May 2018 Vol. 100 | No. 5
Bulletin
Let’s Go
Hiking
alternative gorge hikes DIY Trekking Food the joy of night hiking
CONTACT US MAZAMA MOUNTAINEERING CENTER 527 SE 43rd Ave., Portland, Oregon, 97215 | 503-227-2345 adventure@mazamas.org | Hours: Mon.–Thu. 11 a.m.–7 p.m.; Fri. 10 a.m.–2 p.m. MAZAMA LODGE 30500 West Leg Rd. •Government Camp, Oregon, 97028 503-272-9214 Hours: Thu. Noon–Mon. Noon LEE DAVIS Executive Director lee@mazamas.org
RENEE FITZPATRICK Finance & Office Coordinator reneefitzpatrick@mazamas.org
SARAH BRADHAM, Marketing & Communications Director, sarah@mazamas.org
MOLLY MOSENTHAL Youth Program Coordinator mollymosenthal@mazamas.org
ERICA STOCK, Development Director, ericastock@mazamas.org
CLAIRE NELSON Youth & Outreach Manager clairenelson@mazamas.org
ADAM BAYLOR Stewardship & Advocacy Manager, adam@mazamas.org MATHEW BROCK Library & Historical Collections Manager, mathew@mazamas.org
Anna Berington sled dog at finish in Nome. Photo: John Richards. Cover: Deschutes Canyon at Criterion Ranch. Photo: Darrin Gunkel.
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LAURA BURGER Development Coordinator, l auraburger@mazamas.org CHARLES BARKER Mazama Lodge Manager mazama.lodge@mazamas.org JOHN BARKHAUSEN Education & Activities Program Coordinator, johnbarkhausen@mazamas.org
JUSTIN ROTHERHAM Education & Activities Program Manager justinrotherham@mazamas.org KELSEY SHAW Member Services Administrator, kelseyshaw@mazamas.org
PUBLICATIONS TEAM
Editor: Sarah Bradham, Director of Marketing & Communications (mazama.bulletin@mazamas.org) Members: Jonathan Barrett, Sue Griffith, Darrin Gunkel, Kevin Machtelinckx, and Wendy Marshall (publications@mazamas.org)
FEATURES Library Updates, p. 6 After the Fire: Alternatives to Closed Gorge Trails, p. 10
Book Review: Wild Adventures We Have Known, p. 14 Iditarod 2018, p. 20 Gaia Navigation for Kids, p. 24 Conditioning for Bigger Hikes to Come, p. 25 What Can You Do for Our Gorge? p. 29 DIY Trekking Food, p. 30 Finding Magic in the Darkness, p. 34
MONTHLY CONTENT Executive Director’s Report, p. 4 Upcoming Events & Activities, p. 8 Membership Report, p. 18 AYM, p. 23 Outings, p. 26 Mazama Lodge, p. 27 Classics, p. 28 Saying Goodbye, p. 35 Trail Trips, p. 36 Executive Council, p. 38
Get the details on how to make your own backpacking foods.
p. 30
Willi Unsoeld.
p. 14
ADVERTISER INDEX Embark Exploration Co., p. 40 Green Trails, p. 39 Himalayan Trekking Alliance, p. 29 Next Adventure, p. 26 The Mountain Shop, p. 2 OMC, p. 24 Rab, p. 33 Ravensview Capital Management, p. 19 Yatvin Computer Consultants, p. 19
Alternative Gorge Hikes.
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Advertise now! tinyurl.com/MazamaAdvertising
MAZAMA (USPS 334-780): Advertising: mazama.ads@mazamas.org.
Subscription: $15 per year. Bulletin material must be emailed to the editor. All material is due by noon on the 14th of the preceding month. If the 14th falls on a weekend, the deadline is the preceding Friday. The Mazama Bulletin is published monthly by the Mazamas—527 SE 43rd Ave., Portland, OR 97215. Periodicals postage paid at Portland, OR. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to MAZAMAS, 527 SE 43rd Ave., Portland, OR 97215. The Executive Council meets at 3 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month. Meetings are open to members. The Mazamas is a 501(c)(3) Oregon nonprofit corporation organized on the summit of Mt. Hood in 1894. The Mazamas is an equal opportunity provider.
MAY 2018 3
Losing Ground
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Dear Members,
he Mazamas has been leading class groups, hikes, and climbers-in-training up Dog Mountain on spring weekends for over 50 years. Unfortunately, this past April marks the last month where the Mazamas or any organized group (schools, nonprofits, clubs, and guides) will be allowed to schedule hikes on Dog Mountain on spring weekends. We’re losing ground, literally, and both this and next month I want to take some time to talk about what is happening with access to our public lands with regards to permitting, and what we can do about it at the Mazamas. WHAT HAPPENED?
We believe that having organized groups guided by trained leaders (like Mazamas) is beneficial to the public and the land managers because we are able to respond and help with a variety of safety and behavioral issues that may occur on the trails.
This last March, the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area managers very quickly instituted an additional permitting system to regulate the number of hikers on the Dog Mountain Trail. The permit is technically free but comes with a small administrative fee of $2.50. And as a part of this new system all organized and commercial use of the trails on spring weekends was cut off permanently, which affects Mazama programs directly. We are very concerned about this “admin fee” because it seems to be a creative, yet dubious, work-around to the laws which prohibit land agencies from charging for permits without gathering public input from an advisory committee or getting approval from the Governor, neither of which was done in this case. The lack of public input or process preceding this fee action garnered strong responses from the Mazamas, WTA, and some of our other partner organizations.
WHAT CAUSED THE NEED FOR NEW PERMITS? Public demand for hiking Dog Mountain has been high for a very long time, but in just the last few years has risen dramatically along with the population of Portland and the popularity of the Gorge. Parking at the trailhead has also become a serious problem, and a hiker was recently killed trying to cross Hwy 14 to go hiking. There was apparently no feasible way to manage the parking situation, so the agency decided to institute a hiking permit instead.
AREN’T THERE ALREADY PERMITS ON DOG MOUNTAIN? Sort of. Anyone going to Dog Mountain needs to purchase a NW Forest Pass to park at the trailhead unless they are taking the 4 MAZAMAS
new shuttle from the Skamania County Fairgrounds ($2/round trip). Additionally, for decades now, organized nonprofit groups like the Mazamas, school groups, as well as for-profit companies operate programs like hikes and climbs through special use permitting authority on USFS, NPS, BLM, and State Park Lands. This organized use in most cases represents only 2 percent of the total use of the trails. And unfortunately, whenever public demand increases one of the first things our land managers cut off is this 2 percent of organized use. A primary reason for this is that the law says that if you charge a fee (even $2 for hiking) that you are profiting from public lands and you are “taking” from the land and should have to pay for that, just like logging, mining, and Hollywood film crews.
ISN’T IT REASONABLE TO REGULATE BIG GROUPS IN THE MOUNTAINS? First it’s important to note that the Mazamas were directly involved in creating the Wilderness Act, and have supported the vast majority of Wilderness expansion legislation over the last 50 years. Wilderness areas restrict group size in these very special places to a total of 12 people (or ‘heartbeats’ if livestock are involved in the activity). Furthermore some land managers restrict group size even further, like in North Cascades National Park. All official Mazama programs fully support and comply with the law and these regulations because in general they are very important for managing environmental impact in sensitive areas. We also support them because, as I’ll talk about next month, these restrictions are not monetized, meaning there is no fee associated with the rule or how it is enforced.
Mazamas2020 YOUTH & COMMUNITY OUTREACH GOAL
STRATEGIES
Lead our state and region in transforming our youth and community members into engaged outdoor citizens, advocates, and educators through values based programming.
The full strategic plan, Mazamas2020, is available at beta.mazamas.org/mission-vision-plan/
SO, WHY ARE THE MAZAMAS OPPOSED TO THE DOG MOUNTAIN GROUP EXCLUSIONS? We fundamentally disagree with this tactic on Dog Mountain because it’s not about the group size, but rather because we are an official organization that charges fees for our classes and hikes. We believe that having organized groups guided by trained leaders (like Mazamas) is beneficial to the public and the land managers because we are able to respond and help with a variety of safety and behavioral issues that may occur on the trails. Additionally, when most of us see the crowds of new hikers roving our public lands we are simultaneously glad to see them connecting with these beautiful places, and concerned because many of them seem to be fundamentally unaware of basic outdoor skills, and the ethics of responsible recreation and leave-notrace practices. How can we solve these problems if groups like the Mazamas are not able to take people outdoors?
Stabilize and expand the Mazamas outdoor school programming in partnership with state and regional partners. Develop inclusive local youth, community, and business outreach programs that engage and support families and our broader community. Research and develop pilot programs to increase the accessibility and relevance of Mazama programs for diverse and under-resourced communities.
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EDUCATION
EVENTS & ACTIVITIES
Our final reason for opposing these new rules is because they severely restrict our ability to pursue critical parts of our mission by preventings us from teaching new and young people how to be responsible and safe when recreating in the outdoors.
WHAT WILL THIS MEAN FOR MAZAMA CLASSES AND HIKES? Going forward, unless things change, even on non-weekend days our trip leaders going to Dog Mountain will need to acquire these permits, which means our hikers will actually be paying three different permit fees to go on a single hike (The parking fee called the NW Forest Pass, this new hiking permit fee, and for organized hikes the group has to pay a use fee which is covered by the $2/ person Mazamas charges for hikes). The complexity of this situation is absurd, and next month I’ll be talking with you about how we’re working to address these issues with our lawmakers and agency heads.
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STEWARDSHIP & ADVOCACY
CULTURE & INFORMATION
In the meantime, I encourage you all to go out hiking more, to be responsible and safe on the trail, and to tell our Land Managers that while we fully respect them and their work, we want to work together to make things better. Keep in mind that the line officer or USFS ranger is simply implementing these rules, not making them, but they can help to carry our message back to the agency leaders. Our vision at the Mazamas is everyone enjoying and protecting the mountains, and we are absolutely committed to doing everything we can to keep the Mazamas alive, healthy, and pursuing that vision for all of the 21st century. We deeply appreciate the support of our members, partners, donors, and friends who help us to do this important work. Thank you, Lee Davis
Executive Director MAY 2018 5
LIBRARY NOTES
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stablished in 1915, the Mazama Library is nationally recognized as holding one of the top mountaineering collections in the country. Located on the ground floor of the Mazama Mountaineering Center, the library is a fantastic resource for members and the general public to find information on hiking, climbing, camping and exploring the rich history of regional and global mountaineering culture.
NEW RELEASES AND ADDITIONS Art of Freedom: the life and climbs of Voytek Kurtyka. Bernadette McDonald, 2017. Voytek Kurtyka remains one of the greatest alpinists of all time. Born in 1947, he was one of the leading lights of the Polish golden age of Himalayan climbing. His visionary approach to climbing resulted in many renowned ascents including the complete Broad Peak traverse, the “night naked” speed climbs of Cho Oyu and Shishapangma, and the alpinestyle ascent of the West Face of Gasherbrum IV. Dubbed the “climb of the century,” as of 2016 no one has repeated his route on G IV. A private 6 MAZAMAS
individual, Kurtyka continues to decline countless invitations, but agreed to co-operate with renowned Canadian author Bernadette McDonald on this long-awaited biography. Mountains of the Mind. Robert McFarlane, 2004. Combining accounts of legendary mountain ascents with vivid descriptions of his own forays into wild, high landscapes, Robert McFarlane reveals how the mystery of the world’s highest places has came to grip the Western imagination—and draws legions of adventurers up the most perilous slopes.
Alone on the Ice: The Greatest Survival Story in the History of Exploration. David Roberts, 2014. On January 17, 1913, alone and near starvation, Douglas Mawson, leader of the Australasian Antarctic Expedition, was hauling a sledge to get back to base camp. The dogs were gone. Now Mawson himself plunged through a snow bridge, dangling over an abyss by the sledge harness. A line of poetry gave him the will to haul himself back to the surface. This thrilling and almost unbelievable account establishes Mawson in his rightful place as one of the
greatest polar explorers and expedition leaders. Crater Lake National Park: A History. Rick Harmon, 2002. Half a million people visit Crater Lake each year, and tens of millions throughout the world have been captivated by photographs of this deep blue jewel of Oregon’s Cascade Mountains. Rich in detail and extensively illustrated, this comprehensive history, published to mark the hundredth anniversary of Crater Lake National Park, recounts the people and events that created and shaped Oregon’s only national park.
CLASSICS OF MOUNTAINEERING Seven Summits, by Dick Bass, 19XX. Frank Wells and Dick Bass had a dream. It was as straightforward as it was difficult: climb the highest mountain son each of the world’s seven continents. From Aconcagua in South America to Mount Everest in Asia, from Kilimanjaro in Africa to Vinson Massif in Antarctica, from Mount McKinley in North America to Elbrus in Europe and Mount Kosciusko in Australia: no one had ever scaled all seven summits—it would be a first, a feat that had eluded the world’s best mountaineers.
BOOKS FOR EXPLORING THE OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK ▶▶ Day Hike! Olympic Peninsula, 917.97.B57d ▶▶ Day Hiking Olympic Peninsula, 917.97.R66 ▶▶ Olympic Mountains: A Climbing Guide, 917.97.O91
DID YOU KNOW?
▶▶ John Muir was the first honorary member of the Mazamas, elected in 1895 ▶▶ There are approximately 100,000 miles of walking trails in the United States. ▶▶ Summit is the oldest mountaineering magazine published in the United States, it first appeared in 1955. ▶▶ The rubber used on the original “sticky” rock-climbing boots made by the Spanish manufacturer Boreal came from recycled aircraft tires.
THE MAZAMA LIBRARY NEEDS SUPPORT—FROM YOU!
Do you or someone you know have vintage mountaineering gear that is looking for a home? Don’t give it to Goodwill, donate it to the Mazama Library and Historical Collections! We are always on the lookout for wood handle ice axes, early climbing gear, vintage catalogs, turn of the century photographs, early mountaineering books, and more. Please contact library manager Mathew Brock at mathew@mazamas.org to discuss potential donations. We apologize, but we cannot not accept any Mazama Annuals published after 1925 or National Geographics magazines. Please consider a financial contribution to support the Mazama Library, a nationally recognized collection and one of the few remaining mountaineering libraries in the United States. Your financial donation will help support our full-time librarian, acquire rare mountaineering books and historic photographs, and maintain our valuable archives and historic objects collections. Thank you for your support.
MAY 2018 7
UPCOMING EVENTS & ACTIVITIES A GLIMPSE INTO HISTORY: WHAT PROMINENT PEOPLE HAVE SAID ABOUT NATURE IN OREGON AND THE NEED TO CONSERVE IT
MAY 10, 7–8 P.M. AT THE MMC
Starting with the Mazamas first President, William Gladstone Steel, the Mazamas have known nationally prominent conservation writers and activists within our own ranks, including Karl Onthank, John Yeon, Gary Snyder, and Ding Cannon. Well known local author Michael McCloskey has just published a new work, A Glimpse Into History: What Prominent People Have Said About Nature in Oregon and the Need to Conserve It, in which he profiles these five writes, along with many others. He will do a reading and offer commentary on these iconic Mazamas, answer questions afterward, and offer to sign copies of his book. Per the publisher, “This book features the words of over ninety figures who turned Oregon into the premier “green” state. They were explorers, pioneers, settlers, ministers, climbers, scientists, poets, politicians, writers, ranchers, activists, lawyers, and businessmen. They shaped the culture that saw value in nature and demanded policies to protect it. Through their inspiring words, their presence is still felt. Oregon was blessed in being shaped by such talented people.”
MAZAMA LODGE SPRING WORK WEEKEND
MAY 28, 9 A.M.–3 P.M. AT MAZAMA LODGE
Help us make Mazama Lodge the most enjoyable it can be! All volunteers will be treated to a free lunch. You are also welcome to free lodging the night before or receive a voucher for future lodging.
FAMILIES MOUNTAINEERING 101: INFO NIGHT
JUNE 4, 6:30–8 P.M. AT THE MMC
Families Mountaineering 101 or FM 101 trains adult and youth climbers for entry-level mountaineering activities, including rock and snow climbing skills. This class is an incredible opportunity to get your entire family involved with alpine activities and mountaineering objectives. Participants of the class will learn the skills required to be a competent member of Mazama “A” or “B” level climbs. On Info Night you can come out and learn all about the upcoming class from instructors and past participants. Go to beta.mazamas.org/FM101/ for full details.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES WRITERS, EDITORS, AND PROOFREADERS ... OH MY! Do you have a passion for the written word? Are you at your happiest when you are wielding a red pen? Are you interested in sharing tales of Mazama adventures through Mazama publications, both print and web? Then we want you! The Publications team has a variety of roles available, from monthly content editors and proofreaders, to features writers and project managers. We’d love to welcome you to our team. Interested? Email publications@mazamas.org
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INTERMEDIATE CLIMBING SCHOOL (ICS): INFO NIGHT JUNE 25, 6:30–9 P.M. AT THE MMC
ICS is an intensive, challenging, fun, and rewarding experience. At no other point in your climbing career are you likely to see your climbing skills advance more dramatically within a single, relatively short span of time. The curriculum will include additional knots, additional belay and rappel techniques, glacier travel, rock and snow anchor building, map and compass navigation, avalanche awareness, avalanche transceiver training, accident management training, crevasse rescue, snow camping, high angle snow climbing, 5th class rock climbing, and seconding/cleaning 5th class Trad. On Info Night you will have the opportunity to hear from instructors, assistants, and past students. Go to beta. mazamas.org/ICS/ for full details.
LOST LAKE CHUCKWAGON WEEKEND
JULY 13–15 AT MAZAMA LODGE
Come and join us for the throwback Mazama hiking event of the year! Like the good ol’ days, we will enjoy the wonderful cooking skills of the Mazama Lodge staff and hike the superb trails from Mt. Hood’s Timberline Lodge to the beautiful Lost Lake Campground via the most famous old-time trails in Oregon—PCT, Timberline Trail, Skyline Trail—covering 23 miles in two days with just a day pack. DETAILS
▶▶ Total distance: Appx. 23 miles with 3,000 feet of elevation gain. ▶▶ Cost: $160 members/$190 nonmembers (includes food, lodging, transportation) ▶▶ Sign Up: Go to tinyurl.com/ MazLostLakeWeekend
ROUND THE MOUNTAIN Each year, the Mazamas celebrate their love of Mt. Hood with a 3-day hike around the Timberline Trail. Join us, as we set out from our base camp at Mazama Lodge each day for a 13 to 14-mile adventure. We carry only day packs, because each night we return to the lodge for great food, hot showers, a cozy bunk, and stories from your day on the trail. Your adventure includes all meals and dorm lodging. Shuttle vans will transport you from our meeting place in Portland to Mazama Lodge, as well as to/from the trailhead each day. ▶▶Friday, Aug. 31–Monday, Sept. 3 ▶▶Details and registration at beta. mazamas.org/RTM
MOUNTAIN RUNNING CAMP
FRI., AUG. 3–SAT., AUG. 5 AT MAZAMA LODGE
Located at the base of Mt. Hood, at beautiful Mazama Lodge, the Mountain Running Camp is geared towards road and trail runners interested in taking their running to the mountain environment as well as honing their mountain running skills. This 2½-day, 2-night camp will include group runs, a bootcamp, hill running clinic, mountain safety clinic, mountain running movies, excellent instruction by top-level runners, and much more! Led by Yassine Diboun, Joelle Vaught, Amy Sproston, and Jason Leman, this camp will get you ready to confidently run and explore the mountains on your own. Transportation, meals (excellent quality, fresh foods, vegetarian and gluten-free available) are included, along with bunk-style lodging. New options this year to accommodate returning participants! Register at beta.mazamas.org/runningcamp/
ULTRA RUNNING CAMP
SAT., AUG. 11–MON., AUG. 13 AT MAZAMA LODGE
Located at the base of Mt. Hood, at beautiful Mazama Lodge, the Mazama Ultra Running Camp is for ultra runners to experience trail running at its finest! We’ll have two teams this year, led by Krissy Moehl and Jeff Browning, and two instructors TBD, you’ll spend 3 days and 2 nights exploring the beautiful trails in the Mt. Hood National Forest and learning from some of the masters of ultra running. During the camp, you’ll have the opportunity to circumnavigate Mt. Hood as a team. This circumnavigation is considered to be one of the crown jewels of Pacific Northwest ultra running and involves 40 (ish) miles on trail with appx. 10,000 ft of elevation gain and a variety of technical challenges— river crossings, glacier crossing, steep descents and ascents, and more all in a stunningly beautiful location. Register at beta.mazamas.org/runningcamp/
MAY 2018 9
CLOSED: WAHCLELLA FALLS LOOP—1.8 MILES, 300 FEET ALTERNATE: LATOURELL FALLS LOOP—2.4 MILES, 520 FEET Where do you take your out of shape relatives from out of town? Wahclella Falls was always a good bet, guaranteed to wow urbanites from back east with a taste of Cascadia’s wonders that wouldn’t leave them soured with blisters and aching limbs. Fortunately, the other quick and easy Gorge-walkguaranteed-to-please escaped the flames. Some say Latourell is one of the most beautiful falls in the gorge—it’s arguable. Do this loop clockwise, working through forest finery and smaller falls before the big unveiling. Then send them back to Ohio duly impressed.
AFTER THE FIRE:
Latourell Falls. Photo: Darrin Gunkel.
Alternatives to Closed Gorge Trails by Darrin Gunkel
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here’s no way around it: Columbia Gorge hikers are going to have to do more driving this year. Since the Eagle Creek Fire, nearly every trail on the Oregon side remains closed indefinitely. To get the same bang for our hiking buck, we’re going to have to roam farther afield. But look on the bright side: casting a wider hiking net is a chance to get to know some less famous, but no less worthy trails. The question is, how to choose which ones? Here’s a list of some of the more popular Gorge trails, and their rough equivalents within day-trip range:
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CLOSED: MULTNOMAH/ WAHKEENA LOOP— 4.8 MILES, 1,500 FEET How do you find an alternative with everything this loop offers: the easiest access, a slew of awesome waterfalls, a quick Gorge fix that you can squeeze in after work and still be home before dark (in Summer Solstice season, at least), a decent, but not grueling workout? You can’t. So, here are three alternates that attempt to fill the gap piecemeal:
ALTERNATE: PUP CREEK FALLS—7.8 MILES, 1,695 FEET. This trail along the Clackamas River gives you all the water you’re missing along the Multnomah/Wahkeena Loop. The trail is longer, certainly not an after-work trip, but it’s not as steep, so the energy expenditure’s about the same. The forest is lovely, and the falls are as impressive as (almost) anything in the Gorge.
ALTERNATE: MITCHELL POINT—2.6 MILES, 1,270 FEET One of the few Gorge trails that escaped the burn, this is your quick fix. Sure, it’s shorter (and steeper), but the time you save can be spent at pFriem Brewery, just 15 minutes away in Hood River.
On the way to Memaloose Lake. Photo: Darrin Gunkel.
CLOSED: MULTNOMAH FALLS TO DEVIL’S REST— 8.4 MILES; 2,300 FEET ALTERNATE: EAST ZIGZAG FROM LOST CREEK— 9.4 MILES; 2,300 FEET. Zigzag Mountain lacks waterfalls, but it does have pleasant Burnt Lake. And views. Big views, grand enough to take the sting out of the longer drive.
CLOSED: NESMITH POINT—10.2 MILES; 3,700 FEET ALTERNATE: HUCKLEBERRY MOUNTAIN FROM WILDWOOD RECREATION AREA— 11 MILES; 3,500 FEET These trails are practically twins. Huckleberry may be a little lower, but the longer trail makes up the few hundred feet difference in elevation. This route is in really good shape, and the grade is ideal for keeping your heart rate right where you want it. Fine Hood views from the tiny summit meadows. There’s lots of parking at this BLM site, but your Forest Pass won’t work—it’s only five bucks, though.
CLOSED: MT. DEFIANCE—12.2 MILES; 4,900 FEET ALTERNATE: PARADISE PARK-HIDDEN LAKE LOOP HIKE— 18.1 MILES; 4,300 FEET While Mt. Defiance is closed, you’re going to need to find another test hike to prepare for your summer climbs. This could be the ticket. You can get to Paradise Park from Timberline. It’s a pleasant trip, but easier, and where’s the fun in that?
ALTERNATE: PALISADE POINT FROM FRET CREEK—4.8 MILES, 1,300 FEET. Almost too long a drive to count as an alternate, this northern approach to Badger Creek Wilderness does provide relief from crowds. It’s an almost identical workout to the Multnoma/ Wahkeena Loop, and like it, add-on trips make it more enticing. But rather than viewless Devil’s Rest or the long, long trip up Larch Mountain, from The Palisades, you can go visit the masses ogling Hood at Lookout Mountain, or ramble out to Flag Point and visit with one of the last active fire watchers in the Cascades. The views from the fire lookout or the meadow south of Flag Point encompass much of Badger Creek, and a whole lot of eastern Oregon. The flowers are excellent.
CLOSED: HORSE TAIL, PONYTAIL, AND TRIPLE FALLS LOOP—4.4 MILES; 680 FEET ALTERNATE: FALLS CREEK FALLS—3.4 MILES; 700 FEET For your hardier relatives, or when you need a quick jaunt on a rainy day in the off season, the Horse, Pony, and Triple Falls triple threat could not be beat (especially as a launch pad up Franklin Ridge). Falls Creek Falls should be just about as impressive for visitors, and even though the walk has just one cataract, you can add nearby Panther Creek Falls to the trip.
CLOSED: EAGLE CREEK TO TUNNEL FALLS— 12 MILES, 1,640 FEET ALTERNATE: LEWIS RIVER—10 MILES, 1,260 FEET Eagle Creek is another one that really has no alternate (Not even the OTHER Eagle Creek, lost in its forest canyon down there by Estacada). So what do we do? Give up the tunnel and a few waterfalls and head for the Lewis River. Some would say that the forest here is actually better, the trees fatter, and the river wider. Go and decide for yourself.
continued on next page MAY 2018 11
AFTER THE FIRE, continued from previous page CLOSED: INDIAN POINT— 7.6 MILES; 2,800 FEET
CLOSED: BACKPACKING IN THE MARK O. HATFIELD WILDERNESS
ALTERNATES: CAIRN BASIN FROM TOP SPUR—8.7 MILES; 2,200 FEET
ALTERNATE: BADGER CREEK WILDERNESS, APPROACHED FROM THE EAST
So the stats on this hike make it a good surrogate, and at 90 minutes from Portland, it’s still a reasonable day trip. It also makes a reasonable alternative to McNeil Point—the two destinations share much of the same route. But there’s something missing ... views of a great river in a deep gorge from the edge of a cliff. If that’s what you really crave, spend the extra 45 minutes traveling and head east of the Cascades to the Deschutes River and Criterion Ranch—10.2 Miles; 2,200 feet. A bonus that makes up for the significantly longer drive (still doable for a long day): no trees to block any of the views. Which also means no shade— but the flowers are better. Go early in the year or the day. Or take a really big parasol. Hood and Adams make appearances, too.
Losing backcountry camping in the Hatfield is a real bummer: quick and easy to get to, and often snow free while the high country is buried. The next closest thing is Badger Creek. Two loop trips can be launched from the School Canyon Trailhead above Tygh Valley, one longer, up over Tygh ridge, and one shorter, down through the canyon of Little Badger Creek (a reasonable 9 mile, 2,150-foot trip.) Or, you can hike up nearby Big Badger Creek for many pleasing miles. No matter which you choose, all have pleasant camping, and a rarity on the dry side of the mountains, consistent water sources. Badger’s network of trails isn’t as vast as Hatfield’s, but it’s a chance to sleep many miles from cars and lights and cell phone signals, still within a few hours of civilization, early or late in the season. Which is also when you should visit, unless you really enjoy heat.
CLOSED: NICK EATON RIDGE LOOP— 14 MILES; 3,800 FEET ALTERNATE: DRY RIDGE TO GROUSE POINT—14 MILES; 3,400 FEET Dry Ridge doesn’t get much traffic. The Roaring River Wilderness is less about scenery and more about protecting deep forests and tributaries of the Clackamas. The steep elevation gains on this trail also keep crowds at bay. If you’re missing Eaton’s stiff workout, this is the place for you.
Flag Point in Badger Creek Wilderness. Photo: Darrin Gunkel.
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CLOSED: ANGEL’S REST/ DEVIL’S REST LOOP— 10.9 MILES, 2,770 FEET ALTERNATE: HUCKLEBERRY MOUNTAIN VIA WILDCAT— 11.2 MILES, 2,200 FEET This is the lonesome way up Huckleberry Mountain, via the Plaza Trail from Douglas Trailhead, which is a quick hour from Portland, up the Wildcat Mountain Road above the OTHER Eagle Creek, near Estacada. You may find this alternate is actually more interesting than the original, with regular glimpses of Hood, and views that allow you to study the architecture of ridges and canyons at the heart of the Salmon Huckleberry Wilderness. You will find more solitude (where won’t you, after Angel’s Rest?). Oh, and the occasional glimpse of Jefferson–you don’t get that from Devil’s Rest.
CLOSED: LARCH MOUNTAIN CRATER— 6.6 MILES, 1,400 FEET ALTERNATE: MEMALOOSE LAKE/ SOUTH FORK MOUNTAIN—4.6 MILES, 1,400 FEET The ramble around Larch Mountain Crater is the meal before the dessert of views from Sherrod Point. This alternate trail has the same quiet forest feel of Larch’s crater, and some of the spectacle of Sherrod, too. To get to the views on this trail above the Clackamas River, you have to work a little harder, but Memaloose Lake along the way, with one of the best rhododendron forests anywhere, more than makes up for it. The lake is known for its newts, which you might find migrating on the trail if you’re there at the right time of year. South Fork’s summit is a bit woodsy–the volcanoes are farther away than on Larch, but there are more of them to see.
CLOSED: ELEVATOR SHAFT—6.7 MILES, 1,860 FEET ALTERNATE: GREEN CANYON WAY—6.6 MILES, 2,500 FEET You like steep? You’ve you got steep on this trip up Hunchback Mountain from Salmon River. And the forest is nicer, here, too. The mileage for this alternate is to the junction with the Hunchback Trail, which you can then follow all the way to Devil’s Peak lookout, and which may or may not be cleared of blow down. Or you could try the other direction, ambling along Hunchback’s ridge until it begins to drop down towards the Zigzag ranger station. Or just head back down to enjoy the burn while you cool your feet in the Salmon River.
NOT CLOSED, BUT YOU MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER AN ALTERNATE ANYWAY. Trails north of the Columbia are going to be taking up a lot of the slack this season. Add the new, weird permits on Dog Mountain, and the loss of the two trailheads close to Table Mountain, and you have reason to consider avoiding some of the Washington side classics until things get back to normal. AVOID: TABLE MOUNTAIN— FORMERLY 8, NOW 15.5 MILES; FORMERLY 3,350, NOW 4,320 FEET ALTERNATE: SALMON BUTTE—11.8 MILES; 3,170 FEET Since Bonneville Hot Springs Resort has been converted to a rehab facility, and the private access to the Aldrich Butte trailhead has been closed, the trip up the Gorge’s tallest summit has gone from rewarding punishment (multiple volcano views in the Gorge!) to a route only a trail runner could love. That slog along the PCT was always awful anyway… The great thing about Salmon Butte, the trail is prettier, even if, echoing Table Mountain, it follows an ugly retired road at the start. What you lose in Columbia River views on Salmon Butte, you gain in volcano counting from the summit: eight of ‘em! From a glimpse of the Sisters all the way to Rainier.
AVOID: HAMILTON MOUNTAIN—7.5 MILES; 2,100 FEET ALTERNATE: SIOUXON CREEK HIKE—8.2 MILES; 1,600 FEET There’s no official reason to avoid Hamilton Mountain: it’s open, the trails are in good repair, it’s easy to get to, it’s still a wonderful trip. But closures elsewhere are likely to push the capacity of this already busy trail—not to mention log-jam the parking lot. Siouxon Creek is not exactly a hidden gem, but it is a little farther, a little less on-the-radar. And what Siouxon lacks in majestic Gorge vibes, it more than makes up for with its deep, lush, forest and pretty river.
AVOID: DOG MOUNTAIN—6.9 OR 7.4 MILES; 2,800 FEET ALTERNATE: NESTOR PEAK—8 MILES; 2,980 FEET Unless they can go at night or during the week, the new permit system may force Dog Mountain off many a hiker’s to-do list this year. Fortunately, Nestor Peak is nearby, and a close match to the famous Dog. You won’t be staring straight down onto the decks of Columbia River barges from Nestor, but the flower show is worth the effort, as are the views out to Adams and Hood.
AVOID: CAPE HORN—7.1 MILES; 1,350 FEET ALTERNATE: FALLS CREEK FALLS LOOP—6.2 MILES; 1,150 FEET Again, aside from the seasonal closure to protect nesting peregrine falcons on the lower trail, there’s no real reason to avoid Cape Horn, other than overcrowding. Here too, parking is bound to be a mess, compounded by the proximity to Highway 14. Lead by example, leave a little earlier and get home a little later and enjoy this extended version of the Falls Creek Falls trip.
MAY 2018 13
BOOK REVIEW
Wild Adventures We Have Known by Jolene Unsoeld by Louis F. Reichardt
T
he name Unsoeld resonates among Americans of my generation because of Willi Unsoeld’s legendary West Ridge ascent, traverse, and bivouac on Mt. Everest with Tom Hornbein in 1963. Completed shortly after President John Kennedy’s speech committing the United States to reach the moon by the end of the decade, this mountaineering achievement captured our imaginations at a time when optimism about our country and the world was high. Written by Jolene Unsoeld, Willi’s wife, with extensive text transcribed from her husband’s myriad lectures, this book indeed describes two lives, each full of adventures as wild as advertised. For those interested in the remarkable careers of both Willi and Jolene, the text more than meets expectations. The pictures of family, mountains, and peoples of distant lands are well chosen and provide attractive and welcome supplements to the author’s text. Although Willi sadly died in 1979 in an avalanche on Mt. Rainier, he lectured so frequently that the book provides innumerable, vivid, first-person examples of his humor and adventurousness. The book is consequently written as much by Willi as by Jolene.
14 MAZAMAS
From reading this book, my single most vivid impression is how much as Americans we have changed from our shared senses of purpose, trust in the value of government, and optimism that infused our citizenry during the decades after World War II before trust in government was shattered by the Vietnam War and Nixon presidency. The text describes the life of a family who lived when America built bridges to the world, the civil rights movement pushed us towards the original vision of our Declaration of Independence, and America initiated with little controversy bold and imaginative projects such as the Peace Corps and placing a man on the moon. The text traces Willi’s and Jolene’s family histories from before their births during the Great Depression through their early adventures as individuals and a couple. This review can recapitulate only a tiny subset of the many images the book captures of their lives. As one example, using Willi’s lecture notes, it describes Willi’s early infatuation with climbing, including his first fall, happily only about 20 feet. Shortly
Left: Jolene & Willi’s engagement photo Below left: Jolene Unsoeld. Photo: Troy Wayrynen. Below Right: Book cover.
J ole ne U ns o e l d
mer Was h i n g t o n S t a t e ngr es sw o ma n J o l e n e soe ld d e s c r i b e s h e r s e l f a s p o l i t i c a l m e d d l e r, w h o c a n n o t st taking on causes that t for what is right and what ust.”
All life is a seamless robe. Touch one corner, and the whole fabric trembles. -- Willi Unsoeld
girl to wonder what lay beyond the eded the call to adventure. She f her beloved Pacific Northwest to ascend the complete North .
gest adventure and nering with “her Bill” (Willi) to que children into the world.
Wi l l i U ns o e l d
ns, capturing people’s e the interconnectedness of all of risk-taking for human spirits
cluded five major Himalayan he Peace Corps in Nepal, Outward Bound programs and y member of The Evergreen
by an avalanche on Mt. Rainier with students from Evergreen. ey came down from the l the spirit. It’s like a mountain. on and on.”
Life is short. But in the relatively short time we have here on this earth, we are given enough time to experience the love and joy of fierce intimacy; the excruciating beauty of the angle of the sun on the horizon; and the aching tenderness of compassion toward our fellow travelers that we meet along our way. We also have time to experience and express the full power and glory of rising above adversity to overcome our own finite-ism: We can make more of our lives than we thought we could and learn to live and serve others with all our strength. THAT is what justifies our challenge to face death. That is why we choose risk as part of life. -- Jolene Unsoeld
after, he enlisted in the army in 1944 as a seventeen-year-old, too young for active duty, but old enough to experience basic training, including crawling through mud under fire of live ammunition. With a strong sense of immortality, he used a weekend pass while stationed in Kentucky to drive to Colorado where he completed a challenging technical ascent of the East Face of Longs Peak, somehow managing to hitchhike back to Kentucky before the 5 p.m. Monday deadline. Equally fascinating is Willi’s description of his hitchhiking by every imaginable mode of transportation around the world, leaving the U.S. with $300 in his pocket and returning with $250. Along the way, he completed several worthy ascents in the Alps, including a solo ascent of the Matterhorn, met several of Europe’s most illustrious climbers, and made an unsuccessful attempt on the then unclimbed Himalayan peak, Nilkanta. As Jolene summarizes, “one of the most important things Willi came back with is
Wi ld Advent u res We Have K now n
m e ( fi r s t a s a c i t i z e n a c t i v i s t , Wa s h i n gt o n S t a t e L e g i s l a t u r e U S C o n g r e s s ) tackling public s campaign finance reform, social nd environmental protection of the planet. (For Jolene’s next book es: www.unsoeldfamilylibrary.com)
li Unsoeld was a wilderness losopher and mountaineer, who de history when he and Tom rnbein made the first ascent of West Ridge of Mount Everest, d the first traverse of the untain (descending the South l) which has never been done ved the highest bivouac of that o food or water and only the
Jolene Unsoeld
Wild Adventures We H ave K now n My li fe with Wil li Unsoeld Seek ye the challenge of Life:
Wild Adven mountain cl positively im
Fasten you adventures lives throug outrageous rambunctio the ‘60s du Climb Evere with Jolene alive throug
Jolene and mountains w adventure p they faced gain the str of making a
As Willi ma outdoor edu philosopher us to grow
As Jolene j activist and sense of wh do about it!
~ to search beyond the horizon, ~ to strive against all odds, ~ to dare to risk at all costs,
Jolene and lives they to forward into loose and t grow and m generation.
in order to improve life for the next generation.
No matter t necessity o which is wh the face of back on our
by Jolene Unsoeld
We’ll live to
with lectures by Willi Unsoeld
“... that people the world over are made of pretty much the same stuff. The best way of understanding the fellow on the other side of the world is to go live with him on his level,” truth that today faces challenge from the highest levels of our government. Jolene’s early life was equally interesting and included two years in Shanghai shortly after the Japanese invasion of China. Happily, the family returned to the U.S. before Pearl Harbor and escaped internment. This international experience gave Jolene a very similar philosophy and sense of our shared humanity that Willi acquired in India. Willi and Jolene met as students at Oregon State College, where both escaped frequently to the Cascades, and were married in 1951. The book’s descriptions of their subsequent life together include adventures in the Tetons, a shared first ascent of the North Face of Grand Teton, the fulfillment of their plan to have four children, and the subsequent close
Wi
This book is and Willi Un mountains a Tetons and beyond all l ultimate cos
encounters of Jolene and her young children with the bears that shared the Teton campgrounds. Willi’s education during this period included completion of a BS in Physics and a doctorate in Philosophy and Comparative Religions. Within three years of their marriage, Willi’s mountaineering adventures expanded to Makalu in 1954 and Masherbrum in 1960. Jolene describes candidly the challenges this posed to a marriage in which one partner was left for months of uncertainty with young children after which they were reunited with a wealth of unshared, but rich experiences. My favorite section of the book is one that describes their lives together in Nepal from 1962 to 1965, where Willi was first Deputy Director and then Director of the Peace Corp. The story of his recruitment by Bob Bates, the first Nepalese Peace Corp Director, is simply hilarious; an ascent of Glacier Peak in the North Cascades with
continued on next page MAY 2018 15
WILD ADVENTURES, continued from previous page
Right: Devi & Willi Unsoeld practicing knots in the North Cascades. Above: Jolene Unsoeld in the mountains.
only one crampon; a tent pole as an ice axe; and a long john top as a substitute for pants. At that time, Sargent Shriver, President Kennedy’s inlaw and national Peace Corp Director, interviewed all candidates and Willi’s interview took place during a flight to Chicago with Shriver, on such short notice that Willi had no chance to take luggage. The first cohort of Peace Corp volunteers embarked with the Bates and the Unsoelds together for Nepal and spent the first year improvising at they learned how to make a difference in the lives of citizens of a foreign country with which Americans had little prior experience. The book brought back to me the joy and wonder I felt during my own first visit to Nepal and its wonderful people in 1969. Nothing I write in this review can do justice to Jolene’s descriptions of their experiences there. Somehow, Willi’s full-time job as Deputy Director in Nepal did not dissuade Sargent Shriver from granting him leave to join Norman Dyhrenfurth’s 1963 Expedition to Mt. Everest where Tom Hornbein’s and Willi’s first ascent of
16 MAZAMAS
the West Ridge and bivouac created a legend. Jolene’s text includes descriptions by Willi of this expedition and his exceedingly long recovery from frostbite and hepatitis that I was not previously aware of. More importantly, the text focuses on the challenges of separation when one’s partner is left with small children in a foreign land. Willi’s and Jolene’s letters to each other provide an intimate portrait of the expedition and life in Nepal complemented by superb photography of the mountains, expedition, and Nepalese people. After Everest, Willi assumed the directorship of the Nepalese Peace Corp and subsequently a less satisfying year’s assignment with the America’s Nepalese AID mission. The book describes their return to the States and difficulties of readjustment where Willi became
Right: Camp on the flank of Nanda Devi.
Deputy Director of Outward Bound, responsible for overseeing activities at the first five American sites. Most interestingly, it describes the creation of Outward Bound by the German Jewish educator Kurt Hahn, which he started in the UK to enhance through “intense mini-life experiences, young people’s ... capacity to cope with life,” a program designed to increase survival of sailors whose ships had been torpedoed by German submarines. Willi and Jolene clearly adopted Kurt’s philosophy that the “intense personal challenges at Outward Bound force students to recognize ... their fears ... in order to perform well ... on a mountain, or in life.” Following Outward Bound, both Unsoelds were involved in the State of Washington’s visionary creation of Evergreen State College, partly at least to deal with the unrest resulting from the Vietnam War and Civil Rights Movement, where Willi integrated his life’s experiences into teaching the next generation. This was the period when Jolene took her first steps toward what became a remarkable career of public service as a Washington state legislator and three term Member of Congress. Only the first tentative steps in this career are described in this book, but the ethics and commitment that must have inspired the confidence of her constituents are present throughout. The final chapters of the book focus on their children’s adventures when it was still safe for Americans to travel overland to Nepal, before the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and revolution in Iran. These adventures culminated with Willi’s and their daughter Devi’s return to the Himalaya for an attempt on Nanda Devi, a peak that Willi first saw on his unsuccessful expedition to Nilkanta in 1949. Devi, the mountain’s namesake, died unexpectedly high on this mountain. The book describes the deepest emotions of Willi, Jolene, and their children as they coped with this loss, a downside of releasing a child to live a life of risk. For me, a member of this expedition who continues to think about the “what ifs” that might have altered this outcome, this was the most personally moving section of the book. The family’s photos of Devi, the mountains and the local people are beautiful. Their tributes to her life will resonate with every reader. Finally, much more briefly, Jolene addresses her family’s loss of Willi during a winter climb on Mt. Rainier in 1979.
The book describes a family that has lived lives full of hope, optimism, and achievement, but has also suffered far more than its share of tragedy. To attempt a summary, this is a book that will interest everyone who enjoys biographies describing lives of exceptional individuals. The text is well written, candid and moving throughout. One suspects that some of the text from Willi’s lectures might have been condensed if he had been able to personally adapt them for this book, but this is a minor quibble. Not every section will have the same appeal for each reader. Some may be more interested in the mountain episodes, others in Nepal, still others in family descriptions, but this should not be a deterrent. The exceptional lives, philosophies and ethics of Willi, Jolene and their children accompanied by exceptional photography make reading this tome a wonderful experience. Jolene is currently working on a description of the more recent stages in her life’s exceptional adventure in politics, including her service as a Congresswoman.
MAY 2018 17
e m o c Wel
NEW MAZAMAS!
Our new members join a 123-year legacy of mountaineering, exploration, stewardship, advocacy, and a love of the outdoors and outdoor recreation. Please give them a warm welcome if you encounter them in a class, activity, or an evening program. We welcome you to our ranks!
Anna Ralstonh, South Sister Brent Ayrey, Hochstetter Dome (NZ) Paul Caltagirone, N. Palisade Cynthia House, Middle Sister Elizabeth Kelley, Mt. St. Helens Lisa Kostova, Hochstetter Dome (NZ) Mary Ellen Martel, Mt. Kilimanjaro (Tanzania) Monika Kawiak, Mt. St. Helens Robert Kawiak, Mt. St. Helens Shawna Leatherby, Mt. Shuksan Jim Motroni, Mt. Rainier Thomas Owens*
Wyatt Peck, Mt. Shasta Surej Ravikumar, South Sister Jason Rea* Chris Robison, Mt. Whitney Caleb Sullenger* Brett Taute, Mt. St. Helens Chatchay Thongthap, Mt. Baker Jeff Tolentino, Mt. Hood Leayn VanDeven* Gitte Venderby, Mt. St. Helens Mary Voboril, South Sister Dillon Volk, Mt. St. Helens *no peak listed
New Members:25 Deceased:1 Terry Cone (1966)
Total Membership as of March 31, 2018—3,375; 2018—3,456
New member Robert Kawiak on Mt. St. Helens.
18 MAZAMAS
New member Mary Voboril on the summit of South Sister.
MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS
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MAY 2018 19
Iditarod 2018 by John P. Richards
W
e finally saw some movement on frozen white landscape and sky. From a distance, it appeared to be a team of reindeer hauling an abominable snowman. As they came closer, it was clear that Nicolas Petit and his team of dogs had arrived at the White Mountain checkpoint. Petit was the second musher into the checkpoint, just behind leader, Norwegian, Joar Leifseth Ulsom, who slept soundly while waiting out the mandatory eight-hour Anna Berington sled dog at finish in Nome. Photo: John Richards. rest stop. Petit looked dejected as he settled in and fed his dogs. His dogs looked dejected too. Dog teams sense their musher’s emotions. Highly trained and intelligent athletes, they know where they stand. A day earlier Petit was cruising through the race, in the lead with a nice margin ahead of Ulsom. He lost the trail marker in a storm and fell four hours behind, arriving now in second place. My wife turned 60 years old in March, and it’s been her dream to see the Iditarod. That made choosing a special gift very easy—a trip to Nome, Alaska, to the finish of the 2018 Iditarod. We connected with Laurent Dick, a local guide and photojournalist, to help us get deep into the race, festivities, and provide an insider view. The Iditarod is a dog sled race from Anchorage to Nome, spanning 1,049 miles, and held annually in March since 1973. The race was inspired by the 1925 Serum Run, a dog sled relay that delivered much needed serum to Nome, to help stop a deadly diphtheria outbreak in the winter of 1925. No other means of transport could deliver the serum to the isolated town fighting extremely low temperatures and blizzard conditions. On February 1, 1925, musher Gunnar Kaasen and his dog team arrived with the lifesaving medicine. Many lives were saved that winter. Kaasen and his lead dog, Balto, became instant celebrities. We had taken a small plane from Nome to White Mountain, a tiny 20 MAZAMAS
village on the Seward Peninsula with about 200 inhabitants and 77 miles from the finish in Nome. This checkpoint is an ideal location to catch a glimpse of the mushers and their teams as they move toward Nome. A large percentage of the residents were out in the cold air and light snow to see the leaders arrive. That large percentage is still a relatively small number of spectators making the race a very intimate, accessible, and transparent sporting event. It was very easy to get up close, talk with the mushers, and interact with the sled dogs. The checkpoint is entirely managed by volunteers as is much of the race logistics and activities. Most of these volunteers are veterans, returning year after year, not able to resist the annual call of the Iditarod Trail. We headed back to Nome after the arrival of Mitch Seavey, pre-race favorite and, between he and his son, Dallas, had won the Iditarod every year from 2012. Last year, 2017, several of the Dallas Seavey dog team tested positive for the banned substance, tramadol. The musher
was not penalized as proof could not be found that Seavey intentionally had given the dogs the substance. Dallas Seavey has strongly denied the incident and boycotted this year’s race in protest. The 2018 Iditarod was not to be a Seavey win, as Mitch sat it third place at White Mountain, too far back to be a serious contender. It was bitterly cold in Nome at 3 a.m., March 14, as the red and blue lights of the Alaskan Trooper announced an approaching team from the far end of Front Street. A police escort guided Ulsom and his team over the last mile, arriving to victory under the Iditarod Burled Arch. Spectators had come out from a short night’s sleep or staggered out of the many local dive bars lining the final stretch. As Ulsom kicked in the sled brake, he looked exhausted, but his dog team looked fresh. The bright lights of cameras and chaotic set of dog handlers, race officials, and media surrounded the winner. Heavy breath hitting the extreme cold rose above our heads, a mystical vapor framing the scene. This is not a rich event. The winner takes home $50,000
Anna Berington, 22nd finisher, approaches Nome . Photo: John Richards.
and a new truck. That doesn’t cover the typical investment needed to race. The mushers are not here for the money. They race for passion, pride, love of the sport. The crowd called out to the winner, congratulating he and his dog team. The dogs, who many know by name, receive as many accolades as the mushers. These dogs are the engine that drives the musher to the finish. The lead dog, tactically finding the trail, motivating the others, piercing wind, snow, and cold, dutifully finding the finish line. Another group lined along the finish were holding signs in protest, PETA, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. A few shouting matches could be heard among the crowd, two opposing opinions, fans and locals in full support of the race and its athletes, mushers, and dogs, the other in protest. Whether it was the dead of night, the freezing cold temperature, or the unfinished beer left in the bar, the exchange ended quickly and never surfaced again. Ulsom exited the finish line quickly, tired and cold, and was ushered to the press conference at the Nome race headquarters, then to sleep. Within the day, Nicolas Petit finished in second place
and Mitch Seavey placed third. Our vision of the sled teams was a procession of well-matched Siberian huskies with a malamute or two for strength in the back. This is not so. While Siberian huskies and malamutes still pull a fair number of sleds, it’s the unofficial breed of Alaskan huskies that is the racing dog of choice among the elite teams of the Iditarod. Strength, speed, agility, and endurance are the characteristics that prove successful. Breeders have combined German shorthaired pointers, salukis, Anatolian shepherds and, in some cases, wolf, with the traditional malamute and Siberian husky to arrive at the ultimate racing machine. A day after Ulsom finished in victory, we woke up to a clear sky. We had planned to jump on some snow machines and head to Safety, some 22 miles up the Iditarod Trail and the last checkpoint before the finish line. Without delay, our group of ten boarded the machines in pairs and headed out on the tundra. Within a few minutes we realized that the -40 Fahrenheit we spoke about at REI while choosing our boots is not the
Jessie Holmes, Rookie of the Year, thanks his team at the finish in Nome. Photo: John Richards.
same -40 Fahrenheit we experienced in Alaska. With the wind chill it was brutally cold. Needless to say, our boots will be showing up at the REI Garage Sale, and if
continued on next page MAY 2018 21
IDITAROD, continued from previous page we ever go back we will get the odd and awkward “bunny” boot engineered by the Army and sold as surplus. Our guide Laurent, just before departure, heard that two mushers were missing in an area called the blow hole, a treacherous area of sudden high winds and snow storms, fierce and unpredictable. The blow hole was half-way between White Mountain and Safety. As we barreled our way over ice and snow to Safety, we intersected two sled teams guided from behind by a single snow machine. There were no mushers. It didn’t register immediately, but the mushers had been found. The checkpoint at Safety is just one building, the Safety Roadhouse. After an hour on our machines, we just wanted a warm place to hang out. We got that. A large black wood-burning stove filled the roadhouse with heat, and much of it. It was a quaint bar, its walls papered with dollar bills, signed and left by visitors. We grabbed our wallets and pulled out ten dollars, nine for the Bud Light, and one to staple on the wall. We relaxed with a beer, and with questionable judgment we decided to head in the direction of White Mountain, up the Iditarod Trail, into the blow hole. It started with smooth riding, hard packed snow and ice, easy for the snow machines to navigate. The sky was clear blue, a nice respite from the otherwise subtle difference in shades of white between ground and sky. Then, with little warning, the snow machines began to hop on accumulated snow drifts. The sky turned light blue, then white, then gray, in minutes. We found ourselves in a storm and entering the blow hole. We wisely retreated. And, back to Nome. As we parked our snow machines, safely back in Nome, our guide noticed two fat tire cyclists. They had finished the Iditaride, the fat tire bike ride that follows the Iditarod Trail. Cyclists Jay Cale, Phil Hofstetter, and Kevin Breitenbach had found the missing mushers, Jim Lanier and Scott Janssen. Lanier’s sled had been lodged in driftwood in the blow hole and Janssen, passing by, heard his calls for help. Both men had become hypothermic, unable to move, freezing and huddling with one another. Neither musher had the 22 MAZAMAS
ability to push the help button on the GPS tracker. The cyclists found the tracker and pushed the button. With race officials notified and search and rescue deployed, Lanier and Janssen survived with little injury. The dog teams were recovered and doing fine. A close call and a clear reminder of the risk and danger of the Iditarod Trail. It would be three days after Ulsom finished that the final team would arrive to collect the coveted red Mitch Seavey arrives with his team at White Mountain check point. lantern, as Magnus Photo: John Richards. Kaltenborn completed the professed that news media, social media, race on March 14. and big sponsorship money was not The red lantern is a symbolic prize for last needed—in his view it’s word of mouth place. Every finisher is considered a hero. that will keep the race going. I wanted Other notable finishes: fourth place was to believe him, that it might work. In the Jesse Holmes, highest finishing rookie and world of big money sponsorship deals, big Aliy Zirkle, the top female, finished 15th. brands with logos plastered on apparel, There are challenges ahead for the endless advertising, huge deals for athletes, Iditarod. Sponsors are beginning to pull and constant stream of social media, it out, perhaps due to controversies of dog seemed like an impossible dream that care, doping, or just waning interest. word of mouth could solely sustain this Prize money is shrinking as sponsors event. fade away and a few mushers made note As we, and throngs of visitors, of that at the closing banquet. Climate bottlenecked the tiny Nome airport, change is encroaching. Arctic winter air swamping the few bag handlers with big temperatures have risen by 8 degrees duffels full of warm clothing, I thought Fahrenheit since 1979 and winter ice that Howard might be right. The passion volume has dropped 42 percent in the of the mushers is pure. They are not in it same period (Scientific American, April for the money, but for the love of it. The 2018). With no arctic, there is no Iditarod. sled dogs, at each rest stop, anxious to get The excitement and pride that is the moving again, to run, the few spectators, Iditarod had a melancholy undertone, as enthusiastically delivering praise as racers concerns lingered in many conversations. We had a discussion with Howard Farley, pass by, enough to prompt a wave of thanks and a wag of a tail. Maybe this is now 86, a founder of the Iditarod and also the Iditarod, the past, the present and the a musher from the original race in 1973. future, the race itself a test of survival. He told us to go back home and tell 1,000 people of the Iditarod experience. He
ADVENTUROUS YOUNG MAZAMAS (AYM)
Activities for those in their 20s & 30s or anyone young at heart. Check the website at tinyurl.com/mazaymactivities, and the AYM Meetup page frequently for the most up to date schedule. All trips are $2 for members/$3 for nonmembers unless otherwise noted. MONTHLY EVENTS ▶▶ AYM Committee Meetings are on the fourth Monday of the month at 6:30 p.m. at the MMC. ▶▶ Interested in learning what AYM is about or looking for a casual introduction to our group? Be sure and join us for pub night on the third Monday of the month. ▶▶ We also host board game night on the first Thursday of the month. Check the Meetup page for location as they rotate every month!
BASE CAMP MARYHILL
Featured Event
A MULTI-DAY CAR CAMPING ADVENTURE Friday, May 4–Sunday, May 6
J
oin AYM for a campfire-friendly weekend adventure at our base camp, Maryhill State Park’s Group Campsite. A Mazama favorite, the Maryhill campground is an ideal setting during the coveted wildflower season that peaks in the East Gorge during the heart of spring. We plan to host multiple events on Saturday and Sunday with at least an easy/moderate hike guaranteed, each day, to cater to all skill levels. There will be plenty of camping spots; hammocks are possible. Arrivals times are flexible. 200 mi RT drive. Trip capped to 20 people. Fees: $20 members/$30 nonmembers. Event Coordinator: Mike Kacmar Register online at beta.mazamas.org/aym THURSDAY, MAY 10— TRAIL RUN: TRYON CREEK STATE PARK Stretch your legs after a long day at work with a short trail run close to home. Follow Tryon Creek’s nature trails through the verdant ravine between Boones Ferry Road and Terwilliger in southwest Portland. Located only minutes from downtown, Tryon Creek (11321 SW Terwilliger Blvd) is Oregon’s only state park within a major metropolitan area. Meet at the Nature Center parking lot at 6PM, for a ~3 mile run. Will be moderately paced with breaks as needed. $1/$2 members/ nonmembers. Leader: Lauren Sankovitch, lsankovitch@ gmail.com
SATURDAY, MAY 12— HIKE: BALD BUTTE
JUNE 2-3—CAMPING: NEHALEM COAST
Enjoy wildflowers and mountain views without the crowds of Dog Mountain or Catherine Creek! We’ll visit Bald Butte, south of Hood River. This hike has several meadows which should be full of balsamroot, lupine, and paintbrush, among others. If it’s clear, we will also have a great view of Mt. Hood across the valley. Meet at Gateway Transit Center, NE corner, 8:30 a.m., Hike: 8.6 miles RT, 2,400 feet elevation gain. Drive: 145 miles RT. Leader: Keith Dechant
Looking for a refreshing weekend at the coast? On Saturday we’ll run the Nehalem Loop Hike (5.2 miles) along the beach. This trail passes grassy dunes and sitka spruce. If weather is sunny, bring a tent and camp overnight. Each of our sites has a barbeque pit and space for one car. Saturday is also Free Fishing Day, so optionally gather clams or throw out a crab ring at low tide. RSVP on mazamas.org. Coordinator: Toby Creelan.
MAY 2018 23
What Has Two Thumbs And Lets A Six-Year-Old Lead?
This Gaia!
by Jonathan Barrett
L
iam was complaining bitterly. To be fair, there were a litany of things that day worth complaining about: the heat, the crowds on the trail, the lack of delicious snacks. In his six-year-old mind, though, there was only one thing that really mattered. “When are we going to get there?” he asked repeatedly. I pulled my iPhone from my pocket and launched the Gaia app so that he could see where we were on the trail. “Here’s our location. We are just going up these last few switchbacks,” I said before reaching to take the phone back from him. He refused to give it to me. Device in hand, he started up the trail without me, watching the tiny digital arrow slide up the digital trail. Liam was transfixed. Somehow he managed to not stumble over roots and rocks as he progressed up towards our destination, Angel’s Rest. When I first introduced my son to hiking, my desire was to make it a chance to be entirely free from technology. For this reason, my phone stayed in my pocket, but I discovered that day that if he knew where we were he felt empowered. The question of how much longer evaporated because he could answer that question for himself, and it came for him in a way that was much more approachable than just a paper map and my finger pointing to a spot on a line.
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Liam at a lake. Photo: Jonathan Barrett.
OREGON MOUNTAIN COMMUNITY
PORTLAND, OR
ESTABLISHED 1971
OMCGEAR.COM 2975 NE Sandy Blvd. Portland, OR Hours M-F 10-7 SAT 10-6 SUN 12-5 503-227-1038
Conditioning for BIGGER hikes to come by Regis Krug
Y
ou’re stoked—you got permits for a week in the Enchantments in July!
It’s May and except for a few ski runs at Timberline, you’ve been a couch potato since last November. The heaviest load you’ve carried is that bag of nachos. Hauling a 60-pound pack 4000 feet up a mountain seems pretty daunting at the moment. MAKE A REALISTIC PLAN. You’re not going to start doing 10 mile hikes with a 35- or 40-pound pack right off the bat. If your plan is unrealistic, you’ll most likely fail. NOTE: Before beginning any exercise regimen, check with your doctor first to make sure you don’t have any underlying health issues. DID YOU GET NEW HIKING BOOTS? Start wearing them to work to break them in (unless work requires specialty boots or
shoes). Find a rocky trail near home and walk a couple of miles on it several times each week. IF YOU LIVE RELATIVELY CLOSE TO WORK, start walking to work with a 10- to 15-pound pack instead of driving. I know your lunch and comic books won’t weigh that much, so add a couple of full water bottles to your pack. Take the stairs at work instead of the elevator. Make it a goal to hike every stairway at work. You could get in a complete workout on your lunch hour. On the weekends, do 5–8 mile hikes with 500–1000 feet of elevation gain with a similar-sized pack. Forest Park, Mt. Tabor, and Tryon Creek State Park are excellent choices for close-in, moderate hikes. If your gym hasn’t seen you all winter, stop in and say, “Hello!” and get reacquainted with the treadmill, elliptical, and stair climbers. Begin with 3 or 4 moderate exercise sessions each week. Put down the nachos and look for healthier alternatives for your snacks like fresh fruit and crunchy veggies. Spend a little less time at the fast food joints and try eating healthier alternatives. AFTER A COUPLE OF WEEKS, START INCREASING the mileage, elevation gain,
and weight each weekend. You want to work up to distances similar to what you will be backpacking. Check your boots. Are they getting broken in? Blisters can quickly turn an epic adventure into a painful nightmare for you and your buddies. Make sure your blister kit is fresh, just in case. DO YOU HAVE A BICYCLE? That's another way to improve your conditioning and could be a welcome break from walking, running, and hiking. Will you be backpacking in the mountains at higher elevations? Make sure you train at similar elevations. Many of the trails on Mt. Hood are accessible in June. Hike the climbers’ trail up to Silcox Hut or to the top of the Palmer lift. Lookout Mountain to the east of Mt. Hood will get you up to over 6000 feet in late May. WHATEVER YOU DO, LISTEN TO YOUR BODY. Don't overdo anything and be consistent with your training. Try for at least 3-4 times per week for 30-60 minutes in addition to any weekend activities. The payoff for your investment will be many happy miles on the trails this summer. MAY 2018 25
OUTINGS HIKING GLACIER NATIONAL PARK: JULY 22–28 Alternates Only. Spend a week hiking the trails in America’s most-beautiful national park: Glacier. There will be an assortment of A and B level day-hiking during the five days, led by Richard Getgen and Robert Smith. Wildlife sightings, mountains carved by intense glaciation, alpine lakes, wildflowers, and rushing streams await you. The group site will be at KOA in St. Mary’s and we will carpool to the trailheads. Cost: $220 members/ $280 nonmembers. KOA offers tent sites, RV hookup, and three types of cabins. Campsite/lodging expenses are not included in the cost. Contact Richard at teambears@frontier.com for an application. There will be a pre-outing meeting in the spring for participants to meet and receive additional information.
HIKING IN THE NORTH CASCADES: AUG. 12–19 This outing is for those who love spectacular mountain vistas and glorious alpine meadows. You’ll spend seven nights in fully furnished rustic log cabins surrounded by pristine forests in the foothills of Mt. Baker where you can almost reach out and touch the Canadian border. Each day we will carpool from the cabins to enjoy either a Bor C-level hike. The hikes will offer opportunities for wildlife sightings, wildflowers, waterfalls, and grand panoramic views of snow-capped mountains. Outing cost is dependent upon the number of participants, 9 minimum/12 maximum. Member range is $446–$333; nonmember range is $516–$403. The cost includes all fees and lodging. Each participant is responsible for his/her own food. Dinner is available at nearby restaurants. The signup deadline is May 1, 2018. A deposit of $200 is required upon acceptance of application. For more information please contact either Larry Solomon, muensterhump@hotmail.com or co-leader Sherry Bourdin, sbourdin@reig.com.
TRINITY ALPS HIGH ROUTE TREK: SEP. 8–14 Alternates Only. Join us as we hike a large portion of northern California’s Trinity Alps High Route. This ~35-mile alpine trek circumnavigates the Canyon Creek drainage and includes the summits of up to four named peaks in the Trinity Alps Wilderness. The six to eight participants will need to be in good physical condition and have experience in at least one 50-mile (or greater) trek. We will be traveling light and fast, up to 10 miles per day with daily elevation gains varying from near zero to almost 5,000 feet. A $100 deposit will be required upon acceptance. Contact the leader Gary Bishop (gbish90@hotmail.com) or assistant Brooke Weeber (bweeber@gmail.com) for more information.
More information and applications available at tinyurl.com/maz-outings.
26 MAZAMAS
MAZAMA LODGE Your Home on the Mountain. Fall/Winter Lodge Hours: Noon on Thursdays–Noon on Mondays. May begins the transition from winter to summer on the mountain. As the snow melts and the sun warms the earth, we begin to hear Thrush calls and watch buds spring from the forest. With this transition the caretakers undergo the switching of the guards. Three-time caretakers Aaron and Brett will pass the torch once again to Renee for her summer term. Aaron and Brett have enjoyed their time on the mountain and they would like to thank the Mazamas for allowing them to call the lodge their home. It was an eventful winter with lots of great snow and many excited groups of 5th graders, scouts and mountaineers alike. The caretakers were happy to see all of their joyful faces at the buffet line! This year Aaron and Brett felt more a part of the Mazama community than ever thanks to all the familiar faces who came to greet them in the kitchen. They even got to spend some leisure time with guests after all the dishes were done! Thank you to all those who exchanged hospitality with the caretakers this winter. It was a pleasure to both be of service and to be accepted.
SPRING WORK PARTY: MONDAY, MAY 28 To help build up our wood supply we are having our spring work party on Monday, May 28 (Memorial Day) from 9 a.m.–3 p.m. All volunteers will be treated to a free lunch. Volunteers are welcome to come up the night before and enjoy free lodging. If you join us on Monday you will receive a free lodging coupon that you can use on a later date.
LOST LAKE CHUCKWAGON WEEKEND: JULY 13–15 Registration is now open for the throw-back Mazama hiking event of the year! Enjoy the wonderful cooking skills of the Mazama Lodge staff and the from Timberline Lodge to Lost Lake—covering 23 miles in two days with just a day pack. Details and sign up at tinyurl.com/ MazLostLakeWeekend.
SUMMER SPEAKER SERIES
In May–September we will be hosting a speaker the first Sunday of the month. The summer speaker series offers dinner at 5 p.m. and a program at 6 p.m. Dinner is $13.25. HILL WALKING IN IRELAND
SUNDAY, MAY 6
Trek along with Alice Brocoum, Carol Beauclerk and Rex Breunsbach on Ireland’s Wicklow Way, south of Dublin and the Western Way, north of Galway: two of the many long distance self-guided walking trails in Ireland. These trails travel through a patchwork of landscapes and historic sites. Experience the vibrant culture and history of Ireland close-up while walking along national trails and country lanes. We travel through mountains, upland lakes, peat bogs, steep-sided glacial valleys, fast flowing streams, forests, and farmlands. Each night is a unique stop along the way, from farm to B&B to manor house.
SWITZERLAND’S “BERNER OBERLAND” & HIKING THE HAUTE ROUTE SUNDAY, JUNE 3
Join Ann Ames and Tom Davidson to catch a glimpse of the Bernese Alps and to see the vibrant beauty of France and Switzerland from the Haute Route path. The Bernese Alps in Central Switzerland offer rugged glaciers and high alpine lakes, fervent meadows full of cowbell toting bovines, and a never ending landscape of trails for hikers of all abilities. The trip began in the cozy and high village of Gimmelwald for four days of hiking the Lauterbrunnen Valley trails, before starting the eleven day Haute Route trek out of Chamonix, France. The Haute Route is a lesser known Alps’ trek (125 miles) connecting Chamonix in the West to Zermatt in the East. We did not use a guide service or company.
PDX HIKING 365 IN NW OREGON AND SW WASHINGTON SUNDAY, JULY 1 Guidebook author and Mazama hike leader Matt Reeder has spent the past five years writing about the best places to go hiking throughout the year. His new book PDX Hiking 365 is the fruit of that labor, the first guidebook ever in the Portland area to organize hikes by month and season. PDX Hiking 365 offers quiet urban trails, rainforest rivers and open desert skies in the winter, hikes through fields of wildflowers in the spring, treks high on glaciated peaks in the summer and explorations through the finest fall color hikes in the fall. From January to December, you’re sure to find something perfect for each month of the year. Matt will describe some of this favorite hikes from PDX Hiking 365 from old favorites to obscure classics. Books will be available for purchase after the presentation
MAY 2018 27
CLASSICS For Mazamas with 25 years or more of membership or those who prefer to travel at a more leisurely pace. CONTACTING THE CLASSICS If you wish to contact the Classics, you can call or email Chair Flora Huber at 503-658-5710 or flobell17@comcast.net, Executive Council liaison Steve Couche at 503-998-0185 or stephencouche@mazamas. org, or classics@mazamas.org.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED We are looking for volunteers to step up and help run the committee. Positions we need to fill are secretary, activities coordinator, and database updater and help or backup for same. Our meetings are the fourth Monday of every other month at 11 a.m. at the MMC. Email classics@mazamas. org if you are interested.
LEADING EVENTS IN MAY Send details to classics@mazamas.org by the twelfth of each month for inclusion in the Bulletin.
CLASSICS COMMITTEE MEETING MAY 28, 11 A.M.–12:30 P.M. AT THE MMC CLASSICS TRANSPORTATION PLAN Our east side transportation pick up point is Gateway; our west side location is the Sunset Transit Center. If you are interested in providing or receiving rides to Classics events you can sign up on the Classics section of the Mazama website or contact our transportation coordinator Flora Huber at flobell17@comcast.net or 503-658-5710
PALMETEER POINT FROM BARLOW PASS
MONDAY, MAY 14 AT 9:30 A.M.
Email David.R.Christopher@gmail.com for details, registration, and updates. Meet at the Barlow Pass/Twin Lake trailhead at 9:30 a.m.
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CRYSTAL SPRING RHODODENDRON GARDEN/REED CANYON HIKE
TUESDAY, MAY 15 AT 9:30 A.M.
We will start our hike (stroll in this case) in the Rhododendron Garden with a walk around the many paths. There are lots of benches to sit on and enjoy the wildlife and plant life. Hopefully there are lots of plants in bloom! From there, we will cross 28th and hike the Reed College/Crystal Springs Canyon loop. If you haven’t done this, you will in for a pleasant surprise! Both of these hikes are easy with little elevation gain and a total distance of about 3 miles. After the hike, we can enjoy lunch at the Reed College cafeteria. Meet at Rhododendron Garden parking lot at 5801 SE 28th Ave, Portland Dress for the weather; bring some snacks and water. It looks like the Rhododendron Garden is free on Monday and Tuesday, but there is a $4 charge on other days. Contact Buzz Lindahl, 503-781-8956, erlindahl@gmail.com.
INDICATIONS OF INTEREST— BHUTAN From David Christopher, “If there is a group of Classics who are interested in my organizing and leading a cultural/ hiking outing to Bhutan, they should send me an email so that we can meet in advance to select a time and plan a hiking itinerary what would meet all their interests and needs. I have guided over 30 groups to Bhutan since 1982.” Email David.R.Christopher@gmail.com for details, registration and updates.
Featured Event DICK AND JANE MILLER’S POTLUCK PICNIC—JULY 7 AT 12:30 P.M. You are invited to Dick and Jane Miller’s home for their annual potluck picnic. Plan to attend and invite another Classic Mazama or significant other to share in potluck fashion: main dish, salad, or dessert. Lemonade and water will be provided, but if you have a favorite beverage please bring it along. Plates and utensils will be provided. 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, call Dick or Jane at 503590-3598. We’ll see you there!
What Can You Do for by the Conservation Committee
T
he Eagle Creek Fire occurred in the Columbia River Gorge more than six months ago. The Forest Service has reported that of the 49,000 acres burned, only 15 percent were severely damaged and 55 percent had “little to no fire impact.� Nevertheless, many of our favorite trails will be closed at least for this summer and some much longer. Our Basic Climbing Education Program (BCEP) is in full swing and scheduling conditioning hikes has been a significant challenge, as typically many of these hikes traditionally occur in the Gorge. As Kate Evans reported in her article After the Smoke Clears in the January Mazama Bulletin, there are a number of organizations taking on various roles to help with recovery, including the Mazamas. The Gorge Trails Recovery Team
Our Gorge?
was independently formed in September 2017 and consists of four organizations: Trailkeepers of Oregon, Pacific Crest Trail Association, Washington Trails Association, and Friends of the Columbia Gorge.
SO WHAT CAN YOU DO? If you would like to fix trails, and can work one day or many days, connect with Trailkeepers of Oregon. Their website, trailskeepersoforegon.org details training opportunities as well as work teams and specific schedules. The Pacific Crest Trail Association (PCTA) also offers training and work party schedules on their websites at tinyurl.com/PCTAMtHood. The Washington Trails Association has similar opportunities on their website at tinyurl.com/WTAgorgerecovery. The Friends of the Columbia Gorge
are focusing on removal of invasive plants and planting native seeds. Their website is gorgefriends.org/ firestewardship. The Mazamas, through its staff, are working with our elected representatives in Salem and Washington, D.C., advocating for increased funding for the Forest Service budget. In addition, the National Forest Foundation provides additional funding for the USFS. Each of these organizations needs additional funding. So there are multiple opportunities to contribute physical labor, expertise, and money. Our energy, expertise and money will help to accelerate the recovery. Each of us should do what we can to contribute to the recovery of our special place, the Columbia River Gorge.
DIY
Trekking Food by Wendy Marshall
I
admit it. I’m one of those outdoor people: I feel less daunted navigating an ice field or tiptoeing along a precipice than I do walking into REI. So many options! Furthermore, if I drop a scary sum of cash on a product, will it meet my needs? Thus, I tend to be more resourceful with basic tools Food is no exception. I can take lots of punishment if I have the right fuel, and enough of it. Work stress? Car issues? Bring it, provided I get a few hearty meals, and maybe chocolate. Being planet-conscious, I also care what my snack contains. It makes me skeptical of those freeze-dried meals in outdoor retailers, even if the label claims organic. As a beginning trail hiker, I find the idea of being caught on a distance trek with insufficient or lackluster food as terrifying as faulty gear. Granola bars are easy to make, but could I replicate, even improve on, those mysterious dried meal packs? Instead of reinventing the wheel, I did what any wise person does before a new venture: research. Veterans of the Pacific Crest, Appalachian and other trails have left a wealth of tips and recipes to help us DIY-types create homemade nosh, without trading health or taste. The simplest ingredients are often the most flavorful, affordable, and nourishing. Learning to make your own trail food also teaches you about nutrition itself, and your body’s requirements. While backpacking, you can burn 400–600 calories an hour. If you’re small, that might mean only 3,500 calories for a 10-hour day, but it’s a safe bet to pack at least 6,000— the need of an average-sized person. It’s better to carry a little extra weight, than be hungry and fighting a grim attitude. A
30 MAZAMAS
good way to determine your needs is to take a three- or four-day hiking trip, equipped with a clear excess of food. Starting on Day Two, begin tracking all that you eat, since your body will have by now consumed some of its stored fuel reserves in the form of glycogen. Continue tracking for the rest of the trip, then afterward, estimate the bulk amounts and calories you’ve used. To craft good trek meals, focus on four things: nutritionally dense, non-perishable, lightweight, and easy to prepare. The last typically means dehydrated; if you need only boiling water, you save fuel. If you get really serious about eats, you might want to buy a dehydrator, but it’s not necessary. Bringing a dehydrator on board, however, means you can make anything from dried strawberries and apple slices to bell peppers and mushrooms, in the sizes and textures you prefer. Plus, making dried noms is fun! To start, many meals are just a base of carbohydrates, with tasty stuff mixed in. Think organic co-op bulk bins, here. Good carb choices pack at least 100 calories per ounce, yet are lightweight and rehydrate quickly, with minimal boiling. Pasta with small, thin shapes; rice noodles; and instant rice all cook in five to ten minutes by steeping in boiling water, with no added simmering. Potato flakes, lentil, or bean
powders, corn grits (or polenta), and soup mixes are also good. Couscous can be cooked, fuel-free, during camp time: On a sunny day, place couscous in water, cover, and leave for 20-30 minutes. And don’t forget the instant oatmeal! Remember oatmeal and instant rice can be made into either sweet or savory dishes, doubling your options. To the carbs, begin adding nutritious bits. Here’s where a dehydrator shines, because fresh veggies are heavy with water. But I also love Trader Joe’s for its wide range of dried fruit and vegetables— dried coconut, berries, orange and apple slices, along with dried kale
and broccoli, green beans, peas, mushrooms, sundried tomatoes, and more. I’ve dried spinach in a warm oven, and made my own kale chips. Almost any hard-to-find dried vegetable can, of course, be purchased online. Protein may not be as critical, since you’ll likely be munching trail mix all day; still, bacon bits, ground nuts or wasabi chickpeas, soya protein nibs, and finely shredded jerkies are nice additions. To flavor your meal, first check the spice cabinet. Mine includes garlic and onion powders, curry, chipotle, and herbs like basil and rosemary to perk up potatoes and pastas, and a pumpkin pie spice blend for breakfasts. When looking for seasoning packets, don’t rule out
Asian or Indian grocery stores for fresh ideas! From my Southern relatives, I learned a trick: for more flavor, just add sugar, salt, or fat. We covered seasoning, and while I won’t say no to chocolate, I need more for dinner. Fat is all right, since it’s where the calories are—usually 160 calories per ounce or more. Some of us think cheese for this, and dried parmesan or cheddar is certainly nice. I’d never heard of powdered butter until exploring trek foods. But a great source of fat is
Left: A selection of meal packs. Photo: Brittany (darkroomanddearly.com) Top: Ready-to-eat snacks. Photo: Brittany (darkroomanddearly.com). Bottom: Just add water. Photo: Wendy Marshall.
continued on next page MAY 2018 31
CRANBERRY ORANGE RICE ▶▶ ¼ cup instant rice ▶▶ 1 Tbsp. dried cranberries ▶▶ ½ tsp. ground cinnamon, or pumpkin pie spice mix ▶▶ 1 packet True Orange flavor or 1 tsp. orange zest ▶▶ 1 Tbsp. powdered milk ▶▶ 1 tsp. brown sugar ▶▶ Optional: ▶▶ spoonful dried nuts ▶▶ 1 Tbsp. dried orange slices (i.e. Trader Joe’s), finely chopped ▶▶ Honey At home, combine everything but honey in a sealed baggie—this is akin to a purchased meal pack. When ready to eat, place mix in bowl or pan, then cover with boiling water. Cover with lid and let stand a few minutes to soften rice. Top with honey, and enjoy.
DIY, continued from previous page
This co-op in Alberta is helping jumpstart camping season by advertising several instant bulk mixes. Photo: Wendy Marshall.
vegetarian-friendly: olive oil. Avocado, nut, safflower, and a myriad of flavored oils also work. Carry oils in smallish, sturdy plastic bottles, and remember to add them after your meal is thoroughly rehydrated or cooked (unless it’s a fried meal!). To safely transport your ingredients, you’ll want lots of resealable pouches of various sizes, and a few plastic bottles—I try to minimize plastic, but reusable is the silver lining here. I also bring a canister for rehydrating, since personally, I prefer not to mix boiling water and plastic bags (though some people do). Since meals are born in stages, you can save time by re-hydrating vegetables and other ingredients while you hike. But, if that soupy slop leaks or spills, your freshly seasoned pack can attract irritating or even dangerous members of the local beast community! Be safe. Seal canisters of rehydrating or liquid food, gooey spices, eggs or pungent fats in a second Ziploc freezer bag or pouch. All this sounds lovely, but how to combine it? Unless you’re a super chef, you may find inventing recipes a challenge; I did at first. Again, trailblazers come to our aid. Websites like wildbackpacker.com share lots of recipes for each meal. I’ve been using them as templates to experiment with flavors and textures. I also plan to check out the book Lipsmackin’ Backpackin’ since, cute name aside, it serves up years of PCT hiking (and eating) experience. To start, check out the recipes on this page, which I tweaked from those on Wild Backpacker. I hope this reveals how a simple recipe can turn into a gourmet serving on the trail. Before you set out, try some recipes at home, and pick a repertoire of favorites. Those fancy meal products need never be a worry again. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Wendy Marshall got acquainted with the Mazamas in 2014, but has always loved activities related to ice, snow, rocks, plants, and mountains. Besides forest walks, snowboarding, and cooking, she enjoys herbal brewing and her experiments are slowly outgrowing their shelves.
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TOMATO-BASIL ORZO ▶▶ ½ cup orzo (a tiny pasta) ▶▶ ½ tsp. powdered butter or butter flakes—but it’s actually more Italian to substitute 1 Tbsp. olive oil ▶▶ 1 tsp. dried basil ▶▶ A dash or two of garlic or mixed seasoning ▶▶ Dried Parmesan or Romano cheese, as preferred ▶▶ 1 Tbsp. sundried tomatoes ▶▶ 1 Tbsp. dried bell peppers At home, mix everything but tomatoes, peppers and cheese (and, if using, olive oil) in a pouch. Pack other ingredients separately. 20 minutes before eating, add a little water to tomatoes and peppers in a small container, and rehydrate. (This step might be omitted if both are chopped very finely.) When ready to eat, boil a cup of water. Add mix to water, cover with lid and steep five minutes. Add re-hydrated veggies, cheese, and if using, olive oil. Stir well and enjoy!
We are the bond stronger than any rope. Everything we make is designed by climbers, for climbers. Each piece is crafted by peak and crag to give you absolute protection, comfort and mobility when you really need it.
NEXT ADVENTURE | PORTLAND W W W.RAB.EQUIPMENT
Finding Magic in Darkness—the Thrill of Night Hiking by Joe Whittington
H
iking in the dark? Did you plan to do it? Are you in trouble? Are you lost in the dark? Same level of non-illumination, but one state is probably going to be fun, while the others are stressful and maybe scary. Planning and preparation are critical to maximize the fun quotient and minimize the stress.
While there are likely several reasons to plan to hike in the dark, I am usually leading a moonlight snowshoe trip or doing an alpine start for a climb. I started leading moonlight snowshoe trips in 2005 for my company, Oregon Peak Adventures, and have continued to lead them for the Mazamas. Traveling in the moonlight on snow is totally magical. Since snow reflects about 80 percent of visible light, headlamps are not required, and moon shadows follow you as you go. We schedule for full moon nights and time our departure from town to take advantage of the moonrise time. We almost always get at least a moon glimmer. Even if there’s no moon sighting, it’s still fun; especially with fresh snow muffling your steps. Alpine starts enable us to move through exposed terrain before the warmth of the sun loosens up rocks and ice chunks, and gives us lots of daylight to deal with whatever we encounter before it gets dark. With a bright moon, visibility is reasonably good, and navigation is not necessarily a major challenge. With no moon, especially without snow cover, navigation can be much more challenging. For all situations, scouting an unfamiliar route during daylight is a good plan. Marking waypoints with a GPS is a good back-up. I am a fan of numbered flagging strips with squares of reflective tape. On a Mt. Jefferson climb via the Whitewater Glacier route, my assistant and I scouted the obscure climber’s trail up from Jefferson Park to the beginning of 34 MAZAMAS
the Glacier and placed the flagging so it was always possible to see the next one. Since they were numbered, we knew where we were in the sequence and the reflective tape flashed bright in our headlamps. While we did not plan to descend in the dark, several factors slowed the party down (long story) and we were relieved to be able to follow the flagging back to camp as well. However, it may be we are hiking in the dark because we took too long to complete our climb, hike, or backpack and have not planned ahead or flagged the route. This situation can be stressful and scary, especially if we are a bit lost. We’ll assume you have your bright and long-lasting LED lights which are not as likely to die as the older battery technologies with filament bulbs. (We older climbers remember the feeling of dread as our headlamps slowly dimmed out and died with an orange whimper.) Illuminated GPS units with embedded maps, marked waypoints, and the trackback function enabled can also help us find our way more easily. Our protocol of having the assistant leader responsible for leading the return is a great idea. Make sure the assistant clearly understands it’s their responsibility, so they can occasionally look back, mark waypoints,
Happy moonlight snowshoers. Photo: Joe Whittington
build cairns, flag the route, or whatever else it takes to find the way back. OK, none of that happened, and it’s totally dark. If you are not on an established trail and do not have a clear mental map of your route, sometimes the best decision is to bivy in a safe, sheltered location and wait for the sun to rise. Falling into or off of land features in the dark is no fun. Carrying a lightweight bivy bag, a tarp, and a full-length foam pad will make that long, dark, and likely cold night much more endurable. Having extra warm layers (a puffy is nice) and a snack, even just energy gel, will make it even better. Hiking in the dark can be a pleasurable, extraordinary experience, or a scary ordeal to be survived. To a great extent, the outcome is determined by your intentions, planning, and preparation.
FROM THE EDITORS
Saying GoodbyeLooking Forward, Looking Ba DON BURNET
...,
May 2, 1924–February 16, 2018 Don Burnet joined a group of inexperienced climbers on his first climbed Mt. Hood at the age of 21. During the climb one of the climbers fell and took the rest of the rope team with him, starting an avalanche. The team slid over two crevasses, the snow slide filling the gaps before they crossed. When they finally came to a stop, the group was so entangled they had to cut themselves free of the rope. The team suffered only cuts and bruises, and everyone walked off the mountain. Don didn’t climb again for 20 years, and when he did, the first thing he did was to enroll in a basic mountaineering course with the Mazamas so he could climb safely. This emphasis on safety was one of the principles he respected the most. Don joined the Mazamas in 1966 and went on to earn the Guardian Peaks award in 1972, the Seven Oregon Peaks in 1973, and the 16 Peaks award in 1979. A respected climb leader Don led climbs on Adams, Shuksan, St. Helens, Baker, and Hood between 1977 and 1980. He also assisted on many climbs, including Glacier Peak and Rainier. In 1984 the members elected him to the Executive Council, he later served as president from 1986 to 1987. At the 1987 Annual Banquet, he give his departing President’s address as a rhyming poem, much to the amusement of the audience. Don went on to serve on the Bylaws Committee, 1988–1990, and had a brief stint on the Research Committee in 1990. Before joining the Mazamas, Don served in the Army Air Corps in the Pacific during WWII. After the war, he attended Oregon State University and earned a graduate degree in forest products. While attending university, he met his wife, Pat. They enjoyed sixty-eight years of marriage and three children: Anne, Paul, and David. Don was a lifeline outdoorsman; the family spent many vacations hiking and backpacking. On one trip to the Olympic National Park the car the family was following tossed some trash out of the window. Don started honking the horn and flashing the lights until the vehicle pulled over. He walked up the driver’s window wearing a black windbreaker with a Mazamas patch sewn on the sleeve and informed the driver that littering in a national park was poor form. The driver, seeing the official-looking Mazama patch, assumed he was a ranger, and promised never to do it again. Besides enjoying the outdoors, Don was a lifelong woodworker, avid table tennis player, and skier. He was 86 the last time he skied at Timberline. Don passed away on February 16, 2018, at the age of 93.
DON BURNET 80th Birthd May 2, 2004 MAY 2018 35
TRAIL TRIPS JOIN US! MAZAMA TRAIL
TRIPS ARE OPEN TO EVERYONE Contact Trail Trips chair Bill Stein at trailtrips@mazamas.org with any questions. To lead a hike next month, go to: mazamas2.org. HK B2 May 02 (Wed) Wygant Peak Rex Breunsbach 971-8322556 or rbreunsbach@gmail.com. Wilderness—Limited 12. Recently re-opened eastern gorge hike to Wygant Peak packs a lot of scenery into just six miles, Some poison oak and water crossings. 8.5 mi., 2,100 ft., Drive 110, MMC 8 a.m. (AR,WO) HK A1.5 May 04 (Fri) Falls Creek Falls (Upper trail) Flora Huber 503-658-5710. Falls Creek Falls is a beautiful, yet powerful waterfall located deep in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. It has three tiers, first dropping 60 feet over a wide ledge, then spreading out and veiling over a 90-foot cliff, and finally it gathers then thunders another 70 feet into a huge bowl. we may do the lower falls only at 3.4 miles and 650 feet elevation. 6.3 mi., 1,040 ft., Drive 120, MMC 8 a.m. (WF) HK A2 May 04 (Fri) Tumala Mountain Rex Breunsbach 971832-2556 or rbreunsbach@gmail. com. Wilderness—Limited 12. The hike features views of the scenic Tumala Lakes basin and the summit views from Tumala Mountain are expansive. 4.4 mi., 1,020 ft., Drive 84, MMC 8 a.m. (WO)MU HK A2 May 05 (Sat) Tamanawas Falls Rex Breunsbach 971-8322556 or rbreunsbach@gmail.com. Tamanawas Falls forms a broad curtain where Cold Spring Creek thunders over a 150 ft. lava cliff near the eastern base of Mt. Hood. This hike along scenic Cold Spring Class A: Easy to moderate; less than 8 miles and under 1,500 feet elevation gain Class B: Moderate to difficult; less than 15 miles with 1,500–3,000 feet elevation gain OR 8–15 miles with less than 1,500 feet of elevation gain Class C and Cw: Difficult to strenuous: 15+ miles in distance or 3,000+ feet elevation gain; Class Cw indicates winter conditions Class D and Dw: Very difficult, strenuous trips in challenging conditions. No specific distance or elevation gain. Special equipment, conditioning, and experience may be required. Contact leader for details before the day of the trip is mandatory. Dw indicates winter conditions. “Wilderness—Limit 12” indicates the hike enters a Forest Service-designated Wilderness Area; group size limited to 12.
36 MAZAMAS
Creek has been a traditional trek for families. 4.4 mi., 440 ft., Drive 0, Mazama Lodge 10 a.m. (WF,MH) HK A2.5 May 05 (Sat) St John’s Bridge Loop Sherry Bourdin 503314-2911. Begin on the east side of the St. John’s Bridge then enter Forest Park. Our route will follow a walk of secluded, forested trails that will make you feel you are in the Cascades. This an exceptional, urban hike. We’ll meet on the St John’s Bridge, east end. Plenty of parking in adjoining neighborhoods, easily accessible by public transportation. 8.8 mi., 900 ft., Drive 0, 8:30 a.m. Call Leader for details HK A1.5 May 06 (Sun) Latourell Falls David Zeps davidz24130@ gmail.com. 503-333-7783 Easy but scenic short hike, could be muddy, hiking poles might be useful. 2.4 mi., 520 ft., Drive 45, Gateway 7:30 a.m. (WF)MU HK B2 May 06 (Sun) Dalles Mountain Ranch Loop Hike Bob Breivogel 503-292-2940. The Dalles Mountain Ranch has become an annual pilgrimage for many, and this is the prime time for the overlap of the balsamroot-lupine bloom that has been highlighted in so many area photographs. Old ranch buildings, sweeping vistas, steep rimrock, creeks and a waterfall, and wildlife. 7 mi., 1,310 ft., Drive 194, StatePark, Gateway 8:30 a.m. (GH)
Numeral after class indicates pace. All pace information is uphill speed range; e.g. 1.5 = 1.5–2 mph: a slow to moderate pace; 2 = 2.0–2.5 mph: a moderate speed common on weekend hikes; 2.5 = 2.5–3.0 mph: a moderate to fast pace and is a conditioner. MU: Hike is posted on Meetup. WF: Qualifies for Waterfall Award. AR: Qualifies for Awesome Ridges Award. GH: Qualifies for Gorge High Points Award. WO: Qualifies for Wild Ones Award. MH: Qualifies for Mt. Hood Award. Hike fees: $2 for members, each family participant, and those belonging to clubs in FWOC; $4 for nonmembers. No person will be turned away if they are unable to pay. Street Ramble fees: $2 per person; $1 per person if over 55 or 14 and under. Both members and nonmembers are welcome at all trail trips. Trail Tending events are free.
WEBSITE UPDATES Leaders may schedule a hike after the Bulletin is published, or occasionally a hike location will change. Visit mazamas.org/hike for updates! WESTSIDE STREET RAMBLES: TUESDAYS & THURSDAYS Multiple teams hike at different paces with various leaders. Bring a headlamp. 4–8 miles, 500–1,500 feet. Meet at REI– Pearl, NW 14th and Johnson. Group leaves promptly at 6 p.m. MT. TABOR STREET RAMBLES: WEDNESDAYS 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 will 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 (please arrive early to sign in) 5 mi., 500 ft., Drive 0, Mazamas Mountaineering Center 503227-2345 6 p.m. MORE HIKING Adventurous Young Mazamas (tinyurl.com/mazaymactivities), and other Mazamas lead hikes as well. See the full list at: mazamas.org/activities-events.
HK C2 May 06 (Sun) Table Mountain from Bonneville Bill Stein billstein.rpcv@gmail.com. We’ll ascend the mountain via Heartbreak Ridge and descend via the West Ridge. But we’ll start the hike way back on a trail that will be exploratory for your leader, as this trail reroute has been in effect less than a year. We will maintain a steady pace throughout this long, steep hike, and we can only take folks in excellent condition with recent C hike experience. Poles highly recommended. RSVP required by Fri 5/04. 15.5 mi., 4,300 ft., Drive 84, TH, Gateway 6 a.m. (AR,GH)MU
HK B2 May 07 (Mon) Greenleaf Falls Rex Breunsbach 971-832-2556 or rbreunsbach@gmail.com. Hike through the forest to cascading Greenleaf falls. Greenleaf Falls is the tallest and probably the most dramatic waterfall on Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge. Great views of Table Mountain and the ancient landslide above Bonneville Dam. 9 mi., 1,400 ft., Drive 90, MMC 8 a.m. (WF)
Meeting Places: Gateway–SE corner of P and R Garage near 99th and Pacific (I-84 Exit 7); L and C–Lewis and Clark State Park (1-84 Exit 18); Oswego TC–Boones Ferry Rd at Monroe Parkway; Salmon Creek P and R–Vancouver P and R at 134 St (1-5 Exit 7 or 1-205 Exit 36); Parkrose/Sumner Transit Center–Sandy Blvd. and 98th Ave. (1-205 Exit 23A); Durham–P and R at Boones Ferry and Bridgeport (1-5 Exit 290); MMC– Mazama Mountaineering Center, 527 SE 43rd at Stark; Pendleton–Pendleton Woolen Mills in Washougal; REI–Pearl, NW 14th and Johnson; Target185–Target P/L Sunset Hwy at 185th. Dr.–round-trip driving mileage. ft–Hike elevation gain. TH Pass–USFS parking pass needed for trailhead; SnoPark–Snow park pass. FLTC–3510 SE 164th Ave. in Vancouver. 99th TC–9700 NE 7th Ave. in Vancouver. Trail Trips Hike Rules: Hikers are encouraged to carpool and share costs. The maximum suggested total rate each is a donation of ten cents per mile for up to three people per
vehicle. Dogs are not allowed except for hikes designated as “dog-walks.” Alcohol and firearms are not allowed. Participants should wear appropriate hiking shoes; carry lunch, water, rain gear (umbrella, parka, or poncho), and the 10 essentials (whistle, extra food and clothing, sun protection, map, compass, flashlight, first aid kit, pocket knife, waterproof matches, fire starter). Participants should be in a physical condition appropriate for the difficulty of the hike. Leaders may decline anyone not properly equipped or judged incapable of completing the hike in a reasonable time frame. Hikers voluntarily leaving the group are considered nonparticipants. In case of accident, illness, or incapacity, hikers must pay their medical and/or evacuation expenses whether they authorize them or not. Hikes leave the meeting place at the time listed. Adverse conditions, weather, and combined circumstances can affect difficulty.
HK A2 May 09 (Wed) Duncan Creek Rex Breunsbach 971-832-2556 or rbreunsbach@gmail.com. Scenic forest hike. We will hike up Duncan Creek past Apron and Railcar Falls. 5 mi., 1000 ft., Drive 90, MMC 8 a.m.
HK B1.5 May 12 (Sat) Hamilton Mountain Loop Brett Nair 503-8479550. This very popular trail has a feast of features for hikers, including waterfalls, craggy cliffs, deep forests, superb vistas, and a loop option for the trek. 7.5 mi., 2,135 ft., Drive 88, TH, Gateway 7:30 a.m. MU (WF) HK A2 May 13 (Sun) Memaloose Hills Loop Bob Breivogel 503-2922940. The Memaloose Hills are a popular destination for wildflower enthusiasts. Chatfield Hill, Marsh Hill, and the intervening oak woodlands, savanna, and wetlands provide a brilliant wildflower show in spring. Time for wild flower photography and study. 5.2 mi., 905 ft., Drive 140, Gateway 8:30 a.m. HK B1.5 May 13 (Sun) Bald Butte Priyanka Pendharkar p_pendharkar@ hotmail.com. Above Hood river, with open meadows with flowers in Spring and wooded forest, this hike unique hike offers near continuous views of Mt Hood and the Hood River valley. Long pants and gaiters recommended for ticks. Come prepared for all kinds of weather. 8.4 mi., 2,300 ft., Drive 144, Gateway 8 a.m. (MH)MU DH B2 May 15 (Tue) Crown Zellerbach Trail–East Fork Nehalem River Section Don McCoy donald1020@aol.com. This part of the trail follows the logging tract above the headwaters of the East Fork of the Nehalem River. We will hike the tract down to the Elk Creek Trailhead and then return. Leashed well behaved dogs are welcome. 11.6 mi., 660 ft., Drive 0, Meet at CZ Trailhead across from the Scappoose (B&B) Market, 32284 Scappoose-Vernonia Hwy 9 a.m. HK C2.5 May 20 (Sun) Huckleberry Mtn. (Boulder Ridge) Bill Stein billstein.rpcv@gmail.com. $5 to park, or bring your $80 annual or lifetime senior pass. NW Forest Pass is NOT honored. Wilderness—Limited 12. Starting from the Wildwood boardwalk, steady ramp up to 4,300 ft., where there may be snow. Most of the out-and-back trail is in the forest, but there will be an early and a late viewpoint, and we should see blooming rhododendrons. This is a conditioning-pace hike! Only folks who can maintain a fast uphill pace, with recent C hike experience, are welcome. RSVP required by Fri 5/18. 10.6 mi., 3,450 ft., Drive 72, Clackamas P&R Garage 7 a.m. (AR,WO)MU
HK B2 May 23 (Wed) Bald Butte Larry Solomon muensterhump@ hotmail.com. Hike through grassy meadow and forest with spectacular wildflower displays along the way. Enjoy tremendous summit views extending the entire length of the Hood River Valley to include Mt. Hood, Lookout Mt., St. Helens, Adams & Rainier. 8.4 mi., 2,400 ft., Drive 144, MMC 8 a.m. HK A1.5 May 26 (Sat) Ridgefield NWR Jim Selby 828-508-5094. We will drive/hike the River S unit first, incredible variety of birds and animals. After lunch we go to the Carty unit for a hike with lots of songbirds, back at Gateway no later than 4 p.m. 5 mi., 200 ft., Drive 60, TH, Gateway 8 a.m. HK C2 May 30 (Wed) Salmon Butte Rex Breunsbach 971-8322556 or rbreunsbach@gmail.com. Wilderness—Limited 12. The Salmon Butte Trail is one of the more popular trails in the Salmon-Huckleberry Wilderness. Multi-mountain views with wildflowers from the summit. 11.8 mi., 3,170 ft., Drive 90, MMC 8 a.m. (MH,WO) HK B2 Jun 06 (Wed) Saddle Mountain Bob Breivogel 503-2922940. Mountaintop views that reach from the Pacific Ocean to Mt. Hood await you on this steep climb to the top of a double-peaked summit of basalt. The upper part of the mountain is decorated with vast steep wildflower meadows in summer. Can pick riders at Sunset Transit center (call me). 5.2 mi., 1,600 ft., Drive 96, Target/185th 9 a.m. (AR) HK C2 Jun 09 (Sat) Hardy Mr. Hamilton Larry Solomon muensterhump@hotmail.com. 6th annual birthday bash finds us hiking up the panoramic West Hardy Ridge to Phlox Point for lunch. Then down the East Hardy Ridge, cross a wooden bridge, and up Don’s Cutoff to summit Mt. Hamilton. Then back down and out. Bearers of luxury gifts will receive priority seating at lunch. Discover Pass needed for drivers. 14 mi., 3,400 ft., Drive 93, TH, Gateway 8 a.m. TT Jun 28 (Thu) Mazama Trail Tender Richard Pope 503-860-8789. Wilderness—Limited 12. Volunteer for 1, 2 or all 3 days! Each year the Mazamas repair and maintain our namesake trail on Mt. Hood opening it up for the hiking season. Every season since the Dollar Lake fire we have encountered more trees down so a good turnout is really helpful. Tasks will include cutting logs, trimming brush and clearing drain dips. No experience necessary, distance and elevation listed is the maximum, some days will be shorter. 8 mi., 2,000 ft., Drive 100, TH, MMC 7:30 a.m. MU
BP Jun 29 (Fri) Steen Mountain Gorges Loop Bob Breivogel breivog@teleport.com. Wilderness—Limited 12. This is a challenging backpack into one of Oregon’s premier scenic areas. We will hike up Big Indian Gorge to the Steens Mountain summit. Traverse north along rim to Little Blitzen Gorge, which we will then descend. We will allow 3 days and 3 nights actual hiking for the trip, starting from the South Steens camp trailhead on morning of June 29. Challenges include steep scrambles up and down canyons, stream crossings, and the general desert environment. Plan to return to Portland by evening of July 2. Reach me at breivog@teleport. com or 502-292-2940 to discuss your interest. TT Jun 29 (Fri) Mazama Trail Tender Richard Pope 503-8608789. Wilderness—Limited 12. Volunteer for 1, 2 or all 3 days! Each year the Mazamas repair and maintain our namesake trail on Mt. Hood opening it up for the hiking season. Every season since the Dollar Lake fire we have encountered more trees down so a good turnout is really helpful. Tasks will include cutting logs, trimming brush and clearing drain
dips. No experience necessary, distance and elevation listed is the maximum, some days will be shorter. 8 mi., 2,000 ft., Drive 100, TH, MMC 7:30 a.m. MU TT Jun 30 (Sat) Mazama Trail Tender Richard Pope 503-8608789. Wilderness—Limited 12. Volunteer for 1, 2 or all 3 days! Each year the Mazamas repair and maintain our namesake trail on Mt. Hood opening it up for the hiking season. Every season since the Dollar Lake fire we have encountered more trees down so a good turnout is helpful. Tasks will include cutting logs, trimming brush and clearing drain dips. No experience necessary, distance and elevation listed is the maximum, some days will be shorter. 8 mi., 2,000 ft., Drive 100, TH, MMC 7:30 a.m. MU
MAZAMA TRAIL TENDER
June, 28, 29, 30
Volunteer for 1, 2 or all 3 days! Each year the Mazamas repair and maintain our namesake trail on Mt. Hood opening it up for the hiking season. Every season since the Dollar Lake fire we have encountered more trees down so a good turnout is really helpful. Tasks will include cutting logs, trimming brush and clearing drain dips. No experience necessary, distance and elevation listed is the maximum, some days will be shorter. 8 mi., 2,000 ft., Drive 100, TH, MMC 7:30 a.m. MU Richard Pope 503-860-8789. Wilderness—Limited 12.
MAY 2018 37
THIS MONTH IN EXECUTIVE COUNCIL (MAZAMA BOARD OF DIRECTORS) The next board meeting date is Tuesday, March 17. All meetings begin at 4 p.m. and are open to all members. There is a member comment period at 5:30 p.m. This summary has been approved by the Mazama President or Vice President for publication. Members can access full meeting minutes one month after the meeting at this location: https://mazamas.org/members/executive-council-reports/ (you will need to be signed into the Mazama website to access this page). by Mathew Brock, Library & Historical Collections Manager President Chris Kruell called the Executive Council (EC) meeting to order at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, April 17. Chris reviewed the meeting’s agenda and asked for approval. Motion carried to approve the agenda. Chris reviewed the minutes from the March meeting and asked for approval. Motion carried to approve the minutes. Treasurer Marty Scott reported that at the end of February, total operating revenue for the year is $574,691, and total operating expenses are $767,940. Total assets are $1,213,809. Revenue and expenditures are both tracking under budget. In his Executive Director’s report, Lee Davis reviewed upcoming events. The Mazama Celebration: Award and Volunteer Recognition Event is on April 25 at the Evergreen. The Spring Executive Council Retreat is on May 6. In his facilities update, Lee noted that volunteers have finished painting the conference rooms at the Mazama Mountaineering Center. The reorganization of conference rooms and staff offices is complete. Lee ended his internal reporting by letting the board members who requested it know that a list of members with outstanding dues is forthcoming. In external reporting, Lee outlined ongoing advocacy work. Lee was in Washington D.C. speaking with members of Congress on behalf of the Outdoor Industry Association. Lee reported that discussions with congressional members were positive. Rep. Ron Wyden’s Recreation Not Red Tape Act has gained a co-sponsor, Rep. Rob Bishop (R, Utah). As part of the congressional review process, the Government Accounting Office measured the impact of outdoor recreation across the nation at the congressional district level. This data gives the Outdoor Industry more leverage and clout when speaking to members of Congress. Closer to home, Claire Nelson, Mazama Youth & Outreach Program Manager, will take over representing the Mazamas on the Oregon Roadmap to the Outdoors working group. Lee wrapped up his report by noting that he will join Justin Rotherham, Education & Activities Program Manager, in Denver, CO, 38 MAZAMAS
for a three-day UIAA meeting to continue work on national climbing standards. Sarah Bradham, Marketing & Communications Director, gave an update on the IT project. The first round of climb registration using the new IT system went live on Monday, April 16 and save for a few minor bugs, was successful. In the first round, there were over four hundred applicants for the first twenty-seven climbs. Sarah then shared with the council some data visualizations generated by the new system. For the first time, the Mazamas will have an objective understanding of the demographics of climb applicants and participants. Sarah will be giving leader training workshops and one-to-one training for climb leaders to learn the new system. Vice President Laura Pigion gave an update on the Mazama Ranch at Smith Rock. Deschutes County approved the permit for the eight -bed bed-and-breakfast at the Ranch but denied the license for the campground. Laura is scheduled to meet with the Teresa Bright, project manager, David Byrne, project architect, and a representative from the Mazamas Foundation to discuss the feasibility of the project moving forward and next steps. Justin Rotherham, Education & Activities Program Manager and Steve Rollins of Pinnacle Consulting, gave an update the Change Management Project. Steve is midway through his process of interviewing Mazama thought leaders and volunteers. Steve is working with President Kruell, Vice President Pigion, Lee, and Sarah on reviewing the Mazama mission statement to ensure it best reflects the direction of the organization. He will be working with Justin to schedule several workshops to explore the “Mazama experience” and with Sarah to form a communication plan to explain the recently adopted Mazamas2020 strategic plan to members. Sarah returned to give an update on upcoming Volunteer Appreciation Event. Ticket sales for this year’s event are ahead of last years with roughly 170 tickets sold out of 220. The program will mirror last year with
a social hour before and after the volunteer appreciation and award program. The event will feature raffle prizes and thank you gifts for members as they leave the event. Chris Kruell reviewed the agenda for the May 6 council retreat and introduced the meeting facilitator, Denis Lee. To help facilitate the expected conversation around the change management project, Denis will be meeting with council and key staff members to get up to speed on the project and better understand the goals of the spring retreat. Keith Campbell gave an update on the Mazama Lodge Renovation project. The Lodge is close to sixty years old and is showing its age. The Mazamas have retained Walsh Construction to renovate and upgrade the upstairs bathrooms. The Lodge will close between Labor Day and Thanksgiving to accommodate the construction work. Keith informed the council that the Lodge would soon need additional work, including new exterior stairs and ADA accessibility upgrades. Lee and Keith asked the board to approve fees so that the architects can move forward with drawing up the renovation plans. The council approved the request. No member chose to speak at the 5:30 p.m. member comment period. The next Executive Council meeting is Tuesday, May 15, at 4 p.m.
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