February 2018 Vol. 100 | No. 2
Bulletin
The Year of Fire & Ice Rodney Glisan’s Snow Adventures Lads of Lassen
Keith Thomajan on Steel Cliffs, Mt. Hood. Photo: Matt Sundling
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.
ADVENTURE WILD! RETURNS
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
p. 30
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)
Members of the Snowshoe Club dining in their clubhouse, 1914. Rodney Glisan on far left. Rodney Glisan Collection
p. 14
FEATURES Let’s Celebrate!, p. 8 The Year of Fire & Ice: Thru-Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, p. 10 Rodney Glisan’s Snow Adventures, 1905–1921, p. 14 Wretched & Precarious: A Book Review, p. 16 The Steel Cowboyz: The Lads of Lassen, p. 19 Adventure WILD!: Summer Day Camp Returns, p. 30
p. 10
MONTHLY CONTENT Executive Director’s Report, p. 4 Events & Activities, p. 6 Volunteer Opportunities, p. 7 Membership Report, p. 9 AYM, p. 25 Mazama Lodge, p. 18
Evening Programs, p. 33 Outings, p. 34 Trail Trips, p. 36 Classics, p. 37 Executive Council, p. 38
ADVERTISER INDEX Bend Marathon, p.31 Climb for Clean Air, p. 29 Embark Exploration Co., p. 40 Himalayan Trekking Alliance, p. 31 Montbell, p. 32 Next Adventure, p. 37
The Mountain Shop, p. 9 OMC, p. 18 Rab, p. 39 Ravensview Capital Management, p. 29 Advertise now! tinyurl.com/ MazamaAdvertising
p. 19 Cover: Expedition Grant recipient Zach Clanton on Dog Tooth Spire in Alaska.
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.
FEBRUARY 2018 3
EVENTS & ACTIVITIES BASIC CLIMBING EDUCATION PROGRAM (BCEP) INFO NIGHT
Feb. 1, 6:30–8:30 p.m. at the MMC
BCEP teaches you everything you need to know to get started in the world of mountaineering and Info Night will give you the details you need to know if the program is a good fit for you.
BACKCOUNTRY FILM FEST—SOLD OUT
Feb. 3, 7 p.m. at the MMC
NORTHWEST RIVERS
Feb. 2, 7 p.m. at the MMC
An evening of three films sponsored by the Mazama Conservation Committee. Event is free; suggested donation of $5 to Pacific Rivers.
4 MAZAMAS
OPEN CLIMB
Feb. 11, 9 a.m.– 4 p.m. Practice Skills at the MMC
This always popular event returns to Portland for one night only! The Mazamas and Winter Wildlands Alliance join forces to bring you a powder-filled night to remember. Adventure, environment and climate, youth outdoors, ski culture—you’ll find it all in this award-winning lineup. There will also be a gear-filled raffle! Tickets are $12, purchase online at tinyurl.com/MazBackcountry.
Come and practice your skills on the instructional rock and ice walls at the MMC. The purpose of these sessions is for practice and training. No instruction will be supplied. Special ice tools will be available for use on the ice wall.
BANFF MOUNTAIN FILM FEST
MOUNTAINFILM ON TOUR
Feb 2, 3 at the Kiggins Theatre (Vancouver, WA) 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. ▶▶ Kiggins tickets: brownpapertickets. com/event/3070610 ▶▶ Cinema 21: Tickets go on sale soon at Portland Metro REI locations. ▶▶ Revolution Hall: Tickets go on sale soon Portland Metro REI locations.
▶▶ Prerequisite: Prior participation in Mazama climbing schools and/or the ability to demonstrate proper belay technique. ▶▶ Cost: $10 (cash only) Funds to go to climbing wall costs, holds, and foam.
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.
Canyoneering Course
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
NEW WEBSITE: DATA ENTRY HELP We will be launching the new Mazama website in February 2018. We could use some data entry helpers to get us to our launching point. This volunteer role entails reviewing, editing, and adding information to our new Salesforce database, as well as managing data in Excel and Google Sheets. Interested? Email sarah@ mazamas.org
Details coming soon This is one of the Mazamas most exciting new courses! You’ll have the opportunity to see your favorite haunts in an entirely new way as you’ll be going down instead of up. 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 which contain flowing water. The more water present, 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 Sierra, 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. Many creeks in the Cascades have never been descended and remain unexplored. While there are many similarities between canyoneering and climbing, the two are unique sports with unique techniques and hazards. Experienced climbers may find their skills do not translate entirely to the canyon world; there is a lot more to learn. Canyoneering involves rapidfire rappels, hard starts, rappelling in confined spaces, rappelling with packs, down waterfalls, landing in deep pools (too deep to stand), swimming, and dealing with water currents. Water adds a new variable to the rappel equation—and water protection may be required for both the canyoneer and their gear. Canyons may require bushwhacking into remote rugged areas—and thus require a high level of self-sufficiency. Registration will be open during February/March. Watch for details, including the application form, course prerequisites, lecture/field session dates, and a gear list.
MOUNTAINEERING FIRST AID (MFA) INSTRUCTORS We are looking for MFA instructors with advanced wilderness medicine training, i.e., Wilderness First Responder or equivalent. Instructors will work with the First Aid Committee to deliver the lectures and field sessions based on our MFA curriculum. Email firstaid@ mazamas.org if you are interested.
FEBRUARY 2018 5
Let’s Celebrate! by Sarah Bradham, Director of Marketing & Communications
I
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 (space is limited). We’ll see you there!
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
6 MAZAMAS
WELCOME NEW MAZAMAS! New Members:........................................................................ 39 Kimberly Anderson, Mt. Rainier David Anderson, South Sister Andrew Archer, Mt. Rainier Christopher Balada, Mt. Shasta Ellen Ballantine, Old Snowy Tim Bazemore, Mt. Hood Thyra Bessette, Mt. St. Helens Jori Cachelin , Mt. Hood Philip Cacka, Mt. Adams Jessica Dalton, Mt. St. Helens Russell Fogle, Mt. Hood Cameron Harkness, Mt. Adams Cameron Haugen, Mt. St. Helens Ken Helm, Mt. Hood Joe Kidd, Mt. Rainier Ray Klitzke, Mt. Hood Elizaveta Kutsurenko, Mt. St. Helens John Livingston, Mt. St. Helens John Lombard, Mt. St. Helens Jennifer Love, Mt. Hood
Alia Odoms, Mt. Hood Michal Orczyk , Mt. Adams Bryan Paul, Mt. St. Helens John Persell, Mt. Hood Katie Polanshek, Old Snowy Thomas Ryan, Mt. Adams Nathan Schiavo, Mt. St. Helens Amy Schlosser, Mt. St. Helens Priyanka Shankaran, Mt. St. Helens Rae-Leigh Stark, Mt. St. Helens Hilary Sueoka, Mt. Hood Ryan Sylvester, Mt. Adams Cheryl Trempala, Mt. St. Helens Anna Trenary, Mt. Adams Piyush Vivek Deshpande, Mt. St. Helens Nathan Warren, Mt. St. Helens Jan Zarella, Mt. Hood Joe Zeiger, Mt. Adams
Reinstatements:........................................................................ 5
Bernard Chamberlin (2005), Jason Juhala (2012), Quinn Leighton (2011), Matthew Stenger (2016), and Jeremy Thiessen (2001))
Deceased:................................................................................ 0 Dropped for non-payment of dues:........................................ 579 Total Membership as of Dec. 31: 2017—3,142; 2016—3,249
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. FEBRUARY 2018 7
Mazamas Education Why is it Important?
A
t the Mazamas we know that outdoor education, and specifically climbing education is at the core of our mission. We do lots of things, but teaching people how to safely enjoy the mountains is what matters most. So, I’m going to take some time this month to talk to you about how outdoor education is changing in America, and how we plan to invest in improving Mazamas outdoor education programs in the next few years. COMPETITION
STANDARDIZATION
When I started working for the Mazamas roughly ten years ago, one of our longtime members told me that the Mazamas used to have a virtual monopoly on training and climbing on Oregon’s mountains. Today competition is on the rise. Rock gyms, community colleges, bouldering gyms, fitness gyms, and the YMCA are now offering outdoor education training. Our partners at REI have significantly expanded their locations in Oregon over the last four years offering basic outdoor education classes and climbing classes out of their stores and in nearby communities.
Next is standardization. National efforts are underway to standardize climbing education and volunteer leader training for climbing. National standards and certifications for wilderness first aid programs and avalanche training are becoming more stringent and more widely accepted, forcing our programs to adjust while adding costs and additional annual training time for participants.
DEMAND Several of us from the Mazamas were at a national conference hosted by the American Alpine Club last spring, and one of the prominent climbing gym owners in the U.S. stated that the demand for outdoor education overall, in their estimation, is ten times the available capacity. Mazamas has, for at least twenty years, been struggling with how to increase our program capacity, and each year that demand grows our programs are serving a smaller percentage of the interested climbers in our area.
YOUTH & COMMUNITY OUTREACH And we all know kids are spending way more time on screens than they are outside. Often even when they are outside, their attention is focused on their device, and not on the natural world around them. This poses a grave long-term concern for all of us who want to ensure that our public lands are protected in the future and conservation values live with our children. These kids will soon be voters, and will they vote to promote recreation and conservation in America? 8 MAZAMAS
TECHNOLOGY People today expect registration, materials, coordination, administration, and records to be available online, whenever they want them. We will need to move into the cloud and into a mobile device format so that everyone can access all class information on their phone or tablet. Additionally, the teaching techniques will need to modernize. In-person lectures will eventually be replaced with e-learning opportunities, integrated online presentations, and live videos.
NEED FOR BASIC TRAINING Evidenced by how the gorge fires of 2017 were started, and countless other examples you all have brought to me about untrained people wandering in the woods, this need is real. The need for basic training such as map reading, first aid, and preparedness in the outdoors is higher than ever. Hood River Search and Rescue told us that people are getting lost, hurt, and calling for help more than ever before. And outdoor recreational equipment technologies are getting so light and so easy to use that it’s almost painless to go outside. People go out, get scratched up or briefly lost and call for help.
What if we helped to shape the values and curriculum for basic outdoor education not just for ourselves but for our broader community? What if we were innovative leaders in finding new ways to get families, communities, and kids—the next generation of Mazamas—outside? And what if, as our vision points us, and through our work, everyone had the experience of enjoying and protecting the mountains?
Mazamas2020
1
EDUCATION GOAL
Modernize and expand the Mazamas outdoor education programs to be scalable and relevant to our broader community, always inspired by mountaineering and rooted in our values. The full strategic plan, Mazamas2020, is available at mazamas.org/about-us/mission-vision-plan/
ACTIVITIES & EVENTS
STRATEGIES Stabilize and maintain the capacity of traditional Mazama education programs while enhancing program quality and safety. Support and directly participate in efforts to create unified national standards for outdoor education and outdoor leadership. Design and build the future of Mazama education programs to be values based, modern, scalable, and relevant to our broader community.
STEWARDSHIP & ADVOCACY
DIVERSITY AND RELEVANCY
WHAT CAN THE MAZAMAS DO?
While the need for outdoor education is higher than ever, many traditional organizations that serve this need are struggling to attract new people. Our communities are diversifying and changing rapidly, and while nature and the outdoors are important to nearly all Oregonians, some of the core values and reasons for valuing nature are changing. Many of our partner organizations and traditional groups like the Boy Scouts, 4H, YMCA, hunter education, etc. are all concerned with and talking strategically about their long-term relevance in a diverse and changing world. Participation and membership numbers should be rising for all of our organizations, but accessibility and relevancy problems are holding many organizations back. Scouting alone reports a 23 percent decline in membership over the last twenty five years—all while populations are on the rise.
First, when we developed Mazamas2020 (our 2018–2020 strategic plan), we asked “What if ?” What if instead of the Mazamas watching these trends, and doing things the way we’ve always done them, we took bold action? What if the Mazamas were widely respected across the northwest as the best and largest mountaineering and climbing education center in America? What if we helped to shape the values and curriculum for basic outdoor education not just for ourselves but for our broader community? What if we were innovative leaders in finding new ways to get families, communities, and kids—the next generation of Mazamas—outside? And what if, as our vision points us, and through our work, everyone had the experience of enjoying and protecting the mountains? We are committed to ensuring that the Mazamas of the future is still absolutely centered on outdoor and climbing education. With our new strategic plan,
YOUTH & COMMUNITY OUTREACH
CULTURE & INFORMATION
and strong support from the Mazamas Foundation and our community and industry partners we believe we can make this vision a reality. Our future programs will be designed to intentionally increase accessibility, equity, and inclusion in outdoor activities for all people. And we will redesign our programs so that more people each year are welcomed into the outdoors and have an equal opportunity to experience the wonder of Oregon’s great outdoors. We’re stronger than ever, and with your help we can head towards this vision. If you have questions about these strategies, please don’t hesitate to call or email me.
Lee Davis, Executive Director
FEBRUARY 2018 9
The Year of Fire & Ice by Jennifer Johnson
“T
Thru-Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail
Um ... so where’s the trail?”
Top: Cowboy Camping in Castle Crags. Inset: Day 1 at the Southern Terminus of the PCT. Photos: Jennifer Johnson.
his was my first question right before I took step number one of my thru-hike of the Pacific Crest Trail on April 10th of this year. I had just finished taking the obligatory selfies in front of the southern terminus trail monument and I was ready to start heading north. I had spent a couple years meticulously researching the trail, buying new ultralight gear, planning all of the resupply points, spending time in the woods, learning snow skills and all about the ten essentials (thank you Paul Underwood and Mazamas BCEP!), and preparing myself mentally and physically (I thought) for the rigors of walking all day long with my home on my back. I was anxious, but I had no doubt in my mind that I was going to get to Canada. I just needed to know where the heck to start. Terminus Tom, the Forest Service volunteer stationed at the terminus to collect hiker data, pointed me to the bright orange traffic cones marking the beginning of the trail a couple hundred feet away and off I went, feeling a little humbled. I only made it eleven miles before the heat and foot pain got to me and I decided to camp for the night.
10 MAZAMAS
Over the next six weeks, my feet and body hardened as I walked hundreds of miles of desert terrain. I passed through the Cleveland and San Bernardino National Forests, Anza-Borrego State Park, San Gorgonio Wilderness, the Mojave desert and the Vasquez rocks. I climbed snowy Mt. San Jacinto and Mt. Baden-Powell, soaked my sore feet in cold rivers and hot springs, and cowboy camped under windmills. I ate way too many tuna fish burritos and hiked in rain, wind, fog, snow, hail, and 100+ degree temperatures. The desert weather and terrain were as varied as its plants and reptiles, which was an awesome surprise to this Pacific Northwesterner. In June, I reached the infamous Kennedy Meadows, which is the gateway to the Sierra Nevada section. Up to this point, trail gossip had been fueled by anxiety over the record-breaking snowfall in the Sierras and I wasn’t sure how this section was going to go. I added some extra clothes, an ice axe, crampons and a bear can to my pack and headed out for a stunningly beautiful week and a half in the high mountain range. I surprised myself by how much I loved cowboy camping near frozen lakes, and I basked in the high of summiting Mt. Whitney and of making it over the frozen ledge leading up to Forester Pass. But sun cupped snow and navigation made it difficult to get very far each day and the swollen rivers were getting increasingly difficult to cross. I found myself too tired and wet to enjoy the trail as much as I wanted to, so I made the ego-bruising decision to exit the Sierra at Kearsarge Pass and hitch a ride north to pick up the trail in Truckee, California. I was still hiking through snow from there, but it slowly melted away by the time I reached Oregon. Oregon and Washington went by quickly. The intense blue of Crater Lake and the barren lava fields of the Three Sisters Wilderness in Oregon were awesome in their contrast from every other section of the trail, but Washington was truly spectacular.
Knife’s Edge Ridge in the Goat Rocks. Photo: Jennifer Johnson.
Continued on next page FEBRUARY 2018 11
FIRE & ICE, continued from previous page
Top: Kendall Katwalk in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. Bottom: At the Northern Terminus of the PCT on the Canadian Border. Photo: Jennifer Johnson.
12 MAZAMAS
Even though smoke from the wildfires that were cropping up like, well, wildfire all over the northwest obscured the view many days, the wildflowers and jagged peaks of the Mt. Adams Wilderness, Rainier National Park, the Goat Rocks, the Alpine Lakes and Glacier Peak Wilderness were jaw-droppingly beautiful. I almost didn’t want to get to Canada. Almost. After I reached the Canadian border, I headed back to California and finished the 270 miles of the Sierra Nevadas that I had skipped in June. This time, there was very little snow (except one snowstorm that hit a day before I reached Sonora Pass) and I got every view that I had hoped for and more. The passes were rough on my legs and my lungs and there were days in which I wanted to quit. Some days were miserably cold and wet, and I couldn’t stop thinking that I could be home, where I could have coffee in bed and wouldn’t have to thaw out my shoes in order to put them on. But my friends reminded me that quitting wasn’t an option, and the never-ending vistas at the top of each pass, the leisurely lunches by alpine lakes and the excitement of afternoon thunderstorms made the pain worthwhile. I finished the trail at the rest stop in Truckee on September 30th and headed home to Washington. In the few days before the end of my hike, I contemplated the notion that in a physical sense I had always been walking toward the end of the trail, toward home. But in the figurative sense, I was walking home, where home is a sense of belonging and acceptance of every part of my life—the failures and successes, the regrets and triumphs, my fears and loves. Those things had all been circling in my mind as I walked. And as I got closer to that 2,650th mile, I vacillated between impatience to get back to the
creature comforts of home and family, and my desire to stay out in the elements I had become accustomed to - dirt, mountains, sun, wind, valleys, trees, stars. I worried that I wasn’t going to fit in to my pre-trail life. Would I be able to slide easily back into a society obsessed with material things? Would I feel like a weathered square peg trying to shove itself into a plastic round hole? I didn’t know. Over the days that have passed since then, I’ve been looking back over my pictures and journal entries and marveling at how much I changed in the five and a half months that I spent on trail. It was not my intent to have a life-altering experience, but the time spent alone in the woods with everything I needed in my pack, and the dozens of amazing people that I met along the way made it impossible to end my trek unaltered. The ‘Year of Fire and Ice’ (as 2017 is now known) helped me realize what I already knew about myself but was too caught up in a busy life to notice—that I don’t need to earn a lot of money or have a lot of stuff in order to be happy; that I am sometimes too stubborn to give up, even when I’m uncomfortable; that I am capable of greater things than I give myself credit for. I look back at those southern terminus selfies and I see a woman in shiny new clothes, who had no idea what (and who) she was about to walk into. I hope that I remember these lessons as the memories of the Pacific Crest Trail fade. If I need a reminder, there is always another trail .... For more info about my thru-hike, check out my blog at www.walkingfromthelaw.com, and feel free to contact me at walkingfromthelaw@gmail.com with any questions! For more on hiking the PCT, check out books with the call # 917.9 in the Mazama Library.
MAZAMA
USED EQUIPMENT SALE SALE: MARCH 30 DROPOFF: MARCH 29
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!
▶▶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.
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
FEBRUARY 2018 13
RODNEY GLISAN’S SNOW ADVENTURES, 1905–1921 by Mathew Brock
O
n a cold Saturday night in March of 1917, Rodney Glisan stood haggling with the baggage porter at Portland’s Union Station. The porter was demanding that he pay for 200 lbs of shipping on his 8-lb skis. Glisan paid the extra fee but remarked to Frank Jones, his traveling companion, that the railroad had an odd way of encouraging outdoor activity and “scenery enthusiasts.” Glisan objected to the fee on principle more than the cost. The descendant of a wealthy and influential Portland family, his father is the namesake of Portland’s Glisan Street. Glisan was “the human embodiment of the Mazama spirit,” wrote Martin Gorman after Glisan’s death in 1934, and a “consistent and distinguished exponent of the out-door life.”
Crater Lake Superintendent’s Cabin, March 1917. VM1993001 Rodney Glisan Collection
14 MAZAMAS
While Glisan’s exploits and adventures are many, winter outings were a particular favorite of his. On that frigid March night, Glisan and his friend were bound for a skiing trip to Crater Lake. After arriving in Klamath Falls, they traveled by sleigh as far as Fort Klamath before donning their 35-lb packs. Over three days, they skied up the Annie Creek drainage, past Duwee Creek Falls and the Garden of the Gods. Arriving at Crater Lake Lodge, they descended a stairway cut through fourteen feet of snow to the front door. The next day they ventured further along the rim to Castle Crest where they enjoyed a marvelous panorama of the lake framed in white. In his journal from the trip Glisan noted “one feature was missing—the marvelous blue; it appeared near Wizard Island and here and there in patches, the remaining surface of the lake being frozen with a thin skim of ice. This was a great surprise, as we had been repeatedly advised the Lake had never been frozen over, its phenomenal depth ensuring constant temperature with frequent surfaces winds preventing ice formation.” As much as Glisan enjoyed skiing, he relished in snowshoeing. Besides being a long-time Mazama, Glisan was also a member of the Snowshoe Club. For at least fifteen years he took part in their activities, including the annual trip to Mount Hood. The party, usually numbering a dozen or so men, would leave Portland by train for Hood River. After overnighting at the Hood River Hotel or the home of one of their guides, they would leave the next morning by
Members of the Snowshoe Club during their 1915 outing. VM1993001 Rodney Glisan Collection
Glisan was “the human embodiment of the Mazama spirit,” wrote Martin Gorman after Glisan’s death in 1934, and a “consistent and distinguished exponent of the out-door life.”
Rodney Glisan on skis in front of storage shed, March 1917. VM1993001 Rodney Glisan Collection
Crater Lake, March 1917, showing ice on the lake surface. VM1993-001 Rodney Glisan Collection
horse-drawn sleigh and travel as far as possible up the valley or until they reached China Hill, where the steep grade halted the horses. From there they donned their snowshoes for the hike up to Cloud Cap Inn. While the itinerary and route for the annual trip remained the same, each year offered its own unique memories. In 1907 the party took along “skees” (sic) recently imported from Norway. As Glisan recounts, “We knew, as we gingerly placed foot on their thoroughbred, slightly arched surface, that hard times were ahead of us and the aristocratic curve of their polished exterior reflected their haughty disdain for bungling amateurs.” True to his prediction, the party soon lay in a heap at the bottom of China Hill. By 1910 the Snowshoe Club had built its own cabin, on the ridge north of Cloud Cap Inn, which became their destination from then on. In 1920 the lack of snow, four feet instead of the standard twenty, forced the party to abandon their snowshoes and hike to the cabin. Many years members of the party would venture up the slopes of Mount Hood and explore the glacier seracs. Rodney Glisan, in addition to being a traveler and mountaineer, was an avid photographer. He photographed many early Mazama climbs, his travels around the world, and the first fifteen years of the Snowshoe Club outings. He left his photographs to the Mazamas and the Glisan Collection is the largest photograph collection held by the Mazama Library and Historical Collections. Although his Snowshoe Club albums end in 1921, he undoubtedly went on other winter adventures around the Pacific Northwest. FEBRUARY 2018 15
WRETCHED & PRECARIOUS
A BOOK REVIEW by Jonathan Barrett
C
onsider the following inventory: “Five thousand pounds of whole wheat hardtack. Sixteen thousand rounds of ammunition. Two thousand pounds of sugar. Ten thousand gallons of kerosene. Two thousand gallons of gasoline. One hundred pounds of maple sugar. Shovels, files, drills. Lumber, nails, sledge runners. Grape juice, chocolate, ground peanuts. Eight crates containing atmospheric kites. Thirty cases of storage batteries. The 1,500 pound wireless set. Two hundred pounds of explosives. A canary...A dentist’s kit. Books, sheet music, and magazines. Seven phonographs and more than three hundred records.” And on, and on, and on goes the list of provisions and supplies brought by Donald MacMillan and his crew in their search of Crocker Land, and still, their polar expedition was a failure. Just one with a monstrous load of baggage. A Wretched and Precarious Situation: In Search of The Last Arctic Frontier by David Welky is a disaster story that unfolds like a glacier grinding granite into dust beneath its ponderous weight. The narrative that he spins from a wide range of sources is on the scale of the more famous Shackleton misadventure captured in Alfred Lansing’s Endurance. Yet Antarctica exists, and Crocker Land does not. Welky’s story is one of the pursuit of a phantom instead of survival and perseverance. The premise of the storyline is simple enough. Donald Baxter MacMillan, protege of Admiral Peary, led an expedition in 1913 to establish the existence of another continent, presumed to exist somewhere northwest of Ellesmere Island. The main purpose is a journey of discovery of a new land mass. The promise of scientific and ethnographic inquiry added to this potential glory. The setting is a region abandoned even by the Inuit as being too cold and inhospitable to human life, and from the very beginning the reader knows that the expedition will be a failure—we all know that the continent does not exist—and for this reason we read on because we are driven by the thrill of catastrophe. How bad will it be? How many will die? At what cost? The
16 MAZAMAS
book’s greatest success is in creating a narrative structure that compels the reader forward. It is this dramatic irony that gives the book its gravity. What is left to ponder then are the details. Consider for a moment the improbable purpose of a canary in the Arctic. For those that revel in the minutia of history, the fine points of arctic living, and the particulars of polar exploration, Welky’s attention to the specifics will create captivating reading. Otherwise, one might find themselves overwhelmed with what may seem to be merely trivial details. It is easy to catalogue that which has been written in an expedition’s notes and a ship’s logs. Where Welky comes up short is in fleshing out full characters. This is not to say that he tries with occasional success, but this reader became skeptical to the full reality of his portraits. Navy Ensign Fitzhugh Green is one such example. Welky suggests that he has a slow slide into a sort of polar madness. This is inferred from his own journals and the observations of his peers including MacMillan. However, this assessment comes across as being mostly speculative. Even further removed from Welky’s analysis is the role that the Inuit played in the expedition. Again, he tries to bring them into the narrative as much as he is
If you have cut the handle off a toothbrush to save weight, it will speak to you (“the would-be explorer sat in his cabin, weighing a handkerchief in his hand, paralyzed with indecision over whether he should bring it or save weight by leaving it behind”). able, but the records that he could draw upon are only from the point of view of expedition members. The Inuit have left few written documents. This is a shame because he makes it clear that the lives and relative successes of the Americans were critically dependent upon their Inuit guides, hunters, mushers, and companions. It is admirable that he acknowledged them as much as he did and made a very solid effort at capturing their individual natures and specific contributions. However the lens through which Welky has viewed the expedition and its participants was
warped. For example MacMillan noted that the Inuit are, “real children of nature,” and are, “as wild as they animals which the hunt…[they] are not qualified to lead.” Welky is firmly aware of this ethnocentric perspective, and tries to acknowledge it in his writing. The book is most successful in answering the question of “Why?” in a way that is subtle and nuanced. Welky writes succinctly that, “Adventure captivated Americans, not science” in this era. A poem published in the New York Times prior to the expedition answers the same question in a more romantic fashion: “Nay, they are seeking the Arctic shore/That the world may know just one thing more./For man may live, or man may die,/But the tide of knowledge, rising high,/Must ever flow on, from age to age--/And this is his greatest heritage!” Welky successfully explores why a doctor from Maine would leave his new wife behind, why the Inuit would have collaborated with the Americans, and why MacMillan would have gone even if he had suspected that Peary’s claims of a Crocker Land were merely a flight of fancy. The answer to these questions cannot be paraphrased which is partially why the A Wretched and Precarious Situation goes on for 440 pages. Clearly this is not a book about climbers or even written with an audience of climbers in specifically in mind. However, it will resonate with that group for many reasons. If you have suffered an open bivy, it will speak to you. If you have marched through snow and cold to get to an ice climb, only to discover that it has not formed, it will speak to you. If you have cut the handle off a toothbrush to save weight, it will speak to you (“the would-be explorer sat in his cabin, weighing a handkerchief in his hand, paralyzed with indecision over whether he should bring it or save weight by leaving it behind”). It is a fine primer on how to behave when on expedition: be flexible, determined, focused, congenial, optimistic, and engaged. Although the outcome of the expedition itself was unremarkable—neither a new continent discovered nor much significant science accomplished—it deserves a place on the bookshelves of explorers and adventurers because of its fine writing, compelling storyline, and relentless attention to detail.
Expedition Grant recipient Zach Clanton on Dog Tooth Spire.
GETTING MORE MAZAMAS IN THE MOUNTAINS VIA EXPEDITION GRANTS If you’re dreaming about a climbing trip/expedition next year, let the Mazamas help make it happen. The expedition committee can help financially with a grant and loaner gear. Don’t let the word “expedition” intimidate you. This year we are offering the Fred Beckey Memorial Grant intended for smaller climbs and expeditions. The intent is to help create an opportunity for Mazamas to gain experience, and develop skills and confidence leading to bigger trips in the future. The deadline to submit an application for the Fred Beckey grant is March 30. Also, this year the Bob Wilson Grant has doubled to $20,000 total to be given to a few aspiring expeditions. The deadline to submit an application for the Bob Wilson Grant is July 4. Go to the Mazama website and select Resources/ Grants/Expedition Grants for more information or email the expedition committee at expedition@mazamas.org.
“Available in the Mazama Library, call # 919.8 W44.
FEBRUARY 2018 17
MAZAMA LODGE Your Home on the Mountain. Fall/Winter Lodge Hours: Noon on Thursdays–Noon on Mondays.
MAZAMA WINTER FESTIVAL
Saturday, March 3, Noon–8 p.m.
FREE FAMILY EVENT! (MEALS ARE NOT INCLUDED)
Join us on March 3 for our annual Mazama Winter Festival! For the third year in a row Mark Seker and his twin boys will be hosting the event. Event activities include a Birkebeiner race, snow sculptures, folk dancing, and much more! We will have our outdoor Root beer Garden open all day. Lunch will be served from noon–1:30 p.m. and will include hamburgers and Gardenburgers fresh off the grill. Our Bavarian Banquet will be served at 5 p.m. with prizes given out to participants. There will be a live folk band and dancing from 6–8 p.m. While the band takes a break at 7 p.m. we will serve our flaming baked Mt. Hood dessert! If you have specific questions about this years event you can reach Mark at markseker@gmail.com.
PRESIDENT’S DAY WEEKEND Mazama Lodge will be open all day on President’s Day, closing at noon on Tuesday. While the lodge has exclusive use events every Saturday from 3 p.m. on during the month of February, we are still open for day use and will serve lunch every Friday, Saturday, Sunday, as well as President’s Day during the month of February.
Ed Rea plays the piano for musical chairs on New Year’s Eve.
OREGON MOUNTAIN COMMUNITY
TYEE LODGE As a reminder for Mazamas looking to stay over Saturday night there is always the option to stay at Tyee Lodge, owned by the Trails Club. This lodge is about a half mile from the Mazama Lodge on the West Leg Road. Reservations may be made by calling the assigned host that particular weekend. The phone numbers are listed on the Trails Club web page.
18 MAZAMAS
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
The
l e e t S oyz b w o C
The Lads of lassen A section of flooded road. Ray rolling with it. Photo: Kyle Heddy—Treading Light Photography.
FEBRUARY 2018 19
by Terry Campbell
W
Our humble bushcamp was cozy enough. Photo: Kyle Heddy— Treading Light Photography.
hen we left our heroes last, they were rolling down Highway 95 in Malheur County, Oregon at the end of a bikepacking trip. A cold spring rain pounded them as they approached Jordan Valley but their spirits were high. The reason for such high spirits was the hope of a future adventure. While the boyz were riding through the craters and plains of the Owyhee Canyonlands a distant mountain range would come into view from time to time. Further reading of the map revealed that the mystery mountains were the Owyhee Mountains and high up in those mountains was the ghost town of Silver City, Idaho.
20 MAZAMAS
As the boyz settled back into their daily grind under the watchful eye of Baron Workmen’s evil sidekick, Mr. Job, Ray-Ray, Hambone Heddy, and TC-Rigged could not help but dream of a better day when the wind would blow through their bike frames, the sun shine in their faces, and the gravel road lead out to the horizon. TC found himself deep into research about Silver City. He learned that in the late 19th century Silver City, Idaho was home to 2,500 residents, three hundred homes, and seventy-five businesses all servicing gold and silver miners. The town was built at 6,200 feet above sea level and legend has it that many of the old residents, long gone from this earth, still roam the streets looking for a card game, fight, or shot of whiskey. As 2016 came to a close it was decided the Steel Cowboyz would break free from their bondage and venture once again into the open range of the Owyhees in search of that happiness that comes from bikepacking. With much enthusiasm for the upcoming adventure the boyz could not contain their excitement while toiling at their jobs. This excitement boiled over until Nick Wagner (aka Pappy Wags) became aware of their plans and he, fed up with Mr. Job’s oppression, wanted to be part of the excursion to Silver City. Pappy Wags jumped right into the research and shared history books of the region and town with TC. They worked with friends to map specific areas that did not have obvious roads and with a week to go the boyz were set. Then three days before they were set to leave for Idaho they caught wind that a large low pressure system was going to be moving through the area and the chance for daily thunderstorms/lightning was high. With the
From left: There used to be a road here, really. The challenge and beauty of route planning rarely traveled terrain can lead to unexpected hike-abike sections. Another spot where Mother Nature decided to knock out the road forcing us to bushwhack. Ray and Nick do so with grace. En route, TC uses advanced navigational skills to ford a seasonal river. We had no drinking water concerns from there on. Three Bi-Peds (Terry Campbell, Nick Wagner, Ray Belt) on three Bi-Cycles trying not to get too lost in Northern California. Photos: Kyle Heddy—Treading Light Photography
escape plan from Mr. Job’s clutches already in play the boyz needed to quickly come up with a new plan. The low pressure system was going to produce rain west of the Cascades and unpredictable thunderstorms/lightning east of the range so it looked like going south was the best option, but how far south? TC had recently driven through the town of Susanville, California and was quite impressed with the large swath of pine forest that lay between Susanville and Mount Lassen. With no time to spare, the boyz slipped out of Portland one night after work and drove south, through the night, until the van came to rest in the parking lot of the Lassen National Forest Office outside Susanville. Once the doors to the office opened the next morning, they walked in to ask about the viability of a trip on bikepacking bikes. Luckily the National Forest Officer, typically known for their excellent knowledge of their respective area, was a horse packer who knew the conditions of many of the gravel roads proposed for this adventure. She went straight to work highlighting a route that would connect great camping with free running water. Under intermittent clouds and occasional sun the boyz left the Lassen Forest Service Office and pedaled northwest towards the Eagle Lake area. Eagle Lake is the second largest natural lake in California and the meeting point of the Sierra Nevada Range, Cascade Range, and Great Basin or Modoc Plateau. The increase in elevation in that semi-arid climate provides the perfect mix of water and sun to grow really large Ponderosa Pines and other flora and fauna. Living up to his name, TC-Rigged had problems with his handlebar rack right out of the gate. As
continued on next page FEBRUARY 2018 21
Nick stopping to put his shell on as a short-lived squall engulfs us. Photo: Kyle Heddy—Treading Light Photography.
Steel Cowboyz, continued from previous page soon as they hit the first gravel road the welds on the rack broke. The usual application of duct tape, straps and zip ties came to the rescue. As they rode over flat but rough roads, through Brockman Flat Lava Beds, they considered their luck. One day before they were not sure that any trip would happen and now they were standing in the sun with a fragrant scent of pine floating in the air. Damn this is a charmed life. Prior to arriving at a bush camp, along a nondescript creek in Rankin Flat, the lads circumnavigated Eagle Lake to the west and north in search of a camping spot. However, at Rocky Point they were blown away by the wind so they scurried back to the protection of the pines on the lake’s west-side. As they unpacked their bikes they could tell that this flat open area had been the scene of many National Forest dump and run trips. You know the scene: someone is too lazy to get rid of a mattress the proper way so ten years ago they drove out to a deserted gravel road 22 MAZAMAS
and gave it to Mother Nature. Mother Nature is harsh and even though it’s not good for her she breaks this detritus down in just a few years. Waking the next morning TC-Rigged could feel the weight and strain of Mr. Job finally being shed and his first sip of coffee was in appreciation of their resistance to the daily grind of this world. Looking out over the creek the boyz charted a course for the day’s journey with a goal of reaching Crater Lake-Crater Lake in Lassen National Forest that is. The first pedal strokes directed their bikes in a westerly direction and within an hour of riding the first obstacle was at foot. The road they were following through Penitentiary Flat (which includes Prison Spring) was cut off by a swollen creek. Well, when the river raises these boyz revert back to their backpacking skills. Socks and shoes off and it’s time for a little ‘hike-a-bike.’ Once safely across, their feet were dried and riding resumed. Over the coming hours the world
We woke to a sloppy mess on our last day. A lovely snow/rain mix guided us home. Photo: Kyle Heddy—Treading Light Photography
around them ebbed and flowed. Sometimes a cool rain would fall, other times the sun would warm them. All the while they were passing through places like McCoy Flat, Antelope Valley, Stanford Headquarters, Camp Ten, and eventually a big wide opening called Pine Creek
Ray is getting dinner tools ready while Nick and TC work on a busted handlebar rack. Bikepacking is hard on firm rack systems. Soft bike bags usually hold up better over rough terrain. Photo: Kyle Heddy—Treading Light Photography.
Valley. The simplicity of bikepacking is that you ride and absorb your surroundings and when you get hungry you stop. Sometime during the middle of the day—watches are mostly forbidden by this rag-tag crew—they found a horse camp whose tall Ponderosa Pines protected them from the rain as they ate lunch. Amos Batchelder was an early pioneer and resident of this northeastern California area and in one sentence he described what the boyz saw: “After traveling through the large timber we reached a very large opening and encamped here...there was an abundance of grass, wood and water.” –Amos Batchelder October 4, 1849 Reaching the end of the expansive Pine Creek Valley all the joy of the previous hours was washed away when they turned their bikes uphill on FS Road 32N08. Gravel road climbs can be very challenging due to the excessive weight of your bike, the less grippy road surface, and the fact that passing automobiles will kick up dust. The boyz all started at the same time but the five mile climb fractured the group as heart rates went up and layers came off. At the high point they all came back together and collectively descended to the campground on the east bank of Crater Lake. During the descent it was clear that the temperature was going to be cold that night so once in camp, firewood was sought from the surrounding downed trees.
They enjoyed a fun night of revelry around the fire as the cold mountain air blew down from the starry night across the lake and through the trees. In the morning Pappy Wags stalled the departure time so that a little hacky sack could be practiced next to Crater Lake in the sunshine. Plus, the past evening’s descent into the little crater would require a short, punchy climb back to the rim followed by a long and speedy downhill. At the bottom of the long descent the boyz met up again. Here, back in the huge Pine Creek Valley, Hambone took some portraits before they headed south on FS 32N22. Ambitious plans to find some high mountain lakes were torpedoed by the Forest Service employee, who informed the ladz that a record snow year was still lingering at the higher elevations. FS 32N22 proved to be a well-established forest service road so a minor detour was taken to find some peace and quiet. The detour began with a steady climb in a beautiful pine stand until all navigation bearings pointed down a road that was signed as a Dead End! Well, this was very inviting to the ladz’s sense of adventure and down the road they went. At the bottom of the small descent they found that the sign was correct, the bridge across a roaring creek was gone. Given the choices of riding back up a dusty road or figuring a way across the creek, the ladz went for the latter choice. They divided into two teams of two and each group went
down the creek looking for a safe place to cross. The challenge was that they needed to bring their bikes across with them. Eventually, Ray-Ray and Hambone found a wide, sturdy log that easily left their bankside and deposited them on the other side in a bog. Oh well, off came the shoes. Getting all the ladz and bikes across was a real team effort. Once they were all safely across it was time for a midday meal and a nap in the sun. After lunch the gravel road tilted down and everyone was able to pick up some speed. A small log crossing the road provided a fun opportunity to bunny hop. Coming out to a paved Highway A21, they all made a right turn to head south. After a few miles Hambone directed everyone to take a left onto a new gravel road. It was here the ladz experienced their only navigational snafu. The gravel road went one way and the GPS/map pointed another way. Now, out here in the land of a million forest service roads one can get in some real trouble just following the road. One needs a good sense of direction and the knowledge to use the tools at their disposal. They followed their instincts and GPS that led them to a faint road through Clover Valley and onto another pine-lined gravel road. As afternoon disappeared over the horizon, the ladz were full steam when
continued on next page FEBRUARY 2018 23
Steel Cowboyz, continued from previous page they met up with the Bizz Johnson Trail. The Bizz Johnson Trail, one of the nation’s first rail-trails, follows the old Fernley & Lassen train line. Named in honor of Congressman Harold T. Johnson, who championed the project, the 16 mile trail follows the Susan River as it winds through the rugged Susan River Canyon, over 12 bridges/trestles, and passes through two tunnels. Riding east, the trail provided the ladz with a steady descent into Susanville. Their final night, however, would be ten miles west of Susanville at Goumaz campground. There they would once again camp along a sweet singing creek, forage in the surrounding
wood for fire making material, and laugh at each other’s jokes. TC-Rigged and Pappy Wags took a stroll up one of the Forest Service arteries to explore. As they rounded a corner they felt the strange sensation of becoming very small. They craned their necks up high to see what was leering over them and they saw the largest Ponderosa Pine they had seen on the whole trip. “Wow!” exclaimed Pappy Wags as he finally understood that a bikepacking trip amongst the sea of Pondo Pine was a magical endeavor for sure. The ladz awoke to the pitter-patter of sleety-snow the following morning and they briskly packed up their rigs
Cast of Characters
and rode toward Susanville. The Bizz Johnson Trail led them down a wonderful path that followed the scenic Susan River Canyon, crossed bridges and trestles, and blindly went through dark tunnels. The Steel Cowboyz had come to this place to salvage their trip but discovered Lassen National Forest had much to offer and they vowed to be back. As the rain came down and the ladz sped downhill, TC shouted through the rain drops, “Who’s in for Silver City you old buckaroos? Yeehaw!”
For more on bike packing and touring, check out books with the call # 796.6 in the Mazama Library.
Ray-Ray (Ray Belt): He can fix your server and fight off internet viruses but his true asset is telling explosive campfire stories.
TC-Rigged (Terry Campbell): He has big trip dreams on a workingman’s vacation time budget, however he can pretty much put duct tape on anything.
Hambone Heddy (Kyle Heddy): Hambone Heddy eats railroad spikes for brunch and makes lots of pictures. He has never ridden a real horse.
Pappy Wags (Nick Wagner): He needs a job but while he’s looking he is having fun and who said that was a crime?
24 MAZAMAS
ADVENTUROUS YOUNG MAZAMAS (AYM) Activities for those in their 20s & 30s or anyone young at heart.
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.
CAPE LOOKOUT YURT WEEKEND
Saturday, Feb. 3– Sunday, Feb. 4
A winter classic! Come spend the weekend along the Oregon coast exploring windswept beaches and the cliffs of Cape Lookout. We will head out early Saturday morning from Portland to hike Netarts Bay and make camp at Cape Lookout State Park deluxe yurts for a potluck, campfire, and camaraderie. Sunday we will pack up, hike out to the end of Cape Lookout and then head for home with an obligatory stop at the Tillamook Cheese Factory for ice cream. Mileage: Approximately 10 miles on Saturday and 6 miles on Sunday. Elevation gain: ~1,000 ft. Drive: ~170 miles round trip. $25 members/$35 nonmembers, plus mileage for drivers. Leader: saanmi78@hotmail. com. RSVP to leader to sign up; trip limited to 8 people.
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!
SOCIAL EVENT: BACKCOUNTRY SKI AND SNOWBOARD FILM FESTIVAL
BACKPACK: HEMLOCK CABIN & UMPQUA HOT SPRINGS
Saturday, Feb. 3
Saturday, Feb. 17–Monday, Feb. 19 (President’s Day)
Adventure, environment and climate, youth outdoors, ski culture—you’ll find it all in this award-winning lineup. The Backcountry Film Festival is produced by Winter Wildlands Alliance as a celebration of the human-powered experience and a gathering place for the backcountry snowsports community. Separate ticket purchase required. See our Meetup page for details. 6 p.m. at the Mazama Mountaineering Center.
Come along for a trek in the Southern Cascades’ backcountry! Ski up to Hemlock Cabin on the slopes of Mt. Bailey and stay the night. On the way home, visit Umpqua Hot Springs or Diamond Lake. Crosscountry skis and winter backpacking gear required. $10 members/$15 nonmembers. Capped at 8 trekkers. Snopark permit required. 3.8 miles, 600 ft. Drive: 482. Carpool from MMC 6:15am. Apply with creelan@freeshell.org FEBRUARY 2018 25
Beta
It’s almost time!
Mazama Website The new Mazama website will soon be online in beta mode. 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.
26 MAZAMAS
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 in the next 2–6 weeks. We look forward to sharing this new website with you and look forward to hearing your thoughts!
Climb Card
Round Up Starting with the 2018 spring/summer climbing season Climb Cards will become obsolete. So what should you do with your unused cards?
Option 1: Donate! Donate your unused cards to Mazama programs. Donations may be directed to Core Mazama Programs, Library & Historical Collections, Youth Outdoor Education, or Stewardship & Advocacy. We will send you a donation letter confirming the amount of your tax deductible donation. Thanks in advance!
Option 2: Credit Hold onto your cards until April/May 2018. We will have a credit system in the new website that will allow us to credit your new account with the value of any unused cards. You can then use that credit towards any Mazama activity.
Option 3: Refund Request a refund. Refunds are provided by check and take approximately 2–4 weeks to arrive. Climb Cards must be dropped off or mailed to the Mazamas. When mailing include your name, address, phone number and email address so we can contact if you if we have any questions. All donations, credits, and refunds for Climb Cards must be submitted by July 31, 2018.
Did you know?
The current 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. Value: Gray cards—Member & BCEP, $20; Nonmember, $30. Blue/Yellow Cards: $15/$20. Cards must be unused, for a canceled climb, or for an activity for which you were not accepted. Cards that have the CC or COMP box have no cash value and cannot be accepted.
ou ar
2018 Climb Application Process 1. Go to the new Mazama website (we’ll let you know when it is up and running!) 2. Create or update your account (anyone who has been a member in the last 10 years will already have an account, you’ll just need to change your password) 3. Complete your profile, including past climbing history, training, etc ... 4. Review the climb schedule 5. Apply for any climbs you are interested in and qualified for; you will be prompted to enter a credit card to apply 6. When you are accepted on a climb your credit card will be charged (but not until you are accepted!) 7. Login to your Mazama account to see your climb team and prospectus 8. If you need to cancel, hit the withdraw button and confirm that you need to withdraw from theFEBRUARY climb 2018 27
LIBRARY NOTES
E
stablished 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.
NEW RELEASES AND ADDITIONS
Planning a summer trip with your kids? Get a head start with these recently added Adventuring with Kids titles. The first two books focus on Yellowstone and Utah’s big five National Parks. Each guide features “kid tested” hikes, mountain bike routes, climbs, wildlife viewing locations, and natural history learning opportunities. Organized on park geography, each guide emphasis outdoor fun, education, and focuses on the best options for families. The books promote the popular Junior Ranger program found throughout the National Park system. Of interest to parents, the books provide information on access, trip planning, and overnight options including campgrounds, lodges, and cabins. Utah’s Big Five National Parks, 917.92.M11. Yellowstone National Park, 917.87.M11 Valley Walls. Before the first free ascent of the Dawn Wall on El Capitan captivated the world, a rag-tag group of innovators built the sport of modern American rock climbing from a makeshift home base in Yosemite’s Camp 4. Photographer Glen Denny was a key figure in that Golden Age of climbing, capturing pioneering feats on camera while tackling challenging ascents himself. In prose both exhilarating and poignant, Denny gives us true tales of colorful characters and legendary locale, of brotherhood and sky-high quests, and of living cheap and dodging park rangers. Mazama Library call no. 920.D41
Ueli Steck: My Life in Climbing. A climber of incredible strength, Ueli Steck set climbing records for speed and endurance that no one had previously thought possible. This deeply personal and revealing memoir, Ueli Steck: My Life in Climbing, is his only book to be published in English. Structured around key climbs, it provides the history of each mountain and route, Ueli’s reasons for attempting it, what happened on each climb itself, and what he learned from the experience. It also includes some fascinating insights into his training regimen. Ueli infuses his story with the joy and freedom of climbing and running. He is honest, direct and, at times, exhibits the self-absorption common to many elite athletes. Ultimately, however, his experiences brought him to a place of self-awareness and he was no longer the same climber who first set the speed record on the Eiger’s North Face.
28 MAZAMAS
CLASSICS OF MOUNTAINEERING:
Downward Bound A Mad Guide to Rock Climbing, Warren Harding. An offbeat and inventive climbing classic. Harding gives readers an introduction to climbing and recounts his first ascents in Yosemite Valley. While his introduction to rock climbing and big walls is farcical, the tales of his ascents are vivid. Throughout he strives to return some of the fun to climbing through humorous story telling of the climbing culture of the 60s and 70s.
DID YOU KNOW?
▶▶ The Mazamas is responsible for naming all 11 pre-eruption glaciers on Mt St Helens. ▶▶ The first female Mazama climb leader was Anne Dillinger, in 1916. ▶▶ The Alpine Journal is the world’s oldest mountaineering journal, first published by the British Alpine Club in 1863. The Mazama Library has a complete run of the journal. ▶▶ The Alaska Range is the only major mountain range in the US that is named for the state in which it lies.
BOOKS FOR WINTER ADVENTURES:
▶▶ Avalanche Essentials, A step-by-step system for safety and survival, 551.31.T72ae ▶▶ Ice Tools and Technique, 796.53.R13 ▶▶ Winter Camping, 796.54.T47 ▶▶ Alpine Climbing Techniques to Take You Higher, 796.52.H81
Climb with us! • Mt. Hood • Mt. Rainier • Mt. Baker Guaranteed climb spot, professional guides, team training, awesome people!
ClimbforCleanAir.org
Come out to our free info session to get all the details. Come to a free info session to learn more! Friday, Feb.9th 9 atat6:30pm 6:30atp.m. Friday, February the Mazama Center MazamasMountaineering Mountaineering Center FEBRUARY 2018 29
ADVENTURE WILD! SUMMER DAY CAMP RETURNS
S
by Molly Mosenthal and Claire Nelson ince 2012, the Mazamas has partnered with Friends of Outdoor School to further our shared goals of providing meaningful educational outdoor experiences to youth in the Portland metro area. Last summer we began the transition to incorporate the camp into our organization. We were thrilled to sell out all five weeks of our nature-based camp! Each summer, we welcome campers ages 4–10 for week long sessions, where they will experience their urban and natural environments through hands-on science experiments, art, and play at the Mazama Mountaineering Center (MMC), Laurelhurst Park, and Mazama Lodge at Mt. Hood. To top off the week, each session includes one or two days of indoor rock climbing at the MMC. Campers try to scale the Mazama climbing wall, while belayed by Mazama volunteers. New this year, our older campers will have the opportunity to spend an overnight at Mazama Lodge! This year, we’re excited to expand to seven sessions, each with a different theme, from Plants & Pollinators to Builders & Creators. Campers engage in a number of creative and scientific activities including fish printing, constructing fairy houses in the park, modeling the layers of the earth with clay, and watching miniature volcanoes erupt. Campers also play games and participate in activities that facilitate their continued love for and stewardship of our environment. Every week of camp also includes a trip up to Mt. Hood to explore
30 MAZAMAS
the woods around Mazama Lodge. Youth programming is an important pillar of the Mazamas’ mission of everyone outside enjoying and protecting the mountains. This summer, Adventure WILD! will expose up to 280 young people to the wonders of the natural world, the thrill of rock climbing, and the wild of our mountain. Experiences like these build a foundation of appreciation that can translate into a love for the outdoors and a desire to get outside and adventure! We can only guess at how many future Mazamas and outdoor enthusiasts will come to camp this summer, and we hope your little one will be one of them. Registration opens February 1. Don’t forget to use your Mazama member discount by entering code MAZAMAS2018 at checkout to receive $35 off registration. Check out more information about our program and register at adventurewild.org. If you have any questions about Adventure WILD! Summer Day Camp, contact Camp Manager Molly Mosenthal at adventurewild@mazamas.org.
February 1 marks the registration opening of the 7th year of Adventure WILD! Summer Day Camp, and it’s first year as a fullfledged Mazama Youth Program
April 22, 2018
www.bend-marathon.com
5K & 10K
SP ONS ORE D B Y:
FEBRUARY 2018 31
32 MAZAMAS
EVENING TRAVEL PROGRAMS EVERY WEDNESDAYS AT 7 P.M., MID-OCT. THROUGH MID-APRIL AT THE MAZAMA MOUNTAINEERING CENTER.
FEB. 7—SWITZERLAND’S “BERNER OBERLAND” & HIKING THE HAUTE ROUTE 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. 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. The program takes you through the cozy and high village of Gimmelwald, hiking the Lauterbrunnen Valley trails, before tackling the eleven day Haute Route trek out of Chamonix, France. The travel will take you through three prominent Swiss peaks, the 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. You’ll learn about the trip planning and packing and the duo’s variations to the route (they did not use a guide service or company).
FEB. 14—THRU-HIKING THE PYRENES HAUTE ROUTE Come along as Erin “Wired” Saver thru-hikes the full length of the Pyrenees; 500 miles from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea along the border of Spain and France. The Haute Route Pyrenees is a challenging hike, but offers rewarding views that make it worth the effort. Through anecdotes, photos, and video Erin’s presentation will cover what it was like to hike in Europe for the first time. She will also highlight her favorite sections that she would recommend for those looking to visit the Pyrenees. A detailed daily journal of her trip can be found at http://www. walkingwithwired.com
FEB. 21—CLIMBING IN CHAMONIX
FEB. 28—EVEREST BASE CAMP
Jonathan Barrett will present on the 2017 Mazama outing to Chamonix, France. This was his third time to Chamonix with the club. This small city was once described by Jon Krakauer as the “death-sport capital of the world”, and it is a stellar place to make a home base for a wide variety of adventures that suit a range of interests. Besides sharing stories and photos of the various climbs that the participants tackled, he will also discuss what makes this spot in the Alps so ideal for any Mazama member worth her boots. Jonathan will include some basic advice about how to make a trip to Chamonix a fulfilling experience including finding lodging, utilizing the valley’s lifts, accessing Swiss and Italian sites, and soaking up the culture of the HauteSavoie region.
In March of 2017 a group of four travelers adventured to Mt. Everest Base Camp in Nepal. They saw incredible beauty, amazing kindness, extreme poverty, and severe environmental degradation. This talk will help inform prospective trekkers not only of what to bring with them, but what to expect. Join Eric Lubell for an evening of stories and photos describing their experience.
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. FEBRUARY 2018 33
OUTINGS Foreign and Domestic Adventure Travel 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.
34 MAZAMAS
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 by January 30. For more information, contact leader Rex Breunsbach, rbreunsbach@gmail.com, 971-8322556; 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 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.
HIKING GLACIER NATIONAL PARK JULY 22–28
TRINITY ALPS HIGH ROUTE TREK SEPTEMBER 8–14
Spend a week hiking the trails in America’s most-beautiful 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 non-members. 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.
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 Trinity Alps are a spectacular and rugged collection of mountains and ridges in the Klamath Mountains of northern California. The high route encompasses largely off-trail hiking and is mostly above treeline. All peaks should be 3rd class or less and will not require any technical gear. 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. The terrain will be challenging, with rocks, brush, and scree. The cost of the outing is $266 to $318 (depending on number of participants) and covers all fees and lodging costs. We will be carpooling to the trailhead and staying in a hotel the night before and after the trek. 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.
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.
FEBRUARY 2018 35
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. SS B Feb 03 (Sat) Tilly Jane Shelter from Tilly Jane TH (W) Rick Craycraft 503-679-2113 or leftfield5@ juno.com. Wilderness—Limit 12. An iconic snowshoe above Cloud Cap Inn on the northeast side of Mt. Hood. Always an iffy proposition, we’ll go if the weather is not downright brutal. Bring the appropriate winter gear and a hot thermos of something. Limit of 12 people. 7.8 mi., 1,900 ft., Drive 145, SnoPark, Gateway 7:30 a.m. HK B2 Feb 04 (Sun) Coyote Wall Loop Rex Breunsbach 971-832-2556 or rbreunsbach@gmail.com. 6th Annual Super Bowl Sunday hike! Up to the top of the cliffs then down through the Labyrinth. Back in time for the game. Poles and traction devices recommended. 8 mi., 1,950 ft., Drive 126, TH, Gateway 8 a.m. (GH) DH A2 Feb 06 (Tue) Moulton Falls Don McCoy donald1020@aol.com, 503-709-9306. A converted rails to trails grade runs for about 2.5 miles along the south bank of the East Fork Lewis River from Hantwick Road, near Lucia Falls to the East Fork High Bridge. This wide trail is used by walkers, joggers, and cyclists. This hike will be limited to 8 dogs on a first come basis. Dogs must be on a leash. Meet at the trailhead and prepare for cold rainy weather. 6 mi., 260 ft., Drive 60, Hantwick Road Trailhead 9 a.m. (WF) HK B2 Feb 07 (Wed) Tarbell to Hidden Falls Rex Breunsbach 971832-2556 or rbreunsbach@gmail.com. Follow the trail blazed by George 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.
36 MAZAMAS
Tarbell, Southwest Washington pioneer, hermit, farmer and miner. We will travel through clear cuts and areas that have been reforested since the 1902 Yacolt burn and arrive at the relatively unknown Hidden Falls in time for lunch. 10 mi., 1,100 ft., Drive 75, StatePark, MMC 8 a.m. HK A2 Feb 09 (Fri) Hillsdale to Goose Hollow Urban Hike William O’Brien text 503-679-5194. This month we will hike the other half of the Portland SW Trail #6, leaving the Hillsdale District and hiking north on the #6 trail thru the West Hills to the Goose Hollow Max stop. Along the way great views and architecture. Meet at Wilson HS Parking lot next to bleachers at Sunset & Capitol Highway. 6 mi., 400 ft., Drive 0, Park side streets of Hillsdale Shopping District 9 a.m. MU HK B2 Feb 10 (Sat) Hamilton Mountain Loop Regis Krug 503704-6442/regis_krug@mentor.com. This very popular trail has a feast of features for you, including waterfalls, craggy cliffs, deep forests, superb vistas, and a loop option. Bring traction devices and poles, lots of layers. 7.5 mi., 2,438 ft., Drive 88, TH, Gateway 7 a.m. (WF)MU SS A Feb 10 (Sat) Bennett Pass in and Out Snowshoe David Nelson dkbmnelson@gmail.com. We will head south on Bennett Pass road passing several view points along the way as we get closer to the terrible traverse. Depending upon conditions, have lunch here and then begin the 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. trek back. On the way back will take a detour and go up and over Al’s Hill back to the cars. Some travel will be off-trail making our own tracks. Be prepared for winter conditions. No cotton clothes. Please contact leader via email if you plan to go. 5.1 mi., 1,112 ft., Drive 120, SnoPark, Gateway 7:30 a.m. (MH) HK A1.5 Feb 11 (Sun) Misery Ridge Loop Bill Stein billstein.rpcv@gmail. com. There is bus service but no MAX service to Clackamas P&R this early on a Sunday. Ignore the name! Some call this loop at Smith Rock State Park the most spectacular hike in Oregon. A short, steep ascent brings you to views of Monkey Face and (if we’re lucky) all the Central Oregon volcanoes. Winter gear advised. RSVP required by Fri 2/09. 3.8 mi., 1,000 ft., Drive 260, StatePark, Clackamas P&R Garage 6:30 a.m. (AR)MU HK B2 Feb 14 (Wed) Wilson River, Forest Center to Keenig Creek Rex Breunsbach 971-832-2556 or rbreunsbach@gmail.com. We will start at the Forestry Center and hike down along the Wilson River to Keenig Creek 10 mi., 1,500 ft., Drive 100, MMC 8 a.m. HK A2 Feb 17 (Sat) Riverfront Loop Rick Craycraft 503-679-2113 or leftfield5@juno.com. A paved path down the east side of the Willamette, across the Steel Bridge, then through 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
Waterfront Park, South Waterfront, Willamette Park and back to Sellwood Park. Places along the way for snacks and bathrooms. 10 mi., 0 ft., Drive 0, Sellwood Park riverfront parking lot (under the north side of the bridge) 9 a.m. HK B2 Feb 18 (Sun) Elk Mountain Loop Sue Dimin 971 409 8501. come prepared for all weather including yak trax or microspikes and poles 8.5 mi., 2950 ft., Drive 60, Target/185th 8 a.m. NS Feb 18 (Sun) Trillium Lake-Mud Creek Ridge-Lostman Loop Joe Whittington joewhittington@gmail. com. Start at Trillium Lake SnoPark and ski down to Mud Creek Ridge cutoff. Ascend to Lostman Trail to High Divide Rd, then descend Lower Ridge Rd back to the Trillium Lake Loop. This is an intermediate level ski and a way to escape the crowds. Please email leader if you plan to go. 11 mi., 900 ft., Drive 110, SnoPark, Gateway 7 a.m. (AR,MH)MU HK A1.5 Feb 25 (Sun) Lyle Cherry Orchard Gary Riggs gary.riggs@ outlook.com. This little-known gem of a hike on the Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge offers spectacular views of the Columbia River, amazing spring wildflowers, and a forest of gnarled old oak trees. 6.5 mi., 1,400 ft., Drive 140, Gateway 8 a.m. (GH)MU
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.
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 MARCH Send details to classics@mazamas.org by the twelfth of each month for inclusion in the Bulletin.
CLASSICS COMMITTEE MEETING MARCH 19, 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.
HK B2 Feb 25 (Sun) Dog Mountain Loop Sue Dimin 503-293-0263. come prepared for all weather including microspikes or yak trax and poles 7.4 mi., 2,800 ft., Drive 98, TH, Gateway 8 a.m. HK A2 Feb 28 (Wed) Catherine Creek/Coyote Wall Loop Rex Breunsbach 971-832-2556 or rbreunsbach@gmail.com. Up Catherine Creek then over to Coyote Wall and back to the cars. Can be cold and windy at this time of year 10 mi., 1,500 ft., Drive 126, TH, MMC 8 a.m. BP Mar 03 (Sat) Twin Lakes/ Palmateer Point Winter Backpack David Nelson dkbmnelson@gmail. com. Wilderness—Limit 12. This is a moderately-paced snowshoe backpack suitable for beginners and experienced backpackers. You’ll need some gear adjustment for winter weather, which will be emailed to you. Joe Whittington
is co-leading and will demonstrate setting up typical high-altitude camp, including kitchen area, snow walls, etc. On Sunday, we’ll have breakfast and head to the upper lake and onto Palmateer Point, weather dependent. There will be a meeting on Feb. 26 to finalize gear and logistics. Please contact leader via email, prior to Feb 16 to reserve a spot and receive additional information. 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.
FEBRUARY 2018 37
THIS MONTH IN EXECUTIVE COUNCIL (MAZAMA BOARD OF DIRECTORS) The next board meeting date is Tuesday, Feb. 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, January 16. Chris reviewed the meeting’s agenda and asked for approval. Motion carried. Secretary Keith Campbell reviewed the minutes of both the November and December EC meetings. Following a brief discussion, motion carried to approve the minutes with the agreed edits. Keith reported that current membership is 3,142, marking a net loss of 107 members over this time last year. Treasurer Marty Scott reported that at the end of October, total operating revenue for the year is $226,433, and total operating expenses are $121,703. Total assets are $1,571,050. Revenue is tracking six percent above budget and expenditures are three percent under budget. Marty noted that the primary sources of income for October were membership dues and event tickets while November’s expected revenue comes from grants and event tickets. Vice President Laura Pigion asked council members to submit topics they wish to address at the spring retreat by the end of the month. Potential issues discussed included streamlining the Mazama mission statement and shifting the board meeting schedule to focus on more extensive quarterly meetings with shorter monthly meetings. In his Executive Director’s report, Lee Davis recapped several recent and upcoming events. The Basic Climber Education Program (BCEP) Info Night is February 1, and the Spring EC Retreat is May 6. In internal reporting, Lee gave a brief overview of progress towards the Mazamas2020 strategic plan goals. Items of note include the hiring of a program coordinator for outdoor education programs and the upcoming soft launch of
38 MAZAMAS
the IT Project. The Mazamas is partnering, mainly through policy work, on Columbia Gorge restoration efforts. Lee noted that there is frustration across the region at the Federal Government’s lack of direction, money, and resources. Currently, people interested in lending a hand should contact the Pacific Crest Trail Association and Trails Club of Oregon. In external reporting, Lee focused on Mazama advocacy work. The Mazamas have developed significant relationships with legislators in Salem and Washington D.C. on both sides of the aisle. Members of Congress see the Mazamas as a fresh new voice in outdoor recreation. The Mazamas success with the Oregon Office of Outdoor Recreation gives the organization increased credibility. Following a mid-meeting executive session, the meeting reconvened at 6:35 p.m. with business reports. Teresa Bright, Project Manager for the Mazama Ranch at Smith Rock, was on-hand to brief the board on recent developments. The written public comment period is nearing an end. Deschutes County will soon issue a ruling on the conditional use permit. The Mazamas has the option to submit a revised site plan to address the noise issues raised in the appeal. Teresa recommended that the board approve the site plan revision ahead of the comment period ending. Motion carried, and the board approved the submission of the revised site plan as proposed. Claire Nelson, Youth & Outreach Program Manager, gave a department status update. Claire reported that Mazamas Mountain Science School (MMSS) began on December 5 and is running eight sessions with students from a diversity of schools. Adventure WILD is now a fully Mazamas program. Plans for
this summer’s sessions include diversified programs and field trips. Youth Outreach programming now includes partnerships with seven other outdoor organizations. And a pilot program has begun to offer scholarship awards for Mazamas classes. Laura presented an update on the change management proposals. Conversations have moved forward with three of the four contractors who submitted proposals. The fourth was dropped due to estimated cost being above budget. Following a discussion in which several board members expressed concerns over the amount of money allocated and the potential project outcomes, the council voted 6-1 in favor of granting Laura authority to interview two of the remaining firms and make a decision to move forward with one of them. Chris ended the meeting by asking council members to read through the Executive Council desired skill set list developed by Nominating Committee and share comments via email. He will compile the comments and revise the list for approval at the February council meeting. No member chose to speak at the 5:30 p.m. member comment period. The next Executive Council meeting is Tuesday, February 20, at 4 p.m.
We are the bond stronger than any rope. Everything we make is designed by climbers, for climbers. Each piece is crafted by peak and crag to give you absolute protection, comfort and mobility when you really need it.
NEXT ADVENTURE | PORTLAND W W W.RAB.EQUIPMENT
Mazamas® 527 SE 43rd Ave. Portland OR 97215 www.mazamas.org
Stay Connected!
Mazama Periodical Postage Paid in Portland, Oregon
mazamas.pdx
mazamaspdx
mazamasblog.org
issuu.com/mazamas
Embark is an adventure travel company offering once-in-a-lifetime adventures for those who want to explore the most remote corners of the planet.
VOLCANOES OF ECUADOR
AUG. 10–24, 2018
INFO@EMBARKEXPLORATIONCO.COM Jan. 2019 dates will be released later this year
LEARN MORE & SIGN UP TODAY!
MANASLU CIRCUIT NEPAL
OCT. 27–NOV.17, 2018
INFO@EMBARKEXPLORATIONCO.COM
EMBARKEXPLORATIONCO.COM