an overview of the timeline she developed for Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion training. Over the next three years, staff and board members will undertake a series of readings, conversations, and training to help make the Mazamas more inclusive. Vice President Laura Pigion led off the business reports with an update on the Mazama Ranch at Smith Rock. The final public hearing on the revised site plan took place on February 7, and a decision is expected by March 14. Pending the outcome of the Deschutes County review, the Mazamas Foundation may choose to appeal to the State Land Use Board of Appeals. Laura then recapped the Change Management project and reported that an independent contractor had been selected and negotiation of terms to carry out the proposed plan is underway. Darrell Weston gave a brief update on the Mazama Lodge renovation project noting that Walsh Construction agreed to renovate the restrooms. Chris then presented the board with finalized Board Development guidelines he is submitting to Nominating Committee. The new guidelines will assist the Nominating Committee in selecting and recruiting future board members with the skills needed to carry out the Mazamas2020 strategic plan. Preston Corless led a discussion about an idea to develop an advisory board that ended the business reports. No member chose to speak at the 5:30 p.m. member comment period. The next Executive Council meeting is Tuesday, March 20, at 4 p.m.
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