We Climb High

WE CLIMB HIGH VOLUME 2 IS ALMOST HERE!

We Climb High Volume 2 A chronology of the Mazamas 1965–2015

In 1965, to mark our organization’s 75th Anniversary, the Mazamas published John Scott’s We Climb High: A Chronology of the Mazamas 1894-1964. Scott spent over a year of his own time, reading, writing, and editing the 100-page work.

Today, the record of the next 50 Mazama years is nearing completion! Thirty Mazama members and staff have spent hundreds, if not thousands, of hours combing nearly a century worth of Mazama Bulletins, Annuals, and other documents to produce We Climb High Volume 2: A chronology of the Mazamas 1965–2015.

Chapters are ordered by year, and include other special topics, such as Claire Tenscher’s study of women in Mazama climb history. We’re including excerpts from that chapter, and Rick Craycraft’s entry on 1980 in this month’s Bulletin, to whet your appetite for this historic volume.

FROM “1980” BY RICK CRAYCRAFT ...Early on the morning of May 18, 1980, Mount St. Helens, which had been stirring for several months, awoke from a 123-year slumber and let loose an unexpectedly large volcanic blast that spread devastation for miles. Fifty-seven people (although that figure is in some dispute) were caught in the wrong place at the wrong time and perished, including our then Mazama Bulletin editor Jean Parker and her husband, Bill. The Pacific Northwest was suddenly in the national and international news.

This seismic event also left a crater in the Mazama climb schedule. Between the loss of access to Mount St. Helens and the attendant restrictions on Mt. Adams, about 15 percent of the year’s planned climbs were wiped out.

Climb leaders scrambled to find other peaks to ascend.

The Annual, understandably, was dominated by recollections of Mount St. Helens. First was an account of the first Mazama ascent in 1898, which put 31 climbers on top of the now non-existent summit, including the ubiquitous Charles Sholes. Following were articles about the history of the Spirit Lake Camp/Camp Meehan, which had introduced young people to the wilderness for decades, a thorough scientific account of the event by Dr. Paul Hammond, and a look behind the scenes at rescues needed in the wake of the blast. Most compelling, however, was a first-hand account by Marianna Kearney of a harrowing drive out of the blast zone, with the understated title of “One Sunday in May”. Besides a hand- drawn sketch of their escape route, this article featured iconic sequential photos by Ty Kearney of the initial explosion.

FROM “WOMEN IN THE MAZAMAS” BY CLAIRE TENSCHER ...In the course of writing this, I was lucky enough to speak with the first woman to lead the Mazama Climbing Committee, Allison Belcher. She has a stellar record of leadership, including pioneering ascents throughout the northwest and being the creator of a mountaineering safety program for Reed College. After her climbing life ended she spent decades giving voice to people who could not speak for themselves including foster children and Oregonians with disabilities, through social work and political action. With all of this accomplishment and demonstrated physical and leadership strength, she still repeated to me that she knew she wasn’t as strong as the strongest men but that she made up for it with other strengths and was plenty capable.

Another common feature of female authored climbing literature is justification of our right to lead and participate in the harder levels of sport. Allison tells of a particularly heartbreaking climbing trip where she was turned back at the trailhead after a multi- hour drive, purely for being a woman. Her frustration was palpable five decades later. Climbing is not fundamentally about the physically strongest candidate reaching the top of a peak. Endurance, teamwork, and grit are likely better measures of success at altitude than strength alone.

Allison did not become the first female leader of the Climbing Committee easily. She fought for the position against tremendous opposition with no attempt made to hide that she was considered unsuitable because she was a woman. This overt sexism is largely gone in the Mazamas today. Thanks to pioneers like Allison it is not something I recall encountering in my lifetime.

MAZAMAS FOUNDATION DISSOLUTION: UPDATE & THANK YOU

by Sarah Bradham, Acting Executive Director

On August 18, 2020, the Mazamas Foundation board voted to dissolve. This was the culmination of months of conversation, first on the Mazamas Foundation board, then with the Mazamas Executive Director and Executive Board. Prior to this decision, there were several articles published in the Bulletin and a town hall meeting held via Zoom on July 28, that was publicized and open to all Mazama members who had questions regarding the potential dissolution. Refer to the May/June 2020 Mazama Bulletin for additional information.

The official dissolution required multiple steps, many of them quite complex, such as filing paperwork with the state, closing accounts, writing agreements for future allocation of funds, transferring monetary assets, transferring the deed of the MMC, and securing more insurance coverage.

As of September 30, 2020 the majority of the Foundation dissolution work was complete, and we will use this date as the effective dissolution date of the Mazamas Foundation.

We would like to thank the outgoing Mazamas Foundation for their work over the past year, with a special thank you to Mazamas Foundation President Terry Donahe, Treasurer John Plombon, and Vice President Jerry Eline who managed the bulk of the dissolution work, along with Bronson Potter (who managed the sale of the Smith Rock Property), Secretary Jeff Hawkins, Jon Jurevic, Sándor Lau, Keith Thomajan, and Marty Scott. Two of our Mazamas Foundation members will continue to put their financial acumen to good use at the Mazamas. John Plombon has joined the Board Investment Committee and Marty Scott has agreed to join the Board Finance Committee. We sincerely appreciate the time and talent that this entire team brought to the Mazamas Foundation, and are thankful for their ongoing commitment to the success of the Mazamas.

SUMMARY OF ELECTION RESULTS FROM ANNUAL MEETING AND OFFICER ELECTION SESSION NUMBER OF VOTES CAST 852

MEMBER ELECTION OF DIRECTORS Charles Barker 378 Tom Baughman 274 Charles Blanke, M.D. 268 Bob Breivogel* 402 Reena Clements* 411 Lori Coyner* 445 Scott Stevenson 188

MEMBER ELECTION OF NOMINATION COMMITEE Ardel Frick* 671 John Rettig* 670 Kaitlin Rupert* 706 EXECUTIVE COUNCIL ELECTION OF OFFICERS FY20/21 (all offices uncontested) President: JOE EBERHARDT Vice President: AIMEE FILIMOEHALA Secretary: RICK AMODEO Treasurer: AMANDA RYAN-FEAR

2020/2021 EXECUTIVE BOARD: Judith Baker (2018–2021) Joe Eberhardt (2018–2021) Aimee Filimoehala (2020-2021) Rick Amodeo (2019–2022) Amanda Ryan-Fear (2019–2022) Jesse Applegate (2019–2022) Bob Breivogel (2020–2023) Reena Clements (2020–2023) Lori Coyner (2020–2023)

*indicates elected candidate