Mazama July 2016 Bulletin

Page 1

JULY 2016 • VOL. 98 | NO.7

The

EDUCATION Issue

The Beauty of BCEP Summitting ICS Mazamas Turns 122! Summer Reading for BCEP Grads


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Articles

Education Committee, p. 10 The Beauty of BCEP, p. 12 Advanced Snow & Ice, p. 14 Crevasse Rescue Recap, p. 15 Summer Reading for BCEP Grads, p. 18 Summitting ICS, p. 20 Mazamas Turns 122! p. 28 Strategic Plan Update, p. 30 A Peek Behind the BCEP Curtain, p. 31

Contact Us MAZAMA MOUNTAINEERING CENTER | 527 SE 43rd Ave., Portland, Oregon, 97215 | 503-227-2345 | adventure@mazamas.org | Center Hours: Mon.–Thu. 11 a.m.–7 p.m.; Fri. 10 a.m.–2 p.m. MAZAMA LODGE | 30500 West Leg Rd. •Government Camp, Oregon, 97028 | 503-272-9214 | Hours: Thu. Noon–Mon. Noon

Mazama Staff LEE DAVIS • Executive Director • lee@mazamas.org JAMIE ANDERSON •Member Services Manager • jamie@mazamas.org ADAM BAYLOR • Stewardship & Advocacy Manager • adam@mazamas.org SARAH BRADHAM • Marketing & Publications Manager • sarah@mazamas.org MATHEW BROCK • Library & Historical Collections Manager • mathew@mazamas.org LAURA BURGER • Membership & Development Assistant • laura@mazamas.org KATI MAYFIELD • Volunteer Manager •kati@mazamas.org CHARLES BARKER • Mazama Lodge Manager • mazama.lodge@mazamas.org

Publications Committee

Committee Chair: Kristie Perry, publications@mazamas.org; Committee Members: Ken DuBois, Joe Fox, Sue Griffith, Darrin Gunkel, Kevin Machtelinckx, Wendy Marshall, Lacy Turner. (publications_group@mazamas.org)

MAZAMA (USPS 334-780) Editor: Sarah Bradham (mazama.bulletin@mazamas.org). 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 6:30 p.m. on the second 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.

Monthly Columns

Executive Director's Report, p. 5 Volunteer Opportunities, p. 4 Upcoming Opportunities, p. 6 Membership Report, p. 8 Mazama Families, p. 9 Successful Climbers, p. 24 Adventurous Young Mazamas, p. 25 Mazama Lodge, p. 26 Classic Mazamas, p. 27 Outings, p. 34 Trail Trips, p. 36 Executive Council, p. 38

ADVERTISER INDEX Active Adventures, p. 9 Base Camp Brewing Company, p. 26 CAMP, p. 23 Centered in Motion, p. 4 Classifieds, p. 24 Climb Max Mountaineering, p. 7 Embark Adventures, p. 16 & 19 Green Trails Maps, p. 39 Montbell, p. 2 Mountain Shop, p. 25 Next Adventure, p. 35 Oregon Mountain Community, p. 18 Sunny Freeman Real Estate, p. 8 Tracey Andrews Acupuncture, 26 Yatvin Computer Consultants, p. 19

Advertise now! tinyurl.com/ MazamaAdvertising

Above: ICS students Aina and Vallerie at Smith Rock State Park. Photo: Unknown. Cover: A climber in the Pearly Gates at sunrise. Photo: Brooke Weeber. JULY 2016 3


VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES NEW VOLUNTEER REQUIREMENTS At their March meeting, Executive Council formally adopted a Volunteer Agreement and Volunteer Code of Ethics and Conduct. As many nonprofits do, the Mazamas wants to define and set expectations with volunteers at the outset of service as an important step in developing effective volunteer relationships. Documents like the Volunteer Agreement and the Code of Ethics and Conduct provide a helpful framework to do this. Executive Council will receive and review comments on these documents until September 1, 2016 and will incorporate input during the month of September. Beginning October 1, 2016 (the start of our new fiscal year), all Mazama volunteers will be required to sign the Volunteer Agreement and the Code of Ethics and Conduct. If you are a current Mazama volunteer, or you are interested in volunteering with us, please take a moment to tell us what you think. You can access each document on the Volunteer Resources page on our website: http://mazamas.org/get-involved/volunteer-resources/ There is also a link on that page to provide your feedback.

OUTREACH INFO NIGHT JULY 13 Do you love the Mazamas? Are you passionate about helping other people find opportunities to get outdoors? We want you to join our Outreach Team! This volunteer gig requires approximately 2–20 hours a year of your time. To find out more, join us on July 13 at 6:30 p.m. at the MMC. Gary Ballou, current Outreach Committee Chair, and Sarah Bradham, Mazamas Marketing & Communications Director, will be there to talk to you about volunteer opportunities with the Outreach team. Questions? Email sarah@mazamas.org.

HIKE LEADERS ONGOING Mazamas: are you enjoying participating regularly in hikes with us? Consider signing up to become a hike leader yourself ! Hike leaders receive basic leadership training, first aid and CPR, and do a provisional lead with the guidance of a hike leader mentor. Choose your own schedule, and where you lead. If interested, contact Kati Mayfield, kati@mazamas.org

PROGRAMS COMMITEE OCTOBER–MAY

Our wonderful Programs Committee is looking for additional volunteers to help plan for and execute our weekly speaker series. Volunteers will prepare the auditorium for each show, interview the guest speaker, set up the projector, microphone, and sound system, make announcements and introduce the speaker (voluntary), and control the lighting system, and after the show, collect and record donations, and store equipment and chairs. Contact John Leary, Programs Chair, to learn more: learyj@comcast.net

PORTLAND ALPINE FEST COMMITTEE

KATI MAYFIELD VOLUNTEER MANAGER KATI@MAZAMAS.ORG

Curious about volunteering but don’t see an opportunity that interests you? Fill out the Mazama Volunteer Survey, tinyurl. com/MazVolSurvey, to let us know more about your skills and interests, and we’ll be in touch to brainstorm with you.

KIDS CLIMB INSTRUCTORS NEEDED! ONGOING Are you a kid and rock climbing expert? Do you have experience teaching climbing to kids? We’d love to hear from you! Both the Mazama Youth Outreach and Families programs have an ongoing need for enthusiastic rock instructors. Contact Kati Mayfield to learn more, kati@mazamas.org.

PARTNER VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY: INSPIRING CONNECTIONS OUTDOORS ONGOING

The Sierra Club’s Inspiring Connections Outdoors (ICO) program creates opportunities through outdoor experiences for personal growth, lifestyle change, and leadership skill development. The program is seeking volunteers to lead and to chaperone day hikes for local youth. Join us for a meeting and volunteer orientation the first Thursday of the month at 6:30 p.m. at the Sierra Club offices at 1821 SE Ankeny, or contact Kati Mayfield, kati@mazamas.org for more information.

ONGOING

Be a part of the Mazamas biggest annual event! We've got exciting things in the works for 2016 and we need your help to make them happen. Fill out our volunteer form at portlandalpinefest.org/ volunteers and let us know your interests. Questions? Email sarah@mazamas.org

503.684.9698

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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT

A Farewell to Kati Mayfield It is with mixed emotions that I announce Kati Mayfield’s departure from the Mazamas to pursue a graduate degree in entrepreneurship and innovation management at the University of Helsinki, Finland. We are delighted to see her stepping up and into new adventures, and expanding her career opportunities. Kati was hired in the summer of 2012 as our first professional volunteer manager. She came to us with professional experience in nonprofit volunteer management and has had a profound impact on Mazama volunteer, youth, and leadership programs. Organizationally, and through Kati’s work, we’ve learned to think differently about how we recruit, train, and work with volunteers at the Mazamas. We now have standard recruitment tools, screening tools, orientations and agreements for volunteers which have helped to stabilize many of our programs. In addition to this core work, Kati was the driving force behind jumpstarting our Youth Outreach programs, and launching the Mazama Mountain Science School. Overall our engagement with youth outside the Mazamas has more than quadrupled in just the last two years. Kati lived our mission, and picked up the Mazama lifestyle quickly, taking BCEP with Doug Wilson and James Jula in 2013, climbing mountains, and becoming a hike leader. She worked hard not just at work but in her free time to create shared experiences in the mountains for others. By supporting and often volunteering with other community nonprofits, Kati connected the Mazamas with Sierra Club’s inner city outings program, Adelante Mujeres, Betties360, Outward Bound, and NW Youth Corps.

Kati also served as the lead project manager for our Leadership Development project. She piloted and stabilized a new Leadership Cohort program that identifies and accelerates engagement for new leaders coming out of our BCEP program each spring. In the last few years more than 100 new leaders have moved through this program. And finally, Kati helped us to learn from and improve our organizational culture. First, Kati led the RespectNow! Task force which resulted in Respect being added to our list of core values. We’re more sophisticated now in how we communicate and work together at the Mazamas, and even in how we navigate conflict. Kati has also worked diligently to make inclusion, equity, and diversity an ongoing conversation and area of attention for our staff and board members. Time after time, Kati encouraged and pushed the Mazamas to take a hard look at who we are and how we interact with our community. Today we are a more thoughtful, sophisticated, and respectful organization than we were in 2012. Because of Kati Mayfield’s leadership the Mazamas of tomorrow will be prepared to welcome, include and serve everyone in our community. It is a lucky thing in life to have the opportunity to work with someone who is so joyful, welcoming, and just plain

happy. What’s rare and truly remarkable about Kati is that she is all of these things but also principled, smart, strong and completely professional. Kati Mayfield

Because of Kati Mayfield’s leadership the Mazamas of tomorrow will be prepared to welcome, include and serve everyone in our community. brightens every room she is in, and we are better for having known her. I will miss her. We will honor Kati for her contributions, accomplishments, and her friendship in late July. Please look for an announcement in our email newsletter. All are invited to share in this celebration, and we extend our very best wishes to Kati as she steps into her next adventure!

Lee Davis Executive Director

What’s next for Volunteer Management, Leadership and Youth programs at the Mazamas? Kati Mayfield was Mazamas first professional volunteer manager, starting in 2012. The Mazamas and our community have grown in size and complexity in these last four years. Youth programs have grown and deserve focused staff support. And it is critical that we consistently support our volunteers, program management, and our burgeoning leadership development programs. With support from Executive Council we will be restructuring staff positions and functions throughout the summer and incorporating these plans into next fiscal year’s budget. We anticipate posting a part-time position for youth programs development, and a part or full time position to support volunteer, program and leadership functions in August or September. JULY 2016 5


Upcoming Opportunities MAZAMA TRAIL TENDING Each year the Mazamas repair and spruce up the Mazama trail on Mt. Hood, helping keep trails open that have been damaged by storms, erosion, and the whims of nature. This is not a hike, but an opportunity to give back to the outdoors to ensure that others can experience nature. ▶▶ When: July 7–9 ▶▶ Where: Meet at the MMC at 8 a.m. to carpool or at the Mazama Trail ▶▶ More Information: mazamas.org/hike

INTERMEDIATE SNOW SKILLS This class covers intermediate level alpine snow climbing skills (the level of skill taught in the Mazamas ICS program), including proper crampon and ice axe technique for high angle snow conditions, roped team travel and negotiating glacial terrain, and protection techniques, including running belays, fixed line travel, belayed pitch climbing, and snow anchor building. ▶▶ When: Aug. 2 & 4 (lectures), Aug. 6 & 7 ( field session) ▶▶ Application Period: July 1–18 ▶▶ More Information: mazamas.org/education-classes/ intermediate-snow-climbing/

ROUND THE MOUNTAIN Hike most of the Timberline Trail with only a day pack as you are shuttled to various launch points each day from the Mazama Lodge serving as your base camp. At Mazama Lodge, near Government Camp, you’ll enjoy great food, hot showers, a comfortable place to sleep, and stories from the day before turning in for the evening. ▶▶ When: Sep. 3–5 ▶▶ Where: Mt. Hood, Mazama Lodge ▶▶ More Information: tinyurl.com/MazamaRTM

Mazama Annual Election Executive Council Director Candidate Bios will be available in July. Election information will be distributed in August. Executive Council Director Candidates Steve Couche Bruce Nisker Laura Pigion Marty Scott Barbara Weiss

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Nominating Committee Candidates Lis Cooper Alex Fox Kristie Perry

MAZAMA MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS Whether you are a lifelong Mazama member, currently enrolled in the Basic Climbing Education Program, reading this Bulletin at your local climbing shop, or somewhere in between, you should make sure you know all of the benefits of Mazama membership. JOIN THE MAZAMAS TODAY! Get all the details on how to become a member of one of the oldest mountaineering organizations in the country: mazamas.org/join

• DISCOUNTED rates on all Mazama activities— climbs, hikes, classes, and outings. • This MAGAZINE, filled with articles, photos, activites, and events delivered to your door monthly. • DISCOUNTS at local retailers and gyms. Icebreaker, Mountain Hardwear, The Mountain Shop, Mountaineers Books, Next Adventure, Oregon Mountain Community, Portland Rock Gym, Patagonia, Prana Portland, Redpoint Climber’s Supply, Rock & Ice Magazine, Sharp End Books, Trail Butter, US Outdoor Store

• Access to Mazama Lodge at the base of Mt. Hood, along with great member rates. • Access to SPECIAL MEMBER PAGES on the Mazama website with climbing route information and much more. • Free RESCUE INSURANCE anywhere in the world below 6,000 meters. • Full access to the world-class MOUNTAINEERING LIBRARY.

▶▶ Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/mazamas.pdx ▶▶ Follow us on Instagram: mazamaspdx ▶▶ Subscribe to our blog: mazamas.blogspot.com ▶▶ Read the Mazama Bulletin online at issuu.com/ mazamas. ▶▶ Advertise your business in the Mazama Bulletin. Go to tinyurl.com/MazamasAds for details.


Mazamas IT Project: Status Update by Sarah Bradham, Mazamas Marketing & Publications Manager In 2014 the Mazamas received a major gift from the Weinstein estate, which gave us the resources we needed to tackle one of the longest-awaited projects at the Mazamas—overhauling our information technology (IT) systems. Our existing systems are clearly not meeting the needs or expectations of our members, students or administration, and need to be modernized. The goal is to create a centralized, online database that directly integrates with our website to manage everything the Mazamas do— from membership renewals to class administration, to volunteer management and donor relations, it'll all run through this new system.

In 2015 we went to work identifying the needs of the Mazamas. We hired a web development firm, OMBU Web, to complete the Discovery Phase of the project. This involved meetings with staff, key volunteers, and committee members to fully understand what we needed in a new system. The outcome of the Discovery Phase was a comprehensive Features & Requirements list, a Data Model, and Workflows. We then sent out a Request for Proposal for the Build Phase of the project based on these documents. We received five proposals, which were narrowed down to two serious contenders. Then, in 2016 and after numerous meetings with each company, we decided to proceed with OMBU for the Build Phase of the project. The Project Kickoff was in May and we are finalizing

the Features & Requirements of the new system now. In March, we also hired Peter Tung, an Encore Fellow from Social Venture Partners, to act as our IT Project Manager. This will ensure this important project gets the full support it needs to meet all benchmarks of timeline and quality. Peter comes to us with experience gleaned from 25-years at Intel as an IT Engineering Director. We will keep you informed throughout this project in several ways: quarterly project update meetings that are open to the public, and a website, mazamasitproject.org, that will be updated weekly. We look forward to sharing the exciting details of this project as they continue to unfold. Until then, make sure to keep up with us on our website.

Project Outcomes Web application for members, volunteers, and the community to access and administer Mazama programs & services. Visually appealing, streamlined, and easy-to-use Mazama website. Robust online calendar that includes all events, activities, and classes that is easily searchable based on a multiple criteria. Centralized data system that can be accessed anywhere.

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MAZAMA LODGE: WORK DAY REPORT by Bob Stayton, Lodge Committee Chair Saturday, May 21, was an overcast, cool, and soggy day at Mazama Lodge. In some ways a typical spring day on the mountain. Eleven hearty Mazama volunteers braved the weather and helped spruce up the lodge for the summer season. Chef Jim VanLente once again prepared a tasty fajita lunch for the crew, and Lodge Caretaker Renee made some wonderful warm snickerdoodle cookies for everyone to end the day. PROJECTS WORKED/COMPLETED ▶▶ Firewood was the highest priority to replenish our depleted firewood supply. Thanks to Keith Campbell who brought his tractor and Tom Quarels who brought his Gator ATV, we were able to skid some of the trees we had felled earlier in the week. About 1½ cords were split and stacked. There remains a good supply of rounds to split and stack on the south side of the lodge plus more trees to skid down to the lodge later this season. ▶▶ The Snow Shutters were taken down and stored and the summer screens were installed. ▶▶ The Main Room Windows were washed. ▶▶ Rug Repair—Some flaws in the large rug in the main room were artfully mended. ▶▶ One ton of pellets for the pellet stove were carried to the basement store room. ▶▶ Overall Lodge Repairs—hinges on an exit door were re-fastened to the door jamb. The Canycam starter cord was repaired, and the flat tires on the splitter were reseated, and pumped up. PROJECTS NOT YET DONE: ▶▶ The Trail Rope, which is usually taken down in summer, remains up. ▶▶ The Mattresses were not washed. There were several guests in the lodge and there were limited people resources. ▶▶ The Teepee set up was not attempted due to the rain and the small crew. THANK YOU VOLUNTEERS! A big thank you to volunteers: Dyanne Foster, Micheal Kipley, Nicole Peltz, Tom Quarels, Lisa Oakland, Brook Harris, Jim VanLente, Keith Campbell, Ed Rey, Phil Baird, and Bob Stayton. It is always enjoyable to work shoulder to shoulder with Mazama volunteers at the Lodge. It is truly the Mazamas home on the mountain. Visit often.

UPCOMING MAZAMA LIBRARY INVENTORY

The Mazama Library will be conducting an inventory in September. Please look around your house, car, and gear room to see if you have any overdue Mazama Library books. If you do, please return them, no questions asked. And while you are at it, do you have any books you would like to donate to the Library? And no—we do not need National Geographics or Mazama Annuals, unless they are 1924 or earlier. If you have any questions about donations or returns, please call Mathew Brock at 503-227-2345 Monday, Tuesday, or Thursday from 11 a.m.–5 p.m.

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WELCOME NEW MAZAMAS! New Members: 32 Zane Coleman—Mt. St. Helens John Dwyer—Mt. St. Helens Drew Dykstra—Mt. St. Helens Isaac Etter—Mt. Hood Daniel Finn—Mt. St. Helens Raven Grandy—South Sister Mia Groff—South Sister Taylor Hatmaker—Mt. St. Helens Linda Hernandez—Mt. St. Helens Jonathan House—Mt. Hood Mike Kingsella—Mt. St. Helens Wendy Marshall—Mt. St. Helens Lindsey Mayo—Mt. St. Helens Susan Mejo—Mt. Kilimanjaro Paula Miranda—Mt. St. Helens Nimesh Patel—South Sister Hannah Payton—Mt. St. Helens Mary Jane Rheaume—Mt. St. Helens Martin Rio—Mt. St. Helens Kirk Rohrig—Mt. Hood Cooper Roslund—Middle Sister Daniel Rowe—Mt. Hood Lauren Sankovitch—Mt. St. Helens Jay Sayles—Mt. Adams Katrin Silvius—Mt. St. Helens Robert Straub—Mt. St. Helens Nelson Tang—Mt. St. Helens Tommy Taylor—Mt. St. Helens Eric Torgeson—Mt. Hood Zsuzsanna Vida—Mt. St. Helens Sarah Walcott-Sapp—Mt. St. Helens Jessica Witt—Mt. Hood Reinstatements: 3 Don Shute (2011), April Spotts (2010), David Weese (1976)

Total Membership May 3,499 2016 3,397 2015

Sunny Freeman sunnyfreeman@windermere.com SunnyFreemanHomes.com twitter.com/sfreemanhomes

Your Mazama Realtor


MAZAMA FAMILIES by Rich Hunter Mazama Families continue to be active in the outdoors, learning and applying new skills. The information night for the 2016–17 Families Mountaineering 101 (FM101) class was held on June 6, and there was considerable interest among the attendees. We expect that this class will fill quickly. At present, five climbs are listed on the summer climb schedule with an FM101 grad emphasis, to provide past participants with opportunities to practice their skills and prepare for further training. As an example, Aaron Johnson, Beck Johnson, Anna Lio, and John McIntyre successfully climbed Mt. Ellinor in the Olympics on June 11, 2016. The climb was led by Eric Einspruch (Provisional) and Justin Rotherham (Assistant). As another example, a couple of youth recently learned the importance and value of alternative plans and flexibility, when an intended hike to Hamilton Mountain in the Columbia Gorge had to be postponed due to a train fire, leading to a fabulous hike to McNeil Point with extraordinary views and fun in the snow on a day that was very hot in Portland. Other activities currently on the calendar include Families Rock Skills nights, where participants can learn new skills and practice ones they already know, and a hike to Moulton Falls. Please keep an eye on the Families web site to see new activities as they are posted. Above: Luca Einspruch and Claire Geisler descending from McNeil Point (Mt. Hood). Photo: Eric Geisler.

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The Mazamas Education Committee

Working hard so everyone who wants to can climb higher by Andrew Bodien, Education Committee Chair

I

am pleased that the Mazamas have dedicated a whole issue of the Bulletin to its education program. Educational programming is a central part of what the Mazamas offer to its members and the community. Behind the scenes of our education program is the Education Committee, which is made up of six at-large members and representatives from all of our education programs. We are tasked with overseeing the operation of all formal educational activities of the Mazamas. The mission of the committee is broken down into four components: ▶▶ To provide high quality training for Mazama members and the public. Our committee is a combination of professional educators, members experienced in organizing and executing complex education programs, and Mazama Activity Leaders. All are dedicated to providing high quality training programs. ▶▶ To provide training, education, and guidance to class organizers and instructors. For several years the Education Committee has offered Instructor Training Clinics. We hope to continue to improve and expand this component of our mission. ▶▶ To maintain safety standards during all physical activities related to Mazamas educational activities. As we acknowledge the inherent dangers associated with mountain climbing, we recognize that we teach by example. The Education Committee and its subcommittees strive to provide guidance and resources so there is

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Andrew Bodien on South Sister.

a high awareness of safety in our education programs. ▶▶ To maintain the quality and competency of educational programs by adhering to accepted standards and best practices for climbing skills and techniques. A great example of this: this year our Basic Climbing Education Program (BCEP) participated in the American Alpine Club’s Universal Belay Program. Both recent BCEP graduates and experienced Mazama members benefited from learning and understanding the fundamental principles of this program. It is to our benefit to take advantage of external resources so we can keep up with best practices. The Mazamas has set the goal of expanding educational offerings. Over the past year, the Education Committee has clarified its purpose and goals through the above mission statement and by documenting our practices and procedures, especially for shared resources among the educational programs. The

Mazamas is aiming high to expand the scope, volume, and quality of our educational offerings, and the Education Committee is working hard to support these efforts. From rock to snow, nordic skiing to canyoneering, there are many opportunities to improve one’s skill set so you can climb higher. When I completed BCEP in 2001, I had no idea that the path I was on would would take my personal growth and climbing ability to a higher level. My challenge to you, dear Reader, is to find inspiration in this issue of the Mazama Bulletin and to take yourself and the Mazamas to a higher level. About the author: Education Committee Chair Andrew Bodien took BCEP in 2001 and became a climb leader in 2009. “I enjoy being a member of an engaged team,” Andrew says of his climbing and leadership philosophy. “It’s safer, a lot more fun, and meaningful. While the beautiful vistas, the fellowship, and the chance to explore in climbing appeal to me, there is something greater. It is the opportunity to challenge oneself to grow and learn.”


Mazama Class General Timeline

Skill-builders: Small Investment, Big Returns

This graph indicates the approximate time each class takes place, in addition to its traditional registration period. If no registration period is indicated, the class likely has an ongoing registrationg process. This is typical for skill-builders.

by Marty Scott

Basic Climbing Education Program (BCEP)

R

Intermediate Climbing School (ICS)

R R

Advanced Rock (AR) Advanced Snow & Ice (ASI) Families Mountaineering 101

R R

Ski Mountaineering

R

Nordic Ski School Mountaineering First Aid Intermediate Snow Skills Mountain Running Camps Canyoneering

R

So you want to take your skills to the next level but don’t have the time, cash, or energy to invest in a class that requires weeks or months of attendance at lectures and field sessions? The answer may be a Mazama skill-builder class. Skill-builders are classes or clinics that usually require students attend an evening lecture and a one-day field session. These classes focus on a specific mountaineering or mountain-related skill and are meant to compliment, not replace, the longer, more comprehensive classes taught in the beginning, intermediate, and advanced climbing programs. Currently, the Mazamas offer skill-builders in the following areas: • Alpine Photography • Level 1 Avalanche • Basic Rock Skills • Crevasse Rescue • Ice Climbing • Rock Anchors • Snow Camping • Wilderness Navigation— GPS • Wilderness Navigation— Map & Compass

R R

Alpine Photography Wilderness Navigation: Map & Compass Wilderness Navigation: GPS Basic Rock Rock Anchors

Further information about the dates and costs of these and other opportunities are available on the Mazamas website at www.mazamas.org under the “Education and Classes” section.

Avalanche Safety Ice Climbing Crevasse Rescue Color Coding: Core Programs Mini-Courses Skill-builders

R=Registration Period

JULY 2016 11


Maureen O'Hagan on her successful climb of Mt. Hood.

The Beauty of BCEP

Doing what’s not comfortable is the point by Maureen O’Hagan

T

he first week in March, twelve students meet for the first time. There is a doctor, a teacher, a salesman. There is a social worker, an IT guy, an engineer. I don’t know any of this at first; it will all come out later (along with a lot of other life-affirming details.) These are utter strangers to me. But it doesn’t take long to understand a few things. First, that these strangers differ in their experience, their fitness, their age, their politics, their backgrounds. But also that they have one thing in common: they want to learn. And somehow, it works. This is the beauty of the Mazama Basic Climbing Education Program (BCEP): take a bunch of strangers, dump a boatload of information on them, put them under just the right amount of stress, and they come out the other end better in more ways than they could have imagined. At least that’s the way I see it. WHY WORRY? I applied to BCEP with some trepidation. At age 50, I was convinced I would be the oldest among the group. The slowest. The least experienced. In retrospect, worrying is always a waste of time. (I know, I know!) But it’s also true that the whole idea of BCEP is uncomfortable. As an adult, it’s not often that you willingly put yourself in a position

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where you have no idea what you’re doing. Especially when it could actually be dangerous. Mostly, we grownups just keep doing what makes us comfortable. Yet this kind of discomfort is exactly what we all signed up for. THE SECOND AND THIRD RINGS At our first lecture, our team co-leader, Patrice Cook, made the point in graphic form, drawing a picture on the blackboard of three concentric circles. The innermost circle was our comfort zone. This is where we live most of the time. The next circle represented activities that are outside our comfort zone. The third represented activities that made us scared out of our wits. For BCEP, she told us, we shouldn’t reach the third ring. But the second one? Well, that’s the whole point. Our first hike helped clear up some baseline questions for me. Would I get wet? Yes. Cold? Yes. Tired? Yes. Would I have the right gear? No. But will I manage to enjoy it anyway? Again, yes. It was on another outing where I would learn the more important lessons. The hike itself, up the Elevator Shaft and towards Devil’s Rest, was a bit steep at the start. But then we veered off to practice some

Our first hike helped clear up some baseline questions for me. Would I get wet? Yes. Cold? Yes. Tired? Yes. Would I have the right gear? No. But will I manage to enjoy it anyway? Again, yes. of the rope skills we had learned in the previous weeks. And this is where one member of our group began approaching the third circle. We were to travel on a fixed line, then rappel off of Cougar Rock. To my new friend, this was scared witless territory. As she told me to edge past her as we approached the ropes, her fear was palpable. For a long time, she just sat there. The rest of the group did our rappels. She sat there some more. And we waited. When we saw her finally setting up for


the rappel, the rest of us gasped. When she safely reached the ground, we all cheered. Later, when I asked her how she managed to change her mind—how she decided to move forward rather than give up and walk away—she talked about the circles, about getting outside her comfort zone. That’s when it occurred to me that courage doesn’t mean fearlessness. It’s a willingness to trust even when you’re scared—to trust the system, to trust your instructors, and to trust your own body. That’s what we were privileged to witness that day. In some ways, it was a small moment, but it’s a moment I don’t think any of us will forget. A SET OF KEYS Over the course of BCEP, there were other such moments. There was frustration. (I admit it: I got lost trying to find the starting line for the navigation exercise.) There were challenges. But there were so many stories we all shared. I learned that one of my teammates recently suffered a profound loss but had a look of pure joy on her face as she bounded towards a meeting point. That another used to weigh 400 pounds and had utterly changed his life. That a third had a new baby. I learned several of my new friends practiced meditation. That they had climbed peaks that I couldn’t even imagine. That they may look mild-mannered, or live otherwise conventional lives, but that they were adventurers at heart. So, what do you get over the course of the eight-week BCEP class? A set of keys that can open doors to new adventures. That’s the practical part. But more important are friends that I hope to get to know even more. And concepts that I hope will serve me in life beyond climbing. What’s next? I mustered the nerve to apply for a Mt. Hood climb. Sure, it will be hard. But it’s an opportunity to meet even more perfect strangers. About the Author: Maureen O’Hagan is a journalist who’s written for Willamette Week, The Washington Post, and The Seattle Times. She currently works as a freelance writer, editor, and ghostwriter and is nearing completion of a cookbook project. Shortly after this essay was submitted, she summited Mt. Hood.

Patrice Cook on Mt. Ellinor, Washington. Photo: Joe Crook

Meet your Class Coordinators: Basic Climbing Education Program (BCEP) ▶▶ Name: Patrice Cook ▶▶ Year you joined the Mazamas: In 2006 after BCEP ▶▶ Qualifying peak: First climb after BCEP, Mount St. Helens. ▶▶ Why did you join the Mazamas? I got lost on Table Mountain hiking alone and wanted to make hiking buddies. I didn’t know we would climb a mountain in the end. ▶▶ Why do you want to lead this class? This class is a pivotal part of the Mazamas. It is most often the gateway into our organization and the sport of climbing. In BCEP we teach safety first which is often a difficult thing to learn without help. We also encourage commemoratory and team work, skills not easily achieved climbing on your own. I think both of these are important. ▶▶ What was your favorite thing about taking this class when you were a student? My leader was an awesome mentor. One I will remember the rest of my life. Also from this class I have two true blue friends. Priceless. ▶▶ What should your students do to prepare for this class? BCEP is a huge time commitment for the leaders, assistants, and students. To get ready, get in hiking shape (at least a few Gorge hikes before class), be ready to deal with group dynamics, be ready to contribute yourself and your time, and make space in the calendar. Be mentally prepared to be a student to bring a beginner's mind. ▶▶ What else should prospective students know about you or the class? It takes 12 committee members, 30 or so leaders, and 200+ assistants to teach roughly 240 students in this class. All of them are volunteers and each of these roles is demanding of time and energy. It’s an amazing growth experience to be a student, assistant, leader or committee member. And worthy of checking out. ▶▶ What do you do for fun outside of the Mazamas? Travel and explore.

JULY 2016 13


Advanced Snow & Ice (ASI) The Door to Greater Alpine Opportunities by Eric Brainich

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did my first winter ascents of Mount Hood on the Leuthold Couloir and Wy’east routes in 2010. Leuthold is hard alpine ice and requires good crampon technique and a bit of nerve if you don’t protect the chute. I felt reasonably comfortable handling this more challenging route, although at times I couldn’t feel my fingers. It was bitingly cold and we were being pummelled by small and stinging ice. That was my “aha moment.” I knew that if I wanted to continue pushing my abilities on more technical routes, I needed more training. So I set my sights on getting into the Mazama Advanced Snow and Ice (ASI) class. The course was led by Derek Castonguay, a very accomplished climber and great teacher. But the class included a whole team of other advanced snow and ice climbers giving lectures and leading and assisting the field sessions. They took us through equipment, anchor building with pickets and ice screws, and more advanced techniques such as high angle rescue. The course really reinforced my anchor building skills that I already knew and also taught me how to use ice screws for protection. ASI field sessions on the White River glacier were a perfect introduction to climbing near

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vertical water ice and practicing some of the advanced techniques we learned in class. While dropping into a crevasse and climbing out on top rope was a great introduction to water ice climbing, it was the ASI field session on Adams glacier where I was able to follow and then lead a multi-pitch ice climb that gave me my first taste of what a real alpine ice route would be like. THE PERFECT MEDIUM FOR CLIMBING After I completed ASI, I joined other Mazamas on trips to Ouray Ice Park and multiple private ice climbing trips to Hyalite Canyon in Montana. These are great areas to get experience on ice either top roping or leading. Why ice? Even as part of a team— when you need to communicate and be cognizant of your teammates and the situation around you—there is a total focus of the task in front of you. It is an empowering feeling and requires a lot of self-control to kick the front points of your crampons in and feel the bite of your ice tool sinking just a few centimeters into the ice. To me, ice is the perfect medium for climbing as it is an ephemeral, dynamic, and incredibly beautiful environment. FROM RANK ROOKIE TO SOLID ANCHOR SETTER My first true lead on alpine ice was right here on Mt. Hood. Standing at the bottom of the Devils Kitchen Headwall with a group including two Mazamas climb leaders—Terry Brenneman and Jeff Welter (my climb mentor)—I asked Jeff if I could lead the running belay through the headwall. He encouraged me to do so. Unfortunately, starting out I looked like a rank rookie, fumbling

around trying to figure out how to rack so darn many ice screws, something I didn’t have practice doing. Thanks to Jeff and Terry’s patience and helpful hints, I finally got organized and headed up the water ice pitch. Once I was climbing, I wasn’t nervous. I anchored the screws into the water ice proficiently. About three-quarters of the way up one climber slipped and fell and my anchors held solidly! When we pulled to the top of the route Jeff yelled to me “great anchors Eric!” (No, he wasn’t the one who fell). I felt a great sense of accomplishment sending that route for the first time and having my anchors hold a falling climber. Without having taken ASI to learn the skills to lead water ice and also to get the encouragement to try more difficult routes I would be missing out on a lot of alpine experience that I can now look back on (and most definitely look forward for more to come). ROUTES LESS TRAVELLED While I enjoy the technical


challenge of alpine ice climbs, another advantage of being able to do more technical routes is that they are much less traveled. Armed with more experience and the skills that ASI taught me I began doing more Mazamas “D” climbs on alpine ice routes. This opened up a vast array of climbs that I couldn’t have imagined doing before I took ASI. I remember dropping down onto the expansive Boston glacier without a soul in sight except for our team and then leading the second rope team up a mix of alpine and water ice on the north face of Buckner. Crossing the 2.5 mile wide Boston Glacier with no other team in sight and looking at the North Cascades peaks in front of us was a great and humbling feeling. Like so many other advanced alpine routes the loneliness of being on a less traveled alpine route provides a unique wilderness experience along with technical challenges. There is no better way to have a true alpine experience. If pushing yourself on more difficult alpine routes and learning the technique to have confidence on those routes is something you are interested in, ASI is your class. All of the graduates I know who have come out of ASI say it’s the best climb class they have taken. So why not you?

At 9,112 feet, Mt. Buckner in Washington’s North Cascades is the highest point in Skagit County. This peak is one of the 20 most technically-demanding “county high points” in the United States outside of Alaska. Here, Eric Brainich and his team cross the Boston Glacier on the mountain’s north face. Inset: Eric Brainich celebrating his summit of Mt. Buckner.

About the Author: Eric Brainich has been climbing since 1997 and has been a Mazama since 2006. When he is not climbing mountains he can be found riding his road bike up in the West Hills of Portland. He is in the Mazama Leadership Development program to become a climb leader and recently assisted a BCEP class, which has given him a new passion for helping others enjoy alpine climbing.

Reflecting on the Mazama Crevasse Rescue Skillbuilder by Kevin Machtelinckx

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alling!" Of all the oneword sentences thrown around by climbers in the mountains, this is undoubtedly one that you hope never to have to hear or speak. When traveling in a rope team, “falling!” is the word you try to force out of your mouth before gravity gains control. The idea is that the partners tied into your rope team will be able to react quickly enough to prevent your fall from turning into an uncontrolled slide or a plunge into the depths of a lurking crevasse. Catching a partner’s fall is a difficult task in and of itself, but what happens next? Answering that question was one of the goals of the Crevasse Rescue Skillbuilder put on by Mazama Expedition Committee member Ron Fridell, and several Mazama leaders. The two-day event included an evening lecture at the Mazama Mountaineering Center in which students from the Intermediate Climbing School (ICS) demonstrated subtleties of the crevasse rescue process using a haul system. The evening also provided discussions on efficient glacier travel, gear lists for rescue scenarios, and tips for effectively analyzing hazards on glaciers. Toward the end of the night, students split into small teams, each one led by a Mazama instructor. The teams methodically worked through each step of the process to set up the haul systems.

continued on next page JULY 2016 15


Crevasse Rescue, continued from previous page Building anchors, tying knots, and communicating with your partners in a heated building under the supervision of team leaders is one thing, but students were assured that applying those same concepts in subzero conditions, hours or days away from any sort of help, is another thing entirely. To drive this point home, day two of the class saw the group head to Timberline Lodge, where 20-foot vertical snow drifts acted as makeshift crevasse walls. As the bluebird day began, instructors and students spread themselves out along the lip of the precipice to review the rescue steps learned during the lecture session. In rope teams of three, and with the third “person” being a haul bag filled with dense snow that was thrown over the edge of the snow drift, we found ourselves face down, trying to catch the fall. If you haven’t tried catching a fall while on a rope team, I suggest you try it. It is humbling and eye-opening. Even when factoring in rope stretch and the power of two people trying to catch the weight of one, the forces generated from a fall are anything but insignificant. With our third “climber” dangling over the edge and out of sight, we began going through the steps: 1. Ensure the middle person can take the weight 2. The person at the end of the rope moves toward the middle person, staying connected to the rope using a prusik

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which captures the slack created as one climber nears the other 3. Build the anchor 4. Transfer the load 5. Establish contact with the fallen climber and prepare the lip 6. Build a hauling system with mechanical advantage 7. Start hauling and capture your progress by tending your prusiks The mechanical-advantage haul system of choice for the day was a 3-to-1 system, also known as a “Z system.” This means that for every three feet a rescuer hauls, the victim will be hauled upward one foot. This may sound counterintuitive, but the advantage is that the rescuers are actually only hauling up one third of the victim’s weight. Over the course of the day—and many iterations of the simulated fall later—we eventually became more efficient in building our system. Although I was familiar with building haul systems before this field trip, the Skill-builder made it abundantly clear that there is no substitute for practicing in real-world conditions. I am pleased with being so humbled by the experience and I know that my future climbing partners will appreciate exploring with someone whose crevasse rescue skills extend beyond being able to simply yell “falling!” in time.

Photo: Kevin Machtelinckx


MAZAMA MOUNTAIN SCIENCE SCHOOL COORDINATOR by Kati Mayfield, Mazama Volunteer Manager

A Goodbye ... by Kati Mayfield Dear Mazamas, Four summers ago I giddily accepted an offer to become your Volunteer Manager. Three summers ago I took BCEP and summited my glaciated peak, proudly joining your ranks as a voting member. Since then it has been an honor to call myself a Mazama—to climb, work, and become friends with so many of you. So it is with a heavy heart that I announce my departure from the Mazamas and Portland at the end of this summer. I am leaving to pursue graduate studies at Aalto University in Helsinki, Finland. Looking ahead to my new adventure and opportunity, my excitement is nearly matched by sadness at saying goodbye. Stronger than either of those emotions, however, is a deep sense of gratitude to this organization for affording me incredible opportunities for both professional and personal growth as a member of this community. From the Mazamas I have learned … ▶▶ Never say never, especially about things I think I am capable of doing. ▶▶ Volunteers are capable of incredible things. ▶▶ To trust my team, especially my belayer. ▶▶ Service is a gift to oneself, as much as it is a gift to community. ▶▶ About the transformative power of the outdoors, especially for people who are getting to experience them for the first time. ▶▶ To work with and to greatly respect people with whom I disagree. ▶▶ … and so much more. What great fortune that I get to remain a Mazama member, and reengage as a climber and volunteer when we return to Portland in the (hopefully) near future. Please keep in touch via email and social media. We’ll also gladly receive visitors if you want to journey to see the midnight sun or the northern lights. Until then, climb on.

We’re growing our Mazama Mountain Science School! This is the 3-day, 2-night program which we developed in partnership with MESD Outdoor School and which gives classrooms of 5th graders a chance to immerse themselves in the alpine environment at the Mazama Lodge. After two successful years, interest from local schools is growing, and we have the opportunity to greatly expand the program in the 2016–17 school year. As such, we decided to hire a project coordinator to enhance our programming and fundraising capacity over the summer. We are delighted to welcome Ann Griffin to the position. Ann has been a Mazama since 2001. She's a regular Basic Climbing Education Program assistant, and has also volunteered with the Mazama Nominating Committee, and as an office volunteer. She is a long-time hike leader for the Sierra Club Inspiring Connections Outdoors program. Her enthusiasm for introducing young people to the outdoors, as well as her professional background in community outreach and development, make her a great fit for the Mazama Mountain Science School. Welcome, Ann!

JULY 2016 17


Summer reading for BCEP grads Forget literary fiction and true crime mysteries. If you want to keep climbing, here’s what to take to the beach by Ben Stabley

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ongratulations! You’ve graduated from the Mazama Basic Climbing Education Program(BCEP). Now what? What follows is recommended reading for expanding and deepening your knowledge of climbing. First, don't discount Freedom of the Hills. It is a comprehensive resource, with great information about all climbing disciplines, including free-climbing on rock, glacier travel, snow climbing, ice climbing, aid climbing, big wall climbing, and even expedition planning. FOR TRAINING IN ROCK CLIMBING The Self-Coached Climber: The Guide to Movement, Training, Performance by Dan M. Hague and Douglas Hunter includes countless drills and exercises covering movement, balance, and technique, as well as strength and endurance training. This one stands out because other rock training books mostly cover only strength and endurance training. FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING IN MOUNTAINEERING Training for the New Alpinism: A Manual for the Climber as Athlete by Steve House and Scott Johnston. It includes amazing detail on the physiology of

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training, specifically the aerobic and strength training required for long days in the mountains as alpinism/mountaineering puts different demands on one’s body than other endurance sports. It provides the information and framework to develop your own training program, but doesn't give you a pre-made program. It also includes tons of other information on nutrition, recovery/sleep, etc, as well as inspiring photos and essays. The only downside is that New Alpinism is generally written for "hardcore" athletes. FOR GLACIER TRAVEL Glacier Mountaineering by Andy Tyson and Mike Clelland has information about glacier anatomy, how to travel and camp on them, and crevasse rescue. As a bonus, the illustrations are very funny. FOR ROCK ANCHORS Climbing Anchors (3rd Ed.) by John Long and Bob Gaines and Rock Climbing Anchors by Craig Luebben. Both books are considered authoritative sources on building rock anchors on bolts or "trad." Long's book has more anecdotal stories, while Luebben's book is written more from an engineering perspective. Choose the one that suits your tastes. FOR AVALANCHES Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain or Avalanche Essentials, both by Bruce Tremper. Tremper is "the avalanche expert" in North America. Staying Alive covers the many facets of

avalanche awareness, from the basic anatomy of an avalanche, to terrain and route finding, snow science, and rescue. An important caveat: nothing compares to hands on, supervised instruction with an experienced climber. There are many nuances to climbing skills that can be learned only through real life experience. The consequences of "getting in over your head" should be obvious. For that, read the American Alpine Club's yearly publication Accidents in North American Mountaineering.

About the Author: When Ben Stabley enrolled in BCEP in 2014, he was interested only in snowy non-technical routes and backpacking trips. After completing ICS in 2016, he became fully addicted to climbing. In a short two years, he’s been fortunate enough to climb nearly 30 peaks, including technical rock and ice routes, and has spent numerous weekends cragging throughout the Pacific Northwest. When he’s not climbing, he’s researching routes to climb in the future.


Meet your Class Coordinators: Ski Mountaineering ▶▶ Name: Kevin Hardy ▶▶ Year you joined the Mazamas: 2008 ▶▶ Qualifying peak: Mount St. Helens ▶▶ Why did you join the Mazamas? For the discounts. Seriously though, for the amazing community of people. ▶▶ Why do you want to lead this class? To educate others on how to enjoy the backcountry safely and pass on the amazing experience of backcountry skiing that I learned from the Mazamas to a new group of students. ▶▶ What was your favorite thing about taking this class when you were a student? Experiencing the huge wide world of skiing out beyond the resort. ▶▶ What should your students do to prepare for this class? Ski and ski some more. The more time you spend on your downhill skills at the resort the more you will get out of the class. Hiking and biking to get fit for the uphill. ▶▶ What else should prospective students know about you or the class? The class takes more time than most people think. It's very rewarding and you'll learn a lot but be prepared for the time commitment. ▶▶ If you have any good climbing/hiking/mountaineering jokes, please share: What does "telemark" mean in the original Norwegian? "Hey guys wait up!" ▶▶ What do you do for fun outside of the Mazamas? Ski, windsurf, bike and work on many unfinished home projects.

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Kevin Hardy in the Ortler range in the Italian Alps on an eight-day hut to hut ski trip. Photo: Karl Furlong (the previous ski mo class chair).

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g n i t i m Sum ICS

nd a g n o l e Th nt e c s a e l i worthwh a z a ma of M e t a i d e m r I nte l o o h c S g Climbin

by James Pitkin

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have a general philosophy for life, which is to live as wide a range of experiences as I can, and to challenge myself in as many ways as I can. Climbing fits really well with that because it gets you out into parts of the world most people don’t see, and it pushes your limits on every front— mentally, physically, and even emotionally. FROM GRAIN SILOS TO SOUTH SISTER Growing up in the cornfields of Northern Ohio—a terminally flat part of the world—I would climb the ladders of the massive grain silos that dotted the landscape. I was missing something; I just didn’t know what it was, yet. My first time backpacking was in Romania in 1999. I got way up above tree line in the Southern Carpathians, and I felt like this was the place I’d always been looking for. When I eventually moved to Portland in 2007, I kept up the backpacking, and

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started hiking up the Cascade volcanoes. South Sister, St. Helens, Adams, Shasta, and Hood. I was just a guy with strong legs, crampons, and an ice ax (no helmet, naturally). I knew I was pushing the envelope. Rainier was my next goal, and if I wanted to get there, I knew I needed to get trained and find some climbing partners. So I surrendered and joined the Mazamas. HITTING REFRESH I enrolled in the Mazama Basic Climbing Education Program (BCEP) in 2015, and gained a huge amount of admiration for my leader, Paul Underwood. My respect for him extended to the entire organization. I was hooked, and I climbed with the Mazamas as much as I possibly could last summer. I was obsessive about getting on climbs, hitting refresh on the climb schedule every day, with a stash of blank climb cards at the ready. I climbed Unicorn, Pinnacle, the Mazama Glacier on Adams, Broken Top, Del Campo and Three Fingered Jack. I roped a couple of my BCEP assistants into taking me on a multi-pitch climb up Santiam Pinnacle. And I helped organize an Adams climb with my fellow BCEP students.

The same thing that led me to the Mazamas in the first place led me to ICS—I wanted the confidence, knowledge and skills to be able to plan and execute my own climbs. BCEP was a great foundation, but it didn’t get me where I really wanted to be. ICS provided the next step, and it was a huge! QUALITY AND QUANTITY Being straight out of BCEP, lots of the material was new to me. Others in the class had more experience—either from taking Mazama skill-builder classes or actual climbing. The students come from diverse backgrounds, and some of us had very different goals going into the class. Some were skilled rock climbers who really wanted to focus on moving up to Advanced Rock. Others never thought of themselves as craggers, just aspiring alpinists. But over the course of the class, I think most of us realized that it takes a combination of all those skills, and the ability to move out of your own comfort zone, to become a wellrounded and competent climber. Since taking ICS, I find myself wanting to work on my rock-climbing technique more than I ever thought I would. I never imagined


climbs like Mt. Hubris and Early Morning Spire would be on my to-do list. They are now! My favorite part of ICS, aside from the amazing food at the potlucks, was the sheer quality and amount of education we received. I don’t think I’ve learned this much in one year at any other time in my adult life. It’s an intense rush, improving so quickly at something you love to do. The instruction is absolutely firstrate. The ICS coordinator, Matt Sundling, did an amazing job of orchestrating this incredibly complex program. The instructors put in an awesome amount of time and effort, creating this unbelievable opportunity to learn from some of the most experienced mountaineers in the club. Climbing is a continuous learning process, and in the most general terms, ICS simply gives you the skills you need to keep learning at an even higher level. It provides the foundation and the confidence to venture out more independently on rock and alpine climbs, and to continue pursuing the kinds of skills you want to master. Everybody says ICS is time consuming, and it is. Matt did a great job of carving out a break for us in November and December. But other than that, you can kiss your weekends goodbye for seven months. Plus the Tuesday lectures. And Mountaineering First Aid if you need that. I also spent a lot of time during the week studying at home, packing or planning for the weekends, and of course shopping for gear. It’s a very consuming experience, and there’s no sense in giving it any less than 100 percent of your effort. But the payoff is incredible. You have to weigh whatever you might be sacrificing in your life against the quality of the education. The ICS leadership did a very good job of defining the goals and scope of the course up front. Anyone considering should absolutely do their homework and ask a lot of questions before applying. But even going in prepared, I was surprised by the sheer amount and pace of learning. It is intense!

“A BEAUTIFUL MIND” A moment last fall sums up the whole experience. We were deep into learning rock skill, and I was home working on escape the belay, defeat the plaquette, and anchor building. I had a couple of different styles of anchors I’d built hanging off my closet doors. The back of a chair had also become a makeshift anchor, which I was tied into with my harness on, with a fake climber on belay at the end of my rope, which was strung out across the room. My apartment was basically a huge mess of ropes and cordelettes, carabiners and knots. It was a scene out of the film “A Beautiful Mind.” A friend walked in, and from the look on his face, I realized how far down the rabbit hole I was. The thing I really love about ICS is the people I’ve met, both students and teachers. They’re really priceless and by far the best part of the class. I’m still amazed at how supportive everyone has been to each other throughout the year. There were definitely some stressful situations, and a lot of time spent in close quarters at the Mazama Lodge, at campgrounds, or on belay ledges at Smith Rock. But I can’t think of a single time when anyone lost sight of the fact that we were all there for a common purpose, and we were all in this together. Credit goes to

the leaders for creating that kind of amazingly positive atmosphere. Meeting so many excellent teachers and climb leaders gave me a whole new respect for what a treasure trove the club really is. Benefiting so much from the massive amount of volunteer effort they put into the class has inspired me to give more of my time back to the club, and to other aspiring climbers. I hope to be accepted into the Leadership Development program and eventually become a climb leader. I had thought about this before, but going through ICS and assisting with BCEP definitely cemented my resolve. About the Author: James Pitkin works as a freelance investigator and is big into travel off the beaten path. Some of his favorite places to roam around include Mongolia, Siberia, Bulgaria, and Myanmar.

From left: Brooke Allison on Spiderman at Smith Rock State Park. Photo: Brooke Weeber. The author on Three Fingered Jack. Photo: Unknown. Krista headed up the Pearly Gates on Mt. Hood. Photo: Brooke Weeber.


Meet your Class Coordinators: Intermediate Climbing School (ICS) ▶▶ Name: Robin Wilcox ▶▶ Year you joined the Mazamas: 2006 ▶▶ Qualifying peak: South Sister ▶▶ Why did you join the Mazamas? I accidently ended up on a South Sister climb with Tim Scott. I had no idea who the Mazamas were; I’d never even been backpacking until that weekend. There was a guy on the climb who was a Basic Climbing Education Program (BCEP) student of Tim’s that pointed out and named basically every peak we could see, and had climbed it that summer or had plans to climb it in the near future. Until that trip, I had no idea you could join a group and

learn about climbing, but I was hooked. I signed up for BCEP that year, went on about nine climbs that summer, and took ICS right away. I knew I’d always loved being outdoors, but realized I had a strange urge to stand on the top of tall peaks and enjoyed the logistical challenges of figuring out how to get to the top (and back down safely). Honestly, I joined the Mazamas because it enabled me to take BCEP at a discounted rate. I continue my membership because I’ve met great friends, I’ve learned that I’m capable of much more than I ever imagined over the years, and I enjoy 22 MAZAMAS

helping others realize that they can become climbers as well. ▶▶ Why do you want to lead this class? I want to lead this class because ICS is the course where students learn the most and develop the skills that enable them to become independent in the mountains. Students come in with a variety of backgrounds, but everyone leaves learning more than they ever expected they would. Also, the last time a women led ICS was when I took the class in 2007-08. For the past several years, I’ve observed that the class is nearly a 50-50 split, but we continue to struggle to find women to give the lectures, lead field sessions, and to lead the class. I think balance is important, and I hope that by stepping up to coordinate the class it will encourage other women to continue to help out and give back. We’ve also worked very hard over the past year to develop a committee structure and provide opportunities for students of all levels within the class, and I’m excited to continue to work with our committee and continue to provide a positive learning experience for all students in the ICS program (past and present) and for our awesome team of class volunteers. ▶▶ What was your favorite thing about taking this class when you were a student? My favorite thing was feeling like I became a “real” climber, and not just someone who could follow other people around in the mountains. ▶▶ What should your students do to prepare for this class? Honestly ... just

climb. The more experience you have coming into the class, the more you will get out of the class. It’s often said "you don’t know what you don’t know," and that is very true of ICS. I’ve seen people come in the class straight after taking BCEP, and I’ve seen people who wait several years. To me, that’s not the important piece. The important thing is that you have the experience to provide relevancy for the training you will receive in ICS. ▶▶ What else should prospective students know about you or the class? Yes, it’s intense. Yes, it’s a big commitment. If you’re able to commit to roughly two weekends per month and clear most of your Tuesdays for the duration of the class, it will be worth it. The education you receive is the best value in the country for this level of climbing education, and you will be exposed to at least 60 or more experienced and dedicated volunteer instructors. People of all backgrounds are welcome to apply for the class, whether or not you’ve take BCEP or previously climbed with the Mazamas. People with different experiences always have a lot to offer the program as students, and everyone learns a lot regardless of their previous experience. Come to the class ready to be an active participant, and expect that the sacrifice will be worth it. ▶▶ What do you do for fun outside of the Mazamas? All sorts of things. I enjoy taking a bike camping trip at least once every summer, and spend time backpacking (without climbing) several weekends in the summer. For the past several years, I’ve enjoyed trail running more and more. I also play the stand-up bass in a couple of different bands. My partner and I recently bought a house, and I’ve been enjoying the opportunity to learn more and more about home improvement projects. ▶▶ Anything else you want to share with us? Sometime in the next few days, I will become a new parent (by the time this article is published, in fact), and I’m looking forward to being a parent.



SUCCESSFUL CLIMBERS May 13, Mt. Hood, Pearly Gates. Leader: Larry Beck, Asst: Tyler Bax. Angela Cosby, Ralph Daub, Ryan Gwillim, Lisa Oakland, Daniel Sherman, Adonay Solleiro, Guy Wettstein May 17, Mt. St. Helens, Swift Creek. Leader: Bob Breivogel, Asst: Ken Lytwyn. Alex Cooley, Seeger Fisher, Roger Marcus, Diep Tran May 18, Mt. Hood, Pearly Gates. Leader: Tim Scott, Asst: Rob Parker. Walt Benz, Drew Dykstra, Charlie Fried, Mary Godwin, Charles Hanlon, Allison Legg, Nick Morse May 18, Mt. Hood, Pearly Gates. Leader: Kirk Newgard, Asst: Bruce Yatvin. Geert Aerts, Eric Docherty, John Meckel, Timothy Moriarty, Roger Sharp, Zsuzsanna Vida, Daniel Wright May 24, Mt. Hood, Pearly Gates. Leader: Joseph Eberhardt, Asst: Seeger Fisher. Brandon Beagle, Justin Colquhoun, Tom Keenan, Rebecca Morris May 25, Mt. Hood, Pearly Gates. Leader: Scott Osbron, Asst: Jason Breaker. Laetitia Bruneau, David Lorang, Anna Revolinsky, Kristi Riedel, Rachel Smith, Lawrence Watercott May 25, Mt. Hubris, The Ogre. Leader: Gary Ballou, Asst: John Meckel. Stephanie Buer, Joan Wallace, Tracie Weitzman May 28, Mt. Hood, Pearly Gates. Leader: Rico Micallef, Asst: Michael Austin. Aaron Bailey, Jack Kuo, Kaleb Madsen, Alexandra Ross, Antonio Tatum, Johanna Thompson May 29, Mt. Shasta, Avalanche Gulch. Leader: Larry Beck, Asst: Richard Schuler. Eric Chapman, Doris Gauthier, Rachel Nolan, Laura Rumford, Adonay Solleiro, Patrick Thorpe, Dawn Van Seggen May 31, Mauna Loa, Northeast Rift. Leader: Kevin Clark, Asst: Margaret McCarthy. Ardel Frick, Allison Legg, Saachi Murthy, Kaitlin Rupert May 31, Unicorn Peak, Snow Lake. Leader: Shirley Welch, Asst: Marty Scott. Richard R. Hall June 1, Castle-Pinnacle, Reflection Lake. Leader: Marty Scott, Asst: Shirley Welch. Joe Camizzi, Richard R. Hall, Duncan Hart, Andrew Knight, Orly Stampfer, Amanda Virbitsky June 3, Unicorn Peak, Snow Lake. Leader: Gary Bishop, Asst: Grant Causton. Lindsay Higa, Jonathan House, Nicholas Ostini, Kristi Riedel, Trey Schutrumpf June 3, Mt. Ellinor, SE Chute. Leader: Doug Wilson, Asst: Michael Dahlin. Daniel Bellers, Elly Branch, Charles Hanlon, Jessica Leung, Jessica Sheets, Michael Simek

24 MAZAMAS

June 4, Unicorn Peak, Snow Lake. Leader: Rico Micallef, Asst: Teresa Redman. John Andrews, Laetitia Bruneau, Michael Church, Eric Dattoli, Ashley Driscoll, Ritchie Farmer, Anne Harris, Bryan Oates, Rachel Sunstrom, Laura Westmeyer June 5, Castle-Pinnacle, Standard Traverse. Leader: Rico Micallef, Asst: John Andrews. Laetitia Bruneau, Michael Church, Eric Dattoli, Ashley Driscoll, Ritchie Farmer, Anne Harris, Bryan Oates, Gregory Simons, Rachel Sunstrom, Laura Westmeyer June 6, Mt. Shasta, Hotlum-Bolam. Leader: Bob Breivogel, Asst: Seeger Fisher. Sujay Deshmukh, Laura Guderyahn, Jerad Kaliher, Linda Man, Stan Meeuwsen, John Rettig, Michelle Van Kleeck June 5, Mt. Hood, Mazama Chute. Leader: Kirk Newgard, Asst: Lynne Pedersen. Danielle Allen, Toby Contreras, Justin Moulton, Patrick Thorpe, Christine Troy June 5, Unicorn Peak, Snow Lake. Leader: Alexander Fox, Asst: Christopher Hicks. Lynny Brown, Ghislain Gressard, Stephen Kingsbury, Eric Risner, Alexandra Ross, Patrick Marre, Rebecca Morris June 6, Pinnacle Peak, East Ridge. Leader: Alexander Fox, Asst: Christopher Hicks. Lynny Brown, Ghislain Gressard, Stephen Kingsbury, Patrick Marre, Rebecca Morris, Eric Risner, Alexandra Ross June 12, Unicorn Peak, Snow Lake. Leader: Chris Kruell, Asst: Gary Ballou. Greg Graham, Loren Guerriero, Paula Miranda, Kelli Horvath, Cesar Lopez, Elizabeth Sias, Erika Waters June 12, Mt. Ellinor, Southeast Chute. Leader: George Shay, Asst: Rae Lantsberger. Aaron Bailey, Justin Colquhoun, Prajwal Mohan, Martin Rio, Erica Schubach June 19, Mt. Hood, Mazama Chute. Leader: Rico Micallef, Asst: Michael Church. Anna Becker, Amanda Enneking, William O'Brien, June 19, Middle Sister, Hayden Glacier. Leader: Larry Beck, Asst: James Pitkin. Bhoomi Bhanvadia, Chris Dearth, Rebecca Jacobson, Chris Jensen, Meggan Low, Lindsey Mayo, Laura Rumford, Jeffrey Shuman, Caitin Smigelski, Tracie Weitzman

Classified Advertising THESE LISTINGS ARE PAID ADVERTISEMENTS. THE MAZAMAS IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR CONTENT. HOUSE AND PET SITTING BY BILLIE GOODWIN—Mazama member since 1986. Call 503-254-6121 or email oriongood@aol.com.


AYM AYM ADVENTUROUS YOUNG MAZAMAS OFFERS ACTIVITIES TARGETED TO THOSE IN THEIR 20S & 30S AND ANYONE YOUNG AT HEART. Our Adventurous Young hike leaders have been pretty busy lately with life, BCEP, and publishing, but we have exciting trips coming up just in time for spring. If you’re new to the group, or want to hang out without a long car ride, don’t forget our monthly roving pub nights, the third Monday of the month, 6:30 p.m. until it ends. Check out our webpage for details on all of our activities: tinyurl.com/ MazamasAYM.

experience: lots of campfire meals, hiking, and hanging out! We will explore waterfalls, local hikes, and all that Crater Lake and the Rogue River have to offer.

JULY 8–11: ROGUE RIVER/CRATER LAKE CAR CAMPING TRIP Join AYM as we explore a jewel of Oregon— Crater Lake National Park, and the Rogue River! Expect the full car camping

Leaders: Mike Kacmar & Anna Revolinsky. Questions? Email the leaders at mikekacmar@yahoo.com or arevolinsky1@ gmail.com.

Cost: $50 members/$70 nonmembers, which includes camping fees. Budget extra for carpooling/gas money, food expenses, and entry into Crater Lake National Park. To register, please visit the AYM page, mazamas.org/activities-events/aym/

LOOKING FOR LEADERS Are you a current Mazama member? Are you young of heart or soul? Do you have ideas for hikes or camping trips that you don’t see on our calendar? WE WANT YOU! Come to one of our committee meetings, held the last Monday of the month, at 6:30 p.m. at the MMC to find out more, or to ask any questions you may have. We discuss upcoming plans and usually ajorn for a cold adult beverage afterwards.

JULY 2016 25


MAZAMA LODGE

YOUR HOME ON THE MOUNTAIN SUMMER HOURS If you're looking to visit Mazama Lodge in July the time to visit is from July 2–6, we are between groups so you can expect only a few guest during these four days. We have five exclusive use days this month, July 7–9 (Ski Camp) and July 29–30 (Running Camp). The rest of the month we are open to members using the lodge.

SUNDAY EVENING PROGRAMS The first Sunday of every month, May–September, the lodge will host great guest speakers. Dinner will be served at 5 p.m. and the 1 hour program begins at 6 p.m. Event is free; dinner available for $13.25.

July 3: Behind the Emerald Curtain “Behind the Emerald Curtain” is the latest documentary produced by Pacific Rivers, and created by Shane Anderson. We will screen the video and then have a conversation with Kalei Augustine and other staff and guests from Pacific Rivers.

LOST LAKE CHUCKWAGON WEEKEND: JULY 23 & 24 We still have some room for the Lost Lake Chuckwagon! This is a great way to explore the western side of Mt. Hood as Congratulations to Patrice Cook and Brad Hupy we hike from Timberline Lodge who enjoyed a sunny wedding reception at to Lost Lake, covering 22-miles Mazama Lodge after morning showers on June 11. in two days. The lodge crew provides all your meals and transports your gear— all you need to do is carry a day pack with your lunch. CLASSICAL MUSIC CONCERT SERIES: TUESDAY AUG. 16 & 23 Tuesday, Aug. 16: New Mazama Member Richard Trostel will perform some original works along with an accompanist. Richard is a member of the Juneau Symphony and, when time allows, a weekend ski instructor at Timberline. Tuesday, Aug. 23: The Four Squirrels, a string quartet comprised of members from the Portland Youth Symphony, are Cammie Lee (violin), Randy Zhang (viola), Alexander Wilde (cello), and Hanna Weinstein (violin). Hanna’s father and grandparents all joined the Mazamas in 1975. Dinner at 5:30 p.m.; concert at 6:30 p.m. Concerts are 45 minutes. Tickets: $25 (includes dinner). Tickets available online or by calling the lodge. LODGE FIREPLACE REPAIRS A few years ago we started having our chimney cleaned yearly instead of every other year after a brief chimney fire. During our most recent chimney inspection, conducted by American Masonry, it was determined that our fireplace needs to be lined and brought up to current code before next winter if we want to keep burning five cords of wood a winter (or more). Until our repairs are made we welcome fires outside in our fire ring, but not in the lodge fireplace. We are hoping to get the necessary repairs made to our fireplace this summer so it will be safe to use again this fall. A special thank you to Jim Van Lente and Bob Stayton who met with the chimney inspector. 26 MAZAMAS

August 7: Hiking Norway’s Western Fjordland Join outing leader Eric Hoem and experience the hiking trails, climb route, and trekking path that members of his Mazama outing followed in the fjordlands of western Norway.

September 4: History of the Mount Hood National Forest and its Lookouts Local author Cheryl Hill will highlight several interesting stories from the forest’s past and talk about the history of its lookouts. She will also talk about her favorite lookout hikes and give you a few tips for staying in a lookout cabin.

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CLASSIC MAZAMAS FOR MEMBERS WITH 25 YEARS OR MORE OF MEMBERSHIP OR FOR THOSE WHO PREFER TO TRAVEL AT A MORE LEISURELY PACE

W

e lead a wide variety of year round activities including hikes, picnics, and cultural excursions. Share years of happy Mazama memories with our group. All ages are welcome to join the fun. CONTACTING THE CLASSICS If you wish to contact the Classics, call or email Chair Rose Marie Gilbert at 503-7622357 or gilbertrosemarie@ centurylink.net, or Executive Council liaison Kate Evans at 503-635-6540, kateevans97@ gmail.com, or classics@ mazamas.org. If you are interested in leading an event next month, please contact Rose Marie Gilbert by July 12. TRANSPORTATION PLAN Our east side transportation pick up point will be Gateway and on the west side it will be 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 new transportation coordinator Flora Huber at flobell17@ comcast.net or 503-658-5710. JULY 2: DICK AND JANE MILLER’S POTLUCK PICNIC You are invited to Dick and Jane Miller’s home for their annual potluck picnic. Mark your calendar and bring another Classic Mazama or significant other with you.

Bring a main dish, salad or dessert to share, and favorite beverage if you have one. Lemonade and water will be provided, along with plates, cups, forks, knives, and spoons. Plan to arrive at 12:30; we will eat at 1 p.m. Dick and Jane are at 17745 SW Cooper Mtn. Lane, Beaverton. Coming from the east, take Hwy. 26 to 217. Go south on 217 to the Scholls Ferry Rd. exit across from Washington Square. Take a right onto Scholls Ferry Road and go west to SW 175th Avenue. Turn right and go up the hill ¾ mile to Cooper Mtn. Lane on the left. This is on a curve with limited sight distance, so use caution making the left turn onto Cooper Mtn. Lane. Then follow the Miller signs and orange traffic cones to the Miller driveway. If you have any questions about the picnic, call Dick or Jane at 503-590-3598. Mark your calendar! We’ll see you there. DONATE YOUR USED EQUIPMENT TO THE CLASSICS AT THE MILLER’S POTLUCK As a group effort, we will be gathering items to be sold at next year’s Used Equipment Sale. The Classics will receive a share of the proceeds to benefit our budgeted activities. Dick Miller has offered to collect and store your donations until the sale. It is possible there are items in your basement or closet that not only have monetary value, but have historic significance and should end up in the Mazama

Archives. We’ll make sure your donated items are assessed by the archivists. A good time to start clearing out your gear is NOW! JULY 15: NANSEN SUMMIT WALK Join us on this slow to moderately paced walk, mostly on paved trails, to Nansen Summit in Mt. Park in Lake Oswego. About 2½ hrs. round trip. Bring lunch or grab a bite at PCC Sylvania cafeteria. Meet at leader Wilma McNulty’s house, 4100 Coltsfoot Ln., Lake Oswego 97035, at 10 a.m. Leader: Wilma McNulty: 503-699-3014 JULY 28: TILIKUM CROSSING STROLL Enjoy a leisurely stroll across Tilikum Crossing over the Willamette River before continuing, via Elizabeth Caruthers Park, on to lunch at the Old Spaghetti Factory. We’ll check out the Gibbs Street Pedestrian overpass at the base station of the Portland Tram on the way. This round trip walk is approximately 3 miles with minimal elevation gain. Meet at 10:30 a.m. at the OMSI/SE

Water Ave. MAX station just southeast of OMSI. You may arrive at the OMSI station by either the new MAX Orange Line or the Portland Streetcar. Leader: Hal Howard, commerce@thehowards3.net, 503-293-1528. AUG. 27–SEPT. 2: CLASSIC HIKERS’ GETAWAY LONG BEACH PENINSULA For details see p. 23 in the January Bulletin or contact leader Ray Sheldon at rbshldn@ pacifier.com. AUG. 29: CLASSICS MEETING, MMC, 11 A.M. Come help shape our late summer and fall events. We are also looking for event leaders and a co-chair. SEPT. 9: LUNCH AT THE LODGE AT NOON We will try to provide a van shuttle from the MMC if we can find a volunteer to drive. If you would like to volunteer, please contact Rose Marie or Kate.

JULY 2016 27


d e t i v n I e r ' u o Y Mazamas turns 122!

to celebrate this milestone with us

Join the Mazamas as we celebrate our 122nd year! To mark the occasion, we'll be posting a week's worth of history to the Mazama Facebook page and running a Mazama Bingo contest in July. See below for more details. To celebrate Anniversary week this year, we'll be rolling out a Facebook post a day, along with photographs, starting on Wednesday, July 13. Follow along as we look back at the history of Mazamas involvement in research, conservation, education, volunteerism, exploration, women in the organization, and the naming of mountain features. Watch for more details, including prizes, in the weekly email and on our Facebook page the first week of July.

#mazamaspdx #mazamas122 Rules and fine print Take a photo of yourself, and your bingo card, at the location or doing the activity described in the square. Then either post to social media using #mazamaspdx and #mazamas122, email them to bingo@mazamas.org, or bring it to the Mazama Mountaineering Center. If posting to social media, be sure to post all photos from the same Facebook or Instagram account. If emailing, be sure to submit all photos from the same email address. Winners will be announced after the first of August.

28 MAZAMAS


Run or hike in Forest Park

Hike in the Columbia Gorge

Climb Rooster Rock

Attend a Street Ramble

Go rock climbing

Follow us on Instagram & Like us on Facebook

Share a photo of you wearing a Mazama or Portland Alpine Fest Shirt

Visit the Mazama Library Post to Facebook with hashtags #mazamaspdx & #mazamas122

Submit a photo for consideration to the Bulletin.

Cook a meal outside

Take a backpacking trip

FREE

Spend a night in a tent

Use a map and compass

Post to Instagram with #mazamaspdx & #mazamas122 Use a GPS device on a trail Hike an unknown (to you) trail and post to social media with #mazamaspdx & #mazamas122

Attend an event at the MMC or at one of our community partner locations

Visit mazamas.org and check out a location that is new to you

Find a summit register box in the Coast Range

Tell a friend about the Mazamas

Sign up to volunteer with the Mazamas

Hike the Mazama Trail Climb a mountain

Using the Mazama Bingo Board, attempt to complete one or more of the following patterns: blackout, horizontal, diagonal, or vertical line. There will be a prize for each category selected at random from all entries that meet the criteria. Prizes include: Mazama waterbottles (the new hiking bottle!), Mazama t-shirts, Mountain Shop gift cards, and more.

122

Mazama Bingo!


Strategic Plan Update WE ARE I NVE ST I

EXPLORE

Res ou

New Opportunities

These three objectives contained a variety of goals and strategies. There are currently nine strategic projects in motion to achieve these objectives. This page provides you with an update on the status of these nine projects. For more details, go to mazamas.org.

s rce

MORE Climbs & Activities ONLINE Profiles & Registration NEW Programs & Much More! Mo

O n ack Tr

PROGRAMS

Restore management of historical collections with a focus on sharing stories. Next Action: A refined Digital Records Management Plan and selection of library circulation software.

O ack Tr

30 MAZAMAS

Next Action: Confirm goals and priority issues for 2016–17 fiscal year.

n

Create a mission-based policy agenda and lead with outreach and advocacy.

O

Next Action: Finalize & launch new leadership classifications and develop associated training modules.

ack Tr

d n a p Ex CORE

n ey

n

Reinvent leadership development systems and structures.

e Tim

EXPAND Core Programs ENHANCE Business Operations

NG

As everyone is already aware, in 2015 the Mazamas embarked on a three year strategic plan with three objectives:


Renovate our facilities to be welcome, functional, and sustainable.

Next Action: Hire an architect to develop a plan for Mazama Lodge utilizing the Gray Family grant.

O

ack Tr

OPPORTUNITIES

Delayed

Next Action: Work with architect on final site assessments and obtain a conditional use permit with Deschutes County.

Develop youth outreach programs and related events. O

n

ack Tr

Next Action: Seek funding and committments for the Mazama Mountain Science School to support serving 600 students 2017.

Next Action: Seek funding and support through Meyer Memorial Trust and Social Venture Partners.

Develop a three-phase development and business operations plan for Mazama Ranch at Smith Rock State Park.

re o l p Ex NEW

Delayed

n

Strengthen the organizational structure and culture of the Mazamas.

O

ack Tr

Next Action: Focus on development through grants and individual gifts.

n

Create a culture of giving and fundriase for priority projects.

O

ack Tr

BUSINESS OPERATIONS

Next Action: Approve revised data model and workflows and begin building the CRM & IT Tools.

n

E

ce n a nh

Reinvent our IT systems. See project update on page 7.

JULY 2016 31


A Peek Behind the BCEP Curtain What it’s like to run the Mazamas’ biggest program by Chris Kruell, 2015 BCEP Coordinator One of the largest educational programs that the Mazamas run is the annual Basic Climbing Education Program (BCEP), which celebrated its 60th birthday this year. In recent history, the BCEP class, traditionally held over six to eight weeks in March and April, graduates about 250 eager new climbers every year. The program is designed to introduce students to climbing skills that are used in alpine climbs, including snow and glacier travel and rock climbing. These skills are taught in large group lectures, classroomstyle team breakout sessions for individual teams of 10 to 15 students, field sessions typically held at Horsethief Butte on the Washington side of the Columbia River, and Timberline Lodge, and of course, the rainy and muddy conditioning hikes on trails all over our region. I had the pleasure of serving as the coordinator for the 2015 class and have assisted with or led BCEP teams since taking the class in 2007. Like nearly every successful mountain climb, the rewards are many, the challenges exist, and the success lies in the planning and being flexible to address the unexpected. COMMUNITY OF CLIMBERS Even in the relatively short time I’ve been involved with BCEP, the experience level and expectations of students joining the program has undergone a shift. While incoming students’ backgrounds still vary from almost complete novice to those who’ve already climbed some of the 32 MAZAMAS

world’s largest mountains, the explosion in popularity of indoor rock gym climbing means that BCEP sees more students entering with familiarity of climbing skills and are looking to extend their experience into other environments. As such, BCEP is an important entree to the Mazamas community of climbers, hikers, skiers, instructors, climb leaders, committee members, program organizers, advocates, and on and on. In most cases, it’s our first opportunity to help people understand the role of the Mazamas in wilderness conservation, advocacy, and recreation. In turn, BCEP students meet and bond with people of similar values and goals—all in the context of becoming more qualified to climb the peaks we see every day from Portland. COMING TOGETHER BCEP is clearly an example of many hands making light work. The key ingredients of a successful program, of course, include eager students, the hardworking BCEP planning committee, knowledgeable team leaders, enthusiastic assistant instructors, and the dedicated Mazama office staff. But there are many logistical challenges to address before all of these folks can come together under one roof to teach and learn and laugh. Although these logistical challenges are not insignificant, they are considerably offset by a core strength of the Mazamas: volunteer retention and continuity. This gives us incredible muscle memory when it comes to running programs like BCEP. The 2016 BCEP class coordinator, Matt Blecharz, noted that he and his committee

approached the class with the intent to not make major changes to the curriculum and structure. But that doesn’t mean the Mazamas are resistant to change. Tools and techniques of the mountaineering trade improve over time, so it’s only natural to incorporate those changes into our educational practices. This year, for instance, we had the opportunity to pilot the American Alpine Club’s new belay standard. Within the past few years, changes in knots taught, the addition of an end-of-class skills test, and other modifications have taken place. Also in recent memory, the expansion of wilderness boundaries in the Columbia River Gorge forced team leaders to be more creative in their picks for conditioning hikes, which has led to opportunities to explore new areas. CAPACITY The BCEP program is very popular, with nearly every year’s class having more demand than can be met. The gating factors to today’s BCEP class capacity include the number of climb leaders who can be recruited to lead the teams and the requirements of facilities needed to host the class. BCEP is fortunate to have a core group of perennial team leaders—climb leaders who return year after year to help impart skills, general knowledge, and traditions. The roster of people in the Mazamas’ Leadership Development program is full of climbers who have taken BCEP and who are eager to lead their own teams. Leading a team is not for everyone, though, so


Although these logistical challenges are not insignificant, they are considerably offset by a core strength of the Mazamas: volunteer retention and continuity. This gives us incredible muscle memory when it comes to running programs like BCEP. every year, the new BCEP class coordinator has to overcome the challenge of securing enough climb leaders to teach more than 250 students. FACILITIES AND SITE SCHEDULING With over 20 teams and 250 students comes the synchronization of all the moving parts involved with ensuring time at various facilities in our region. The large lecture and breakout sessions have been held for the past few years at Jackson Middle School located in southwest Portland. Prior to that, it was held at the former Binnsmead Middle School in southeast Portland. Securing a location that charges reasonable rental rates and provides adequate parking, an auditorium, and enough meeting spaces for breakout sessions is always a challenge. These details aren’t important from just a logistics and capacity standpoint; they also lay the foundation for building camaraderie among students and instructors. In the winter months leading up to the class, field session dates are coordinated by a patient committee member, enabling students to be placed with teams that align with their personal availability. The introduction to rock climbing classes take place on the walls at the Mazama Mountaineering Center (MMC), and need to be coordinated in conjunction with other demands on the facility. This scheduling is hashed out during an annual meeting hosted by the Education Committee. Since nothing can replace climbing on real rock, the Horsethief Butte rock

session remains core to the curriculum. Fortunately we have developed relationships and established a rhythm of coordinating with Washington State Parks, the Boeing Employees Alpine Society, Chemekatans, our own classes, as well as other groups that are also regular visitors to Horsethief for rock climbing skills practice. Scheduling time at the Timberline Lodge site for snow skills practice—avalanche conditions permitting—is straightforward as long as there are enough bunks available at the Mazama Lodge, though some years it requires that teams stay at nearby sites. There’s nothing like the buzz of excited students gathered in the Mazama Lodge dining room while clothes are drying downstairs to know that the day (whether hiking the Palmer or glissading a snow gully) was a rewarding one. REWARDS When a class fills nearly the instant registration opens, you know you have a program that the outdoor and mountaineering community values. Some join to learn how to climb the snowy peaks they’ve been hiking and backpacking for the past several years; others join for personal growth and to take on a new challenge. Andrew Bodien, coordinator for the 2014 class, said, “Many BCEP students are pushing their comfort zone and I felt the same in many ways when heading up the class.” Students buy hundreds of climb cards after completing the class, eager to use their expanded abilities.

THE FUTURE OF BCEP AND MAZAMA EDUCATION While BCEP has been held in March and April, just in time to ready graduates for the Mazama summer climb season, the past several years have seen a summer class offered, also. This class has a compressed schedule and provides an additional 20 to 25 students the same instruction as the springtime program. Providing marginal relief to excess demand, or simply to address requests from people who move to the region too late to sign up for the spring class, the summer session has been a welcome addition. Every year, we pack the MMC for BCEP information night, and while it’s nice to be popular, it’s frustrating that we are not able to serve all of the people who want to take the class. On the one hand, we know that wilderness and climbing areas cannot support unlimited numbers of climbers. On the other, we may be missing opportunities to acquaint budding mountaineers with stewardship, safety skills, and the service that the Mazamas can provide to our outdoor community. Who knows? With more trained advocates, perhaps as a society we’d hold wilderness and human-powered outdoor experiences in higher esteem. As we look at how to scale up BCEP and our other climbing instruction classes, we have the opportunity to examine the role education plays in the Mazamas’ overall mission.

JULY 2016 33


OUTINGS

ADVENTURE TRAVEL—FOREIGN & DOMESTIC Want to go on an outing? Contact the leader for more information. Forms you will need: application, liability release, and a medical information form. Send those forms to the leader and then, upon acceptance for the trip, send payments directly to the Mazama office with the name of the outing written on the check. As a service to our members, we are providing links to the following organizations that may also offer trips of interest: Seattle Mountaineers—seattlemountaineers.org, Colorado Mountain Club—cmc.org, Appalachian Mountain Club—outdoors.org, and the American Alpine Club— americanalpineclub.org. “As an incentive for leaders to put in the time and effort to arrange and lead outings, the leader and assistant leader costs may be paid by the participants.”

OREGON COAST HIKING AUGUST 8–14, 2016 Based out of William M. Tugman State Park, we will hike approximately 60 miles of the Oregon Coast Trail south from Florence to Bandon, using car shuttles to connect segments of the trail. Most of the hiking will be on the beach with traverses through the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. This is an interesting area with spectacular scenery. Participants are responsible for their own transportation, lodging/camping arrangements, and meals (you may attend for less than 7 days if desired). Outing cost will range from $95–$190 depending on the number of participants. A $150 deposit is required, with sign-up by July 15. Participants should make reservations ASAP if they are planning to stay at William M. Tugman SP. Outing leader is Joe Whittington, joewhittington@ gmail.com, 503-297-6344.

CRATER LAKE OUTING DATES: AUGUST 13–20, 2016 Full—Alternates Only Outing Leader: Richard Getgen

34 MAZAMAS

CLIMBING 14ER’S IN THE COLORADO SAN JUANS AUGUST 20–28, 2016 One opening available. Travel to the San Juan range of southern Colorado to attempt five 14,000+ foot peaks (Handies, Redcloud/Sunshine, Uncompahgre, Wetterhorn), climbing level class 1 to class 3. Participants responsible for making their own transportation and car rental arrangements. Camping fees included in the price (campgrounds/RV parks). Outing cost $350 with 10 participants. A $100 deposit is required. Contact outing leader Bob Breivogel (breivog@teleport.com) or assistant leader Tom Davidson (tedclimbs@gmail.com) for more information or to apply.

LOST COAST TRAIL TREK SEP. 15–22, 2016 Join us as we hike California's Lost Coast Trail, a ~60 mile trek along a wild and scenic portion of the Northern California Coast betweem Eureka and Ft. Bragg. The trail crosses sand and rock beaches as well as going up into the coastal mountains with their majestic redwood groves. 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, ~10 miles per day with daily elevation gains varying from near 0 to almost 2000 feet. The terrain will be challanging with sandy and rocky shorelines and travel through dense forests. Rain (50–100 inches annually) and fog are always possible along this rainy section of the California coast. The cost of the outing is $323 to $395 (depending on number of participants) and covers all fees and lodging costs. We will be carpooling to the trailhead and shuttling our cars to make this a one-way hike, north to south. We will also be staying in a hotel the night before and after the hike. A $100 deposit will be required upon acceptance. Contact the leader Gary Bishop (gbish90@hotmail.com) or assistant Darin Richardson (darin@delineate.net) for more information.

B-level hikes, 7–8 miles with elevation gain up to 2,000 ft., with options for harder ones. Typical pace will be leisurely. Cost is $495–$565, depending on number of participants, includes lodging, one meal, and all fees. Participants are responsible for their meals, airline cost (estimated $550), and car rental. Maximum 26 participants. $200 deposit due June 30. For information and approval to participate, contact leader Bill Dewsnap, billdewsnap@ gmail.com, 503-260-6712. For information only, contact assistant leader: Tony Spiering aespiering@gmail.com, 503-6808112. Jim Selby, who has led this outing in the past, will also be participating in the outing and advising the trip leaders. Jim lived in this area for a number of years and has insider information on all the great places to go!

GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS—HIKES & CULTURE

OCT. 23–29, 2016 Hike the beautiful trails of the Marin County region, through redwood forests, along the coast, and into the Bay Area. This outing will be in cooperation with the Mazama Lodge and will be organized similarly

SEP. 25–OCT. 1, 2016 Explore spectacular Appalachian scenery and experience culture in western North Carolina. There will be

MARIN COUNTY ADVENTURE WEEK


to Round the Mountain and the Lost Lake Chuckwagon Weekend. We will stay in two different historic lodges on the flanks of Mount Tamalpais: California Alpine Club’s Alpine Lodge and the West Point Inn. Food will be provided, but as at the Mazama Lodge we will all pitch in to assist with prep, clean-up, and other chores. Typical hikes will be A- or B-level, depending on the group’s interests and desires. Cost is approximately $950 based on approximately 21 participants. Note that nonmember cost is $60 more than member cost. Price includes all food, lodging, transportation to the hikes, and most of the entry fees. Cost does not include transportation to/from California, but coordination and carpooling with the other participants is encouraged. Contact Charles Barker at the Mazama Lodge (lodge@mazamas.org) or Rick Amodeo at rickamodeo@yahoo. com for more information. Sign-up deadline is Aug. 1, 2016, and a $200 deposit is required.

CHAMONIX—MT. BLANC ALPINE CLIMBING JULY 9–24, 2017 Intermediate Climbing School graduates, Advanced School graduates, or equivalent experience required. Most climbs involve following pitches of 5th class terrain and/or WI2+. Outing cost will be $2,250 per person, airfare to Geneva

not included. Costs include round-trip transportation from Geneva to/from Chamonix and all lodging and transportation within the Chamonix-Mt. Blanc area for 15 days (nearly all lifts, gondolas, trains, and cable cars are included). Food cost, hut fees and the Midi-Hellbronner gondola not included. For full details go to the website. Contact leader Lee Davis, lee@mazamas.org for more information.

YELLOWSTONE OUTING JULY 30–AUG 5, 2017 The Mazamas will be hiking in America’s oldest national park in the summer of 2017. Richard Getgen and Robert Smith are your leaders. We will day hike for five days (Monday through Friday). There will be two hikes offered each day (a combination of A and B-level hikes) in the national park. Our base camp will be in the southeast section of Yellowstone National Park. Participants will make their own reservations at the resort which offers cabins, tent sites, and RV sites. The cost of the outing is $175.00 for members and $245.00 for nonmembers. We will have a pre-outing meeting next spring to meet the group members, organize carpools, and present information. Contact Richard at teambears@frontier.com to register for this fun and scenic hiking opportunity.


TRAIL TRIPS SCHEDULE

JOIN US! MAZAMA TRAIL TRIPS ARE OPEN TO EVERYONE. Contact Trail Trips Committee chair Regis Krug at 503-704-6642 with any questions. To lead a hike next month, go to: mazamas2.org.

WEBSITE UPDATES

Leaders may schedule a hike after the Bulletin is published, or occasionally a hike location will change. Visit mazamas. org/activities-events/hikeschedule/ for updates!

HK B2 Jul 02 (Sat) Horseshoe Ridge. Sheri Alice Smith 503-807-9373. Wilderness—Limit 12. Let's start the holiday weekend off with some BIG BANG views! Four mile, well-graded switchbacks through lush forest. Grand five volcano views up top along flower-filled alpine gardens. There may be a bridgeless crossing, call leader for details. 10.4 mi., 2,900 Ft., Drive 98, TH, Gateway 8 a.m. MU HK B2 Jul 04 (Mon) Big Lava—Big Huckleberry. Rex Breunsbach 971832-2556 or rbreunsbach@gmail.com. Gifford Pinchot. We will hike on the PCT from Crest Camp south to Big Huckleberry Mountain. Good views and massive rugged lava flows. 13 mi., 1,200 Ft., Drive 130, TH, MMC 8 a.m. SR A1, A2, A3 Jul 05 (Tue) Portland Street Rambles. Mazama Mountaineering Center 503-227-2345. Leave from REI- Pearl (NW 14th & Johnson) starting at 6 p.m. Bring a headlamp.

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. 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 36 MAZAMAS

WILDERNESS DESIGNATION

Wilderness—Limit 12. indicates that the hike enters a Forest Servicedesignated Wilderness Area and the group size is limited to 12.

HK B1.5 Jul 06 (Wed) Kings Mountain. Tony Spiering 503-6808112. Hiking trail maintained by the Mazamas in the Coast Range. Good conditioning hike walking through the trees and ferns, arriving at the summit viewpoint for lunch. Back to carpool location by 3 p.m. 5.4 mi., 2,780 Ft., Drive 66, Target/185th 8 a.m. TT Jul 07 (Thu) Mazama Trail Tending on Mt. Hood. Jim Selby 828-508-5094. Each year the Mazamas repair and spruce up the Mazama trail on Mt. Hood, helping keep trails open that have been damaged by storms, erosion, and the whims of nature. This is not a hike, but an opportunity to give back to the outdoors to ensure that others can experience nature. 5 mi., 1,000 Ft., Drive 100, TH Mazama Mountaineering Center 8 a.m. MU TT Jul 08 (Fri) Mazama Trail Tending on Mt. Hood. See Jul 07 for details.

= 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. “Wilderness—Limit 12” indicates the hike enters a Forest Service-designated Wilderness Area; group size limited to 12. MU: Hike is posted on Meetup. Hike fees: $2 for members, each family participant, and those belonging to clubs in FWOC; $4 for non-members. 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. 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

ADVENTUROUS YOUNG MAZAMAS HIKING Everyone is welcome. See the separate list at mazamas.org/activitiesevents/aym/

TT Jul 09 (Sat) Mazama Trail Tending on Mt. Hood. See Jul 07 for details. HK B1.5 Jul 09 (Sat) Twin Lakes. Richard Getgen teambears@frontier. com. Wilderness—Limit 12. Loop hike to a pair of lakes between Barlow and Wapinita Passes. No sign-up list. 8.6 mi., 1,200 Ft., Drive 130, TH, Gateway 8 a.m. HK B2 Jul 09 (Sat) McNeil Point (Top Spur to Tie-In) (W). Dan Smith 971-331-4823. Wilderness—Limit 12. Hike up Top Spur and cross a couple of streams. Then up and over to McNeil Point. Strong hike so call to save a spot, but will open up at 7:45 a.m. if you are not there. 9 mi., 2,900 Ft., Drive 100, TH, Gateway 8 a.m. HK A2 Jul 10 (Sun) Dry Creek Falls. Jim Selby 828-508-5094. Leaving late to avoid the early hikers, parking at the Bridge of the Gods and taking the Pacific Crest Trail to the falls, then returning via a different trail into Cascade Locks and back to our cars.

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; SnoPass–Snow park pass. 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 vehicle. Dogs are not allowed except for hikes designated as “dog-walks.” Alcohol

STREET RAMBLES

Multiple teams hike at different paces every Tuesday and Thursday 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.

Nice falls, summer flowers, and places to buy treats at the end of the hike. Back to Gateway by 5 p.m. 6.4 mi., 710 Ft., Drive 78, TH, Gateway 11 a.m. MU HK C2.5 Jul 10 (Sun) Yocum Ridge (W). Bill Stein billstein.rpcv@gmail. com. Email RSVP required by Friday, July 8. Wilderness—Limit 12. Arguably, the most epic hike on the west face of Mt. Hood. With the Ramona Falls trail's crossing of the Sandy River our only hazard, we will ascend a ramp-like trail to a stupendous viewpoint. We're meeting early and moving fast so we have time to explore the spectacular area beyond the viewpoint. Bring your camera, hat, and sunscreen. 17.4 mi., 3,800 Ft., Drive 92, TH, Gateway 6 a.m. SR A1, A2, A3 Jul 12 (Tue) Triple Crown Street Ramble. Bob Breivogel 503-292-2940 Ramble up Council Crest, over to Hoyt Arboretum, and on to Pittock Mansion, the three high points of West Portland. Leave from REI– Pearl (NW 14th & Johnson) starting at 6 p.m. 9 miles, 1,700 Ft., Drive 0. and firearms are not allowed. Participants should wear appropriate hiking shoes; carry lunch, water, rain gear (umbrella, parka, or poncho), and the 10 essentials (whistle, extra food and clothing, sun protection, map, compass, flashlight, first aid kit, pocket knife, waterproof matches, fire starter). Participants should be in a physical condition appropriate for the difficulty of the hike. Leaders may decline anyone not properly equipped or judged incapable of completing the hike in a reasonable time frame. Hikers voluntarily leaving the group are considered nonparticipants. In case of accident, illness, or incapacity, hikers must pay their medical and/or evacuation expenses whether they authorize them or not. Hikes leave the meeting place at the time listed. Adverse conditions, weather, and combined circumstances can affect difficulty.


HK C2 Jul 13 (Wed) West Zig Zag Mountain (W). James Stevenson jstevenson7121@gmail.com. Wilderness—Limit 12. A good workout with some wildflower meadows to enjoy. Climb 3,000 ft. in 3 mi. or so, then undulating trail to the West Zigzag lookout site. Nice view of Mt. Hood and the valleys. Bring lots of fluids. Please call or email to reserve a spot. 11 mi., 3,100 Ft., Drive 76, TH, MMC 8 a.m. HK A2 Jul 15 (Fri) Lava Canyon. Dan Smith 971-331-4823. Mount St. Helens Medley #1. Hike down into Lava Canyon on ladders to a great lunch spot with a view of the river. Then we’ll go back up and cross on suspension bridge. 6.6 mi., 1,600 Ft., Drive 32, TH, Lone Fir, Cougar WA 9 a.m. MU HK A2 Jul 16 (Sat) Heritage Tree Hike #4—Sellwood Area. Tom Guyot 503-761-9519. This hike includes stops at 15 trees representing 10 species. We'll see parts of Westmoreland and Sellwood Parks, walk along Oaks Bottom, and later see the unusual Sherritt Square. The hike goes at a moderate pace and is dog friendly. Meet at the corner of SE 22nd and Lambert in Westmoreland Park and park in the adjacent parking lot. 4.5 mi., 200 ft. Ft., Drive none, none 8:30 a.m. MU HK B1.5 Jul 16 (Sat) Tom-Dick Mountain. Richard Getgen teambears@frontier.com. Wilderness—Limit 12. Follow gentle grade to Mirror Lake and continue to ridgetop with great view. No sign-up list. 7.5 mi., 1,500 Ft., Drive 120, TH, Gateway 8 a.m. HK C1.5 Jul 16 (Sat) Siouxon Peak. Nancy Goering ngoering@att.net. Hike involves fording two streams, bring wading shoes and trekking poles. This is a long, rugged hike but we'll have the advantage of a long summer day, so we don't have to go too fast (this will be a full day). This is an absolutely gorgeous hike with waterfalls, clear streams, and mountain views. The stream we have to cross could be as high as thigh deep. Contact leader with any questions about necessary skills. If you use public transportation contact the leader to make alternate carpool arrangements for getting to the transit center (C-Tran doesn't run on Saturdays) 17.1 mi., 4,730 Ft., Drive 80, Salmon Creek Park & Ride 7:30 a.m. HK C2 Jul 16 (Sat) Mt. Margaret. Rex Breunsbach 971-832-2556 or rbreunsbach@gmail.com. Mount St. Helens Medley #2. Climb through the blown-down but slowly rejuvenating

forest from Norway Pass trailhead to Norway Pass then follow the spine of the Mt. Margaret backcountry to the summit of Mt. Margaret. 11.6 mi., 3,000 Ft., Drive 112, TH, Lone Fir Resort, Cougar, WA 8 a.m. HK B2 Jul 17 (Sun) Butte Camp. Dan Smith 971-331-4823. Mount St. Helens Medley #3. Hike across lava beds and through forest from Redrock Pass trailhead on the Toutle Trail to the junction with the Butte Camp Trail. Then on to the Loowit Trail at timberline on the south side of Mount St. Helens. Northwest Forest Pass. 8 mi., 1,700 Ft., Drive 30, TH, Lone Fir, Cougar, WA 9 a.m. MU HK B2 Jul 18 (Mon) Sheep Canyon. Rex Breunsbach 971-832-2556 or rbreunsbach@gmail.com. Mount St. Helens Medley #4. Climb almost to timberline, then make your way to the ridge to view the blast from the eruption. Good boots and poles are a plus. Bring extra water. Northwest Forest Pass. 11.5 mi., 2,270 Ft., Drive 30, TH, Lone Fir, Cougar WA 9 a.m. MU HK B2 Jul 19 (Tue) Toutle Trail. Rex Breunsbach 971-832-2556 or rbreunsbach@gmail.com. Mount St. Helens Medley #5. Starting at Kalama Horse Camp we will climb past Redrock Pass and finish at Blue Lake Trailhead. We will cross a lava flow and end up on a lahar. 9 mi., 1,500 Ft., Drive 30, TH, Lone Fir, Cougar WA 9 a.m. MU HK B2 Jul 20 (Wed) Ape Canyon—Plains of Abraham. Rex Breunsbach 971-832-2556 or rbreunsbach@gmail.com. Mount St. Helens Medley #6. The Ape Canyon Trail is one of the best places to observe the effects a large lahar has on the land. This hike climbs along the edge of the huge Muddy River lahar then to great view down the sharply cut upper gorge of Ape Canyon. Northwest Forest Pass. 10.6 mi., 1,300 Ft., Drive 142, TH, Lone Fir, Cougar WA 9 a.m. MU HK B2 Jul 23 (Sat) Larch Mountain Crater. Jim Selby 828-508-5094. This hike is also called Larch Middle Trailhead and we reach it on the Larch Mountain Road near Corbett. We’ll walk down through the floor of what was once a volcano, then around the east side of Larch on a lightly traveled path to Sherrard Point at the top of Larch. We will eat lunch and arrive back at our cars around 2:30 p.m. If it is clear, we will see Mts. Rainier, St. Helens, Adams, Hood, and Jefferson, and the Three Sisters. 7.2 mi., 1,560 Ft., Drive 60, Gateway 8:30 a.m. MU

STREET RAMBLES Tuesdays & Thursday Multiple teams hike at different paces every Tuesday and Thursday 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. Wednesday Mt. Tabor Street Rambles Walk at a brisk pace (2.5-3.0 mi/hr.) through the streets, admiring the gardens of SE Portland to Mt. Tabor Park—we may even catch a glimpse of a heritage tree. In the park, we’ll take alternating trails to the top of the 280 stairs at the NE corner of the park. From there we will have 30 minutes to walk up and down the stairs, then finish with a moderate stroll back to the MMC. 2 hours, 5 mi., 500 ft. (not including stairs climbed up/down). $2 fee. Leave from Mazama Mountaineering Ctr, SE 43rd & Stark at 6 p.m. (please arrive early to sign in).

New Awards!

You'll notice some new codes on the schedule. There are five new awards you can now hike your way towards. Waterfall (WF), Awesome Ridges (AR), Gorge High Points (GH), Wild Ones (WO), and Mt. Hood (MH). Check the Trail Trips web page for more details. Happy hiking!

HK C2 Jul 23 (Sat) Yocum Ridge (W). Dan Smith 971-331-4823. Wilderness— Limit 12. Hike over the Sandy River to Ramona Falls. Then up along a steady hillside to view the start of the Sandy River. Call to save a spot, will open up at 6:45 a.m. if you are not there. 17.4 mi., 3,800 Ft., Drive 92, TH, Gateway 7 a.m. HK B2 Jul 27 (Wed) Little Huckleberry. Rex Breunsbach 971832-2556 or rbreunsbach@gmail.com. Gifford Pinchot exploratory—short steep hike to an old lookout site with great close-up views of Mt. Adams. 5 mi., 1,900 Ft., Drive 146, TH, MMC 8 a.m. MU SR A1, A2, A3 Jul 28 (Thu) Portland Street Rambles. Mazama Mountaineering Center 503-227-2345. Leave from REI- Pearl (NW 14th & Johnson) starting at 6 p.m. Bring headlamp. HK A2 Jul 29 (Fri) Sleeping Beauty. Rex Breunsbach 971-832-2556 or rbreunsbach@gmail.com. Gifford Pinchot exploratory—spectacular rock formation with views of all the mountains making the long drive worthwhile. 5 mi., 1,300 Ft., Drive 200, TH, MMC 8 a.m. MU

HK B1.5 Jul 30 (Sat) Indian Mountain. Kelly Marlin mazamamama@frontier.com or 503-665-6778 Wilderness—Limit 12. Let's plan on a full day exploring Mt. Hood's seldom-visited, northwest side. Sign the summit register and read narratives of those who have come and gone before us. Or, simply, enjoy the stunning and sweeping views from the rocky summit. Insect repellent might be a good idea. NW Forest Pass. 9.4 mi., 1,600 Ft., Drive 160, TH Pass, Lewis & Clark (near toilets) 7:30 a.m. HK B2.5 Jul 31 (Sun) Paradise Park (loop fromTimberline Lodge). Bob Breivogel 503-292-2940 Wilderness— Limit 12. Relaxed hike up into the wildflower meadows on the southeast side of Mt. Hood from Timberline Lodge. We will follow the Timberline trail, with a stream crossing in Zig Zag canyon, then climb past an old shelter. Return by a lower path to Zig Zag and the lodge. 10.1 mi., 2,100 Ft., Drive 112, Gateway 8 a.m.

JULY 2016 37


THIS MONTH IN EXECUTIVE COUNCIL The Executive Council meets at 6:30 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month. Meetings are open to members. by Jamie Anderson, Mazama Member Services Manager As the Mazamas moves into summer, the majority of June’s Executive Council meeting focused on operations and planning for next fiscal year. In the Executive Director’s report, Lee Davis introduced Ann Griffin, who will be taking on management of Youth Outreach programs until the end of the fiscal year in preparation of Kati Mayfield's departure; planning for the volunteer management position is still underway. Lee also announced two other pieces of exciting new: first, the Mazamas is working with the National Park Service to develop a Memorandum of Agreement with park staff to create stewardship training opportunities following from our last two years of stewardship work in Yosemite National Park. Also, the Mazamas recently received a $100,000 gift from the Estate of Bill and June Hackett. Among the committee reports, the topic that received the most discussion was the Memorandum of Understanding between Climbing Committee and Education Committee. Agreement has been reached on many issues, but there was discussion about how certain aspects of the agreement, including the potential creation of a separate body to advise on technical climbing issues, relate to the bylaws. Conservation Committee awarded grants to nine organizations to support projects from restoration in the Santiam and Gifford Pinchot National Forest to advocacy and public education efforts. Barbara Weiss was also approved as the new chair. Additional committee business included the approval of a new Policy Index from Governing Documents. Other motions included the approval of a credit card policy, which was not addressed in the original finance policies and procedures.

Finally, a bylaws change option to go before the voters was approved that would include two separate items for membership vote: first is a dues increase to $72 per year for regular membership; the second would allow council to increase dues up to 3 percent/year without a membership vote. The Code of Conduct originally accepted in August, 2014, was approved. And finally, approval was given to select an architect to pursue initial planning on approved strategic projects at Mazama Lodge, Smith Ranch, and MMC. Much of the remainder of the meeting focused on planning. An overview of the budgeting process, which begins in June, was presented. Lee Davis and Adam Baylor presented a draft list of prioritized advocacy issues for next fiscal year, stating the specific issues Mazamas would take the lead on (versus being partners or followers). John Rettig and Darrell Weston helped to prepare the list and the team was in strong alignment. Community organizing of human-powered recreation in Oregon, protecting access to key training and recreation areas, and land conservation initiatives will be top advocacy priorities for the year ahead. A plan was also presented to guide the Mazamas through the next Strategic Planning phase, which will begin this summer to define the vision, seek member and community input during the fall/winter, and develop strategies in the spring of 2017. For complete reports on these topics and approved official minutes, visit the member pages.

Mazama members all have access to full Executive Council minutes. Go to: mazamas.org, login, go to the Members section and click on Executive Council Reports. Please note: Full minutes are available on a one month delay due to the approval process.

William & June Hackett Estate Gift The Mazamas recently received a $100,000 gift from the Estate of William and June Hackett. William “Wild Bill” Hackett lived a life full of adventure. Among his many accomplishments are mountaineering exploits on all seven continents, including being the first person to attain the summits of Europe, Africa, Australia, and both Americas; crossing Siberia; reaching both the North and South Poles; and traveling through more than 100 countries. William began his mountaineering career by first climbing Mount Hood at the age of 14 and then went on to climb Hood some fifty times by the age of 22, including three first ascents and two second ascents. William joined the Mazamas in 1935, was made an Honorary member in 1989, and a lifetime member in 1999. Several donations were made to the Mazamas in Hackett’s name, including a range of books from the Hackett library, climbing gear, and a large collection of photographs.

38 MAZAMAS

Leave a legacy with a lasting impact. The Mazamas builds community and creates powerful memories for thousands of people every year. Help protect your legacy and create new ones. If you have already made a designation to the Mazamas in your estate plan or retirement account, please let us know. If you have questions about how you can make a legacy gift to Mazamas, we are here to help. Please contact Lee Davis at lee@mazamas.org.


JULY 2016 39


Mazama Logo Gear Check out a variety of new Mazama products in our CafePress store: cafepress.com/mazamas. You'll find t-shirts, sweatshirts, mugs, onesies, sippy cups, and more! If there are any other products you would like to see in our store, don't hesitate to ask! (Email: sarah@mazamas.org)


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