AMERICAN ALPINE CLUB
GUIDEBOOK TO MEMBERSHIP JOIN US.
GET INVOLVED.
MEET CLIMBERS.
2013
MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
Desert splitters, bloody fingers
Dawn’s first splinter
Spindrift’s hiss, summit bliss Dream, live, reminisce Mushroom Boulder, White Spider
Laphroaig, no water
Uncharted, edge of the map
Fellowship, giving back
WE ARE THE AAC.
THE BASICS // 1
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AAC MEMBERS SHARE Every day AAC members write to us with their stories. Share your experience—we’d love to hear from you! info@americanalpineclub.org
Kim Havell
For mountain people, there is no better club. Being part of the AAC community means investing back into your passions. Not only does the club advocate for, represent, and support all our efforts in the field, it also offers many benefits and resources. It is a group from whom to gain inspiration and knowledge, as well as to share and collaborate on experiences in the mountains.
Nick Watson
These guys are serious about climbing and getting climbers the resources they need. But it goes beyond that. The AAC isn’t just a resource provider—we’re a community that cares for each other. When no one else believed in my small veteran climbing non-profit (Veterans Expeditions), the AAC did, and that helped get us off the ground. That’s what community is all about.
Mia Axon
The American Alpine Club gives those of us who have a passion for climbing an opportunity to connect with others who share our way of life. Through memberships and contributions we help pay for climbing resources we personally enjoy, such as the Journal, AAC library, and campgrounds; we also support other climbers who are pursuing their dreams.
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Stuart Hale
As climbers, many of us have allowed the experiences of the sport to define our lives. Generations of these experiences have built a unique history, tradition, and culture. The AAC serves as an anchor to those lives and history, while leading to provide opportunities for developing new ones.
Wolf Riehle
My passion for the mountains is mirrored in the American Alpine Club. The Club serves two important aspects in my climbing and mountaineering life: a gateway to a world full of adventure, impressions, insights, and enduring friendships as well as a bridge that transmits the long tradition of American climbing into today and the future.
Linda & Tom McMillan
Our AAC memberships have enabled us to achieve our goals in international rock climbing, alpinism, and the protection of the mountains that we love, through the rare and wonderful generational and international “glue” that AAC membership supplies to its members: mountain fellowship. Younger climbers might not realize that huge value until they’ve experienced it.
Shannon Davis
What first attracted me to AAC membership 10 years ago was the rescue insurance. I was heading to Denali and needed... something! This was during a period of my life when I didn’t even have car insurance—and I lived in my van! And this was an affordable solution with tons of other benefits. What has kept me a member over the years—whether heading somewhere far-flung or not—is the other stuff: being instantly tapped into a community of climbers in my region, the climber huts, the library, fun, informative events. What’s not to love?
Hans Florine
I love the AAC because I can network with people who share the same love of climbing and climbing stories. Second only to climbing is sharing your stories about climbing. I love the confidence of traveling to odd places knowing the AAC rescue insurance is backing me up. I love that there is much to be accomplished with the experience of the ages married with the exuberance of the young.
Sara Schneider
The AAC opened my eyes to the endless definitions of what it means to be a climber. The club brings together sport climbers with mountaineers, big-wallers with boulderers, beginners with pioneers and professionals, to support the one thing we can’t live without. It is important for our community to protect and enrich climbing for present and future generations. I love the AAC for taking on that challenge!
Paul Lego
We joined the AAC because it connects us to an amazing group of people who love what we love—to climb. Where else in the world could my 16-year-old son hear stories and get advice first hand from the likes of Jim Whittaker and Tom Hornbein? The AAC helps connect our youngest generation of climbers with an extremely important climbing family and legacy.
THE BASICS // 3
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AAC WELCOME Together, We are Stronger.
Sometimes—when I watch a climbing film, hear about a great new route, or even recall my own glory days—I fall into the lazy habit of believing accomplishment is a solo endeavor. Would Tom and Willi have climbed the West Ridge of Everest without each other, or the rest of their team? What about Chris—would he be pioneering 5.15 without a skilled belayer, and encouragement from his family and friends? It’s easy to forget that remarkable accomplishments are born out of remarkable fellowship. Climbers are passionate, bold, and resourceful. When we join together as a club we amplify our impact, pooling volunteerism and resources to make big things happen. Together, members and staff launch national and international campaigns that result in policies supportive of climbing. Together we keep our climbing areas open, clean, and safe. Our library and publications, and the volunteers that keep them running, document, preserve, and share climbing knowledge so it will never be lost. And we lend a global belay for each other—if one of us falls anywhere on Earth, we have a support system ready to catch that fall. None of these programs would be possible without you, without passionate climbers joining forces.
This Book is a Guide to the Good. It gives you all the resources you need to learn about your AAC—and how to play a role. Leave this Guidebook where you and your friends can peruse it over time. You’ll be surprised at how valuable your membership really is, and how many opportunities you have to contribute. You’ll see how far your reach can be. So please read on. Take action with your fellow climbers—12,000 members strong. Because we will accomplish so much more together than we ever could alone.
Phil Powers Executive Director, American Alpine Club
Five days climbing, camping, and relaxing up in Glacier Gorge, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. AAC member Garrett Grove
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THE BASICS //
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01
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INSIDE GUIDE THE BASICS mission • membership • get involved
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CONSERVATION & ADVOCACY Together, we’re fighting for open and clean climbing areas.
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BENEFITS rescue • insurance • publications • museum • library • discounts • trips • events
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LODGING Grand Teton Climbers’ Ranch • Hueco Rock Ranch • New River Gorge Campground • Snowbird Hut • Gunks Campground update • global huts
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GRANTS $100,000 for climbers of every level.
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MEMBERSHIP THROUGH THE LENS Your fellow Club members in action.
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IN YOUR BACKYARD regions and sections • community • local opportunities and discounts
60 64 68 72 76 80 84
NORTHWEST WESTERN ROCKIES CENTRAL NORTHEAST SOUTHEAST 2012 YEAR IN REVIEW awards • grant winners • annual report • great ranges • donors • partners
Kevin Grove of Bend, OR, hikes past the foot of the Llaca Glacier during the Cordillera Blanca Environmental Expedition in Peru (now the American Climber Science Program). AAC member Clinton Lewis
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THE BASICS //
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AAC OUR MISSION
We provide knowledge and inspiration, conservation and
> Access Fund
advocacy, and logistical support for the climbing community.
Board of Directors > AMGA
[ HONORARY OFFICERS ] Honorary President > William Lowell Putnam Honorary Treasurer > Theodore (Sam) Streibert
[ BOARD OF DIRECTORS ] Term Ending 2013 > George Lowe, III > Cody Smith > Travis Spitzer
> Karen Daubert > Ken Ehrhart > John Heilprin > Mary Hsue > Rebecca Schild
[ EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ] President > Mark Kroese Vice President > Charles J. Sassara III Secretary > Doug Walker Treasurer > Paul Gagner
Term Ending 2014 > Clark Gerhardt > Jim Logan > Dave Riggs
[ YOUR NEW BOARD MEMBERS ] Term Ending 2016 > Deanne Buck > Philip Duff > Chuck Fleischman
Term Ending 2015 > Brad Brooks > Doug Colwell > Matt Culberson
> UIAA
Thank you to all our volunteers!
We support and partner with these organizations.
The American Alpine Club
> 710 10th Street, Suite 100 Golden, CO 80401 Telephone: (303) 384-0110 Website: americanalpineclub.org
Printed in the USA
> All rights reserved. Copyright Š 2013 The American Alpine Club. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. Photographs copyrighted by photographer unless otherwise noted.
[Cover] Ben Rueck deep water soloing in Thailand. Poda Island. AAC member David Clifford Photography [Page 1] AAC member Andrew Burr
AMERICAN ALPINE CLUB
GUIDEBOOK TO MEMBERSHIP JOIN US.
Editors
> Erik Lambert, AAC > Whitney Orban, AAC > Jeff Deikis, AAC
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Art Directors
> David Boersma, AAC > Randall Levensaler Creative
Ben Rush, Trench Warfare (5.12d), Hanging Slab, LCC, UT. AAC member Andrew Burr
Interns
> Jeff Wise > Chris Feldbush
GET INVOLVED.
MEET CLIMBERS.
2013
MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
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AAC WHO WE ARE Staff > Phil Powers
> Penn Burris
> Keegan Young
Executive Director
Director of Operations / CFO
Development Director
ppowers@americanalpineclub.org
pburris@americanalpineclub.org
kyoung@americanalpineclub.org
> John Bragg
> Erik Lambert
> Craig Hoffman
Membership / Community Programs Director
Information & Marketing Director
IT Director
jbragg@americanalpineclub.org
elambert@americanalpineclub.org
choffman@americanalpineclub.org
> Shelby Arnold Museum Director sarnold@mountaineeringmuseum.org
> David Boersma Marketing Manager dboersma@americanalpineclub.org > Tricia Boomhower Membership / Community Programs Assistant tboomhower@americanalpineclub.org
> Debbie & Gary Bunten GTCR Assistant Management Team > Jeff Deikis Western Regional Coordinator jdeikis@americanalpineclub.org > Eddie Espinosa Northwest Regional Coordinator eespinosa@americanalpineclub.org > Jenn Flemming Rocky Mountain Regional Coordinator jflemming@americanalpineclub.org
> Sarah Garlick Northeast Regional Coordinator sgarlick@americanalpineclub.org
> Carol Kotchek Accountant ckotchek@americanalpineclub.org
> Elizabeth Surles Digitization Archivist esurles@americanalpineclub.org
> Lindsay Griffin Senior Editor, American Alpine Journal mounaininfo@btinternet.com
> Dougald MacDonald Executive Editor dmacdonald@americanalpineclub.org
> Philip Swiny GTCR Manager Hueco Rock Ranch Manager pswiny@americanalpineclub.org
> Vickie Hormuth Development Manager vhormuth@americanalpineclub.org
> Janet Miller Executive Assistant & Grants Manager jmiller@americanalpineclub.org
> Lisa Hummel Southeast Regional Coordinator lhummel@americanalpineclub.org
> Erik Rieger Assistant Editor erieger@americanalpineclub.org
> Jason Kehl Hueco Rock Ranch Asst. Manager jkehl@americanalpineclub.org
> Katie Sauter Library Manager ksauter@americanalpineclub.org
> Gene Kistler NRG Campground Contractor
> Lauren Shockey Membership Coordinator lshockey@americanalpineclub.org
Q • Who made the first ascent of the Washburn Face on Denali with Greg Collins in 1991?
> Jed Williamson Volunteer Editor, Accidents in North American Mountaineering jedwmsn@mac.com
Interns > Erin DeMarco Conservation & Advocacy Intern > Chris Feldbush Online Media Intern > Jeff Wise Online Media Intern
THE BASICS //
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MEMBERSHIP BASICS LEARN
CALL
americanalpineclub.org
info@americanalpineclub.org
(303) 384-0110
On these two pages, you’ll find the nitty-gritty on AAC Membership: how to use it, what to expect, and some of the things you can do. You’ll find details on specific benefits deeper in this book.
Membership Types There are six types of American Alpine Club Memberships. All offer the same basic benefits, but each has a different price, offering you the option to buy the right membership for you and your partner or family. > REGULAR $75 / year
> JUNIOR $40 / year
> SENIOR $50 / year
> JOINT $125 / year
The standard membership. Full suite of AAC Member Benefits.
Members 28 and younger get all AAC benefits for a discounted rate.
Members 66 and older get all AAC benefits for a discounted rate.
For two climbers: partners, spouses, residents of the same van, whatever. Both members get AAC benefits, but we send only one set of publications and mailings to one address to keep it ecofriendly—and wallet-friendly ($25 savings).
LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP Show your dedication to the climbing community and support your fellow members and climbers for life. Dues are permanently waived after this one-time payment. Benefits forever, baby! > LIFETIME $1,750 > LIFETIME JOINT $2,950 Lifetime memberships will increase on Oct. 1
Starting October 1, 2013, AAC memberships will cost $5 more/person. This is our first price increase in more than a decade and helps the AAC cover rising costs. Additionally we have added numerous member benefits over the last two years, including better rescue service, more social events, and campgrounds at Hueco and the New River Gorge. We are vigilant about maximizing the value of your member dues. Thank you for your understanding and support.
Logging In LOG IN americanalpineclub.org/login
Visit americanalpineclub.org and click on the “LOG IN” button in the navigation bar at the top right of your browser window. Your username is your on-file email address, and your password was sent to that account at time of joining—check your email for that password or use our “Forgot Password” service. Still having trouble? Contact us at (303) 384-0110 or info@americanalpineclub.org for help.
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When you log in, you’ll be taken right to Your Profile: Your AAC Profile page gives you access to a Proof-of-Membership Letter, the library catalog, and the most recent digital (and now full-color!) American Alpine Journal. It also gives direct access to members-only discounts. Be sure to upload a picture and keep your profile info up-todate to more easily connect with other members. We’re working to make member profile pages more useful and entertaining for members.
• Our very own Phil Powers, AAC Excutive Director.
Renew Your Membership RENEW
The AAC Website
americanalpineclub.org/renew
Sure you don’t need to be an AAC member to read the blog, peruse the library catalog, scan the events calendar, and shop in the store, but logging in as a member makes it that much better. Here’s why: > Access Your Benefits. Direct access to magazine discounts, gear discounts, hut upgrades, and more.
> Manage Your Account. Renew your membership with our easy new checkout process. Edit your profile so it’s easier to connect with your fellow members.
Once you’re logged in, type in the address above, or click the “Member Search” tab under “Community” in the website navigation bar. You can type in a postal code, city, state, country, first name, last name, or email address and members matching those search terms will come up on your screen. You can even search by climbing area!
Publications and Online Content
CONNECT americanalpineclub.org/connect Every year that you are an AAC member, you’ll get three publications in the mail: the American Alpine Journal, Accidents in North American Mountaineering, and this helpful little book, the AAC Guidebook to Membership. You’ll find more info on the AAJ and ANAM on page 22. If those aren’t enough to sate your climbing hunger, you will also receive regular e-newsletters filled with news, events, and trip reports on fresh, exciting climbs. Don’t forget about our website, social media, and other online channels. Visit the link above to access everything online that’s AAC.
When it’s time to renew, we’ll send you reminders by print and email. Help save us some paper and cash by renewing early at americanalpineclub.org/renew. No matter when you renew, we’ll bump your membership out by a full 12 months. Make it really easy on yourself by setting up auto-renew—this will ensure that your benefits never lapse. Simply check the auto-renew box next time you renew by credit card, and you’ll be set. If you ever need to change your billing info, give us a call at (303) 384-0110 and we’ll sort everything out.
Give
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Q•
americanalpineclub.org/give
As an AAC member, your dues cover the broad benefits we provide each other including rescue services, climbing grants, regional staff support, advocacy work, online resources, and publications. We maximize our collective buying power to return a combined benefit-value far exceeding basic dues. Thanks to members who contribute above and beyond their basic dues, we are able to accomplish much more. Some of these specific projects are the Grand Teton Climbers’ Ranch, the Henry S. Hall American Alpine Club Library, and local projects like the John L. Horn Sport Climbing Grant or the Chris Pruchnic Wilderness First Responder Grant. Learn about our Great Ranges Fellowship program on page 90.
Volunteering
VOLUNTEER
AAC Membership Card Your card is the key. Keep it in your wallet and flash it at any of our partners’ locations or at AAC events to get discounts on admission fees, lodging, gear, gyms, guide services, and more across the country and around the world. Specific discounts are detailed in the Regions chapter that starts on page 58. It also has our rescue service phone number on the back. In a jam? Whip out the card, dial them up, and a helicopter will whisk you away to safety on the AAC’s dime. Find details on page 20.
GIVE
volunteer@americanalpineclub.org Want to improve your crag? Host an event? Give back to the climbing community? Help the AAC do even more great things? Volunteer with the AAC! We have a wonderful network of volunteers. We could never accomplish all that we do without dedication from enthusiastic climbers around the country. To get involved, flip to the next page or find your Section in the Regional chapter of this book, then get in touch with your Section Chair or Regional Coordinator. And you can always email us here: volunteer@americanalpineclub.org.
How old was Bradford Washburn when he first climbed Mt. Washington?
THE BASICS // 11
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AAC HOW TO GET INVOLVED GET INVOLVED. Since 1902, the driving force behind the American Alpine Club has been its members. Volunteers founded the club, located and helped purchase our first offices in New York City, and were instrumental in developing our current headquarters at the American Mountaineering Center in Golden. Since then the AAC has been built by members like you who donate countless hours of their time. Together we organize club nights at the local gym, build and repair trails, open the Grand Teton Climbers’ Ranch for the season, maintain the library, represent the AAC at climbing events all across the country, and much more.
VOLUNTEER volunteer@americanalpineclub.org surveymonkey.com/s/aac-volunteer
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AAC MEMBERS
Volunteering with the AAC is fun! You meet great people and do good work—for yourself, for others, and for climbing. To get involved, talk to a membervolunteer at any of the hundreds of events we attend each year. Or contact us and we’ll get in touch with you:
Allison Otto
I grew up in the mountains of Colorado and have always felt most alive in the outdoors. Through my membership with the American Alpine Club I’ve been able to connect with people who are as passionate about the outdoors as I am, and I discovered that the Club offers amazing grants, hosts get-togethers, offers fantastic discounts on gear and lodging, and houses an extensive library filled with mountaineering books, maps, and archival materials. In fact, I loved the library so much that I began volunteering there and I’m so honored to see firsthand all the mountaineering history that the Club preserves and knowledge they’re willing to share.
AAC members holding down the fort at the 10th Annual Red Rock Rendezvous in Las Vegas, NV. AAC staff member Jeff Deikis
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• Age 11. Washburn became an AAC member when he was 22 years old.
Q • What is the longest mountain range in the world?
THE BASICS // 13
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CONSERVATION & ADVOCACY
We are a community that believes the places we climb, wherever they may be, are worth caring and fighting for. So together we advocate, organize, and take direct action to protect and conserve those places. AAC volunteers build trails, host crag clean-ups, scrub graffiti, plant trees, and educate their peers on best practices. Beyond coordinating these opportunities, we provide numerous grants that fund important infrastructure to keep climbing areas clean and science projects that improve our collective knowledge about mountain environments. Along with partners such as the Access Fund and American Mountain Guides Association, the AAC also works toward influencing national issues that matter to climbers. Our work internationally with the UIAA also helps form land-management policies across the globe. By simply being a member of the AAC, you support important projects like these. Got a project of your own? Let us know and get involved!
Nik Berry & Rob Duncan, Lone Peak Cirque, Wasatch Mountains, UT. AAC member Andrew Burr
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A • The Andes, which span more than 4,900 miles. (Second Place: the Rocky Mountains)
Q • What is the highest altitude that microbe samples have been collected on an AAC-sponsored trip?
THE BASICS //
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CONSERVATION
Local Conservation The AAC works alongside the Access Fund and local groups to maintain access, cleanliness, and to protect crags across the United States. The newly established Cornerstone Conservation Grant (p. 42) awards $25,000 every year to members who have ideas about how their community can make their local climbing area a more enjoyable and sustainable place.
Conservation Abroad Members traveling anywhere in the world can directly support the longterm health of our climbing areas by helping scientists gather data (see p. 46). Through grants, the Club also grows our collective knowledge about climbers and mountain environments.
GET INVOLVED. 1. Volunteer time to improve your local climbing area.
VOLUNTEER volunteer@americanalpineclub.org surveymonkey.com/s/aac-volunteer
2. Write your legislator when the AAC or Access Fund distributes an Action Alert.
4. Team up with scientists by getting involved in our new Climb for the Climate program (p. 46).
3. Does your climbing area need a toilet, trail, or parking lot? Apply for a Cornerstone Grant (p. 42).
5. Know of a local access issue that’s brewing? Contact the AAC.
[Top] Climbers do some trail maintenance at the 2012 International Climbers’ Meet, Yosemite National Park, CA. AAC member Andrew Burr [Bottom] Volunteers Daniel Jordan and Taylor Roozen doing some heavy-duty trail maintanence at Smith Rock, OR. Smith Rock Group member Ian Caldwell
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A • 23,000’ by Hari Mix. His 2012 trip to the Pamirs was sponsored by a Live Your Dream Grant.
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ADVOCACY LEARN
CALL
americanalpineclub.org/conservation
conservation@americanalpineclub.org
(303) 384-0110
In April, AAC Executive Director Phil Powers teamed up with our friends at the Access Fund to visit key policymakers at the nation’s capital. During their trip to Washington, D.C., they met with legislative staff from WV, ID, NV and CO and top officials of federal land management agencies. Keeping climbing issues on the radar of influential decision-makers and educating them about the sport of climbing and the interests of climbers is one of the main priorities at the AAC.
Local Advocacy
Advocacy Abroad
The AAC has a strong stance on many issues and policies that impact the climbing community. We use our collective voice in Washington, D.C. and at the local level to impact decisions regarding recreation fees in public areas, fixed anchor guidelines across the country (particularly in Wilderness areas), cliff closure policies due to raptor nesting, and other access issues.
Partnering with the UIAA and other groups, the AAC facilitates a healthy climbing community abroad. The AAC is the only national climbing organization that protects and serves Americans when they’re traveling internationally.
Been There, Done That Thanks to countless hours invested by AAC volunteers and staff advocating for climbers, in May, Jon Jarvis, Director of the National Park Service, signed Director’s Order #41, which has significant implications for how climbers can enjoy recreating in Wilderness areas of the National Park System. Director’s Order #41 marks the first time a land management agency has given national direction that climbing is a legitimate activity in Wilderness, and that fixed anchors necessary for climbing are also allowed. For several decades, the AAC has been involved in the negotiations for this language in collaboration with the Access Fund. We hope the precedent set by the National Park Service will also be adopted by other agencies including the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service. We as a community continue advocating on behalf of climbers everwhere, everyday.
Phil Powers (left) teams up with our friends at the Access Fund for a joint advocacy trip to Washington, D.C. AAC member Leigh Goldberg
Q • What mountain was first climbed in 1858 and is famous for its mile-high north wall?
THE BASICS //
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Chris Weidner
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AAC MEMBERS
The AAC is the backbone of the American climbing community, representing us and advocating our climbing interests to the public. This is why I’m a member. But the AAC does so much more, like supporting our global community by hosting climbing meets in our country and supporting others all over the world. I’ve attended climbing meets in Iran, the U.K., Russia, Indian Creek, and Yosemite, and the relationships I built throughout these meets are what made them some of the most meaningful experiences I’ve ever had.
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A • The Eiger, located in the Bernese Alps.
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AAC BENEFITS
As a member of the American Alpine Club, you get hundreds of benefits that start the second you sign up. So keep your member card handy—it will save you some dough. This section details everything you need to know about your national benefits: rescue, library privileges, lodging options, AAC publications, and events information—plus all the discounts you can take advantage of with our media partners and industry partners.
[ inside benefits ] > Page 20 - 21 // Rescue & Insurance > Page 22 - 23 // Publications & Library > Page 24 - 25 // Museum & Discounts > Page 26 - 29 // Trips & Events
Matt Segal talks falling during his slideshow at the AAC’s 2nd Annual Spring Cling event, Furst World Studio, Joshua Tree, CA. AAC staff member Jeff Deikis
Q • What is the average cost of an AAC member rescue?
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AAC RESCUE GET RESCUE
LEARN
CALL
Global Rescue (617) 459-4200
americanalpineclub.org/rescue
(303) 384-0110
$10,000 to Every Member AAC members in good standing are automatically enrolled in both a $5,000 Trailhead Rescue membership with Global Rescue, and a $5,000 Domestic Rescue Benefit. The two services combined provide $10,000 in Rescue Services to every member. Additional Global Rescue services can be purchased by AAC members at a discount.
Trailhead Rescue*
Domestic Rescue Benefit*
Trailhead Rescue service provides the member with $5,000 of coverage for rescue and evacuation by or under the direction of Global Rescue personnel.
Domestic Rescue Benefit reimburses up to $5,000 of rescue costs incurred by members. Should a member require rescue by, for example, local Search and Rescue teams, the AAC will reimburse that member for out-of-pocket costs.
Beta > $5,000 Global Coverage > Step past the trailhead and you’re covered > Climbing, hiking, backcountry skiing, mountain biking, and more—if it’s human powered and you’re injured, you’re covered > No elevation restriction > Can be used in addition to the Domestic Rescue Benefit
!
To use the Trailhead Rescue service, members must call Global Rescue as soon as possible during an emergency. Call (617) 459-4200.
Been There, Done That In 2012, 20 members were rescued in USA, Nepal, Argentina, France, and Switzerland, thanks to AAC Trailhead Rescue benefits.
> Upgrade AAC members can purchase additional Global Rescue coverage at a 5% discount. Learn more at americanalpineclub.org/ rescue.
Beta > $5,000 Coverage > U.S. Only. Canada and Mexico excluded > Step past the trailhead and you’re covered > Get rescued, file a claim within 30 days of evacuation, get a check > Can be used in addition to the Trailhead Rescue service
FILE CLAIM Call (617) 426-6613 or email claims@americanalpineclub.org
*It is very important to note that Trailhead Rescue coverage and the Domestic Rescue Benefit expire if a climber allows his or her AAC membership to lapse. If, for instance, your AAC membership expiration date is December 31, 2013, and you don’t renew by that time, both benefits expire on that date.
Flight For Life, Rocky Mountain Rescue Group, and Rocky Mountain Rangers rescue an injured climber below The Diamond on Long’s Peak, CO. Flight For Life
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A • $4,600 is the average cost of rescue for members who have not purchased a Global Rescue upgrade.
More Insurance Options Health / Accident / Travel / Life Finding a half-decent insurance package that covers your climbing habit can be a real challenge. Since we all deserve insurance for ourselves and our families, the AAC has partnered with Nicholas Hill Benefits Group and Adventure Advocates to provide insurance packages that are actually designed for outdoor enthusiasts. Packages are custom tailored to your activities and only available to AAC members. Simply visit either website below to get a quote.
LEARN americanalpineclub.org/insurance
CALL Insurance (866) 306-3997
WEB nicholashillgroup.com/aac
Q • How many AAC members used rescue benefits in 2012?
BENEFITS // 21
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AAC PUBLICATIONS American Alpine Journal
LEARN americanalpineclub.org/aaj americanalpineclub.org/anam
Published since 1929, the American Alpine Journal is the premier annual record of “The World’s Most Significant Climbs.” AAC members receive a free copy of the 400page AAJ (retail $35). This year the AAJ will be printed in full color for the first time and puts more focus on rock climbs, especially in the Lower 48. AAC members also have free access to the 2013 digital edition. Simply log in to your profile (p. 10) to download the entire book as a PDF. Want to search our tens of thousands of AAJ articles dating back to 1929? We recently launched a new search feature that gives you access to more than 24,000 articles from the AAJ and Accidents at publications.americanalpineclub.org.
SEARCH publications.americanalpineclub.org
READ americanalpineclub.org/profile aaj.americanalpineclub.org
SUBMIT A REPORT aaj@americanalpineclub.org anam@americanalpineclub.org
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Beta
BUY Members get free copies. Consider a gift: shop.americanalpineclub.org
> 2013 AAJ will be shipped to AAC members in August 2013
Accidents in North American Mountaineering The mountains we love can be unforgiving at times. In order to be more prepared for our adventures, the AAC publishes Accidents in North American Mountaineering. Our goal is to record the most interesting climbing accidents of the year and analyze what went wrong. We hope this service helps you learn from the mistakes of others, come home safely, and climb again tomorrow.
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20 AAC members.
Beta > 2013 Accidents will be shipped to AAC members in August 2013 > All 60 years of Accidents is now online for the first time ever. Search thousands of articles at publications.americanalpineclub.org
GET INVOLVED. Volunteer from anywhere! Make AAJ and Accidents articles more accessible by tagging information from the comfort of your home. Interested? Email esurles@americanalpineclub.org
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AAC LIBRARY LEARN
CALL
americanalpineclub.org/library
library@americanalpineclub.org
(303) 384-0112
AAC Library The Henry S. Hall Jr. American Alpine Club Library provides you with all the information you could ever want on mountain culture and climbing routes. Located in Golden, Colorado, we’re able to help you find the information you’re looking for even if you’re across the globe. We have a collection of more than 50,000 books and videos. About 10,000 of them are so rare they can only be found in a few libraries in the world. Around 20,000—devoted to mountaineering, history, alpinism, rock climbing, ice climbing, bouldering, and the mountain environment—are available for checkout. As an AAC member, you can borrow up to 10 books and five videos for 28 days. For members outside the Golden area, library staff will mail you the guidebooks, videos, or other books for free (within the U.S.). The only cost to you is the return postage and shipping insurance. Doing research? In addition to the huge collection of books, the library has the most comprehensive collection of climbing magazines and climbing club annual publications from all over the world. We also collect historic letters, diaries, scrapbooks, and photos that document the culture of climbing. Can’t make it to Golden to take a look at our archives but see something in our catalog you want to know more about? Our staff and volunteers are happy to do the research for you.
Beta > Check out 5 films and 10 books at a time > Keep your items for 28 days > We’ll ship to you free—you only pay return shipping > Members receive one hour of free research per month (unused hours do not accrue)
Guidebook Finder
AAC Library Volunteers & Staff > Regina Argo > Allison Bailey > Julia Blase > Wes Brown > Matt Klick > Nicholas Clinch > Dan Cohen > Stan Dempsy
> Ken Ehrhart > Kristen Elliot > Greg Glade > Brianna Hartzell > Chris Jaquet > Bob Loveman > Adam McFarren > Noah McKelvin
> Jim Moss > Allison Otto > Erich Purpur > Mark Renson > Katie Sauter > Tony Shouse > Elizabeth Surles > Wendy Thomas
FIND A GUIDEBOOK americanalpineclub.org/guidebookfinder
Every year we get in more guidebooks—new and old—and the amount of information contained in this section of the library alone is immense. From hand-drawn topos to the most current SuperTopo guides, we’ve got it all—at last count we had 3,500 guidebooks available. Use this online tool to discover climbing areas and their guidebooks across the United States. AAC Library. AAC member Andrew Bradberry
Q•
How many items in the AAC library catalog contain the word ”mountain”?
BENEFITS //
23
••• AAC members receive a special, discounted $3 rate when they visit the Museum.
>
AAC MUSEUM
The Bradford Washburn American Mountaineering Museum LEARN
CALL
mountaineeringmuseum.org
info@mountaineeringmuseum.org
(303) 996-2755
The Bradford Washburn American Mountaineering Museum opened to the public in February 2008. A joint venture of the American Alpine Club, the Colorado Mountain Club, and the National Geographic Society, the 3,500-squarefoot museum is the centerpiece of the American Mountaineering Center in Golden, Colorado. This interactive museum is the only one in the United States exclusively dedicated to rock climbing and mountaineering. It has exhibits on history, mountain cultures, safety and equipment, and more. Unique artifacts include the ice axe Pete Schoening used to save five falling climbers on K2 in 1953, as well as the clothing and equipment worn by Jim Whittaker during the first American ascent of Mt. Everest.
Explore Explore is a new community resource that shares the AAC’s special and digital collections online. For more than a century, the Club has collected letters, diaries, photographs, gear, and other materials that give vital and unique information about our community’s history and culture. Until recently these archives could be seen only by visiting the AAC in Golden, Colorado. But today you can access thousands of artifacts—and the stories behind them—online. There’s even a way for you to contribute your own digital resources to our growing collection. Check it out!
!
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GET INVOLVED. LEARN Volunteers can support this project remotely since resources can be tagged online. Interested? Email esurles@americanalpineclub.org.
24 // BENEFITS
A • 3,923.
explore.americanalpineclub.org
>
AAC DISCOUNTS
ACCESS americanalpineclub.org/profile The AAC offers members-only discounts on a variety of items—magazine subscriptions, outerwear, ropes, books, and more! Below you’ll find details on many of these discounts.
Gym & Guide Discounts We’ve listed gym and guide discounts regionally in this guide. Simply find the local gyms in the regions that interest you (pages 58–83).
LEARN americanalpineclub.org/discounts
EMAIL info@americanalpineclub.org
CALL (303) 384-0110
Gear Discounts The Club works with its Corporate Partners (see page 94) to provide discounts on gear, books, and more. The list of available benefits is constantly expanding, so check our website for the most updated information. Most discounts are resolved through the use of special, Club-only coupon codes. To get your codes simply follow these steps: 1. Log onto the AAC website (instructions on page 10) 2. Visit your profile (americanalpineclub.org/profile) 3. Click the button for Members-Only Discounts. For Promotive purchases, click the Promotive button.
Magazine Discounts All of the discounts below are available to AAC members at any time—just log on to your member profile (see page 12 for instructions) or give us a call.
1 year, 4 issues, $39.95 If you have any troubles logging in, or simply prefer the phone, please call the office and we’ll set you up. 1 year,10 issues, $12.95 > American Alpine Club Store—20% off any AAC merchandise in the store > Patagonia—20% off online order > Promotive.com—discounted access to many outdoor brands > Mountain Gear—$15 off online order of $75 or more > Mountainsmith—25% off online order > Mountain Tools—free webolette with order over $75 > Brooks-Range Mountaineering—20% off online order > Top of the World Books—10% off online order, including sale items
Q•
> Sharp End Publishing—25% off any product, except discounted eBook packages > iClimb.com 10% off all downloaded climbing movies > PROBAR—wholesale prices > BlueCosmo Satellite Communications—10% off equipment purchase and rental > ClimbHigh.com—periodic sales > Asana—25% off > RackAttack—exclusive discounts > Olomomo Nut Company—20% off online order
1 year, 8 issues, $9.95
1 year, 9 issues, $9.99 and a free gift: Classic Trails digital booklet
Media Partners like these magazines help support the mission of the American Alpine Club, as well as providing members with these great discounts. See page 95 for a list of our current Media Partners.
How many people have been inducted into the museum’s Hall of Mountaineering Excellence?
BENEFITS // 25
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AAC TRIPS
As members of the AAC we share a common bond, a passion for climbing. Climbing takes us to incredible destinations. It forges friendships, new experiences, and ambitions. So pull out your maps and dream big. This summer and fall, the AAC has more trips planned than ever before. Join us for one or more of these unforgettable adventures, wherever they take you.
International Climbers’ Meet Every year, the AAC hosts an International Climbers’ Meet (ICM), a week-long gathering of climbers from around the world. AAC members and members of international climbing organizations meet in an iconic national climbing destination for a week of climbing, conversation, and stewardship. The 2013 ICM will be hosted at Yosemite National Park in California on October 7-12. The goals of the meets are to promote international friendships, increase communication, provide international guests an insight into American climbing traditions and ethics, and of course to go climbing! International guests and AAC members are partnered with American host climbers for daytime climbing throughout Yosemite Valley, followed by nighttime socializing and carousing. Past host climbers have included Jim Donini, Rob Pizem, Colin Haley, and many more. The AAC ICMs are not intended solely for top-end climbers. The diversity of attendees enhances the conversation and the experience for all attending.
Canada Mountain Adventures The Alpine Club of Canada is now extending the benefits of its Mountain Adventures program to AAC members! These camps and trips offer something for everyone, whether you’re an aspiring mountaineer or have years of experience. All trips are professionally guided and all-inclusive, and many are based in cozy backcountry huts.
Beta > General Mountaineering Camp, Scotch Peaks—July 6 to Aug. 10, 2013 (five week-long camps). $1,695 > First Summits Mountaineering—June 28 - July 2, 2013. $1,095 > Tombstone Trekking in the Yukon—Aug. 24 - 31, 2013. $1,895 > 10 Peaks in 10 Days—Aug. 30 - Sept. 8, 2013. $2,295 > Marmot Women’s Camp—July 12 - 17, 2013. $1,295 > 55+ Climbing and Trekking Camp—Aug. 24 - 30, 2013. $1,595 > Winter 2014 trips announced online this summer.
Beta > International participant fee—$450; U.S. participant fee—$485 > October 7 - 12, 2013
LEARN & APPLY
LEARN
americanalpineclub.org/icm
alpineclubofcanada.ca/trips
Great Ranges Fellowship Trips We just launched a new climbing-trips program for our Great Ranges Fellowship members. Whether you are into extended backpacking trips, technical routes, or glacier travel, we have something for you. As a Club, we understand how important it is to travel and climb with friends, new and old, who share the same outdoor values, passion, and ethics. AAC members embrace the same spirit and mission across every climbing discipline.
LEARN americanalpineclub.org/grf-trips
Beta > The Liberty Bell Group, Cascades, WA—August 23-28. $1,750 > The Grand Teton, WY—September 4-9. $2,000
Scott Bennett and Clayton Laramie approach Niponino Basecamp as a good weather window opens up in El Chalten, Argentina. AAC member Cheyne Lempe
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// BENEFITS
A • Only 18.
Q•
Whose idea was it to start the AAC’s International Climbers’ Meet?
BENEFITS // 27
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2013 AAC EVENTS NATIONAL
LOCAL
americanalpineclub.org/events
americanalpineclub.org/regions
The AAC hosts many events each year, and has a presence at many more. Our biggest national events are: Craggin’ Classics, the International Climbers’ Meet, and the Annual Benefit Dinner. Section
31
CALENDAR americanalpineclub.org/events
Chairs and Regional Coordinators plan events all over the country— there are far too many to list here. Stay tuned to your Section’s web page for up-to-date information on events and volunteering opportunities.
Craggin’ Classics This popular climbing festival combines all things AAC: cragging, socializing, clinics, conservation, and more. Every year, AAC communities around the country host a number of Craggin’ Classics at popular climbing destinations. Find the one closest to you and put it on your calendar!
Beta > Craggin’ Classic—Salt Lake City, UT—August 23-25, 2013 > Craggin’ Classic—Cathedral Ledge, NH—September 13-15, 2013 > Craggin’ Classic—New River Gorge, WV—September 20-22, 2013 > Craggin’ Classic—Smith Rock, OR—October 12-13, 2013 > Craggin’ Classic / Fall Highball—Bishop, CA—November 8-9, 2013
LEARN americanalpineclub.org/craggin
Annual Benefit Dinner The Annual Benefit Dinner is the AAC’s biggest and most anticipated “swanky” event of the year. The dinner brings together climbers of all LEARN ages and abilities for an unforgettable evening of fine dining, socializing, americanalpineclub.org/annualdinner and entertainment. At the dinner itself, and at numerous events sprinkled throughout the weekend, attendees can rub shoulders with climbing legends from every generation. Every ticket sold helps the Club raise funds to improve and expand all the programs that you’ve read about in this book. The Annual Benefit Dinner Weekend was held in San Francisco in 2013 and will travel to Denver in 2014. This year’s Benefit Dinner was a memorable night and an incredible success, celebrating 50 years since the historic 1963 American Mount Everest Expedition. The Annual Dinner sold out early for the first time in recent memory—with more guests than ever before. And guests helped us raise more money for the American Alpine Club than any event in our 111-year history. Numerous AAC Sections around the country also host annual Section Dinners to bring climbers together and to fundraise for local projects and programs. Find more information on these events online and on pages 54–83.
[Top Right] Climbers wrap up the day with stories and spirits, International Climbers’ Meet, Yosemite Valley, CA. AAC member Andrew Burr [Bottom Right] Members enjoy the 2013 Annual Benefit Dinner at San Francisco’s Craneway Pavilion. AAC member Jim Aikman
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// BENEFITS
A•
Jim Donini, AAC President from 2006 to 2009.
Q•
The 2013 Hueco Rock Rodeo marked how many years for the event?
BENEFITS //
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AAC LODGING
Lodging options within walking distance from great climbing support the climbing lifestyle we all enjoy. We hope to create and support facilities in locations that add opportunities for climbers to pursue their dreams, gather, and share their experiences. The Club has numerous regional lodging options across the country and around the world.
[ inside lodging ] > Page 30 - 31 // Grand Teton Climbers’ Ranch > Page 32 - 33 // Hueco Rock Ranch > Page 34 - 35 // New River Gorge Campground > Page 36 - 37 // Snowbird Hut, Gunks Campground, global huts Volunteers at GTCR Work Week. AAC member Robert Hyman
30 // LODGING
A • 20. It started in 1989 but due to restrictions was not able to continue each year.
>
AAC LODGING LEARN
RESERVE
CALL
americanalpineclub.org/gtcr
americanalpineclub.org/gtcrreserve
(307) 733-7271 June 1 to September 30 only!
Grand Teton Climbers’ Ranch The Grand Teton Climbers’ Ranch offers the most affordable and accessible lodging for climbers visiting Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. Located a mere three miles south of Jenny Lake and four miles north of the Park Headquarters in Moose, WY, it provides perfect access to the alpine training ground of Grand Teton National Park without the congestion and time limitations of public campgrounds. The GTCR offers co-ed dormitory-style accommodations in small log cabins that sleep four to eight people each. The Ranch contains a cook shelter (including dish and pot washing facilities), toilet facilities and hot showers, a small mountaineering library and lounge, and limited storage space.
Beta > $16/night for AAC members, $25/night for non-members > Open June 8 through September 12, 2013 > Climbers must supply their own sleeping bags, pads, cooking equipment, food, towels, and other personal gear > To minimize impact on the surrounding environment, tent and trailer camping is not available at the GTCR > Literally roll out of bed and climb the Grand Teton!
Work Week Work Week is a time to return to the valley and breathe the air. A time to pick up a hammer and to drop your cares. Work Week is a time for dirt and dust. A time to cleanse your spirit of winter’s rust. Work Week is a time to relax in evening’s chill. To sip a beer. To play guitar. To feel the warmth of friendships held dear. Work week is an opportunity for volunteers to help prepare the Ranch for opening in exchange for free lodging during the month of June. Each year skilled and unskilled volunteers donate their time to help with everything from routine maintenance issues (like cleaning, testing smoke detectors, fixing leaky toilets, and setting parking lot logs) to capital projects (like building cabinets and staining cabins).
Work Week Beta > Help clean up the Ranch and get free lodging for the month of June! > Work Week is typically the first week of June. Check the website for this year’s details. americanalpineclub.org/p/gtcr-work-week > Email gtcr@americanalpineclub.org to get details and sign up
The GTCR pavillion at dawn. AAC / Brad Schwarm
Q•
How long has the AAC run the Grand Teton Climbers’ Ranch?
LODGING //
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// LODGING
A • 44 summers, since 1970.
>
AAC LODGING LEARN
RESERVE
CALL
americanalpineclub.org/hueco
americanalpineclub.org/huecoreserve
(303) 384-0110
Hueco Rock Ranch The Hueco Rock Ranch is, hands down, the best place to stay if you’re climbing in Hueco. Located just outside El Paso, Texas, and just a mile from Hueco Tanks—the best bouldering on the planet—the Ranch is the perfect spot to set up shop and hang with your fellow climbers. The AAC bought the Hueco Rock Ranch in July 2012 and made a number of improvements, including a renovation of the house and barn, adding bunks so more climbers can enjoy staying indoors, and new toilets and showers. We’re proud of these improvements—come stay with us!
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NE
Beta Type Bunk Rm: 2 Pers Private Rm Tent Site RV Spot Bunk Rm: 8 Pers
AAC Member $18.00 $35.00 $7.00 $12.00 $16.00
Access Fund Member $20.00 $40.00 $8.00 $11.00 $20.00
Non Member $25.00 $50.00 $10.00 $14.00 $25.00
> Open September through April
[Left] Layla Mammi gets burly at the 2013 Hueco Rock Rodeo. AAC member Justin Roth / Petzl [Above Left] Entrance to the Hueco Rock Ranch. AAC staff member Craig Hoffman [Above Right] Kitchen at the Hueco Rock Ranch. AAC staff member Jason Kehl.
Q • Who built the house that became the Hueco Rock Ranch?
LODGING //
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34 // LODGING
A • Todd Skinner, also known for the first free ascent of the Salathé Wall on El Capitan.
>
AAC LODGING LEARN
RESERVE
CALL
americanalpineclub.org/nrg
no reservations necessary
(303) 384-0110
New River Gorge Campground We are excited to have opened up the New River Gorge campground! The AAC campground at the New River Gorge resides in Fayetteville, West Virginia, on a 40-acre parcel adjacent to National Park land and within walking distance of popular crags at the New River Gorge. Car campers and walk-in campers are welcome at the new AAC campground. As with other AAC facilities, the property has been developed specifically with climbers in mind and allows for extended stays at inexpensive rates. And, of course, AAC members enjoy a great discount.
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Beta > > > >
Members receive discounted rate 40 campsites No RV accomodations Visit website above for rates, directions, and months open
[Left] The sun peeks through the day before the New River Gorge campground grand opening. AAC member Johnny Duke [Top] A sign welcomes campers during the New River Rendezvous. @AACSoutheastRegion on Instagram [Above] Campers set up shop at the NRG campround grand opening weekend. AAC member Johnny Duke
Q • What is the name of the 30’ roof crack boulder problem adjacent to the NRG campground?
LODGING //
35
Gunks Campground—Coming Soon! GUNKS americanalpineclub.org/camp-gunks Since 2006, in partnership with The Mohonk Preserve, the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation, and the Palisades Interstate Park Commission, the American Alpine Club has been working toward the creation of a campground near the popular climbing area, the Shawangunks, in New York.
!
The campground will include approximately 50 drivein and walk-in campsites within walking distance to climbing, a central gathering area with cooking and shower facilities, and an indoor space where visitors can gather during rainy weather. As of press time, we are about to break ground and looking forward to its opening soon!
Snowbird Hut
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Kathmandu Clubhouse
SNOWBIRD
KATHMANDU
americanalpineclub.org/snowbird
americanalpineclub.org/kathmandu
CALL (505) 830-9806
The Alaska Section’s Snowbird Hut is beautifully situated in the Talkeetna Mountains on the northern edge of the Snowbird Glacier. Accessible from Archangel Valley near Hatcher’s Pass, the hut is a yearround destination for backcountry skiers, climbers, and adventurous hikers. The hut is open to the public at no cost, is managed on an open basis, and cannot be reserved in Beta advance. The Alaska Section of the > This thing is HARD to find. AAC recently put great effort into > That’s why it’s amazing. fundraising for and then building > GPS Coordinates: 61 51.506” a brand new hut on the site of the North by 149 12.113” West original.
The AAC, working with the Mountain Fund, has an AAC Member Clubhouse in central Kathmandu, Nepal. It’s packed with climberfriendly amenities and is very inexpensive. Moutain Fund staff, both in Nepal and Stateside can also help travelers, trekkers, and climbers with visas, travel arrangements, volunteer opportunities, and expedition planning.
Beta > $18/day > Cost includes breakfast, dinner, wi-fi, and airport pickup > Mountain Fund connects climbers with volunteer opportunities in Nepal
[Left] The Snowbird Hut and surrounding area. AAC member Billy Finley [Right] The super-affordable Kathmandu Clubhouse. AAC member Scott MacLennan
36 // LODGING
A • Souvenir (V6).
>
AAC LODGING UIAA Hut Stamps Alpine clubs in many countries throughout the world have erected huts to provide climbers with convenient, safe, and economical staging points for climbs in major mountain ranges. The Union Internationale d’Associations d’Alpinisme (UIAA) makes hut stamps available to AAC members, providing reciprocal membership privileges at mountain huts operated by alpine clubs throughout the world. The stamps provide discounts in Austria, Canada, France, Germany,
Greece, Italy, Liechtenstein, Spain, and Switzerland. With a stamp, an AAC member will pay the same rate as members of the club with which the particular hut is associated (member rates vary from country to country and from hut to hut). Stamp is approximately $75 based on present Euro exchange rate. Hut stamps pay for themselves after approximately five nights.
LEARN
BUY
CALL
americanalpineclub.org/uiaahuts
americanalpineclub.org/profile
(303) 384-0110
Canadian Huts Canadian Hut Upgrade: Get discounted access to the Alpine Club of Canada’s Canmore Clubhouse as well as over 20 other backcountry huts for only $24—the same price that members of the Alpine Club of Canada pay. These backcountry huts range from remote bivy shelters at the base of distant mountains to log cabins with casual approaches in the Rocky and Selkirk Mountains of Alberta and British Columbia. All of these facilities offer rustic hospitality in Canada’s most popular mountain environments. Find solace in a storm, respite after a long day’s hike, or simply a quiet mountain refuge for a few days of solitude. Whatever your reason for visiting an Alpine Club of Canada hut, we’re sure that you’ll enjoy your stay. For a complete listing of the Alpine Club of Canada huts—or to make your reservations, please visit their website: alpineclubofcanada.ca/facility/info.html
GET YOUR HUT UPGRADE americanalpineclub.org/profile
Sorcerer Lodge
New Zealand Huts
This lodge in Golden, British Columbia, offers a 25% discount (not including helicopter) to AAC members for self-guided groups on the shoulder seasons.
AAC members pay half the usual charge (the same discount as Kiwi members get) at many huts throughout New Zealand. Visit the New Zealand Alpine Club website to see what’s available.
LEARN sorcererlodge.com
LEARN
info@sorcererlodge.com
alpineclub.org.nz
CALL
CALL
(250) 344-2804
+64 (0) 3 377 7595
Q • Which member of the 1963 Everest team revolutionized high-altitude climbing with the Maytag oxygen Mask?
LODGING //
37
>
AAC GRANTS
Every year, the AAC awards nearly $100,000 to climbers, scientists, and creative projects. These grants support everyone—from amateurs to professionals—in the realms of exploratory climbing, crag infrastructure, environmental research, and much more. AAC grants have been funded for members who want to make a difference in our climbing world. Whether you want to improve trails at your local bouldering area or take a month-long expedition with your friends, we’re betting that there’s at least one AAC Grant that will strike your fancy. Grant amounts vary annually. Amounts listed are what we expect to award in 2013.
APPLICATION DEADLINES JANUARY 1
Live Your Dream Grants
MARCH 1
Research Grants Nikwax Alpine Bellweather Grants Kellogg/Fisher Conservation Grants
MARCH 31 APRIL 1
Mountaineering Fellowship Grants, Spring
APRIL 15
[ inside grants ] > Page 40 - 41 // Live Your Dream Grants > Page 42 - 43 // Cornerstone Conservation Grants > Page 44 - 45 // Lyman Spitzer Cutting Edge Awards, Mountaineering Fellowship Grants, Copp-Dash Inspire Awards, Mountain Hardwear McNeill-Nott Awards > Page 46 - 47 // Research Grants, Conservation Grants, Zack Martin Breaking Barriers Grant, Mountainfilm Commitment Grant, more...
Mountain Hardwear McNeillNott Awards
MAY 31 AUGUST 15
Zack Martin Breaking Barriers Grants John L. Horn Grant Cornerstone Conservation Grants
NOVEMBER 1
Mountaineering Fellowship, Fall
DECEMBER 1
Lyman Spitzer Cutting Edge Awards
DECEMBER 31
Copp-Dash Inspire Awards
LEARN
CALL
americanalpineclub.org/grants
grants@americanalpineclub.org
(303) 384-0110
Nik Berry & Shingo Ohkawa explore Bells Canyon, Wasatch Mountains, UT. AAC member Andrew Burr
38 // GRANTS
A•
Tom Hornbein, who summited Everest’s West Ridge on May 22, 1963. He became an AAC member four years prior.
Q • Most geologists classify a mountain as a landform that rises at least how many feet above its surrounding area?
GRANTS // 39
>
AAC GRANTS Live Your Dream Grants $14,000 APPLY americanalpineclub.org/liveyourdream
You have climbing dreams, and we have Live Your Dream Grants! These grants seek to fund unforgettable experiences that give you the skills and confidence to realize your climbing ambitions and allow you to dream even bigger next time. Each Region—Northwest, Southwest, Rockies, Central, Southeast, and Northeast—has separate grant committees and awards about $2,000 based on the needs and desires of the local community. Individual grant amounts are typically between $200-$500. Funds for the Live Your Dream Grants are made possible in part by the Clifton Maloney Memorial Fund, as well as local supporters: Mount Washington Valley Ice Festival and Touchstone Climbing & Fitness.
Beta > Apply January 1 - March 1 > Grant winners announced 4 - 6 weeks after application period ends > All climbing disciplines welcome
[Right] Atop Window Blind Peak, San Rafael Swell, UT. AAC member Andrew Burr [Above] Scott Bennett packs for an alpine mission at Piedras Negras basecamp before the longest climb of his life. AAC member Cheyne Lempe
40 // GRANTS
AAC MEMBERS
>
$$
A • 1,000 feet, though definitions vary.
Majka Burhardt
When I was 20 and joined the AAC for the first time, I did it because I wanted to belong... and because I wanted a climbing grant. I’ve been a member ever since—renewing the same decision for 15 years running. I do it for everything that comes with membership. And for me, that everything goes beyond the library, the insurance, and the places to stay, and encompasses the community. The AAC gives the climbing community a place to ground. That’s worth it.
••• Check out the recipients of 2012 grants on pages 86 - 87.
Q•
In what year was the AAC Live Your Dream Grant founded?
GRANTS //
41
>
AAC GRANTS
$25,000
$$
APPLY americanalpineclub.org/cornerstone
The Cornerstone Conservation Grant funds essential improvements at climbing areas in the United States. Individuals or communities who see a need for local infrastructure can propose projects that will improve, conserve, and protect their climbing resources for years to come. This year, $25,000 of grants will go toward local projects. Grants range from $1,000 to $15,000, depending upon the scope of project.
Beta > Apply by August 15 > Winners announced by October 1 > Multiple projects supported every year
AAC MEMBERS John Wilder
(Cornerstone Conservation Grant Recipient) I first became a member of the AAC when I was a relatively new climber, thinking the insurance and library would be a great asset to my newfound addiction. As I grew as a climber, I found that the AAC, like the Access Fund, is one of those organizations that is Lorem instrumental ipsum dolor in ensuring sit amet, thatconsectetuer climbers have adipiscing community elit. and Aenean rocks commodo to climb on. ligula Recently, eget dolor. my local Aenean representative massa. Cum contacted sociis natoque me and penatibus the other members et magnisof disour parturient local climbers montes, council, nascetur and ridiculus he has gone mus. Donec above quam and beyond felis, ultricies in helpingnec, the pellentesque new council achieve eu, pretium its dream quis, sem. Nulla of bringing consequat the local massa community quis enim. together. Donec As pede a steward justo, fringilla and an vel, aliquet advocate nec, forvulputate rock climbers, eget, arcu. I countInon enim organizations justo, rhoncus like the ut, imperdiet AAC a, tovenenatis both enrich vitae, my climbing justo. Nullam community dictumand felis climbing eu pedeexperience mollis pretium. Integer both locally tincidunt. and nationwide. Cras dapibus. The Vivamus AAC is well elementum worth thesemper membership nisi. Aenean dues, and vulputate I would eleifend encourage tellus. any climber Aenean to leoconsider ligula, porttitor becomingeu, consequat a member vitae, of thiseleifend fine organization ac, enim. that Aliquam doeslorem so much ante, fordapibus our in, viverra community. quis, fea, consectetuer eget, posuere ut, mauris. Praesent adipiscing. Phasellus ullamcorper ipsum rutrum nunc. Nunc nonummy metus. Vestibulum volutpat pretium libero. Cras id dui. Aenean ut
[Above] With financial support from an AAC Cornerstone Grant and the Access Fund, the Southeastern Climbers’ Coalition built a much-needed composting toilet at Boat Rock, GA. Zachary Lesch-Huie, Access Fund [Right] Volunteers lay the new trail at Smith Rock. AAC member Matthew VanBiene
42 // GRANTS
>
Cornerstone Conservation Grants
A • 2012. We awarded 41 Live Your Dream grants totaling $13,100.
Q•
Who was the second president of the AAC?
GRANTS //
43
>
AAC GRANTS Lyman Spitzer Cutting Edge Awards
Mountaineering Fellowship Grants
$12,000
$8,100
$$
APPLY americanalpineclub.org/spitzergrant
The Lyman Spitzer Cutting Edge Award is for elite climbers who are pushing limits with the bare essentials. The Club awards $12,000 annually to three to six endeavors that best meet the criteria for “cutting-edge” climbing.
Beta > Apply by December 1 > Winners selected by February 1 > Expeditions must depart no later than December 31 of the year awarded
$$
APPLY americanalpineclub.org/mfgrant
Mountaineering Fellowship Grants encourage young American climbers age 25 years and under to go into remote areas and seek out climbs more difficult than they might ordinarily be able to do. Apply to receive $300–800 to help cover travel, gear, or other expenses that will make your dream a reality.
Beta > Two chances to apply: April 1 and November 1 deadlines > Winners selected eight weeks after each application deadline
Copp-Dash Inspire Awards
Mountain Hardwear McNeill-Nott Awards
$20,000
$5,000
$$
$$
APPLY americanalpineclub.org/coppdashgrant
The Copp-Dash Inspire Award supports small teams who plan to personally document and share their ascents through multimedia. Trips focus on unclimbed objectives—in distant ranges and regions, requiring a high level of skill and commitment, and climbed in a fast, light, and clean style. Multimedia instruction and storytelling mentorship (before and after the expedition) will be provided by the Adventure Film Festival, Alpinist magazine, Sender Films and professional photographers John Dickey and Mikey Schaefer. Funds provided by: Black Diamond, La Sportiva, Patagonia, and Mountain Hardwear.
Beta > Applications accepted November 1 - December 31 > Winners announced by January 31 > Expeditions must depart no later than December 31 of the year awarded > Applicants need not be AAC members to apply
44 // GRANTS
A • John Muir, AAC president in 1908-1910.
APPLY americanalpineclub.org/mngrant
The McNeill-Nott Award gives grants to amateur climbers exploring new routes or unclimbed peaks with small and lightweight teams. The award focuses on projects that have strong exploratory and adventuresome mountaineering objectives. These elements are more important than the technical rating of the climbing objective. Mountain Hardwear funds this $5,000 grant.
Beta > Apply by January 1 > Winners announced by March 1 > Expeditions depart the same calendar year
[Right] Jason Stuckey high in the Revelation Mountains, AK. AAC member Clint Helander
••• Every year, the AAC awards nearly $100,000 to climbers, scientists, and creative projects.
Q • Who was the first female to lead the first American—and all-women’s—ascent of Annapurna I?
GRANTS // 45
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AAC GRANTS Climb for Science and Conservation
Climbers have a unique ability to bring back data and documentation essential to our understanding of the changing natural world and to support scientists who simply cannot get to remote locations to collect data. The Grants below can help you participate in solving problems we face as a planet:
LEARN MORE
Research Grants
americanalpineclub.org/grants
$4,500
The Research Committee of the American Alpine Club administers funds from two endowments: The Arthur K. Gilkey Memorial Research Fund and the Bedayn Research Fund. Through these funds, the AAC is able to support modest requests to assist scientific research projects within the scope of the AAC’s charter.
Beta > Apply by March 1 > Winners announced by May 1 > Applicants need not be AAC members to apply
AAC Nikwax Alpine Bellwether Grant $10,000
High alpine environments are early indicators of climate change, and climbers are needed to help understand these changes—in many instances, climbers are the only direct observers of these environments. In order to document the impacts of global warming on these fragile ecosystems, Nikwax provides $10,000 to two or three awardees.
Beta > Apply by March 1 > Winners announced by May 1 > Applicants need not be AAC members to apply
Scott Fischer Memorial Conservation Grant $400
Lara-Karena Bitenieks Kellogg Memorial Conservation Grant $1,000
These grants fund expeditions that support and improve the health of mountain environments and habitats.
Zack Martin Breaking Barriers Grant $1,600
While climbing is awesome and all, helping people is even better. The Zack Martin Breaking Barriers Grant is a dual-purpose grant that focuses primarily on humanitarian objectives. The secondary objective may involve alpinism, ice climbing, rock climbing, bouldering, or simply adventure and discovery in the natural environment.
Beta > Apply by April 15 > Winners announced by May 15
Mountainfilm Commitment Grant $4,000
The AAC is proud to continue our partnership with Mountainfilm in Telluride, one of the world’s most distinctive and distinguished documentary film festivals. Every year, Mountainfilm awards its Commitment Grants to filmmakers, photographers, artists and adventurers whose projects are intended to move audiences to action on issues that matter. With financial and advisory support from the AAC, Mountainfilm is dedicating one of its annual $4,000 grants to a project that is specifically and importantly connected to the climbing/ mountaineering community. AAC’s partnership with Mountainfilm was inaugurated in 2011 and will continue through at least 2013.
Local Grants Find info on the John L. Horn International Sport Climbing Grant on page 63 and the Chris Pruchnic WFR Grant on page 67.
Beta > Apply by March 31 > Winners announced by May 31
46 // GRANTS
Ari Menitove, Ctuluh (6c+), Belvedere de La Carelle - Gwendal, Le Verdon, France. AAC member Andrew Burr
A • Arlene Blum. She also led the first women’s team up Denali and was the first American woman to attempt Everest.
Q • Who founded the American Alpine Club? [Find the answer on page 58.]
GRANTS //
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MEMBERSHIP
POWERED BY:
THROUGH THE LENS SUBMIT Want to see your photos in next year’s Guidebook to Membership? photos@americanalpineclub.org
This is your Club. These are your photos. We are the AAC. We are climbers, stewards of the outdoors. We are doers. And what we do tends to be uncommonly photogenic. Flip through for exposure to other AAC members in action, doing what they love.
Li Shengiang on a redpoint attempt of Moon Walker on Moon Hill near Yangshuo, China. AAC member Jonathan Kingston / National Geographic Creative
48 // GALLERY
GALLERY //
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MEMBERSHIP
THROUGH THE LENS POWERED BY:
[Left] Art Lim bouldering in the woods at Goldbar, WA. AAC member Garrett Grove [Right] Mike Veazey takes ‘bad-ass’ to a new level, on Coming Out Party, Red River Gorge, KY. AAC member Bryan Rafferty
50 // GALLERY
GALLERY //
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MEMBERSHIP
THROUGH THE LENS POWERED BY:
[Clockwise from left] Kristina Weyer, The Big Guy, Indian Creek, Utah. AAC
“Oh, hi there.” Chris Van Leuven, Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, NV. AAC member Andrew Burr Jeremy Park competing in the Boulder-pad taco dead-hang, April Send & Social, Cascade Section. AAC member Truc Allen Media
2013 GTM PHOTO CONTEST
52
// GALLERY
WINNER
GALLERY //
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MEMBERSHIP
THROUGH THE LENS POWERED BY:
[Clockwise from left] Jesse Mease chillin’ in the Charakusa Valley, Pakistan. AAC member Shingo Ohkawa Cory Fleagle & Skiy Detray living the dream. AAC International Climbers’ Meet 2012, Yosemite National Park, CA. AAC member Andrew Burr Five days climbing, camping, and relaxin’ up in Glacier Gorge, Rocky Mountain National Park, CO. AAC member Garrett Grove
Terri Barry
The first AAC event I attended was the Pinecrest Climb-In in September 2009. I met Tom Frost, Royal Robbins, and many climbers from Northern California. That was very exciting! Since then I have rock climbed with the AAC at the Pinnacles and Donner Summit and ice climbed at Cold Water Canyon. The groups are always supportive and welcoming. There is a real sense of togetherness. I love the AAC!
Alex Honnold
I think it’s great that the AAC acts as a repository for climbing information through the AAJ and Accidents and the library. It’s good that we have somewhere to store all the knowledge of the climbing community. But even better the AAC helps move the whole scene forward by providing grants and camping and things, taking an active role in getting climbers out there and getting after it. Basically the AAC provides a good center for the community—remembering the roots but still encouraging people to push forward.
54 // GALLERY
Larry True The AAC provides an invaluable opportunity and venue for me and my partner Linda to meet adventurer/climbers (who are at my level), to share stories, to learn, and to share what I have learned in years of hiking, climbing, and seeing mountain-rich corners of the world. Thank you AAC!
GALLERY //
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MEMBERSHIP
THROUGH THE LENS POWERED BY:
1. Mario’s the light of the party, Thanksgiving dinner at the opening of the new AAC Hueco Rock Ranch, TX. AAC staff member Erik Lambert
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2. Micah Salazar wakes up in his rental car after a cold winter’s night, Yosemite Valley, CA. AAC member Micah Salazar 3. Seven-year-old AAC member Greta Jensen sets a record as the youngest person to solo the Grand Teton, WY. AAC member Justin Jensen
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4. Skippy keeps watch over the homefront as AAC member Brian Russell gets in an evening sesh. AAC staff member Jeff Deikis 5. AAC members share stories and swill beer at the AAC’s Climber Reception during the 2nd Annual Spring Cling in Joshua Tree, CA. AAC staff member Jeff Deikis 6. Sarah Letien on Barnyard Crack, Pawtuckaway State Park, NH. AAC member Ben Rafferty 7. Getting high on Saigon, Buttermilks, CA. AAC member Jim Aikman
56 // GALLERY
Katie Ives
As an editor of Alpinist Magazine, I’ve found the American Alpine Club’s resources to be indispensable to my work. The AAJ serves as
Bryan Rafferty
a necessary framework to any research on the
The AAC has been an amazing resource for
history of mountaineering. The extensive book collection of The Henry S. Hall, Jr. American
me in the world I live in. Given the opportunity to see a small amount of what they do
Alpine Club Library preserves a vast legacy of
every day, the inspiration, motivation, and
literature and knowledge. And at AAC events, I’ve seen the spirit of that heritage come to life:
professionalism that this organization exudes is truly an inspiration for me as both a climber
legendary figures from many of those same
and photographer. I am lucky to be a member and will be as long as they continue on their
stories appear side-by-side with novices, and climbers of all ages share their passion and
amazing mission.
their dreams.
Calum Neff
When I was 20 and joined the AAC for the first time I did I because I wanted to belong... and because I wanted a climbing grant. I’ve been a member since—renewing the same decision for 15 years running. I do it for everything that comes with membership and for me that everything goes beyond the library, the insurance, and the places to stay and encompasses the community. The AAC gives the climbing community a place to ground. That’s worth it.
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GALLERY //
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AAC IN YOUR BACKYARD Regions and Sections of the AAC This chapter is the guidebook’s fattest for a reason—climbing is a local thing. Your home climbing areas, gyms, and retail shops are where you spend time and meet other climbers. When you head out on a road trip, the person riding shotgun is often your climbing partner from across town. This is why Sections are the lifeblood of the AAC.
Every U.S. member lives in an AAC Section. There are about 25 of these sections, some more active than others. Volunteers connect climbers by organizing social functions, planning climbing outings, giving out local grants, holding annual dinners, gathering for service projects at their local crags, and more. Section events are a great way to get involved in local issues and meet other members in your area.
LEARN
VOLUNTEER
CALL
americanalpineclub.org/region
volunteer@americanalpineclub.org
(303) 384-0110
[ inside Your Backyard ] > Northwest / Page 60 - 63 // Alaska • Cascade • Idaho • Montana • Oregon > Western / Page 64 - 67 // Arizona • Hawaii • Sierra Nevada • Southwest > Rockies / Page 68 - 71 // Front Range • New Mexico • Utah • Western Slope • Wyoming > Central / Page 72 - 75 // Great Lakes • Heartland • Midwest • North Central • Texas > Northeast / Page 76 - 79 // Metro New York • Mid-Atlantic • New England • Upstate New York > Southeast / Page 80 - 83 // Deep South • Southern Appalachian • Washington D.C. Let’s go climbing! Indian Creek, Utah. AAC member Garrett Grove
58 // IN YOUR BACKYARD
Angelo Heilprin, a notable vulcanologist for whom Admiral Peary named a tide-water glacier in A • Professor west-central Greenland.
Q • Mt. Rainier has how many square miles of glaciers and permanent snowfields?
IN YOUR BACKYARD //
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NORTHWEST REGION
Over the past century, the Northwest Region has been a stronghold of the American Alpine Club and played host to some of the most important alpine and rock ascents in America. Spanning Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana, each state has its own unique flavor of both geology and local personalities. Members in the Northwest Region have a particular interest in conservation— recently building toilets at Vantage and constructing trails at Smith Rock—as well as community traditions such as the Send & Social (Cascade Section) and Pub Night (Oregon Section).
MEET YOUR NORTHWEST REGIONAL COORDINATOR > Eddie Espinosa
eespinosa@americanalpinclub.org
Eddie has spent much of his life in the Pacific Northwest and enjoys long days in the mountains of the North Cascades and at his favorite crags at Smith Rock and Squamish. He grew up in Puyallup, WA and earned his degree in exercise science from Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma. After working as a climbing guide and instructor, he went on to coordinate outdoor recreation programs at the Downtown Seattle YMCA and teach climbing as a member of the University of Puget Sound faculty. Prior to working at the AAC, Eddie was the brand manager and buyer for Feathered Friends in Seattle. He is a board member of the Washington Climbers Coalition and also volunteers with Everett Mountain Rescue. He lives in Seattle with his wife Ann and son Evan (nickname: Training Weight), and spends as much time as he can exploring the Northwest on skis, on foot, and by mountain bike.
GET INVOLVED.
6. Give your section Facebook page a “Like” and post pics from your last adventure.
1. Join us for a meet-up in your area, and bring a friend. 2. If there isn’t one near you, start your own! 3. Volunteer at a Send & Social event at the Seattle Bouldering Project or Edgeworks Climbing Gym. 4. Put in some elbow grease at a crag clean-up or trail-building day like the Smith Rock Spring Thing, or Laclede Rocks Trail Project. 5. Does the crag near you need some love? Apply for a Cornerstone Conservation Grant (p. 42) or contact us so we can organize a clean-up.
7. Spread some AAC love at a climbing festival we support like the Idaho Mountain Festival. Or join us for the AAC Craggin’ Classic at Smith Rock (p. 28). 8. No events in your town? Come to us with a cool idea and we’ll provide the support! 9. Get snazzy for one of our annual Section Dinners in Seattle, Boise, or Timberline Lodge in Oregon. Coming soon to Montana and Alaska! 10. Host a movie night by checking out a climbing flick from the AAC Library (p. 23).
Rebecca Vande Hei rallies up a crew for Send & Social. AAC member Truc Allen Media
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A • 36 square miles—and a volume of about one cubic mile.
Q • In 1975 who spent 145 days soloing the south face of Mt. Hunter in Alaska?
IN YOUR BACKYARD //
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NORTHWEST REGION
Guide Services
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> 4. Mountain Madness. Seattle, WA. Members receive 10% off when you sign up with a friend. AMGA Accredited. mountainmadness.com, (800) 328-5925. > 5. Alpine Ascents International. Seattle, WA. AMGA Accredited. alpineascents.com, (206) 378-1927. > 6. International Mountain Guides. Ashford, WA. AMGA Accredited. mountainguides.com, (360) 569-2609. > 7. Alaska Mountaineering School (AMS) Talkeetna, AK. climbalaska.org (907) 733-1016 > 8. Alaska Mountain Guides and Climbing School (AMG) Haines, AK. alaskamountainguides.com (800) 766-3396
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Major Events > 9. Pro Peek Event: Seattle—Nov. 14 > 10. Craggin’ Classic: Smith Rock—Oct. 12-13 > 11. Rockfest: Leavenworth—Jun. 15
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Gear Discounts
3 8
Lodging > 1. North Cascades Basecamp. Mazama, WA. AAC members receive a 10% discount when you show your member card. (509) 996-2334. > 2. Mazama Lodge. Government Camp, OR. AAC Members stay for $22/night when you show your member card. mazamas.org, (503) 2729214. > 3. The AAC Snowbird Hut is beautifully situated in the Talkeetna Mountains on
62
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A•
the northern edge of the Snowbird Glacier. Accessible from Archangel Valley near Hatcher’s Pass, the hut is a year-round destination for backcountry skiers, climbers and adventurous hikers. The hut is open to the public at no cost. This hut is managed on an open basis and cannot be reserved in advance. There is no fee required to use this hut. This hut does not support commercial operations. More info on the hut is featured on page 36, or check out americanalpineclub.org/snowbird.
> 12. Feathered Friends. AAC members get a 10% discount on any full-price item in their Seattle retail location. Visit the shop at 119 Yale Ave. North Seattle, WA 98109. > 13. Second Ascent AAC members get a 10% discount on all purchases in their shop in Seattle. Visit the shop at 5209 Ballard Ave NW Seattle, WA 98107. > 14. BlueCosmo Satellite Communications AAC members get 10% of any hardware purchase or satellite phone rental. Visit the shop at 2764 1st Ave S, Suite #120 Seattle, WA 98134.
Gym Discounts Discounts vary. Call, check americanalpineclub.org/ discounts, or head to your local gym with your AAC member card for the latest details.
> 15. Edgeworks Climbing Gym Tacoma, WA (253) 564-4899 > 16. Seattle Bouldering Project Seattle, WA (206) 299-2300 > 17. Warehouse Rock Gym Olympia, WA (360) 596-9255
John Waterman. Three years later he vanished while soloing Denali.
Alaska Section americanalpineclub.org/alaska • alaska@americanalpineclub.org There’s no other place that combines such immense peaks with cragging, trekking, rafting, and adventuring of all sorts. Alaska Section members are fortunate to live so close to the continent’s highest point as well as the unique AAC Snowbird Hut (p. 36). Feel free to contact your fellow members when visiting—we grow some big mountains up here! > Co-Chair Harold Hunt • Anchorage, AK Harry spent his early years in New England. After climbing Denali, he was taken by the magic of Alaska. He moved there in 1990 and later spearheaded the building of Serenity Falls cabin on the Eklutna Glacier, and the recent reconstruction of the Snowbird Hut. > Co-Chair Cindi Squire • Anchorage, AK Cindi moved to Alaska in 1970 and was hooked on the outdoors at the tender age of 10 on her first backpacking/camping trip on the Kenai Peninsula. For the last few years she has been involved with the fundraising and construction of the AAC Snowbird Hut.
Cascade Section americanalpineclub.org/cascade • cascade@americanalpineclub.org The Cascade Section (Washington State) is one of the most active in the country, with a heavy focus on social events and access and conservation issues. The chapter meets monthly at the Seattle Bouldering Project and Edgeworks Climbing Gym and advocates for climbers by guiding land managers in best practices. > Co-Chair Joshua Brandon • Lacey, WA Joshua spent 10 years in the U.S. Army before pursuing a life in the mountains. He fell in love with the Cascades the first time he stepped foot on Rainier. He’s the co-founder and a director for the Hound Summit Team, a WA-based wounded warrior and veteran mountaineering nonprofit organization. > Co-Chair Rebecca Vande Hei • Seattle, WA A visit to the climbing gym 10 years ago changed everything for Becca. In 2004, she moved to Seattle and began teaching climbing while working on her Northwest tick list. Becca is a professional writer who’s improving AAC visibility through stewardship and community events.
Idaho Section americanalpineclub.org/idaho • idaho@americanalpineclub.org The Idaho Section is new for the AAC, and our freshmen Co-Chairs will hit the ground running this year by hosting an annual dinner featuring past president Jim Donini. Help us develop some new traditions in this section by emailing idaho@americanalpineclub.org > Co-Chair Kammie Cuneo • Star, ID Kammie moved to the Boise area from Virginia and couldn’t be happier. While her academic and professional endeavors have been technical and legal, her passions have always revolved around nature and outreach. She has found a great community in the AAC and is thrilled to take on a leadership role. > Co-Chair Jason Luthy • Sandpoint, ID After guiding and teaching around the U.S., Jason landed in the Selkirk Mountains and formed a wilderness medical school. He is a board member of the climbing cooperative in Sandpoint, ID and is advancing climbing in Idaho through the AAC.
Montana Section americanalpineclub.org/montana • montana@americanalpineclub.org Montana is America’s unsung climbing paradise. From the ice mecca of Hyalite Canyon to the miles of granite tucked away in the many ranges that sweep across the state, it’s not hard to find crags of all shapes and sizes here. Montana’s members live among the rarely seen, beautiful and pristine. > Co-Chair Kevin Brumbach • Bozeman, MT Kevin has lived in Bozeman for the last four years. He is studying Nursing at Montana State University, instructing for the Junior Mountaineering Team, and getting out climbing when he can. Kevin is building a stronger AAC through social events for all ages. > Co-Chair Emily Stifler • Bozeman, MT Emily has traveled across the continent to climb, in part thanks to AAC grants, and now lives and works in Bozeman as Managing Editor of The Big Sky Weekly, Mountain Outlaw and Explorebigsky.com. She’s fired up on local adventure and building a vibrant AAC community in Montana.
Oregon Section americanalpineclub.org/oregon • oregon@americanalpineclub.org The Oregon Section hosts the Craggin’ Classic and participates in the annual Spring Thing clean-up, both at Smith Rock. Portland climbers connect at a monthly Pub Night, and the section hosts an annual dinner. Our Chairs are also keeping dialogue open with land managers at Trout Creek and Beacon Rock to advocate for access. > Co-Chair John Connor • Portland, OR John has spent much of the past 10 years working in the climbing industry. He rock climbs and skis as often as possible, and has done so as far afield as Spain, New Zealand, and Alaska. John has played a major role in the AAC-sponsored Yosemite Stewards Program. > Co-Chair Heidi Medema • Portland, OR Heidi spent her formative years in Yosemite. While attending UC Davis she became a backpacking and rafting guide before getting into the wonderful world of climbing. Now living in Portland, Heidi is helping the AAC grow to new heights in Oregon.
Q • How many glaciers flow from the summit of Mt. Hood?
IN YOUR BACKYARD //
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WESTERN REGION
The American Alpine Club’s Western Region is the proud home to countless peaks, crags, boulders, and big walls of legendary status. Breeding ground for the Golden Age of rock climbing and historical first ascents, the Western Region has a unique significance to climbers today. Here in the West, AAC members of all generations come together to share stories, build community, push their limits, and explore the limitless potential of the vertical world around them. With a strong emphasis on conservation, members regularly gather to keep our climbing areas clean and trails maintained, and then down some beers when the work is done.
MEET YOUR WESTERN REGIONAL COORDINATOR > Jeff Deikis
jdeikis@americanalpinclub.org
Jeff grew up outside of Ann Arbor, Michigan and learned to climb on the overhanging sandstone of the Southeast. After graduating from the University of Michigan he spent a four-year odyssey exploring the climbing and skiing of the Western states. Prior to working with the AAC, Jeff worked as a marketing coordinator at Mammoth Mountain Ski Area in Mammoth Lakes, CA and as an independent graphic designer. In his role as Western Regional Coordinator, Jeff has worked to expand the size and number of AAC-related conservation efforts in the region as well as host social get-togethers, slideshows, and climbing outings. In this capacity, he has come to understand the power of community building and the bridging of climbing generations. He currently lives in California’s Eastside amongst the juggernaut boulders of Bishop.
GET INVOLVED. 1. Host a movie night, BBQ, or other grassroots community event with other climbers and AAC members. 2. Host a Send & Social at your local crag or climbing gym and let the AAC buy you some beers post-climb! 3. Organize a Climb-Unity event with your friends and other AAC members at a local crag or favorite climbing spot. 4. Contact your Section Chair to see about helping out and getting involved in a current section event. 5. Table at a local event or gym and represent the AAC to your fellow climbers!
6. Join the Regional Calling List to help contact and connect with other members about membership renewals and promotions. 7. Get your hands dirty at one of our regional stewardship days or help to organize one of your own at your local crag or favorite climbing area. 8. Attend one of our regional events and have a beer with other AAC members. 9. Contact your Regional Coordinator and become a Section Officer handling Events, Conservation & Advocacy, or Marketing initiatives for your Section. 10. Become a Regional Intern and gain lifelong experience while doing good work for the AAC and your climbing community!
Volunteers plant trees in the Hall of Horrors in Joshua Tree National Park during the AAC’s 2nd Annual Spring Cling. AAC staff member Jeff Deikis
64 // IN YOUR BACKYARD
A • Eleven.
Q • Who was the inventor of the modern Spring Loaded Camming Device?
IN YOUR BACKYARD //
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WESTERN REGION
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> 16. Vital Climbing: Murrieta Murrieta, CA (951) 251-4814 > 17. Vital Climbing: Carlsbad Carlsbad, CA (760) 689-2651 > 18. Granite Arch Climbing Center Rancho Cordova, CA (916) 852-7625 > 19. Rocknasium Davis, CA (530) 757-2902 > 20. Touchstone Climbing Mission Cliffs San Francisco, CA (415) 550-0515 > 21. Touchstone Climbing Berkeley Ironworks Berkeley, CA (510) 981-9900 > 22. Touchstone Climbing Sacramento Pipeworks
Sacramento, CA (916) 341-0100 > 23. Touchstone Climbing Diablo Rock Gym Concord, CA (925) 602-1000 > 24. Touchstone Climbing Great Western Power Co. Oakland, CA (510) 452-2022 > 25. Touchstone Climbing Metal Mark Climbing + Fitness Fresno, CA (559) 229-7900 > 26. Toutchstone Studio Climbing San Jose, CA (408) 998-4000 > 27. Touchstone Dogpatch Boulders Fresno, CA (415) 800-8121
Major Events Gym Discounts Discounts vary. Call, check americanalpineclub.org/ discounts, or head to your local gym with your AAC member card for the latest details.
> 1. Flagstaff Climbing Center Flagstaff, AZ (928) 556-9909 > 2. Phoenix Rock Gym Tempe, AZ (480) 921-8322 > 3 Boulderdash Indoor Rock Climbing Thousand Oaks, CA
66 // IN YOUR BACKYARD
(805) 557-1300 > 4. Sanctuary Rock Gym Sand City, CA (831) 899-2595 > 5. Planet Granite San Francisco San Francisco, CA (415) 692-3434 > 6. Planet Granite Belmont Belmont, CA
(650) 591-3030 > 7. Planet Granite Sunnyvale Sunnyvale, CA (408) 991-9090 > 8. Hanger 18 South Bay L.A. Hawthorne, CA (310) 973-3388 > 9. Hanger 18 Riverside Riverside, CA (951) 359-5040 > 10. Hanger 18 Upland Upland, CA (909) 931-5991 > 11. Threshold Climbing Gym
Riverside, CA (951) 742-8479 > 12. Solid Rock San Marcos San Marcos, CA (760) 480-1429 > 13. Solid Rock Old Town San Diego, CA (619) 299-1124 > 14. Solid Rock Poway Poway, CA (858) 748-9011 > 15. Vertical Heaven Indoor Rock Climbing Gym Ventura, CA (805) 339-9022
> 28. Craggin’ Classic Fall Highball, Bishop, CA—Nov. 8-9 > 29. 2013 International Climbers’ Meet Yosemite National Park—Oct. 7-12 > 30. Pro Peek Event: San Francisco—Oct. 29 > 31. Joshua Tree Spring Cling—March 2014
Guide Services > 32. Alpine Skills International with its AMGA/ IFMGA trained/certified guides offers all-terrain backcountry ski mountaineering, avalanche education and climbing program Truckee, CA. alpineskills.com. (530) 582-9170 (June– November) and (530) 582-9170 (December–May).
A • Ray Jardine. He used them to put up the world’s first 5.13a in Yosemite Valley, The Phoenix.
Arizona Section americanalpineclub.org/arizona • arizona@americanalpineclub.org This quintessential desert state has boundless climbing on a variety of rock, and with a mostly arid climate, you can climb year-round. The historic Virgin River Gorge slashes though its northwest corner and just a bit farther south, huge walls abound in the Grand Canyon. Find bouldering, sport climbing, and splitter columnar basalt in Flagstaff; standstone spires in Sedona; adventure climbing in the Superstitions; old-school granite at Cochise Stronghold; bolt-clipping at Mt. Lemmon; and the list goes on and on. Couple this plethora of climbing potential with an active climbing community and you’ll understand why the Arizona Section of the American Alpine Club stands strong in the Southwest. AAC members routinely gather to do volunteer conservation work, BBQ, watch films, drink beverages, go climbing, tell stories, and toss high-fives. > Co-Chair Erik Filsinger • Scottsdale, AZ As the climber liaison to Scottsdale staff for the McDowell Sonoran Preserve, I have been the lead contact for identifying our historic climbing crags and proper access routes to get to them. I often patrol those crags and routes to see if any work needs to be done and am scheduling AAC Stewardship Days to assist in the effort. It’s hard to miss me out there with my dog Bronx: a Great Dane Bull Mastiff mix who scales small cliffs with a single bound. > Co-Chair Jeff Snyder • Flagstaff, AZ I started climbing in central Arizona around 2006 before moving north to Flagstaff. My passion for climbing has revolved around my love for exploration and pushing my personal limits. For the last few years, I have really been working hard to unite the Flagstaff climbing community through AAC-sponsored trail days, movie nights, and ClimbUnity events. Through the AAC, and with support from the local Flag climber group the “GNARbarians,” Flagstaff has become a proper climbers’ sanctuary.
Hawaii Section americanalpineclub.org/hawaii • hawaii@americanalpineclub.org When you visit Hawaii on vacation, don’t forget your climbing gear—there is rock on this island chain! Volcanic cliffs abound with great spots that feature sport climbs, bouldering, and even a few trad routes. > The Hawaii Section is currently lacking a chair. Interested in volunteering and helping the AAC further its mission? E-mail volunteer@americanalpineclub.org for details.
Sierra Nevada Section americanalpineclub.org/sierranevada • sierranevada@americanalpineclub.org The Sierra Nevada Section is one of the largest and most active AAC sections. With more than 1,200 members living in Northern California and Northern Nevada, we have a long tradition of community and volunteerism that unites members and welcomes all climbers. With the likes of Yosemite Valley, Tuolumne Meadows, Lovers Leap, Donner Summit, Pinnacles National Monument, and Bishop—not to mention the endless granite summits of the High Sierra—there is enough climbing to keep anyone busy for several lifetimes. Sierra Nevada Section members regularly gather at events throughout the year to climb, help preserve crags and mountains, and socialize. > Chair Karen Zazzi • Sacramento, CA A Northern California native, I spent most of my time water skiing, mountain biking, and downhill skiing before checking off a Bucket List item to see Everest and explore Nepal. That trip changed my life. I fell in love with the majesty of the mountains and found my true place in this world. It was at the Ouray Ice Festival that I was first introduced to the AAC, in which I’ve found a community of fun, good people who are living their passion. I’m looking forward to getting more climbers involved in volunteering so more of us can give back to our welcoming community that cares so much for our high places.
Southwest Section americanalpineclub.org/southwest • southwest@americanalpineclub.org The Southwest Section covers all of the great Southern California and Southern Nevada climbing. From classic areas like Joshua Tree, Red Rocks, and Tahquitz to Idyllwild, Malibu, and Mt. Charleston, the Southwest Section hosts more climbing and great weather than most folks know what to do with. Our section is growing daily and becoming more active with climbing-related activities blossoming especially in the Los Angeles and Las Vegas areas. > Co-Chair Jim Pinter-Lucke • Claremont, CA Jim grew up with a view of Mt. Hood and eagerly climbed the mountain at his first opportunity—managing to survive. Since then Jim has climbed Oregon volcanoes, the Washington Cascades, the Cordillera Blanca of Peru, and in Denali National Park. While these days he mostly rock climbs at Joshua Tree, Tahquitz, and Red Rocks, he is willing to be dragged into the alpine zone. Jim has taught for 41 years at Claremont Mckenna College. As he is nearing retirement, he has set his sights on other things such as volunteering with the Access Fund and AAC. Jim is looking to help develop a core of supporters for the Southwest Section and some new traditions (“So we can have even more fun than the Sierra Section!”). > Co-Chair Tony Yeary • Arcadia, CA A native Southern Californian, Tony started climbing in the early 1970s at Rubidoux, then graduated to Big Rock, Joshua Tree, Tahquitz, the Needles, the Valley and beyond—to the high peaks of the Andes. Between exploits on the rock Tony earned a BA from CSUF, raised four children, and now works at REI as a camping/climbing specialist. Tony has been an active member of the AAC for over 25 years.
Q•
How many feet of climbing did Alex Honnold solo during his one-day ”Triple” enchainment—El Capitan, Half Dome, and Mt. Watkins?
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ROCKIES REGION
The Rocky Mountain Region spans Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, and New Mexico and encompasses spectacular and iconic climbing areas like Indian Creek, Eldorado Canyon, Rifle Mountain Park, the Grand Tetons, Rocky Mountain National Park, Devil’s Tower and more. In the last year, the Club’s activity in the Rockies has grown substantially, with a host of new volunteers taking the lead. From a burgeoning New Mexico Section, to the continuation of long-held traditions such as Jim Donini’s Indian Creek Climbing and Stewardship Weekend, there are dozens of ways to get involved with the AAC in the Rocky Mountains. Be sure to check out the 2013 Craggin’ Classic in August, returning to Salt Lake City for the first time in four years!
MEET YOUR ROCKIES REGIONAL COORDINATOR > Jenn Flemming
jflemming@americanalpinclub.org
Jenn, a New Englander at heart, started climbing in the gym in Boston in 2005. Within months she had abandoned plans to attend medical school and moved west to rock climb, never looking back. Since then she has climbed all over the world including China, Bolivia, South Africa, Iran, and Tajikistan. Her favorite climbing destination, however, is in her backyard: Eldorado Canyon, Colorado. Her job as an AAC Regional Coordinator has provided the opportunity to give back to the community that has so hugely influenced the last decade of her life and to climb in some beautiful, historic locations along the way. The best part of her job, thus far, has been getting to know the dozens of unsung heroes across the country who volunteer their time giving back to their local climbing areas and communities.
GET INVOLVED.
Range’s Member Adventure Speaker Series.
1. Go climbing! Contact your Section Chair and set up a climbing meet-up for your friends and other local members.
6. Attend or volunteer at this year’s Craggin’ Classic in Salt Lake City in August 2013.
2. Get your hands dirty by attending a stewardship event like Jim Donini’s Indian Creek Trail Days. 3. Volunteer at the AAC Library or Museum (p. 24). Front Range members are lucky to have these resources close by, and our volunteers are critical to keeping them alive. 4. Concoct your own new tradition and pitch it to your Section Chair.
7. Come volunteer with us at the Ouray Ice Festival, Telluride Mountain Film, or International Climbers’ Festival! 8. Stay at the Grand Teton Climbers’ Ranch this summer. 9. Come say hello to the AAC staff next time you’re in Golden, CO. 10. Help grow the burgeoning New Mexico Section by connecting with Pat Gioannini (see p. 71).
5. Present on your own adventures as part of the Front
Eldorado Springs at 6 a.m. on a frozen November morning. AAC member Aly Nicklas
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A • 6,900 feet in approximately 18 hours, 55 minutes.
Q•
In 1984 who fell 400 feet off the east face of Long’s Peak, only to land in a drift of snow and walk away unharmed?
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Thornton, CO (303) 254-4344 > 7. Rock’n Jam’n: Centennial Centennial CO (303) 766-5462
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Lodging > 1. Grand Teton Climbers’ Ranch: Members can stay at the legendary GTCR for just $14 per person per night. Be sure to check out page 30 for all the info on the GTCR. > 2. Mountain Studies Institute at the Historic Avon Hotel: Located in Silverton, CO. For AAC members, the hotel has 15 rooms ranging from $25-30 during the off-season and $3035 during peak. Call (970) 387-5161 or visit mountainstudies.org. > 3. Colorado Mountain School: Located in downtown Estes Park, CO only 10 miles from Rocky Mountain National Park and three miles
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from Lumpy Ridge, the Colorado Mountain School sleeps 18 and has hot showers. Call (970) 586-5758 or visit totalclimbing.com for your discounted rate.
Gym Discounts Discounts vary. Call, check americanalpineclub.org/ discounts, or head to your local gym with your AAC member card for the latest details.
> 4. The Spot Bouldering Gym Boulder, CO (303) 379-8806 > 5. Boulder Rock Club Boulder, CO (800) 836-4008 ext. 4 > 6. Rock’n Jam’n: Thornton
Guide Services > 11. Exum Mountain Guides offers a 10% discount for one climber and 15% discount on two or more climbers booking day climbs. Clients will also receive a Marmot tech-tee with the AAC & Exum Mountain Guide logos. AMGA Accredited. (307) 733-2297, exumguides.com. > 12. Jackson Hole Mountain Guides. Members receive a 10% discount for one climber and 15% discount on two or more climbers booking day climbs. AMGA Accredited. (307) 733-4979, jhmg.com. > 13. Colorado Mountain School is Colorado’s largest guide service and holds the exclusive permit to provide technical climbing services in Rocky Mountain National Park. They offer indoor and outdoor courses and climbs, avalanche education, backcountry skiing and international expeditions. The organization has been highly supportive of the AAC’s mission and events through the years. AMGA Accredited. (970) 5865758, totalclimbing.com for your discounted rate. > 14. Alpine World Ascents, with its AMGA/ IFMGA trained/certified guides, offers a broad variety of instructional and guiding services for all levels. (303) 350-0366, alpineworldascents.com > 15. San Juan Mountain Guides is the only yearround guide service in Ouray, Colorado. AMGA Accredited. (970) 325-4925, ourayclimbing.com. > 16. Southwest Adventure Guides has been conducting domestic and international trips and courses since 1989. All of their Senior Guides are either American Mountain Guides Association AMGA Certified or Trained. (800) 642-5389, mtnguide.net.
A • Charlie Fowler. He said ”I was in the air long enough to think, wow, this is gonna hurt.”
Front Range Section americanalpineclub.org/frontrange • frontrange@americanalpineclub.org The 1,200 members of the Front Range Section have plenty to keep them busy, from Rocky Mountain National Park to Shelf Road and everything between! This year, the section launched after-work climbing meet-up groups, stewardship projects, a speaker series, and a themed annual dinner. > Chair Carol Kotchek • Louisville, CO Carol has been climbing for 30 years and has given back considerably to the community through active stewardship roles and a host of planned activities for the Club. She organizes and leads the annual International Climbers’ Meet in Yosemite (p. 36) and has started a Member Adventure Speaker Series, which highlights members’ climbing trips from around the world. This year, she orchestrated the Front Range’s first annual Section Dinner, which brought over 200 members of the community together in “thrift store black tie” attire.
New Mexico Section americanalpineclub.org/newmexico • newmexico@americanalpineclub.org Here in New Mexico we tend to check out the granite of the Sandias, the huge multi-pitch routes near Las Cruces and Chama, and cruise the hundreds of canyons scattered across the state. New Mexico now has its first Section Chair, Pat Gioannini, who is ramping up new events and stewardship projects across the state. Say hi and lend a hand! > Chair Pat Gioannini • Las Cruces, NM Pat developed a passion for climbing as a college student in the 1980s, exploring mostly the Organ Mountains and Dona Anna Mountains near Las Cruces. After college he climbed across the West and spent two summers at McMurdo Station Antarctica supporting NASA’s Long Duration Balloon program. In 2011 he participated in the AACfunded Cordillera Blanca Environmental Expedition and learned of the satisfaction coming from volunteering. He recently moved back to Las Cruces and is now developing a stronger AAC community in the area.
Utah Section americanalpineclub.org/utah • utah@americanalpineclub.org Home to world-class cragging and more than 300 members, we work closely with local climbing organizations across the state. In 2013, we’re partnering with the Salt Lake Climbers Alliance to bring the Craggin’ Classic back to Utah (p. 28). Come out for a weekend of community, fun, stewardship, great music, food, prizes, and more! > Chair Blake Summers • Midway, UT Blake resides just outside of Salt Lake City, on the Wasatch back where he skis and boards 100+ days a season—and has for the last 16 years—and aims to climb at least that much every year too. Blake shares his passion for the mountains with others via working as a climbing guide for White Pine Touring in Park City and by volunteering for the great community that is the AAC, as well as the Salt Lake Climbers Alliance.
Western Slope Section americanalpineclub.org/westernslope • westernslope@americanalpineclub.org The Western Slope is home to about 400 members and the climbing of Rifle Mountain Park, Ouray, the Black Canyon, Escalante Canyon, and much more. We’d like to welcome Lee Jenkins as our new Section Chair. He’ll be planning events and stewardship projects across the state and could use your help—it’s a great time to get involved! > Chair Lee Jenkins • Buena Vista, CO Lee Jenkins started climbing in 1973 in the Washington D.C. area, got hooked, and now has traveled and climbed across North America. He prefers long alpine rock routes but also climbs sport, trad, and ice on a regular basis. Lee has had a successful career in technology and is now semi-retired, leaving him with plenty of time to enjoy the mountains and organize stewardship and conservation projects for the AAC and Access Fund.
Wyoming Section americanalpineclub.org/wyoming • wyoming@americanalpineclub.org If it’s awesome, we have it here in our backyard: the Tetons and Winds, Devil’s Tower, Vedauwoo, Tensleep, Sinks, you name it. Connect with the other 200+ members in Wyoming by starting your own tradition or volunteering for the annual Cody Ice Festival. > Chair Dan Foote • Cody, WY Growing up watching firefighters use ropes for rescue, Don took an interest in ropes of all sizes. He moved to Cody to become a wildland firefighter in 1988 and began climbing ice the next year. Don organized the first Cody Ice Climbing Festival—now in its 15th year—in 1998. Referred to as the “friendliest little ice climbing festival” in the country, you don’t want to miss it! Don loves representing the AAC and welcoming new members.
Q • How many 14,000’+ peaks are in Colorado?
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Most consider the number to be 53 ranked 14ers. To be ranked, a peak must rise at least 300 feet above the saddle that connects it to the nearest 14er peak (if another exists nearby).
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CENTRAL REGION
Middle America might not come to mind first when you think about climbing, but maybe that’s because our 1,200+ members are keeping all the good stuff under wraps. Head down to the newly renovated AAC Hueco Rock Ranch and spend a week or two sampling the world’s best bouldering. Venture up to South Dakota for limestone climbing at Falling Rock or run-out spires in The Needles. Get your ice fix in Michigan or head to Arkansas for sandstone at Horseshoe Canyon Ranch. Whether it’s partying down for the annual Hueco Rock Rodeo in Texas or a BBQ with climbing pals in the North Central section, there are plenty of ways to get out and meet members in the Central Region.
CENTRAL REGION STAFF CONTACT:
Tricia Boomhower • tboomhower@americanalpineclub.org
GET INVOLVED.
event by contacting your local Section Chair or calling the AAC office for support.
1. Organize a climbing meet-up! Contact your Section Chair, invite your friends and other local members, and go climbing!
6. Start a book club or some other new tradition in your area.
2. In the North Central region? Help plan a local BBQ and climb by contacting your Section Chair, Mark.
7. We’re looking for a Section Chair for Texas/Louisiana. Contact jbragg@americanalpineclub.org for more information.
3. In the Great Lakes Section? Members can get involved by attending our annual social CLIMB UP! This event celebrates climbing in the Midwest, and it’s an opportunity to meet other AAC members.
8. Want to explore new rock? Whatever your aspirations, apply for a Live Your Dream grant between January 1 and March 1 (p. 40).
4. Know of a cool event in the Midwest that the AAC should be involved in? Contact your Section Chair or volunteer to set up an AAC booth. 5. Think your crag could use a clean up? Apply for a Cornerstone Conservation Grant (p. 42) or host an
9. Volunteer at local events such as the Hueco Rock Rodeo. 10. Help grow the Central Region. Have an idea? Pitch it to your local Section Chair!
Revelers hanging out at the 2013 Hueco Rock Rodeo, AAC Hueco Rock Ranch, TX. AAC member Justin Roth / Petzl
Q•
What U.S. peaks were formed when magma pushed the crust up but hardened before erupting onto the surface (so-called dome mountains)?
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Lodging > 1. AAC Hueco Rock Ranch. Members receive major discounts on lodging at Hueco Tanks, TX (see p. 33). The ranch has dozens of campsites plus eight bedrooms in the main house. (915) 855-0142, americanalpineclub.org/hueco. > 2 Horseshoe Canyon Ranch. The site of the wild and crazy 24 Hours of Horseshoe Hell offers a 20% discount all year to members who stay in cabins or campsites at the Jasper, AR ranch. climbhcr.com, (800) 480-9635.
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Gear Discounts > 3. Down Wind Sports. AAC members receive 20% off online purchases. Visit them online at downwindsports.com.
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AAC MEMBERS Justin Roth
As a writer and former magazine editor, the AAC Library in Golden holds a special place in my heart. Of course, I love the climber lodging and the gear discounts, and who could forget the AAJ or Accidents in North American Mountaineering. Great stuff... and I could go on! But when you come right down to it, it’s about community. Many of us have found our friends, our significant others, even our jobs through the closely knit climbing community, and today’s AAC reinforces and supports that community. Even if you aren’t interested in the many tangible benefits the AAC offers, I’d say that’s reason enough to join.
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A • Black Hills of South Dakota and the Adirondack Mountains of New York.
Great Lakes Section americanalpineclub.org/greatlakes • greatlakes@americanalpineclub.org Rock and ice in the Midwest? You betcha! The 350 or so Great Lakes Section Members live in Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana. Popular crags located within the Great lakes Section include Cliffs Drive in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, Whipps Ledges in Ohio, Unlikely Wall in Indiana, and of course some of the best ice climbing in the country at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in Michigan. The AAC’s own Bill Thompson organizes the Michigan Ice Festival every year, as well as numerous AAC film nights, crag days, and BBQs. > Chair Bill Thompson • Marquette, MI For the last 26 years, Bill has lived and climbed in the beautiful Upper Peninsula of Michigan. He spreads plenty of AAC love by organizing the Michigan Ice Festival, which draws 400-plus climbers to the region annually, and other social and climbing events. Bill enjoys traveling to climb but is just as happy cragging locally with his 11-year-old son, Blake. Like the rest of us, he has a passion for cheap beer and good stories, so never hesitate to ask Bill for anything!
Heartland Section americanalpineclub.org/heartland • heartland@americanalpineclub.org Some of the most dedicated, obsessed, and inspired climbers live the farthest from the biggest mountains here in Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Missouri. There are 150 members in the section, chaired by the talented illustrator and climber Jeremy Collins. > Chair Jeremy Collins • Kansas City, MO Jeremy cut his teeth (yes, BOTH teeth) climbing in the Heartland along the steep limestone walls of Missouri waterways, the sculpted sandstone of Arkansas, and the golden granite domes of Oklahoma. He has numerous first ascents all over the world. As an artist, Jeremy’s work can be seen in every issue of Rock & Ice and Alpinist, and at plenty of AAC and Access Fund fundraisers; his films can be seen at mountain festivals around the country. He has also co-authored or illustrated five different how-to books. Jeremy lives in Kansas City (Missouri, NOT Kansas!) with his lovely wife Tricia and their son, Zion, and daughter, Sela. If you are passing through Missouri on I-70, drop him a line. He may be able to give you a good tour of the local flavors.
Midwest Section americanalpineclub.org/midwest • midwest@americanalpineclub.org The Midwest Section is home to 250 members and numerous impressive climbing areas in Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Illinois. Minnesota’s lakefront features tall cliffs that harbor stunning ice in the winter, and fun rock in the summer. Shady woodland crags and boulders abound across the Section, particularly in Southern Illinois where the sandstone bouldering is some of the best in the country. And of course, Wisconsin houses the classic Devil’s Lake area. > Chair Ray Kopcinski • Orland Park, IL Ray’s interest in climbing started later in life, yet he has still managed to climb on five of the seven summits, as well as the Matterhorn, Grand Teton, volcanoes in Mexico, and countless peaks in the Pacific Northwest. His love of the outdoors is superseded only by the love of a new grandson whom he hopes to be fitting for climbing shoes in the very near future!
North Central Section americanalpineclub.org/northcentral • northcentral@americanalpineclub.org Made up of North Dakota, South Dakota, and Nebraska, the North Central Section houses some iconic destinations: the Needles of the Black Hills, granite crags at Mount Rushmore National Memorial, the steep limestone of Spearfish Canyon and Victoria Canyon, and some amazing Sioux Quartz climbing along the river cliffs of Palisades State Park. We look forward to hosting you at our local crags. If you need assistance planning your trip or you’re interested in volunteering, email us. > Chair Mark Jobman • Rapid City, SD Mark grew up with the playground of the Black Hills in his backyard. As long has he can remember the outdoors have played a significant role in his life and passions. For Mark, climbing is not just about the adventure, it’s also about the human connection. The AAC serves as his climbing family that helps protect and conserve the places we all love to climb. Mark lives in South Dakota with his wife and two children.
Texas Section americanalpineclub.org/texas • texas@americanalpineclub.org Crags of granite and limestone are scattered across this immense state, but the real draw needs no introduction: Hueco Tanks. This area has been called the best bouldering in the country, if not the world. Especially now that the AAC owns and has fixed up the iconic Hueco Rock Ranch, a visit to this world-class destination is obligatory. ` > The Texas Section is currently lacking a Chair. Interested in volunteering to help the AAC further its mission? Email volunteer@americanalpineclub.org for details.
Q • What climbing destination has 150 arches, surpassed only by Arches National Park in Utah?
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NORTHEAST REGION
Here in the Northeast we have black flies, crazy humidity, and long, frigid winters. We also have the roof pitches of the Gunks, the alpine terrain of the White Mountains and Adirondacks, the cutting-edge sport routes of Rumney, and the urban boulders of Central Park and Lincoln Woods—not to mention all the backwoods crags and boulder fields just waiting for exploration. But ask any Northeast climber and they’ll tell you what really makes this region special. The people. The Northeast is home to some of the country’s most active, dedicated climbers and a host of tight-knit climbing communities spanning the region’s urban centers and its small mountain towns. The Northeast Region is represented by four AAC Sections: Mid-Atlantic, Metro New York, Upstate New York, and New England. Many AAC members are active in more than one section, participating in events like climbing outings, community slide shows, region-wide festivals, and annual section dinners and barbecues.
MEET YOUR NORTHEAST REGIONAL COORDINATOR > Sarah Garlick
sgarlick@americanalpinclub.org
Sarah Garlick is a climber based out of North Conway, New Hampshire. Originally from North Carolina, Sarah learned to climb in New England as a college student, getting her start bouldering in Lincoln Woods, Rhode Island in the late 1990s. She’s since explored mountains and crags around the world, from the walls of Yosemite to the alpine peaks of Patagonia. She’s established new free routes in the granite fjords of Newfoundland and Greenland, and in the sandstone desert of the Middle East. Sarah was trained as a geologist and writer, and her first book, Flakes, Jugs & Splitters: A Rock Climber’s Guide to Geology, won the 2009 Banff Mountain Book Award. Sarah has been deeply involved in the Northeast climbing community for many years. She has served on the Board of Directors of the Kismet Rock Foundation and the Upper Saco Valley Land Trust, and she’s been the director of the Mount Washington Valley Ice Festival and International Mountain Climbing School’s Women’s Rock Weekend. Sarah lives in North Conway with her husband, climber and filmmaker Jim Surette, and their son Oliver.
GET INVOLVED.
in June/July and October at Cathedral Ledge in New Hampshire.
1. Host a member gathering at your local crag, gym, or watering hole. 2. Join the AAC volunteer crew at one of the ice festivals: Smugg’s Ice Bash, VICE Fest, Adirondacks Mountainfest, or the Mount Washington Valley Ice Festival. 3. Been on a cool trip lately? Contact your local Section Chair or Northeast Regional Coordinator about putting on a community slideshow. 4. Organize or participate in a cliff clean-up or trailwork day at your local climbing area. 5. Attend a New England Section barbecue, usually held
6. Volunteer to help Section Chair Phil Erard put on the New York Black Tie Dinner. 7. Take photos at an AAC event for our website and Facebook page. 8. Join the volunteer crew for the annual Craggin’ Classic festival in the White Mountains. 9. Host or attend a climbers’ movie night using films from the AAC Library or via our film festival tour partners like Reel Rock. 10. Join the AAC Green Mountain Book Club, meeting monthly in Hinesburg, Vermont.
AAC members take part in a Vet Ex expedition up Mt. Washington, NH. AAC member Erik Eisele
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A • Red River Gorge, Kentucky.
Q • Who first climbed High Exposure in the Gunks?
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Gym Discounts Discounts vary. Call, check americanalpineclub.org/ discounts, or head to your local gym with your AAC member card for the latest details.
> 1. Petra Cliffs Burlington, VT (802) 657-3872 > 2. Green Mountain Rock Climbing: Rutland Rutland, VT (802) 773-3343 > 3. Green Mountain Rock Climbing: Hartland Hartland, VT (802) 457-7090 > 4. Rock Spot: Lincoln Lincoln, RI (401) 727-1704 > 5. Rock Spot: Boston Boston, MA (617) 333-4433 > 6. Rock Spot: Peace Dale South Kingstown, RI (401) 789-SPOT > 7. Evolution Rock & Fitness Concord, NH (603) 715-9171 > 8. Carabiner’s Indoor Climbing New Bedford, MA 02740 (603) 986-0686
Major Events > 9. Craggin’ Classic: Cathedral Ledge
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—Sept. 13-15 > 10. Pro Peek Event: Boston—Sept. 26 > 11. Top Rope Social and Oktoberfest Celebration—Oct. 5 > 12. New York Black Tie Dinner—Nov. 9
Lodging > 13. AAC Gunks Campground is an ongoing partnership between the Club, the Mohonk Preserve, the NY State Office of Parks, and the Palisades Interstate Parks Commission. Visit americanalpineclub.org/camp-gunks for construction updates. AAC members get a significant discount at all AAC lodging facilities. Be sure to check out page 33 for preliminary info on the campground. > 14. Appalachian Mountain Club Facilities AAC members receive the same rates as AMC members (just show your AAC member card or proof-of-membership letter) in all AMC huts and lodges, including the eight High Mountain Huts in New Hampshire’s Presidential Range. outdoors.org, (800) 372-1758. > 15. The Keene Farm Owned by the Alpine
Club of Canada, the farm is located in the Adirondack Forest Reserve near Keene in northern NY state. The Keene Farm has camping facilities and a large cabin that accommodates up to 32 people. AAC members receive reciprocity rates. accmontreal.ca/en/ huts/keenefarm, (514) 939-1846. > 16. Greenmont Farms This restored 19th century post-and-beam barn is nestled near Smuggler’s Notch Ice Climbing, Northeast of Burlington, Vermont. Greenmont Farms offers enjoyable and comfortable accomodations for individuals or groups. AAC members receive a 10% discount. greenmontfarms.com, (802) 899-5141
Guide Services > 17. High Peaks Mountain Guides in Lake Placid, NY offers AAC members a 10% discount on guided trips, discounted lodging at their Guides House, and a discount at their retail store. Lodging discounts vary by season. (518) 523-3764, hpmountainguides.com. > 18. Kingdom Adventures Mountain Guides in East Burke, VT offers the following discounts to AAC members: $25 discount off all SOLO WFA courses (does not include AHA CPR); $25 discount off all AIARE Level I Avalanche > 19. Alpine Endeavors in Rosendale, NY offers a 10% discount to AAC members booking day climbs in the Gunks, Catskills and Adirondacks. AMGA Accredited. (877) 486-5769), alpineendeavors.com.
Gear Discounts > 20. Top of the World Books in Hinesburg, Vermont offers AAC members 10% off anything on their website—books, posters, videos, etc., including items already on sale. (802) 482-7287, topworldbooks.com.
A • Fritz Wiessner and Hans Kraus, in 1941. Kraus became an AAC member in 1959; Weissner in 1932.
Metro New York Section americanalpineclub.org/metronewyork • metronewyork@americanalpineclub.org New York City was the original home of the AAC, and many old timers fondly remember our unique Clubhouse on East 90th St, a converted firehouse. It was the center of Club events and a home to the Library for more than 40 years before AAC headquarters moved to Colorado. Since its departure, the New York Section, now called the Metro New York Section, has replicated the spirit, traditions, and fun events that were held there. Annual winter and summer climbing outings are held in the Adirondacks. The Section is best known for its Annual Black Tie Dinner, now in its fourth decade. > Chair Phil Erard • New York, NY Phil has dedicated over 30 years of volunteer service to the American Alpine Club. Phil is a Manhattan investment banker with a love for the mountains. Phil is well traveled, especially in the Alps, and has skied in the 19 principal cross-country ski marathons in the world. He was the first American to ski competitively in the old Soviet Union and post-war Czechoslovakia. Phil is best known as the organizer and host of the annual New York Section Black Tie Dinner, as well as biannual weekend outings to the Adirondacks.
Mid-Atlantic Section americanalpineclub.org/midatlantic • midatlantic@americanalpineclub.org The Mid-Atlantic Section brings together climbers from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. We have two new leaders of the Mid-Atlantic Section: Barry Rusnock from Hackettstown, New Jersey, and Jim Kunz from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Barry and Jim are working to grow AAC activity and membership in the Mid-Atlantic, including climbing outings to the Delaware Water Gap and the annual Top-rope Social and Oktoberfest Celebration at Allamuchy Mountain State Park. If you’d like to help us continue to build the Mid-Atlantic Section, please email midatlantic@americanalpineclub.org. > Co-Chair Jim Kunz • Pittsburgh, PA Jim is a Pittsburgh native who got involved with climbing many years ago as a Boy Scout. He’s returned to climbing as an adult and has been amazed by the support and encouragement of the Pennsylvania climbing community. Now, with the AAC, Jim is dedicated to extending that same support and openness to more climbers. > Co-Chair Barry Rusnock • Hackettstown, NJ Barry is a climbing instructor and guide from Hackettstown, NJ who has been climbing since 1979. Barry is an alpinist at heart, though he spends most of his time rock climbing near his home in New Jersey. He hosts the Top-rope Social and Oktoberfest celebration at Allamuchy and organizes several climbing meet-ups. New as Co-Chair, he is passionate about growing the local AAC community.
New England Section americanalpineclub.org/newengland • newengland@americanalpineclub.org The New England Section has a long tradition of gathering, bringing climbers together from across generations. Join one of our biannual barbecues at Cathedral Ledge in New Hampshire and you’re likely to bump into a mix of climbers, from someone on their first trip to the White Mountains to a local legend who put up some of the area’s classics. New England AAC members also gather at numerous community slide shows throughout the year, several ice festivals, and an annual dinner in Boston. The New England Section hosts the Northeast Craggin’ Classic every September. > Chair Nancy Savickas • Weymouth, MA Based in Boston, Nancy got the climbing bug on a trekking trip in Nepal in the mid 1980s. She has been lucky enough to have traveled to and climbed on all but one continent. Her first love is alpine climbing, particularly water ice, though she says other climbing disciplines will do in a pinch. Nancy has been on the Boston AMC’s Mountaineering Committee since 1991, a member of the AAC since 1995, served as the section’s Vice Chair from 1998–2009, and has been Chair since. > Vice Chair Rick Merritt • Norwell, MA From Norwell, MA, Rick began spending time hiking in the White Mountains of New Hampshire with his father in the late 1960s. He has been a member of the AMC since 1968 and a member of the AAC since 1989. Rick became Vice Chair of the Section in 2009 and has become known as the New England Section grill master. > Ambassador Jeffrey Longcor• Somerville, MA > Ambassador Jimmy Voorhis • White River Junction, VT
Upstate New York Section americanalpineclub.org/upstatenewyork • upstatenewyork@americanalpineclub.org In 2013, in an effort to both recognize the long tradition of AAC activity in New York City and to spur new growth in other areas of the state, we split the New York Section into two centers: Metro New York and Upstate New York. The Upstate New York Section works closely with the Gunks Climbers Coalition in New Paltz and is involved with community events in the Albany area and the Adirondacks. We are currently looking for Upstate New York volunteers and Section Chairs. If you’d like to help us build the new Upstate New York Section, please email Northeast Regional Coordinator Sarah Garlick: sgarlick@americanalpineclub.org. > Ambassador Carolyn Riccardi • New Paltz, NY > The Upstate New York Section is currently lacking a chair. Interested in volunteering and helping the AAC further its mission? E-mail volunteer@americanalpineclub.org for details.
Q • Who made the FFA of the route Kansas City, the first 5.12 in the Gunks?
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SOUTHEAST REGION
Welcome to the Southeast! From sandstone boulders in Alabama to granite domes in North Carolina, our neck of the woods is geologically diverse, offering unparalleled bouldering, trad and sport cragging, and—contrary to popular belief—even some big-wall and ice climbing! Home to the new AAC New River Gorge Climbers’ Campground, and now represented by Regional Coordinator Lisa Hummel, the AAC is going big in the Southeast. While famed for our “southern hospitality,” our climbing culture is, in some ways, an unusually guarded one. Access and inclusion issues render some of the country’s best climbing impenetrable to outsiders. Along with local climbing organizations and the Access Fund, we are making huge strides with land managers and owners to resolve these access issues and safeguard our climbing areas.
MEET YOUR SOUTHEAST REGIONAL COORDINATOR > Lisa Hummel
lhummel@americanalpinclub.org
Lisa’s experience as a whitewater rafting guide while studying at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC was instrumental in her gravitation towards the outdoors, the culture surrounding it, and ultimately climbing out of the river and onto the rock. Almost as soon as she graduated, Lisa began traversing the country to climb in the fabled boulder fields she had heard tales about. While the rock always holds a challenge and the scenery is always stunning, the climbing culture and the relationships she has cultivated solidify why Lisa is a climber. While there are very diverse sub-cultures and sub-regions within the Southeast, she believes we all have similar goals and values at heart—climbing connects us. Her roots have grown deep and wide here in the Southeast, and she is very excited to be on the Regional Coordinator team. “I am looking forward to connecting with local members, volunteers, and climbing organizations to establish some great local gatherings and meaningful projects.”
GET INVOLVED. 1. Attend a local AAC BBQ and slide show.
6. Work with your local climbing gym to host an AAC event.
2. Certify at an AAC Wilderness First Aid Class (Southern Appalachian Section).
7. Hang out at the AAC New River Gorge Campground.
3. Help staff the AAC Craggin’ Classic at the New River Gorge.
8. Drink a beer with us at the Triple Crown Bouldering Series.
4. Join members and friends for an AAC climbing weekend meet-up.
9. Volunteer as an AAC Community Ambassador or for the Access Fund’s Adopt-a-Crag Days.
5. Update rappelling skills at an AAC Rappelling Best Practices Clinic (Southern Appalachian Section).
10. No events in your town? Come to us with a cool idea and we’ll provide the support!
Ethan Pringle slaps the rounded top of the Stingray Boulder at Horse Pens 40, AL. AAC member Andrew Kornylak
80 // IN YOUR BACKYARD
A • Our very own John Bragg, AAC Membership & Community Director, in 1973.
Q • Where is the bouldering problem One From None located?
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5
4 11
3
Discounts vary. Call, check americanalpineclub.org/ member card for the latest details.
6
10
12
Gym Discounts discounts, or head to your local gym with your AAC
7 9
1
>
SOUTHEAST REGION
2
8
> 1. The Crag Franklin, TN (615) 661-9444 > 2. Stone Summit Atlanta, GA (678) 720-9882 > 3. Urban Rocks Chattanooga, TN (423) 475-6578 > 4. Earth Treks Climbing Center: Columbia Columbia, MD (410) 872-0060 > 5. Earth Treks Climbing Center: Timonium Timonium, MD (410) 560-5665 > 6. Earth Treks Climbing Center: Rockville Rockville, MD (240) 283-9942
Major Events > 7. Craggin’ Classic: New River Gorge—Sept. 20-22 > 8. Slice o’ Pie Video Contest at the Triple Crown—Oct. 5, Oct. 12, and Nov. 2 > 9. Pro Peek Event: Washington D.C.— Oct. 2
Guide Services > 10. Fox Mountain Guides and Climbing School in Pisgah Forest, NC offers Rock Climbing and Ice Climbing trips as well as climbing Instructor training and certifications in North Carolina. AMGA Accredited. foxmountainguides.com. (888) 284-8433.
Lodging > 11. AAC New River Gorge Campground Fayetteville, West Virginia. AAC members get a significant discount at all AAC lodging facilities. Be sure to check out page 35 for all the info on the brand new NRG campground. > 12. The Crash Pad Chattanooga, TN. AAC members get a 10% discount on lodging at the world’s first LEED Platinum Hostel crashpadchattanooga.com, (423) 648-8393.
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// IN YOUR BACKYARD
A • This V12 is actually located in Hobe Sound, Florida.
>
AAC MEMBERS Lizzy Scully
I appreciate the AAC for helping make climbers’ dreams come true through their awesome grant program. I have received numerous grants from the AAC in the past dozen years without which I would not have been able to climb in the Karakoram or Himalayas. I also think the organization is doing a dynamite job engaging the diverse climbing community with their regional coordinators, who organize and offer support for a wide variety of events. I was especially thrilled that the AAC has been so open to the gay climbing community through their support of the annual HomoClimbtastic event held in the New River Gorge. Go AAC!
Deep South Section americanalpineclub.org/deepsouth • deepsouth@americanalpineclub.org The heart of the Deep South—Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia—may best be described as the place where the trad routes seem more like sport routes, the sport routes seem more like boulder problems, and the boulder problems seem more like a golf course... perhaps because some of them are on a golf course. > Chair Alex Rowland • Atlanta, GA Originally from Atlanta, Alex Rowland first learned to climb in Switzerland while in college, then returned to explore the climbing scene in the Southeast. Alex writes, climbs, and works toward an inclusive climbing culture. He considers this simply a piece of what makes the climbing culture wonderful—how the sport connects us, inevitably building intense trust and deep relationships with a diverse array of people. You can spot Alex working tirelessly to climb Bum Beast with fewer than eight hangs (there are fewer bolts), and you can feel free to contact him if you want to connect with someone familiar with the climbing scene around Atlanta.
Southern Appalachian Section americanalpineclub.org/southernappalachian • southernappalachian@americanalpineclub.org Drive down the spine of the Southern Appalachians and discover a lifetime of climbing. Start in West Virginia and the pump of Seneca Rocks. Head south to the new AAC Climbers’ Campground and tackle 1,600 sport and trad routes around the New River Gorge. Slip down the Blue Ridge into North Carolina for Stone Mountain’s friction. Try the wilderness experience of Linville Gorge, Grade V aid lines at Looking Glass, and the technical face, splitter cracks, and superb bouldering of Rumbling Bald. Come back in the winter to chase our ephemeral southern ice! Section Chair David Thoenen is a very active AAC member who organizes numerous events, including a new rappelling clinic to keep climbers at all levels safer. > Chair David Thoenen • Raleigh, NC A few years ago, in a chilly hut at 4,250 meters on Mt. Damavand, chatting with a dozen or so Iranian alpinists—the most hospitable folks you’ll ever meet—in a flash I realized that I had arrived at my answer to that classic question, “Why do you climb?” For the friendships I enjoy as a climber! Not the summits. They’re important. But it’s all about the new friends that I make everywhere I climb. Which leads to my next question: Why serve as Section Chair for the AAC? Same answer! Every week it’s my pleasure to rub shoulders with some of the finest people I’ll ever meet, my friends, the climbers of the southern Appalachians.
Washington D.C. Section americanalpineclub.org/washingtondc • washingtondc@americanalpineclub.org The Washington D.C. Section has roughly 300 members in D.C., Maryland, and Northern Virginia. We hold section meetings 3–4 times a year at the Cleveland Public Library, 3310 Connecticut Ave. N.W., Washington D.C. We also host local rock-climbing events at Great Falls and Carderock, and more far-flung areas such as the New River Gorge and Seneca Rocks in West Virginia. Members’ interests also include ice climbing, alpine climbing, ski touring and local gym climbing. For more information, or to get involved in section activities, please contact Simon or check out facebook.com/AmericanAlpineClubBlueRidgeSection. > Chair Simon Carr • Bethesda, MD Simon is originally from New Zealand. He moved to the U.S. in 1997 when he ran out of 3-star routes in his home country to tick. Now mostly a rock climber, he previously spent a number of nights shivering on small ledges while trying to be an alpinist, and many days skinning up glaciers carrying too much gear. He has climbed extensively in the U.S., New Zealand, and Europe, and he spent a summer in Antarctica as a field assistant carrying rocks for geologists. He is certain he has the largest collection of climbing guidebooks in Bethesda, Maryland.
Q • What’s the oldest mountain range in the U.S.?
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>
2012 YEAR IN REVIEW [ inside the year in review ] > Page 84 - 85 // Award Winners > Page 86 - 87 // Grant Winners > Page 88 - 89 // Annual Report
> Page 90 - 91 // Great Ranges Fellowship > Page 92 - 93 // Donors > Page 94 - 95 // Corporate & Media Partners
2012 AWARD WINNERS LEARN americanalpineclub.org/awards
Every year the AAC proudly presents awards to those with outstanding achievements in conservation, climbing, mountain literature, and more.
David Brower Conservation Award Recognizing leadership and commitment to preserving mountain regions worldwide.
Robert Hicks Bates Award For outstanding accomplishment by a young climber.
> Kyle Dempster
Angelo Heilprin Citation Awarded to that person who has shown exemplary service to the American Alpine Club. > Bruce Franks & Phil Powers
> John Stannard & Laura and Guy Waterman
Robert and Miriam Underhill Award H. Adams Carter Literary Award Recognizing excellence in alpine literature by North American writers who have contributed extensively and over many years to mountain literature. > Bernadette McDonald
Awarded to a climber with the highest level of skill in the mountaineering arts and who, through the application of this skill, courage, and perseverance, has achieved outstanding success in the various fields of mountaineering endeavor. > Mark Richey
Looking up from the 2012 International Climbers’ Meet, Yosemite National Park, CA. AAC member Andrew Burr
84
// YEAR IN REVIEW
A • The Appalachians, which formed some 480 million years ago.
Q • What artist designed the poster for the 2013 Annual Dinner?
YEAR IN REVIEW //
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>
2012 GRANT WINNERS
LEARN
READ TRIP REPORTS
americanalpineclub.org/grants
grants@americanalpineclub.org
americanalpineclub.org/tripreports
Lyman Spitzer Cutting Edge Awards $9,000 > Graham Zimmerman with Blake Herrington and Scott Bennett ($3,000) > David Gottlieb and Chad Kellogg ($3,000) > Hayden Kennedy and Kyle Dempster ($3,000)
AAC Nikwax Alpine Bellwether Grants $2,745
> Haasan Basagic ($1,173) Glacier Repeat Photography Database of the American West: The Glacier-clad Volcanoes of the Cascade Range, California – Washington > Rebecca Watters ($1,173) Going Gulo: Documenting an unknown wolverine population in Mongolia.
Mountaineering Fellowship Grants
> David Scott ($400) Relationships between climate, tree vigor, and eruptions of the spruce beetle (Dendroctonus rufipennis) in the San Juan Mountains, CO
$5,300 Spring 2012 $3,300
> Alan Rousseau (25), $300 > Greg Conyers (22), $300 > Joey Lambert (21) & Logan Jamison (25), $600 > Michael Wejchert (25), $300 > Mike Pond (25), $800 > Tim Gibson (24) & Jonathan Schaffer (23), $1,000
Fall 2012 $2,000
> Cheyne Lempe (20), $1000 > Dan Hilden (24), $300 > Grant Simmons (24), $400 > Graham Zimmerman (25), $300
86 // YEAR IN REVIEW
Copp-Dash Inspire Awards
Mountain Hardwear McNeill-Nott Awards
$28,000
$5,000
> Chris Wright with Geoff Unger ($6,000) > Mike Libecki with Freddie Wilkinson ($6,000) > Sam Johnson with Ryan Johnson ($6,000) > Joshua Lavigne with Jon Walsh ($4,000) > Pat Goodman with Jeremy Collins ($6,000)
> Christopher Gibisch and Jeff Shapiro ($2,500) for Gongga Shan (aka Minya Konka) the easternmost 7,000m peak in Asia, in the Sichuan province of Western China. > Michael Royer with Matt Traver, Steve Beckwith, and Matt Bunn ($2,500) to explore and attempt first ascents of the peaks and cliffs of the Timmiarmiut Fjord in southeastern Greenland.
A • AAC member Jesse Crock, who lives down the street from AAC headquarters in Golden, Colorado.
••• Find grant application information on pages 38 - 47. Live Your Dream Grants
Cornerstone Conservation Grants
$13,100
$25,000
Northeast Region (Spring)—Total awarded: $2,000
> Friends of Muir Valley—Muir Valley, KY ($5,000) > Salt Lake Climbers’ Coalition—Joe’s Valley, UT ($2,500) > Boulder Climbing Community—Boulder, CO ($2,000) > Washington Climbers’ Coalition—Vantage, WA ($5,000) > Gunks Climbers’ Coalition—Gym to Crag Program ($5,000) > Rumney Climbers’ Association—Rumney, NH ($2,500) > Rocky Mountain Field Institute—Indian Creek, UT ($3,000)
> Erik Eisele and Michael Wejchert ($500) > Alison Criscitiello and Lauren Peritz ($500)
> Brian Threlkeld and Paul Clifford ($500) > Sean Yaw ($500)
Northeast Region (Fall)—Total awarded: $1,600 > Andrea Charest ($400) > Ben Jacobs and Hesper Rugo ($200 each)
> Gary Sorcher ($400) > Jason Denver ($400)
Northwest Region—Total awarded: $1,500 > Matthew Morriss ($400) > Steph Abegg ($300) > Adam Baylor ($300)
> Winter Ramos ($300) > Pete Lindahl ($200)
Western Region—Total awarded: $2,000 > Lauren Montemayor ($450) > Ryan Heutter ($400) > Maura LaRiviere ($250)
> Hari Mix ($450) > Vitaliy Musiyenko ($450)
Rocky Mountain Region—Total awarded: $2,000 > Brett Bloxom ($800) > Jewell Lund ($600)
> Jonathan Byers ($300) > Brandon Howard ($300)
Scott Fischer Memorial Conservation Grant and Lara-Karena Kellogg Memorial Conservation Grant (Combined) Total awarded: $1,600 ($445 from Fischer Fund and -$1,155 from Kellogg Fund) > John All ($800) Measuring climate change impacts on high altitude vegetation from 1973-2012 using satellite remote sensing. CSP Peru. > Jeffery Haab ($800) Construct two sustainable toilets in the Upper Trinidad Valley of Cochamó Valley, Los Lagos Region, Chile.
Central Region—Total awarded: $1,800 > Lloyd Bolton ($500) > Jay Hack ($300) > Michael Tyron ($200) > Allen Zeitlin ($300)
> Reggie Walter ($100) > Evan Ward ($200) > Marissa Krupa ($200)
Mountainfilm Commitment Grant > Dave O’Leske ($4,000) For the film, Direct Beckey.
Southeast Region—Total awarded: $1,700 > Brendan Kehde ($300) > Chris Latham ($200) > John Chipouras & Kevin Ziechmann ($200)
> Kyle Trettin ($300) > Marc-Richard Telbaldi ($200) > Michael Farnsworth ($300)
Local Grants $5,615 John L. Horn Sport Climbing Grant
(Sierra Nevada Section) > Sara Sisun ($2,500) > Greg Bricca ($2,500)
Chris ”Haliku” Pruchnic Wilderness First Responder Training Grant (Front Range Section) > Gabriel Benel ($615)
Research Grants $10,550 > Jon Kedrowski ($1,000) > Caleb Pan ($300) > Kimiko Nygaard ($700) > Jon Kedrowski ($1,000) > Geoff Hill ($500) > Scott Hotaling ($300) > Peter Bordokorr ($350) > Carlyn Perovich ($250) > Seth Campbell ($500) > Chris Monz ($700) > Rebecca Watters ($300) > Ellen Lapham ($250) > Sam Johnson ($300)
Q • Which AAC Past President received the American Alpine Club Gold Medal Award in 2006?
> Chris Davis ($250) > Katherine Barnhard ($250) > Kate von Krusenstiern ($250) > Melanie Stine ($400) > Robyn Wooldridge ($300) > Rebecca Cole ($250) > Carolyn Swertka ($200) > Ian Delaney ($700) > Roger Putnam ($300) > Will Petry ($400) > Brett Woelber ($400) > David Scott ($400)
YEAR IN REVIEW //
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>
2012 ANNUAL REPORT
2012 WE INVESTED IN YOU, OUR MEMBERS. 2008
7,239
2009
8,126
We transformed our programs to provide a more meaningful experience and 8,462 2010 offer greater value to you, our members. Together we are building a vital hub 8,476 2011 for the climbing community. Here’s how. 2012
10,441 MEMBERS
COMMUNITY 89% of AAC members now have a staff representative taking action in their 2011 23,009 BOOKS IN CATALOG region. These five Regional Coordinators are in place to listen and advocate on your behalf, host events, award local conservation and climbing 2012 42,451 BOOKSgrants, and recruit and train volunteers. They support each of you in making your 2008 7,239 BETAworld better every day. climbing 2009
COMMUNITY
LODGING
8,126
2011
2010 2011116 VOLUNTEERS
2012
2012
2011 2012
8,462 8,476 10,441 MEMBERS 400 VOLUNTEERS
23,009 BOOKS IN CATALOG 42,451 BOOKS
2011 Making good on our intention to provide critical$7,219,751 lodging at world-class American BETA climbing destinations, 2012 marked a sea change for the AAC. We 2012 $9,447,065 made progress on four properties: • Renewed a 10-year contract to operate the Grand Teton Climbers’ Ranch in TOTAL ASSETS 2011 116 VOLUNTEERS Wyoming. • Bought, renovated, and reopened the iconic Hueco Rock Ranch in Texas. 2012 2011 2 AAC-OPERATED FACILITIES 400 VOLUNTEERS • Developed 40 acres at the New River Gorge in West Virginia and opened it to COMMUNITY our first campers. 2012 4 FACILITIES • Continued our persistent work on the Shawangunk Gateway Campground LODGING in New York. Contractors are chosen and financing is in place to break ground in 2013. 2011 $7,219,751 We also expanded our lodging partnerships to provide members with discounts at a new2012 clubhouse in Nepal and at dozens of $9,447,065 other destinations around the world.
$$
$$
TOTAL ASSETS
2011 2012
2 AAC-OPERATED FACILITIES 4 FACILITIES
LODGING
GRANTS To engage more climbers in the spirit of our grants, we introduced an award program for climbers of all disciplines, ages, and abilities. The Live Your Dream program encourages motivated climbers to build skills and
88 // YEAR IN REVIEW
confidence. With more than 150 applications in its first year, this grant became our most popular overnight. Also in its first year the Cornerstone Conservation Grant funded seven major projects around the country that will keep our climbing areas accessible and clean.
CONSERVATION & ADVOCACY In 2012 your conservation needs bubbled up from our Sections across the country. The most critical projects were funded through the Cornerstone Conservation Grants program. We brought in our national team when issues needed attention. We communicated more clearly through the new Greenpoint e-newsletter to members. We continued to advocate to our nation’s land managers that climbing is a basic, human act and should therefore be called out clearly as an activity on all public lands. Recently, the National Park service codified climbing, and the fixed anchors we need, as a permanently legitimate us of Wilderness lands.
LIBRARY & MUSEUM The AAC Library acquired 19,442 books and videos in 2012 (84% growth), solidifying our place as one of the world’s top climbing libraries, thanks especially to growth in our donated Central Asia and Himalayan collections. 2008 7,239 Much of our work was focused on Explore, a digital database that beta 2009 8,126 launched in early 2013. Explore provides online access to thousands of 8,462 2010 never-before-seen rare photos and documents from the AAC archives via 8,476 2011 galleries and exhibits. Soon this platform will allow you share and add and 10,441 MEMBERS your own documents to the2012 AAC archives with the click of a button. 2011 2012
23,009 BOOKS IN CATALOG 42,451 BOOKS
BETA
We continued to operate the Bradford Washburn American Mountaineering 2011 116 VOLUNTEERS Museum as a stable, self-funded entity with great attendance at monthly outreach events and huge support from its donors and friends. 2012 400 VOLUNTEERS
PUBLICATIONS COMMUNITY We distributed the inaugural Guidebook to Membership in May, giving you a Club yearbook that also serves as a resource for accessing your benefits and 2011 Thanks to your input, we$7,219,751 getting more involved. added new departments to the American Alpine Journal and Accidents in North American Mountaineering. 2012 And we made these titles available in a number of digital$9,447,065 storefronts for your tablets and smartphones. But our biggest publications project has been to
$$
TOTAL ASSETS
Clinch, AAC President 1968-70, for his lifetime achievement as one of America’s most successful A • Nick expedition leaders (Gasherbrum I in 1958, Masherbrum in 1960, and Vinson in 1966). 2011 2012
LODGING
2 AAC-OPERATED FACILITIES
4 FACILITIES
scan and segment every edition of these books. That’s 31,000 pages and 24,000 articles dating back to 1907. In 2013 all of this important climbing history will be available on the AAC website, putting Accidents online for the first time ever and vastly improving the AAJ search. You will have the ability to save your favorite articles to a personalized reading list and contribute to our ongoing metadata volunteer effort.
Operating Expenses [Fiscal 2012]
Information & Marketing 26% Community Programs 20% Membership & Finance 19%
MEMBERSHIP
Restricted 15%
As the organization invested in its members, its members invested in the organization. Membership grew by 23%, a Club record, and we finished the fiscal year at an all-time high: 10,441 members. It wasn’t only our members who showed appreciation for our work in 2012 either—Climbing Magazine gave the AAC a Golden Piton Award for our service in the community.
Development 10% General & Administration 7% Conservation & Policy 3%
Operating Revenue 2008 2009 7,239
8,462 8,476 8,126 8,462
Membership Dues 28% Endowment Draws 9% 10,441 MEMBERS
Campaign Support 8%
8,476
2011 2012
Fundraising 43%
8,126
2010 2008 2011 2009 2012 2010
GOVERNANCE 2011
[Fiscal 2012]
7,239
Grants & Special Projects 4%
10,441 MEMBERS 23,009 BOOKS IN CATALOG
Section Income 3%
Charlie Sassara took over as President despite facing huge time demands at work. After a year of leading the Club and paying special attention 2012 42,451 BOOKS to succession planning and good governance, Charlie and new Governance 2011 23,009 BOOKS IN the CATALOG BETA tapped Mark Kroese to lead the Club in 2013 and beyond. Committee 2012
FINANCIALS BETA
2011
42,451 BOOKS
TOTAL ASSETS
TOTAL ASSETS
2012 2011 2012 2011 2012
Publications/Merchandise 2%
Operating Revenue/Expenses
116 VOLUNTEERS
Membership, fundraising, and other revenue reached unprecedented levels in 2012. We finished slightly behind budget by about $126,000, missing the 2012 400 VOLUNTEERS mark in part due to unexpected 2011 116opportunities VOLUNTEERS on the capital improvements COMMUNITY front. We acquired an additional 17% of the American Mountaineering 2012 VOLUNTEERS Center at very little cost, bringing our ownership to 50%.400 Combined with the purchase of the Hueco Rock Ranch, we improved our balance sheets by more COMMUNITY $7,219,751 than $2.2 million. 2011
$$ $$
Climbers’ Ranch/Huts 3%
$9,447,065 $7,219,751 $9,447,065 2 AAC-OPERATED FACILITIES 4 FACILITIES
$3,000,000 $2,500,000 $2,000,000
Budgeted $1,500,000
Actual
$1,000,000 $500,000
Together we are stronger, and there are more of us than ever. We are 2011 2 AAC-OPERATED FACILITIES LODGING working hard to make sure the money and volunteerism we pool together 2012 as possible on the programs you 4 FACILITIES is deployed as efficiently care about most. After such a prosperous 2012, we are dreaming big about an even more LODGING successful 2013. Thank you—and cheers—for being part of it.
-$500,000
Phil Powers Executive Director
Budgeted Expenses: $2,035,115 Actual Expenses: $2,786,324 Budgeted Revenue: $1,909,433 Actual Revenue: $2,534,746 Net Budgeted: -$125,682 Net Actual: -$251,578
Q • In 1958 who climbed the Grand Teton at the age of 7?
$0
Expense
Revenue
Net
YEAR IN REVIEW //
89
••• For exclusive Great Ranges Fellowship trips, see page 26.
90 // YEAR IN REVIEW
A•
Jeff Lowe via the Exum Ridge.
>
GREAT RANGES FELLOWSHIP
The Great Ranges Fellowship brings our donor-members together with exclusive events and trips, timely “insider” communications, extra benefits, and access to staff and officials like never before. At the AAC we value every gift—no matter what its size. In recognition of our most generous donors, we’ve created this program. LEARN
CALL
americanalpineclub.org/greatranges
greatranges@americanalpineclub.org
(720) 457-9800
The Great Ranges Fellowship provides consistent benefits, recognition, and communication to our donors at various levels. We strive to be inclusive of all climbing disciplines and recognize that all climbers have different charitable interests and capacities of support. Most gifts qualify toward annual membership in the GRF including
those directed toward key operating programs such as the American Alpine Journal, Accidents in North American Mountaineering, The American Alpine Club Library, the AAC Grand Teton Climbers’ Ranch, and AAC Grant programs. They do not include Corporate Partners, Media Partners, or fiduciary programs such as expedition support.
Beta Great Ranges Fellowship member benefits include all regular AAC member benefits plus: > VIP invitations to a variety of events in your area and around the nation > Exclusive and timely communications regarding key Club issues > Invitations to exclusive AAC climbing trips annually > Regular Annual AAC membership (beginning at your current expiration date)
Teewinot Fellow $1,000
> Exclusive Great Ranges Fellowship Jacket > Recognition in the American Alpine Journal > Subscription to Alpinist magazine > Inclusion in the Fellowship Updates e-mail notices
Robson Fellow $2,500
> Exclusive Great Ranges Fellowship Jacket > Recognition in the American Alpine Journal > Subscription to Alpinist magazine > Inclusion in the Fellowship Updates e-mail notices > Invitation for two (2) to VIP Reception at the Annual Benefit Dinner with purchase of tickets
Alpamayo Fellow $5,000
> Exclusive Great Ranges Fellowship Jacket > A special hardcover edition of the American Alpine Journal > Recognition in the American Alpine Journal > Subscription to Alpinist magazine > Inclusion in the Fellowship Updates e-mail notices > Invitation for two (2) to VIP Reception at the Annual Benefit Dinner > Two (2) AAC gift memberships to share with your friends and family
Eiger Fellow $10,000+
> Exclusive Great Ranges Fellowship Jacket > A special hardcover edition of the American Alpine Journal > Recognition in the American Alpine Journal > Subscription to Alpinist magazine > Inclusion in the Fellowship Updates e-mail notices > Invitation for four (4) to VIP Reception at the Annual Benefit Dinner > Four (4) AAC gift memberships to share with your friends and family
[Left] ESE Ridge of Mount Lady MacDonald, Canmore, Alberta, Canada. AAC member Paul Zizka [Above] Paul Henry Lego, GRF member Paul Lego, Jolene Unsoeld, Tom Hornbein, Norman Dyhrenfurth, Jim Whittaker, David Dingman at the 2013 Annual Benefit Dinner. AAC member Jim Aikman
Q•
Who said it? ”You never conquer a mountain. You stand on the summit a few moments, then the wind blows your footprints away.”
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$20,000+
Anonymous (2) Laurie Ann Berliner Yvon and Malinda Chouinard Clark L. Gerhardt Jr. Mark Kroese McKibben Merner Family Foundation Mark and Teresa Richey Naoe Sakashita Cody J Smith Travis A. Spitzer Doug and Maggie Walker
$10,000–$19,999
Bruce Franks Louis W. Kasischke Peter and Kathleen Metcalf Steven J. Swenson & Ann Dalton Lawrence True & Linda Brown
$5,000–$9,999
Anonymous The AAC, New York Section Ansara Family Foundation Cause & Effect Productions Philip Duff Jim Edwards Lee M. Elman Richard S. Grifith Amy G. Meridith Wolf Riehle David E. Riggs Alan L. Spielberg Theodore P. Streibert Western Conservation Foundation
$2,500–$4,999
Anonymous AlpineEarth George Basch Laurie Bencal Sherman M. Bull M.D. Ned and Betsy Cabot James U. Donini James and Cheryl Duckworth Ken Ehrhart Charlotte Conant Fox Gerald E. Gallwas Peter, Sam, Addis, and Gus Goldman Robert B. Hall Helene Hill Richard E. Hoffman M.D. John Leonard George Lowe III
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Brent V. Manning Jeff Martin James P. McCarthy Glenn E. Porzak William Lowell Putnam Charles J. Sassara III Steve and Paula Mae Schwartz Ruth Sofield Jack E. and Pat Tackle Ronald J. Ulrich John E. (Jed) Williamson Joseph Peter Yannuzzi
$1,000–$2,499
Anonymous The AAC, Alaska Section John All William Arnott Bernhard W. Bach Barry S. Baer Gail O. Bates Douglas P. Beall Gali Beh Gordon A. Benner M.D. Ronald H. Bixby Tanya Bradby & Martin Slovacek David F. Breashears Wesley Brown Paul Brunner and Coleen Curry Tina H. Bullitt William A. Burd Robert J. Campbell Golden Civic Foundation Jeffrey R. Cohen Rebecca Cole Douglas T. Colwell Kevin Cooney Charlotte & Matt Culberson Karen Daubert John W. Davidge III Stanley Dempsey Joseph DiSaverio Jennifer E. Dow M.D. H. Newcomb Eldredge Terrence J. English Philip Erard Roger & Katherine Flahive Foundation Charles Fleischman Timothy C. Forbes James A. Frank C. James Frush James Garrett Glacierworks David V. Goeddel Henry M. Hamlin James F. Henriot Scot T. Hillman
Marley E. Hodgson Harold Hunt John R. Kascenska II Phil Lakin Jr Ellen V.B. Lapham Gerald Lofthouse Jim Logan Gail J. Loveman Chris Lynch Edward E. Matthews David K. Mayer George McCown Peter D. McGann M.D. Paul H. Morrow Vanessa A. O’Brien Irving J. Oppenheim John Parsons Marshall R Peterson Philip C. Powers Alfred B. Randall M.D. Verne & Marion Read Louis French Reichardt Carey Roberts John Rudolph Rebecca Schild Carl G. Schmitt Stephen Schofield Howard Sebold George Shaw Samuel Silverstein M.D. George N. Smith Brian Sohn Chris Steiner William & Barbra Straka Seth H. Switzer John L. Townsend John Tracy Dieter H. Von Hennig Kate Von Krusenstiern T.C. Price Zimmermann
$500–$999
Daniel Akerman Joe Albanese Andrew S. Allan Michael A.P. Barker Robert R. Barker Vaclav E. Benes Brent R. Bishop Virginia P. Boucher Paul H. Briggs Lindsay Buchanan Rick Buirkle Vicki Cain Jerome H. Chin, M.D. William G. Cox Joseph K. Davidson Tom Degenhardt Robert H. T. Dodson Jeff Dozier Richard Draves
A • Arlene Blum, who became an AAC member in 1971.
Michael J. Feldman Teresa Gergen Eli Gottlieb Robert S. Graziano Z. Wayne Griffin Jr. David Harrah Roger Hartl Donall B. Healy George J. Hill Sandy Hill Jonathan S. Hough Thomas Jenkins James F. Jennings Steven Jervis Fred Jolomb William R. Kilpatrick M.D David T. Knox Daniel Kobal David H. Koch Patricia H. Lambert Carl P. Lehner Marnie Levine Michael J. Lewis Jr Robert Martin & Thanyanan Chaowanachan Mary Ann Matthews John G. McCall M.D. Gary Lynn McElvany Jonathan O’Brien Edward T. O’Neil Oklahoma United Methodist Foundation Matt Perkins Alan Peterson E. Kemp Prugh Don Ross Burton T. Ryan Jr. Jeb C. Sanford Michael Schlenker Friedel Schunk Vincent E. Starzinger Anton Stauffer Robert Stephenson Bob A. Street Erwin Thomet Angelina L. Trujillo M.D. Alexander R. Uy Edward E. Vaill Carolyn M. Wallace Edgar S. Walsh Timothy Wilt Linda Wylie
$200–$499
Lisa Abbott Lily Albrecht Alta Group Inc Burton M. Angrist M.D. Jennifer Arnold Sahin Atlas Chuck Aude
>
AAC INDIVIDUAL DONORS
Kenneth Bacco Allan W. Bach M.D. Spencer Backus Robert Bates Estate Elizabeth I. Bauer Kenneth L. Bayne John Bentley John M. Berry Joseph Blake Jeff Blumenfeld Sean Borman Garrett R. Bowden BP Foundation Inc. John Bragg Tom R. Bratton Michael L. Brown M.D. Nathan Brown Robert W. Burns Jr. Jeremy Butler Gerald H. Calbaum James M. Clash Dan Cohen Nancy Cohen & Jim Wason Fund Arian Colachis Dan L. Cox Robert W. Craig Caspar Cronk Ronald G. Crystal M.D. Jill Daley Rupert S. Dance William E. Davis Scott E. Davis John Deakyne Diann DeFebbe Megan L. Delehanty Carol Derry Angela Goodacre Donini Yves C. Durieux David Edward Dyess Phil Ensign Marc Evankow Hugh W. Evans Todd Fairbairn Mark E. Fedow Jamie Fields Carlo A. Filiaci Julie A. Floyd Kay Foster Meg Franks Anne S. Frantz Friends of Joshua Tree Gregory William Frux Paul Gagner Christopher R. Galligan Sam Gardner Frederick F. Glover Frederick M. Golomb M.D. Barbara B. Gurtler Rick Hanheide Jenny Harris
2012 CALENDAR YEAR Matthew Heimermann Janet D. Heintzman Rocky Henderson Mark K. Hingston John Hodder Barbara Hoffman Chong M Hong Thomas F. Hornbein M.D. John Hutchinson Barry K. Hutten Mike Immerwahr Mark R. Jobman Lyman H. Johnson Kenneth Johnstone Rodrigo H. Jordan Mark S. Kassner Gail Kennedy Henry L. Kingsley Andrew Kittleson John L. Korfmacher Al Koury Kraft Foods Supriya Kutty Susan Lancelotta Carl Landegger David Landman Morton N. Lane Christopher Lang Arthur W. Leissa Carel Lindenmeyr Steve Linton Tia W. Maerz Carolyn Maloney Robert Marquis Robert B. Martin III Wallace S. Martindale III Brian Marts Michael G. McCauley Justin McCloskey Danny McCracken Ann McGehee Richard A. Merritt Jack Miller Gurdon Miller Barrett Morgan Martin Mushkin Esquire Chung-Hyun Nam Robert O’Sullivan Gregory Paciorek Dale Allen Peery Karla Pifer Roland R. Puton James Wesley Ratliff Matthew Reich John T. Reilly Drummond Rennie M.D. Richard L. Ridgeway Natalia Rodnova Frederick William Ross Alan M. Rubin John A. Rupley
William Ryan Mark Sandrof Walter A. Sarcletti Andreas Schmidt Robert B. Schoene M.D. Raymond V. Schrag Roy Schwitters Seung Mo Shin Jim Small Robert Stevens Melissa J Stowe Jon Styslinger John E. Taylor Robert P. Teten Jr. Peter Thiemann John P. Tiernan Charles H. Tint Maydelis Torres J. Martin Torresquintero John and Candy Varco Michael T. Walenta George Wallerstein Roger Wallis Winston Warme James P. Wason Lydia Weaver Richard West Robert H. Whitby Brad Wilkinson Douglas N. Wilson Wayne Wilson Loren M. Wood David H. Wrinn Sinuhe Xavier John M. Young
$100–$199
Peter David Ackroyd Carol Akerson David Allan Frank W. Alling Conrad D. Anker Peter G. Athans William C. Atkinson Pinar Ayata C.R. Bard Foundation Charles R. Barnes Stephen Barry Brian Barwatt Glenn Battistelli Bill Bender Michael A. Best Paul Boissonneault Stephen Bontempo Richard W. Booth Jim Bourgeois Donald Bowen Robert M Branch Morgan A. Broman Robin Brown Virginia Brown
Q • GORE-TEX® was originally developed for?
Jared Brown Maria C. Burke Steven Burrows Scott Bushman Cynthia Cacy Gerald Lucas Clarke Christopher Clarke John T. Cobb Susanna Colloredo-Mansfeld Donald W. Comstock Robert Contreras Marc P. Couper Lawrence L. Crispell Ryan Cronk Brian R. Dannemann Lawrence B. Dauelsberg Jeffrey K. Deikis Stephen L. DenHartog John M. Dewey A.J Donich Jr. John N. Donlou M.D. David Dugdale Kevin V. Duncan Jim Erickson Allan R. Errington Linwood M. Erskine Jr. William J. Ferchek John R. Filsinger John Fisher Patricia Fletcher Rich Folsom Bradley C. Fowler Kenneth W. Frankel Jr. Alison Franks Paul T. Frantz Albert Friss Eiichi Fukushima Evening Obdulia Galvin Carl Garczynski Ryland Gardner Roberta Ann Garrison Neil Gehrels Glen E. Gierke Jr. John Patrick Gioannini Larry Gioannini Steve Gipe Gregory M. Glade Leigh Goldberg Steven P. Goryl Katherine P. Gutz Walter R. Hampton Jr. Pat Harris Jacyn Harris Andrew C. Hartzell Jack Heffernan John Heilprin John R. Held Lee Helzer John B. Hewett Sam Highley Daniel Hildreth
Floyd Hoffman Kathryn Howard Daniel Hughes Gerald Hunt Mark A. Hurd Rob Hutchinson Robin K. Imel David H. Innes Mark D. Jenkins Arthur C. Johnson Stephen E. Johnson Brad Johnston Greg Jones Alan P. Kaplan Hayden Kennedy Keiver Willard Lumber Corporation Ronald P. Koopman John Kozlosky David Kuban Mariila Lane Steve Lazny Jeffrey T. Lea Richard LeBoeuf Andrew M. Lopuchowycz Donald Lund Eric Lundgren Rufus J. Lusk Robert Lynch Patricia Martin Lauren Matosziuk Donna McCluskey Michael J. McCormick Matthew McCormick C. Wayne Mcilwraith Natalie C. McKechnie Russ McKinley Vaughn McQuary Patrick S. Meezan Jack B. Middleton Doug Millen Sasha Montagu Hee-Sung Moon Conor P. Moran Siri E. Moss Mountain Trip Rob Mulligan Mary Neagle Jennifer Neahring Parker S. Newby Johanna Nosal Mark Novak Alan Pace Robert A. Parsons Shawn Patrick Robert P. Patten Gail Pavlich Silvester J. Pomponi R. Paul Poovey Colin Purcell Richard D. Quast
Jeff Ralph Dorothea E. Reilly Sorenson’s Resort Mona Reynolds Steven Rickert Michael Riley Diane Riley Joel P. Robinson Dan Rose Paul Rose Charles W. Rosenthal Robert Alan Rowley Barry J. Rugo Todd Rutledge Jeffrey Sall Allen R. Sanderson Ph.D. Anonymous Mark D. Schiefner Josh Schmale Fred Schwarzenbach David F. See John M. Seebohm Richard Silverman Andriy Smertin Trudi Smith Anonymous Duncan Stuart Richard Sturm Lewis Surdam Jim Surette William Sweasy Brian W. Taylor Jeff Thode Alexander Thomson Jolene Unsoeld William C Urbanski Esq. John Verrastro Edward L. Vervoort Dale Vrabec Roger A. Wiegand Jeffrey Wilson Ritch Winokur Sarah Wood Jonathan C. Woodard Daniel Woodul Rob Ziegler Graham Zimmerman Elizabeth Zimmerman James Zumberge Michael D. Zwank
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LEARN
CALL
americanalpineclub.org/partners
(303) 384-0110
partners@americanalpineclub.org
Summit Partner $25,000
Benefactor $15,000
Patron $10,000
Partner $5,000
Sustainer $2,000
Supporter $1,000
Member $500
IBEX Leki Mammut MSR Osprey Outdoor Research Salwea Scarpa Sterling
Big Agnes Liberty Mountain
Alpine Ascents International AlpineEarth Bluewater Ropes Colorado Mountain School Feathered Friends Forty Below Ltd. Fox Mountain Guides
// YEAR IN REVIEW
>
AAC CORPORATE PARTNERS
A•
In-Kind Exum Guides Mountain Khaki The Spot Gym
Artificial arteries.
Great Trango Holdings, Inc. Jackson Hole Mountain Guides La Sportiva Mountaintools Restop Top of the World Books
>
AAC MEDIA PARTNERS LEARN
CALL
americanalpineclub.org/mediapartners
media@americanalpineclub.org
(303) 384-0110
The American Alpine Club is committed to supporting and inspiring climbers from their first days on the rock through a lifetime of climbing. The work we do has the endorsement, in the form of financial and in-kind support, from a multitude of industry leaders. The unrestricted money we raise each year from our corporate partners is essential to the core operations of the AAC: national and international advocacy and conservation work, publications like the American Alpine Journal, and events like the International Climbers’ Meet, all of which keep the spirit of climbing thriving. Partnerships also put us in a better position to provide logistical support like Global Rescue service, places
to stay like the Hueco Rock Ranch and Grand Teton Climbers’ Ranch, and grants to support new adventures. Our Media Partners—magazines, websites, photographers, artists—provide essential in-kind support to improve and spread the AAC’s message. If your company is not yet an AAC Partner, we invite you to learn more about the mutual benefits of these programs.
Media Partners
The Active Times Andrew Burr Photography Alaska Ice Climbing Boston Mountain Press California Climber Mag. Climbing Zine CascadeClimbers.com Climberism Magazine
Corey Rich/Aurora Photos Fixed Pin Publishing Garrett Grove Google, Inc. Hiker Hell iClimb.com Jamie Givens Jeff Deikis
Jeremy Collins Jesse Crock Jim Aikman Jimmy Chin Menno Boermans Mike Tea Momentum Media PR Mountainproject.com
Mountainweather.com NEice.com Sender Films Sharp End Publishing SNEWS Top of the World Books Trailspace.com Wolverine Publishing
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It is not the mountains we conquer, but
ourselves. —Sir Edmund Hillary
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// YEAR IN REVIEW
Climbers inspect another day’s wear-and-tear, Indian Creek, Utah. AAC member Garrett Grove