Mazama Magazine May 2017

May 2017 Vol. 99

| No. 5

Bulletin

The HIKING Issue

Trail Fix: Keeping Hiking Trails Boot-Ready Alternative Summer Hikes Oregon Pursues Office of Outdoor Recreation The Grand Canyon: Rim to Rim in One Day

135% Stretch

900Fill Power Premium Down

Water Resistant

Neck Baffle

Feature Articles Trail Fix: The Challenge of Keeping Hiking Trails Boot-Ready, p. 8 Alternative Summer Hikes, p. 10 Greening of the Mazama Mountianeering Center, p. 12 New Traditions, p. 13 Office of Outdoor Recreation, p. 14 Danner's Inspirational Climb, p. 16 Grand Canyon: Rim to Rim in One Day, p. 20 Mazama Hike Leaders, p. 24 Tramping Down Under, p. 30

Monthly Columns

Executive Director's Report, p. 4 Volunteer Opportunities, p. 5 Events & Activities, p. 6 Membership Report, p. 18 Point of Inspiration, p. 18 Successful Climbers, p. 18 Adventurous Young Mazamas, p. 26 Mazama Lodge, p. 27 Mazama Families, p. 28 Conservation Corner, p. 33 Trail Trips, p. 34 Outings, p. 36 Classic Mazamas, p. 37 Executive Council, p. 38

ADVERTISER INDEX Active Adventures, p. 32 Centered in Motion, p. 28 Classified Ads, p. 28 Danner, p. 19 Embark Exploration, p. 40 Green Trails Maps, p. 39 Montbell, p. 2 Mountain Shop, p. 27 Mystery Ranch, p. 22 Next Adventure, p. 7 Oregon Mountain Community, p. 29 Peru Trekking, p. 28 Pollo Norte, p. 12 The Good Earth, p. 29 U.S. Outdoor, p. 12

Advertise now! tinyurl.com/ MazamaAdvertising

Publications Committee

Committee Chair: publications@mazamas.org Committee Members: Jonathan Barrett, Karoline Gottschild, Sue Griffith, Darrin Gunkel, Kevin Machtelinckx, Wendy Marshall, Kristie Perry, and Michael Vincerra.

Cover: Mazama Climb Leader John Meckel in the Trinity Alps Wilderness.

Photo: Al Papesh. Above: Boots and poles hang outside the Dumpling Hut on the Milford Track. Photo: Sue Griffith

Contact Us MAZAMA MOUNTAINEERING CENTER | 527 SE 43rd Ave., Portland, Oregon, 97215 | 503-227-2345 | adventure@mazamas.org | Center Hours: Mon.–Thu. 11 a.m.–7 p.m.; Fri. 10 a.m.–2 p.m.

MAZAMA LODGE | 30500 West Leg Rd. •Government Camp, Oregon, 97028 | 503-272-9214 | Hours: Thu. Noon–Mon. Noon

Mazama Staff LEE DAVIS • Executive Director • lee@mazamas.org SARAH BRADHAM • Marketing & Communications Director• sarah@mazamas.org ADAM BAYLOR • Stewardship & Advocacy Manager • adam@mazamas.org MATHEW BROCK • Library & Historical Collections Manager • mathew@mazamas.org LAURA BURGER • Membership & Development Coordinator • laura@mazamas.org CHARLES BARKER • Mazama Lodge Manager • mazama.lodge@mazamas.org MATTIE COURTRIGHT •Marketing & Events Coordinator• mattie@mazamas.org RENEE FITZPATRICK •Finance & Office Coordinator• renee@mazamas.org CLAIRE NELSON •Youth & Outreach Manager• claire@mazamas.org JUSTIN ROTHERHAM •Education & Activities Program Manager• justin@mazamas.org

MAZAMA (USPS 334-780) Editor: Sarah Bradham (mazama.bulletin@mazamas.org). Advertising: mazama.ads@mazamas. org. Subscription: $15 per year. Bulletin material must be emailed to the editor. All material is due by noon on the 14th of the preceding month. If the 14th falls on a weekend, the deadline is the preceding Friday. The Mazama Bulletin is published monthly by the Mazamas—527 SE 43rd Ave., Portland, OR 97215.

Periodicals postage paid at Portland, OR. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to MAZAMAS, 527 SE 43rd Ave., Portland, OR 97215.

The Executive Council meets at 3 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month. Meetings are open to members. The Mazamas is a 501(c)(3) Oregon nonprofit corporation organized on the summit of Mt. Hood in 1894. The Mazamas is an equal opportunity provider.

MAY 2017 3

Happy Trails = Happy Mazamas Our annual hiking issue seems like the appropriate time to talk with you about our trails, how we maintain them, and what new trails are being developed near us. Hiking on public lands is deeply important to the traditions and culture of the Mazamas, and of Oregon and the Pacific Northwest.

At the Mazamas we know that when people get outside and spend time hiking together it improves their health, their connections with their community, their interest in learning and education, and it helps foster core values around being responsible in the outdoors, and wanting to conserve natural spaces.

In Oregon and Washington alone there are more than 12,000 miles of recreational trails, including National Scenic and Historic Trails like the Pacific Crest Trail and the Lewis and Clark Trail.

Demand for our trails is growing and diversifying with increases in population and urbanization, and new ways of recreating on our trails are appearing all the time. At the same time the land management agencies that care for our trails are plagued with budget cuts, staff reductions, and ever increasing costs.

Due to these challenges less than half of our trails on public lands are being maintained to current standards. While volunteer groups like the Mazamas and countless

... today less than half of our trails on public lands are being maintained to current standards ...

4 MAZAMAS

others work hard every year to help maintain our trails, the size of the problem is simply too large for individual groups and citizens to tackle alone. Even with help from volunteers the United States Forest Service (USFS), and most of our state and federal land management agencies, don’t have the resources or capacity to adequately maintain our existing trail systems.

In an effort to address some of these challenges, President Obama signed the National Forest Trails System Stewardship Act into law in November of 2016. The bill was introduced in 2015 with bipartisan support, and our friends at the Wilderness Society as well as the Backcountry Horsemen of America led the charge to advocate for its passage the year before.

While the act encourages publicprivate partnerships (e.g. when the Mazamas partners with the USFS to work on trails on Mt. Hood), it doesn’t come with additional funding for each Forest to create and maintain these critical partnerships. So, while we applaud Congress for making trail infrastructure a priority and taking action to help with the maintenance of our trails, we remain concerned that our agencies still don’t have the capacity to coordinate this effort going forward.

It can be a surprising amount of work to direct volunteers and nonprofits to send qualified trail tenders to the most needed areas, ensure volunteers’ safety, and meet environmental and trail construction standards. When volunteer groups like the Mazamas, Pacific Crest Trail Association (PCTA), Trail Keepers of Oregon (TKO), and Washington Trails Association (WTA), etc. arrange a trail stewardship project land managers are still required to oversee, manage, and fundamentally be responsible for the quality and

outcomes of the project.

Interestingly, the Mazamas strongest trail and crag stewardship programs are with Oregon State Parks, and Yosemite National Park.

Some of that surely has to do with our love of climbing at Smith Rock and in Yosemite, but it’s more due to these two agencies dedicating sufficient staffing to coordinate our partnerships. We would love to be doing more work with other agencies and are collaborating with them regularly to find ways of getting more volunteers out on the trails.

Here in Oregon, a study was recently commissioned by Travel Oregon to research the challenges to maintaining our statewide trail system, to learn from neighboring states, and to recommend ways in which we might all work together in the future to build and maintain an inspiring, world-class system of trails in Oregon.

A consultant, Stephanie Noll, upon completion of the study found that “Oregon is ripe for a statewide trails coalition that can convene trail advocates, planners, and land managers to learn from each other, work together to address hurdles and conflicts, and build a unified voice for trails in funding and policy arenas.”

Noll recommended TKO, led by their stalwart president Tom Kloster, as the best positioned organization to take on this leading statewide role, and TKO has made it a strategic priority to build their staff and coordination capacity in the year(s) ahead. We would all benefit greatly from the existence of a statewide trails organization, and would support any effort that makes this happen.

Long Distance Trail Projects in Oregon There are several inspiring long-distance trail projects in the works right now in Oregon.

OREGON COAST TRAIL The Oregon Coast Trail is a continuous hiking route stretching about 400 miles from the Columbia River to the California border, along the coast. Most of the trail is on public beaches, and Oregon State Parks is working hard to create the final connections to make this trail a reality. www.coasttrails.org SALMONBERRY TRAIL The Salmonberry Trail is a project to convert an abandoned railroad route which connected the Willamette Valley to the Oregon Coast on an 86-mile corridor formerly owned by Southern Pacific, running from Banks to the Tillamook Airport through the canyon of the Salmonberry River and the Tillamook State Forest. A coalition has been formed to move this project forward, and you can learn more here: salmonberrytrail.org/ OREGON TIMBER TRAIL The Oregon Timber Trail is an iconic single-track mountain bike route across the eastern slope of the cascades spanning from California to the Columbia River Gorge. The Timber Trail is an ongoing partnership between Limberlost, Travel Oregon, the Bureau of Land Management, and the United States Forest Service.

An MOU is nearly complete which would finalize the project plan: oregontimbertrail.org GORGE TOWNS-TO-TRAIL And finally, Gorge Towns-to-Trails, which is an ambitious project launched by our partners at the Friends of the Columbia River Gorge (FOCG). The project imagines a continuous loop trail around the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area benefitting wildlife, hikers, and Gorge communities. Renee Tkatch at FOCG is leading the project, and you can learn more here: gorgefriends.org/ conserve-connect/gorge-towns-to-trails.html

At the Mazamas, we are working with state parks, and the USFS to develop additional training options for trail stewards, so that more people are qualified each year to do this important work. And we look forward to seeing some of you in these classes as they are developed, and out on a volunteer trail crew.

See you on the trail.

Lee Davis Executive Director

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES BE A GORGEOUS VOLUNTEER JUNE 11–SIGN UP BY MAY 21 Volunteers will meet at Government Camp for a day of volunteering for the Gorgeous Hood-to-Hood Relay. For each Mazama volunteer that is placed, the race will donate $100 to the Mazama Mountain Science School! Volunteers will be stationed either at an exchange to direct vans and runners, on course to direct runners, or at the start or finish for set-up, operations, and take-down. Most assignments require a lot of standing and smiling. Sign up now at tinyurl. com/maz-gorgeous, and once you sign up, the race coordinators will contact you with the volunteer release and more specifics about your assignment.

Thanks!

TELL US ABOUT YOUR ADVENTURE Do you have a photo-heavy adventure you’d like to share as a Wednesday Evening Travel Program? The Programs Committee is looking for presenters for the next series, mid-October 2017 to mid-April 2018.

Whether you hike, climb, cycle, paddle, or simply travel the world, from the Pacific Northwest to Timbuktu, down under to up and over (a mountain), Programs would like to hear from you. Contact chair John Leary at leary.j@comcast.net or Lacy Turner at lacywriter@ msn.com.

BE A CLASSY CLASSIC Classics are looking for a secretary to attend our bi-monthly meetings. We are also looking for an activity coordinator to organize hikes, luncheons or other activities of interest for Classics to attend. Please contact classics@mazamas.org if you are interested.

JOIN OUR TEAM! ONGOING The Mazamas are looking for a team of 5–20 active, engaged, and energetic volunteers to join our team of Outreach volunteers. Responsibilities include: representing the Mazamas at events that align with our mission and reach people who might be interested in Mazama membership, activities, or events. We’ll provide you with a 1 hour training on how to setup and manage a table at these events. After that, we are looking for a commitment of attending 2–4 events per year. Upcoming events include: National Get Outdoor Days, the Summer Solstice Party at Base Camp Brewing, and the Smith Rock Craggin’ Classic.

Interested in joining our team or getting more info?

Email: sarah@mazamas.org.

MAY 2017 5

Events & Activities ADVANCED SNOW & ICE

Do you want to climb ice? How about the north face of mount anything? What will this class teach you? Advanced rope work and anchor-building skills, high-angle alpine travel techniques, advanced crevasse-rescue technique, small team high angle rescue skills, and yes, beginning ice climbing technique. ▶▶ Application Period: April 15–May 15 ▶▶ Class Dates: Aug 9–Sept. 17 ▶▶ Details: tinyurl.com/mazamasASI

FAMILIES ROCK SKILLS

An open climbing session on the MMC climbing walls with a focus on helping your family become comfortable with roped climbing in a supportive, low pressure atmosphere to encourage kids.

Limited to 20 climbing kids and adults.

Cost: $2 person/$5 max per family. ▶▶ May 23, 5–8 p.m. at the MMC ▶▶ Details: tinyurl.com/maz-familyrock

LESS IS MORE: GETTING TO ONE CAN OF GARBAGE A YEAR

Are you concerned about the environmental issues facing us but are unsure what you can do to help?

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS FOR PROVIDING GIFTS FOR THE VOLUNTEERS THAT ATTEND THE EVENT!

HIKE LEADER ORIENTATION

If you are hoping to become a Trail Trips Hike Leader, sign up for this orientation at trailtrips@mazamas. org. Sign up today, space is limited! ▶▶ May 3, 6:30–9 p.m. at the Mazamas Mountaineering Center (MMC)

BASIC ROCK SKILLS

Brush up on your basic rock climbing skills such as knots, tying in, climbing commands, belaying, rappelling, prusiking, passing protection on a fixed line, and cleaning a top-rope anchor. Cost: $15. ▶▶ May 10, 6–8 p.m. at the MMC ▶▶ Details: tinyurl.com/maz-basicrock 6 MAZAMAS

WILDERNESS NAVIGATION: GPS & SMARTPHONE

You’ll learn how a smart phone app. can (mostly) replace a $$$ GPS receiver, and understand the core GPS skills needed for backcountry travel. We’ll learn this via the Gaia GPS app. At the end of class, you’ll have a solid knowledge of how GPS works, learn specifics of using the app., and see web resources for free GPS tracks and map printing. Cost: $55 members, $80 nonmembers. ▶▶ June 11, 8 a.m.–3 p.m. at the MMC ▶▶ Info. and Registration: tinyurl.com/mazmapandcompass

Learn how to reduce your waste with Master Recycler and former Metro Recycling Information Specialist Betty Shelley’s upcoming class at the Mazamas.

Mazamas that finish the course will have the opportunity of joining the MMC Green Team with Rick Craycraft. ▶▶ Wednesdays, June 7–21, 7–9 p.m. at the MMC ▶▶ Cost: $30 ▶▶ Register by June 1: tinyurl.com/maz-recycling

FAMILIES MOUNTAINEERING 101 (FM101) INFO NIGHT

FM101 trains adult and youth climbers for entry-level mountaineering activities including rock climbing, snow climbing, car camping, navigation, conditioning, and first aid. In this family-oriented class, parents are actively engaged in the class as students or assistants. ▶▶ June 5, 6:30–8 p.m. at the MMC ▶▶ Details: tinyurl.com/maz-fm101

MOUNTAIN RUNNING CAMP Located at the base of Mt. Hood, at beautiful Mazama Lodge, the Mountain Running Camp is geared towards road and trail runners interested in taking their running to the mountain environment as well as honing their mountain running skills. ▶▶ July 28–30 ▶▶ Info. and Registration: tinyurl.com/MazMtnRun

ROUND THE MOUNTAIN Join the Mazamas 11th annual Round the Mountain (RTM) hike of Mt. Hood’s Timberline Trail over Labor Day weekend. You will experience hiking a majestic 40 miles of the Timberline Trail with spectacular views of Mt. Hood and the beginning of autumn colors. ▶▶ Sept. 2–4 ▶▶ Registration now open! ▶▶ Info. and Registration: tinyurl.com/MazRTM

SAVE THE DATE

Library & Historical Collections Fundraiser with Photographer and Author Chris Noble Join us for a presentation by Photographer and Author Chris Noble, who will speak about his career and latest book Why We Climb, which is a celebration of those aspects of the climbing life that are most universal, meaningful and long-lasting—the strong connection to partners and nature; the physical and mental mastery required (and how to achieve it); the rewards of exploring oneself and the Chris Noble world through climbing. ▶▶ When: Evening of July 19 ▶▶ Where: Mazamas Mountaineering Center ▶▶ RSVP information to come MAY 2017 7

Trail Fix The Challenge of Keeping Hiking Trails Boot-Ready

by Darrin Gunkel

D

amage from a rough winter, a growing backlog of maintenance, and an increase in use have land managers scrambling to keep hiking trails open and safe.

FIXING HAMILTON MOUNTAIN They knew it was going to be a big job. An 80-foot Doug Fir standing by the Hamilton Mountain trail, in Beacon Rock State Park, had toppled, wiping out a 20-foot section of tread on a steep slope.

“There was nothing left to rebuild the trail on, so we had to build a crib wall,” said Tom Griffith, a volunteer trail crew leader with Washington Trails Association (WTA).

“So state parks workers cut two 20-foot sections of log from the tree that fell. We had to peel the bark so it wouldn’t rot later and use grip hoists to haul the sections into place,” building a shelf along the slope for the new trail to follow. Volunteers then notched the logs to place deadmen, short sections of log perpendicular to the crib wall, to form a stable base on which they could rebuild the trail surface.

Before they could begin all the construction work, the crew had to dig out and cut up the massive root ball that had done much of the damage. It took more than a day, working in the rain and mud on a steep slope. Then, they had to deal with the Spear.

The Spear was a 20-foot section of trunk from the top of another fir, a few yards beyond the slide, that snapped off, plunged straight down, and jammed vertically into the trail. “It was stuck three feet deep,” said Gabe Smith, another WTA volunteer and crew leader who worked on Hamilton Mountain. The remaining 15 feet of trunk, standing straight out of the trail, was supported by a branch that had survived the fall. They secured the trunk with steel cables and cut the branch, lowering the Spear enough so Smith could get at it safely with a cross-cut saw—WTA crews work only with hand tools. “It got pretty spooky

8 MAZAMAS

working under that,” Smith said.

And before all that, there were the logistics. Getting all the construction materials up the steep trail presented its own special challenges. “It’s pretty difficult to drive mechanical toter up that trail. We had a toter go off and almost end up in a creek,” said Ryan Ojerio, WTA’s Southwest Regional Manager. “It could have been a really expensive accident. So Washington State Parks coordinated a Larch Mountain Correctional crew (inmates) to come out and hand carry pretty large logs all the way up there as well as a bunch of our heavy tools. Sledge hammer, rock bar, grip hoist, 150-foot five-eighths-inch cable that weighs almost 60 pounds.”

Then there’s scheduling. WTA work parties, somewhere around 80 a year in Southwest Washington, are booked far in advance. So Ryan relies on a rapid response team of experienced volunteers, Griffith and Smith among them, a sort of trail work ninja force that can drop everything for a week and tackle a project the size of Hamilton. Even then, Ryan had to coordinate three separate days of site visits to scout the trail with park officials and trail crew leads before getting all the equipment and crew in place.

There were easier ways to get the trail open. “We thought about just cleaning up so people could get by,” said Ojerio, “But that might actually have made it harder to fix if the site got more messed up by people walking across it. Then it’s a liability concern.” In the end, it took a crew of eight volunteers more than a week to clean up the mess and build the new trail infrastructure. Including lead time, the Hamilton Mountain trail re-opened just

three weeks after the damage was reported.

“Three weeks—and that was pretty rushed,” said Ojerio. “For something of that scope, it was about as fast as anybody could go, I imagine, short of having a paid crew just hanging out waiting for work to drop in their lap. But I think those days are over for public land managers.”

FIXING THE MOUNTING BACKLOG Indeed, the days of fully staffed public lands, for the time being, are a thing of the past. It’s estimated that to properly run Mt. Hood National forest, a staff of 800 is needed. Currently, there are just 200 employees on the payroll. More and more, the responsibility of keeping trails open and safe is in the hands of the their most ardent users: members of groups like the WTA, the Pacific Crest Trail Association, Trailkeepers of Oregon, Friends of the Columbia Gorge, the Cape Horn Conservancy, the Klickitat Trail Conservancy, and of course, the Mazamas.

In 2016, 5,000 Pacific Northwest trail volunteers put in a combined 230,000 hours of maintenance on 24,000 miles of federal land trails in Washington and Oregon. In other words, volunteers performed half of the region’s trail work. And those figures don’t include state and private lands:

Photos from left: The Spear. Damage on Hamilton Mountain Trail.

Photos: Tom Griffith

those three weeks of effort WTA staff and volunteers put in at Hamilton Mountain aren’t included in those stats. Nationally, volunteers put in 1.4 million hours—labor valued at 31.6 million dollars. That said, only a quarter of the trails are up to the Forest Service’s safety, recreation, and sustainability standards.

And that number may get smaller still, according to Mazama Stewardship and Advocacy Manager Adam Baylor. “Recent storms, and this past winter, are signs of things to come,” said Baylor. “And if we don’t deal with the backlogs, winters like this will do even more damage.” With so many ready and eager volunteers and organizations, there’s no lack of enthusiasm for trail maintenance. The challenge is putting all that energy to work efficiently. Baylor would like to see a full time volunteer manager to coordinate groups.

That sort of position doesn’t seem likely under current federal management, but there are efforts to increase efficiency

in other ways and put resources where they’re needed most. Recognizing how key volunteer groups will be in trail management, Congress enacted the National Forest System (NFS) Trails Stewardship Act of 2016. It sets a goal of doubling the amount of trail maintenance volunteers do over the next five years. To zero in further on the problem, in March of this year, the National Forest Service began efforts to concentrate help where it will be needed most. Officials are asking for public input in deciding where and how to best direct volunteer efforts. The NFS wants to select between 9 and 15 areas around the country that need the most attention. The Mazamas have stepped up with a proposal to combine the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, and Mt. Hood National Forest as a single “priority area” under the act.

Furthermore, a proposed Area Trail Stewardship Plan would cover the priority area the Mazamas requested.

The idea is to find gains in efficiency

by better coordinating the wide range of groups that do work in the Gifford Pinchot, Gorge, and Mt. Hood areas. The plan calls for a GP-Gorge-Hood Joint Stewardship Shop that would help groups with project prioritization, volunteer management, and resource sharing. The proposed Shop would seek to develop an online clearinghouse for trails and identify new funding sources such as costshare agreements, matching grants, and stewardship credits.

The challenges are complex.

Government bureaucracy is notoriously stubborn. But the key players, especially the ones on the ground, forge ahead undaunted. For his part, Tom Griffith looks forward to keeping busy on the trails, “The weather’s never that bad. This winter was rough, but it’s job security! Otherwise I’d just been sitting at home reading a book.

The people you work with are great—I learn something new every time—and you’re outdoors.”

MAY 2017 9

Alternative

Summer Hikes

by Kevin Machtelinckx

W

ith great weather comes great compromise here in the Pacific Northwest. For hikers seeking to soak up that coveted vitamin D and get the blood flowing in those legs, that compromise usually comes in the form of sharing the trails with countless others having the same idea.

With Portland’s booming population in recent years, some of the go-to hiking spots that once allowed us to escape the bustle of the city are attracting crowds as big as you’d encounter at a Portland Trump protest. For better or for worse, Eagle Creek, Dog Mountain, Saddle Mountain, Hamilton Mountain and McNeil Point all seem to have succumbed to the same overpopulated fate in recent seasons. So where might one set their sights if they still want to get out and beat the crowds? Check out a few of these lesser-known hikes that offer alternatives to their popular counterparts while maintaining a reasonable distance from Portland.

SPRUCE RUN LAKE— ALTERNATIVE TO SADDLE MOUNTAIN

Though not comparable to the views found on Saddle Mountain, this 6.8-mile out and back hike to a secluded lake gives you the opportunity to explore the vegetation and foliage common to Clatsop State Forest. This hike starts in the Spruce Run Campground but soon heads into the dense forest where few people think to venture. At 1,580-feet of elevation gain, the hike provides a nice alternative on hot summer days by staying out of the sun and next to a water source.

10 MAZAMAS

Table Mountain from Hardy Ridge in autumn.

Photo: Kevin Machtelinckx

HARDY RIDGE—ALTERNATIVE TO HAMILTON MOUNTAIN

What this hike lacks in waterfalls, compared to Hamilton Mountain, it makes up for in summit views. The slight disappointment felt on Hamilton Mountain’s anticlimactic summit is nowhere to be found as you pop out of the leaf-littered forest and onto Hardy Ridge, which gives great views up and down the Gorge. Hardy Ridge is just adjacent to Hamilton Mountain, but sits further north from Highway 14, so peace and quiet is a sure bet. Be sure to catch the sunsets from up here as the evening light bounces colors off the walls of Table Mountain’s cliffs to the east.

Views of the Gorge from Starvation Ridge.

Photo: Kevin Machtelinckx

YOCUM RIDGE—ALTERNATIVE TO MCNEIL POINT

If you’re looking for the pristine alpine environment that McNeil Point and Paradise Park feature, but less of the human traffic jams found on those hikes, Yocum Ridge is for you. As long as you can bear the crowds during the first 3 miles, which share the same trail to get to the very popular Ramona Falls, you will be rewarded with the high alpine meadows and solitude you’ve been looking for.

The round trip can be a long one, 16 miles, but the payoff is a fantastic viewpoint overlooking Zigzag Ridge, with Mt. Hood in the background. Turn around and you’ll be treated to views all the way to the coast, with the peaks of Elk Mountain and Saddle Mountain (surely packed with people!) poking their summits toward the sky.

MT. DEFIANCE VIA STARVATION RIDGE AND WARREN LAKE— ALTERNATIVE TO DOG MOUNTAIN

Standing staunchly opposite Dog Mountain, on the Oregon side of the Columbia River, Mt. Defiance is certainly no secret. The nearly 5,000 feet of elevation gain required to attain the summit are regularly traveled by those looking for a musclebusting training hike. However, most opt for the slightly more direct Mt. Defiance trail when the Starvation Ridge option just to the east offers a slightly longer, yet more serene option to the top via Warren Lake, which can serve as a destination in itself.

TANNER CREEK— ALTERNATIVE TO EAGLE CREEK

Just down the road from the hugely popular Eagle Creek, along the Historic Columbia River Highway, is the seldomvisited Tanner Creek Trail. The trail meanders through old growth forest and mossy blowdown while Tanner Creek runs parallel to the trail, interrupted only by the spectacular Wahclella Falls. Combining the many trails in the area together offers numerous variations on distance and elevation gain to cater to your particular calf-burning desires.

The west side of Mt. Hood from the Yocum Ridge Trail. Photo: Sarah Bradham

For more on hiking in OR and WA check out books in the Mazamas Library with call #917.95 and #917.97

MAY 2017 11

GREENING OF THE MMC

by Rick Craycraft Conservation and protection of the natural environment are historic pillars in the mission of the Mazamas. When we purchased and remodeled the Mountaineering Center in 2006, that ethic was built right into the construction. Even now we continue to strive to make our “home in the city” a model for sustainable practices.

Several years ago we put a hand dryer in one of the main bathrooms to reduce the volume of paper towels used. The installation of solar panels is currently in process. There are near-future plans to install a water bottle filling station downstairs where the now defunct water fountains are. And, we custom-designed day-to-day recycling system that is constantly being tweaked to be more and more efficient and thorough.

Now, very few of us have skills to get up on the roof and install solar panels, or have the plumbing or electrical skills to make our facility more sustainable. However, one thing we all have in common is TRASH, a good deal of which is recyclable. Recycling keeps many materials out of our landfills and reduces the need for resources used to make new materials. That’s where each and every one of us can make a difference at our beloved Center and in the world in general. To that end we are just completing an overhaul of the one-of-a-kind recycling system that has served us now for five years, and are offering classes (skill builders if you will) to raise awareness and generate volunteer opportunities to help us with this small but significant contribution to a healthier environment.

12 MAZAMAS

LESS IS MORE: GETTING TO ONE CAN OF GARBAGE A YEAR ▶▶ Wednesdays, June 7–21, 7–9 p.m. at the MMC ▶▶ Cost: $30 ▶▶ Register by June 1: tinyurl.com/maz-recycling Are you concerned about the environmental issues facing us but are unsure what you can do to help? Learn how to reduce your waste with Master Recycler and former Metro Recycling Information Specialist Betty Shelley’s upcoming class at the Mazamas. Mazamas that finish the course will have the opportunity of joining the MMC Green Team with Rick Craycraft.

New Traditions

by Sarah Bradham, Director of Marketing & Communications

O

n July 19, 1894, 193 individuals stood on the summit of Mt. Hood, and 105 went on to become the charter members of the Mazamas. In the 123 years since that historic day the Mazamas has created many traditions. This year we set out to create a new tradition, the Mazama Awards & Volunteer Recognition Evening.

In the early years there were Annual Outings where upwards of a hundred members would travel to a new location and spend a couple of weeks climbing, hiking, swimming, and enjoying each other's company. The first Mazama Banquet was held in 1894. The first Mazama Bulletin was published in 1923.

In 1932 Mt. Hood acquaintance climbs began. These climbs could see 200 people climbing Mt. Hood at one time. In 1976 the two-part climb card process that we currently use was put in place.

These traditions served the Mazamas well through the years. Some traditions lasted longer than others. Ninety-four years later the Bulletin is still going strong; although it bears little resemblance to the volumes of 1923. Our climb card process is showing its age and will be replaced next year. Acquaintance climbs went by the wayside sometime in the 1950s as the Mazamas made a turn towards smaller climb parties and more frequent climbs.

This tradition changed again in the 1980s with the passage of wilderness regulations that limited most climbs to no more than 12 participants.

While these traditions have morphed over the years, the Mazamas original commitment to adventure, exploration, research, and conservation have not changed. Nor has the importance of volunteers and the desire to recognize outstanding achievement of its members been diminished. To that end, we are starting a new tradition. A night where we come together with the sole purpose to honor our members. To our volunteers who regularly give their heart and soul to

Get tickets! tinyurl.com/maz-volawards the Mazamas in a variety of different ways. To our service award winners who have shown outstanding dedication to the Mazamas during the past year or over a period of years. To our winners of climbing and hiking awards for committing themselves to a big goal and achieving it. For all of these reasons we are excited to launch this new event, and have the opportunity to raise a glass to all of you.

We have been hard at work trying to provided so that you can do just that. create an event that can be enjoyed by There will be a slideshow filled with photos all. So what is in store for attendees? The and shout-outs that committee chairs and event gets underway at 6 p.m. on May 11 members have provided. at The Evergreen in Southeast Portland.

As we head into the official awards and This venue, located at 618 SE Alder Street, recognition part of the evening, we'll be is a newly remodeled open and airy space. announcing the major Mazama service Catering for the event is by Devil's Food awards—the Parker Cup, Redman Cup, Catering, and you'll enjoy heavy appetizers Hardesty Cup, Montague Cup, and Dafoe such as House Smoked-Salmon, Painted Award—along with climbing and hiking Hills Steak Sliders, Mezze Platters, and awards. In addition we'll be recognizing more (vegan and gluten-free options individual committees and committee available). Each attendee will receive a members throughout the evening.

Mazama bag, a Mazama glass, a Kavu Throughout the years at different watch strap, and a great pair of hiking Mazama functions, we have learned that socks from either Danner or Bridgedale. what Mazama members seem to enjoy There will also be some fun raffle prizes the most is social time. Time to talk with including Kahtoola Micro Spikes, Life old friends, meet new friends, and get to Straw bottles, Yaktrax, a certificate for a know what people look like while wearing free pair of boots, and more! something other than zip off pants and/ Once at The Evergreen, you'll have or a climbing helmet! To that end we have the opportunity to fill out a postcard to built in plenty of time for socializing. a Mazama volunteer that has made a Take this opportunity to get dressed up difference in your life. Perhaps you want in your finest non-outdoor wear and show to send a note to your BCEP instructor or your Mazama friends a new side. We look the hike leader who took you on your first forward to building this new tradition with street ramble. Postcards, a membership all of you. directory, and postcard stamps will be

Parker Cup | Hardesty Cup | Montague Cup | Dafoe Award | Redman Cup | 16 Major NW Peaks Award MAY 2017 13

OREGON PURSUES OFFICE OF OUTDOOR RECREATION

by Michael Vincerra

T

he outdoor economy in the United States is prospering, “ ... each year generating $887 billion in consumer spending,” per the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA). While it’s hard to imagine that dollar figure, consider it in terms of jobs. The OIA’s 1,200-plus member companies, “ ... support more than 7.6 million American jobs and provide $124 million every year in federal and state tax revenue.” Why is that important? More outdoor recreation means more economic growth. And more funding for conservation and outdoor recreation in Oregon.

Perhaps more importantly, when state government supports industry by creating an office to facilitate that growth, the outdoor industry returns the favor with economic stimulus. A public/private partnership is born. The outdoor industry has a champion. Synergy starts.

“In Oregon, it's about a $12.8 billion annual industry, and it creates about 141,000 jobs,” says Adam Baylor, Mazama Stewardship & Advocacy Manager. "That contributes to state and local taxes."

Along with Mazama Executive Director, Lee Davis, Baylor worked tirelessly since early 2016, advocating for the creation of an Outdoor Recreation Office in the state of Oregon. If established, an Office of Outdoor Recreation will guarantee that outdoor recreation has a representative in Oregon’s state government.

With Oregon’s 2017 budget deficit over $1.5B, and the President's proposed federal budget cuts as of March 2017, Oregon’s outdoor recreation industry remains fragile. For example, take the proposed cuts to the Department of the Interior: $1.5 billion, including $120 million from the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

According to Baylor, "There's been a trend in the last 50 years to de-fund recreation." And Baylor takes issue with that: “That's a bad idea. If the states and federal government put a little more money into funding [outdoor recreation], that would be a multiplier. If you can promote it and people want to use your outdoor recreation assets, then you'll make money. It will attract those businesses or companies that want to set up shop in Bend or Portland because of the proximity."

"To grow that outdoor industry cluster, one strategy is to take what Utah, Colorado

14 MAZAMAS

and Washington did, and implement that in Oregon."

UTAH, WASHINGTON, COLORADO Utah, Washington, and Colorado have taken different approaches to create of an office of outdoor recreation—by task force recommendation, legislation, or appointment.

Utah’s Office of Outdoor Recreation, the first of its kind, was created by Governor Gary Herbert in 2013. Washington’s Senior Policy Advisor, Outdoor Recreation & Economic Development, was introduced via SB 5843, and signed into law by Governor Jay Inslee in 2015. Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper appointed Luis Benitez for the Outdoor Recreation Industry Office in 2015. In Colorado, “The industry stirs $13.2 billion in annual consumer spending, generating $994 million in local and state taxes” (Blevins, Denver Post).

According to the OIA, all states, “ ... share a focus on traditional economic development—incentives, workforce development and related work—as well as outdoor recreation through legislation, education, and public lands management.”

While all states’ offices have a dual focus on economic development and outdoor recreation, each state customized the role depending on their economic priorities.

WASHINGTON AS A MODEL Oregon has learned from Washington, which developed a good process for establishing an office of outdoor recreation. At first in Washington, Baylor states, “They went back and forth on whether to create a cabinet-level policy advisor and use the Governor's budget."

Finally, Governor Jay Inslee created a blue-ribbon task force to look at the issue around Outdoor Recreation. Per Baylor, Washington assessed, " ...the need for state-level leadership, concluding that they needed a key person to talk to when [they] had problems." Finally, Baylor says, “Washington's Blue Ribbon Task force made recommendations that shaped the work plan for the Office to move forward."

As Mazamas Executive Director Lee Davis said during his recent interview with Dave Miller on the OPB radio program Think Out Loud, Washington’s Senior Policy Advisor is, “ ... working directly with the Governor to try to make sure that as laws are enacted in Washington, they’re paying attention to recreation along with the other critically important sectors like healthcare and energy.”

In Oregon, the impetus for an Outdoor Recreation Office grew out of the 'Oregon's 7 Wonders’ campaign, organized by Travel Oregon. Formally known as Oregon Tourism Commission, Travel Oregon, is "... a semi-independent agency created by the Oregon Legislature in 2003 to enhance Oregonians’ quality of life by strengthening economic impacts of the state’s $10.8 billion tourism industry."

In 2016, Travel Oregon took Senator Ron Wyden and Representative Earl Blumenauer on the Seven Wonders' Tour to allow them to listen to the citizens of Oregon and the needs of outdoor recreation. Leading out of that experience Senator Wyden introduced a bill, Recreation Not Red Tape, which seeks to remove bureaucratic barriers to expanding recreation opportunities and specifically supports the creation of outdoor recreation leadership positions at the state level.

Photo: Andrew Holman

Then in the summer of 2016, Travel Oregon convened a group of leaders in outdoor recreation, including the Mazamas, “ ... to make sure that as we look at expanding access to outdoor recreation, we’re considering everybody who has a stake in that conversation,” says Lee Davis. “It’s a necessary step to be qualified for access to federal funds in land and water conservation.”

On behalf of the Mazamas and our partners, Baylor lobbied for the Outdoor Recreation Office in Salem— and in support of a bill developed

by Representative Mark Johnson (R-Hood River) and co-sponsored by Representative Ken Helm (D–Beaverton).

Rep. Johnson was also a part of the leadership team for Travel Oregon's Outdoor Recreation Initiative. The Mazamas reached out to the OIA, Rep. Johnson and Rep. Ken Helm, and coordinated with local industry leaders to hash out a plan for Oregon’s Office of Outdoor Recreation.

OREGON HB 3350 Oregon HB 3350 states that it, “Creates Office of Outdoor Recreation within State Parks and Recreation Department.

Creates Associate Director of Outdoor Recreation. Prescribes duties of office and of associate director. Creates Outdoor Recreation Fund. Continuously appropriates moneys in fund to State

Parks and Recreation Department for purposes of Office of Outdoor Recreation.”

Baylor adds, “It would also allow local companies to advise or contribute to the work plan, and order a statewide inventory of recreation assets.”

A key provision of HB 3350, Section 4(b) is to, “Maximize public and private investment in the outdoor recreation industry and in outdoor recreation activities in this state.” On April 3, HB 3350 passed through the House Economic Development and Trade committee unanimously, and its fiscal impact will be examined in the Senate Joint Ways and Means Sub-Committee on Natural Resources.

Lee Davis concludes, “In the face of population growth and urbanization and congestion [HB 3350] is making sure that the reason we all love living here is still in place in future generations. When people spend time recreating outside, it helps them develop conservation values, which is really important to the Mazamas.” Establishing this office, Davis contends, is, “ ... making the argument that outdoor recreation is a must-have value and not a wish-list item.”

What would an Office of Outdoor Recreation in Oregon do in the State Parks and Recreation?

1. Provide coordination between state and federal agencies, municipalities, and land owners; 2. Promote the interests of the outdoor industry in Oregon; 3. Work to identify and address barriers to growth in the outdoor recreation economy in Oregon; 4. Promote the benefits that outdoor recreation has to other sectors, like healthcare and education, community engagement, and natural resource management.

(Mazama Executive Director Lee Davis, Think Out Loud, Interview: Dave Miller).

To learn more about Oregon HB 3350 (2017), visit: oregonoutdoorrecreation.com

MAY 2017 15

Danner's Inspirational Climb with the Mazamas

by Jonathan Barrett

I

n the spring of 1964, Miriam Danner was the mother of eight children between the ages of 3 and 18. In top of that, she was substitute teaching in Portland Public Schools and working as an adjunct professor at Portland Community College. On the family bookshelf was a brand new copy of Freedom of the Hills. Her husband, Bill Danner, the owner of the Danner Shoe Mfg. Co., a small boot-maker in Portland, was in the basement doing squats to train. Both were newly-minted members of the Mazamas because Miriam had decided, at the age of 43, that she wanted to climb Mt. Hood. Like many of their other adventures together, she had been the catalyst.

At her suggestion, the two of them had signed up for the Basic Climbing Education Program at the Mazamas.

Bill Danner had bought the family business from his father in 1945, after returning from WWII where had he served as a flight engineer and gunner.

He successfully revived the company over the subsequent fifteen years, but by the end of the fifties, change was in the air. Logging in the Northwest was on the decline. Danner recognized that he needed to adapt to these developments and to find a way to become relevant in this changing time.

In 1962, Danner had traveled to REI in Seattle to visit Jim Whittaker, who would be the first American to summit Everest the following year. Danner was hoping to get the store to carry the Danner Elk Hunter, a 7” lace-to-the-toe boot which was halfway

16 MAZAMAS

between a hiking and hunting boot. At the time, REI was importing much of its equipment and footwear from Europe, and Danner was told that his boots needed Euro flair. A Vibram sole would be a good start. Danner was on the hunt for the thing that would help him revitalize the business and usher in a new era for Danner boots, and he wouldn’t have to wait much longer to find it.

As well as doing squats in preparation for the climb, Danner was also concerned with his footwear for the ascent.

As a man who was used to thinking about boots, he wasn’t sure which of his products would be right for his first summit of Mt. Hood.

None seemed to satisfy him, and his children recall him tinkering in the shop, trying to

create something new.

He eventually landed on a new design with input from his employee and collaborator, Chris Fiandaca—a first generation Sicilian immigrant who had started his career at the age of ten by cutting leather for boots for Mussolini’s soldiers.

This new boot would ultimately revitalize the Danner boot company.

To be frank, it is unclear whether the next chapter in the tale is true or simply family lore. But, as the story goes, Bill used his graduation climb on May 31, 1964 as the testing ground for his new boot. Two of his sons, Dave and Pete who were the sources for this story, could not come to a consensus if he and Miriam actually wore prototypes that day.

Even when inspecting

Photos in top row from left: Cover of Bill Danner’s Mazama summit certificate. Miriam Danner with the Devil’s Kitchen Headwall behind her, Mt. Hood, 1964.

Photos in second row from left: View of members of the Danner rope team, Mt. Hood, 1964. Bill Danner on Mt. Hood, 1964. Miriam Danner below the hogsback, Mt. Hood, 1964.

Photos in third row from left: The Danner storefront on 82nd Ave., 1966.

Danner Boots, ca. 1970, Randall B. Kester Collection, Mazama Library & Historical Collection.

Photos in last row from left: Danner Boots, ca. 1940, Randall B. Kester Collection, Mazama Library & Historical Collection. Miriam Danner and other members of her Mazama climb team, Mt. Hood, 1964.

Photos: Courtesy the Danner family.

the photos regarding the footwear on their parent’s feet, the evidence was inconclusive. Yes. No. Maybe? Upon returning home that evening, Miriam was enthusiastic about the experience and made a baked Alaska in celebration of the accomplishment. Bill was sunburned and exhausted, yet he could not stop ruminating on the experience. The wheels kept turning in his mind. What was this new boot to be? He wouldn’t do any more climbs with the Mazamas, but he believed that he had finally found the new design.

The idea, which had been in development since before his meeting with Whittaker two years prior, was now jelling.

It was a fortuitous confluence of events for Danner. After eight years of work and dozens of drafts, the Wilderness Act was signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson just four months after the Danners’ climb with the Mazamas.

The landscape for American recreation in the outdoors was literally and figuratively changing at the same moment that he was re-conceiving his company. That year, 1964, Danner released a light leather hiking boot, the 6490. The boot was not yet perfected and would get further

refinement.

Nine years later, Backpacker magazine would write the following in its annual review of boots: “The Danner Model 6490 comes close to being our ideal hiking shoe. It’s fairly light (3 lbs.

14oz) with a seamless, onepiece upper and a wide, moderately stiff Vibram sole nailed and glued to the mid-sole.” Sales soared. The modern era of backpacking had arrived in the United States, and it was wearing Bill’s boots.

In 1964 Danner had moved the business to much smaller quarters on 82nd Avenue as a response to the contraction in business and the desire to have a physical retail storefront. The year had been a low point for the company, in part due to a loss of contracts with Sears and J.C. Penny. Danner boots had tried to create a renaissance built on the backs of sales to booming shipyards during the Vietnam War. That faded away too, just like the loggers had from the timber stands of the Northwest. In a sense, though, 1964 was also a pivotal moment for Danner and his company. It would take nearly a decade more of work, yet Danner found the next wave to ride. Perhaps his moment of inspiration had indeed come on his one club climb. If so, he certainly is in debt to Miriam for suggesting they join the Mazamas.

MAY 2017 17

WELCOME NEW MAZAMAS!

POINT OF INSPIRATION

Meet Mazama Rebecca Morris

by Mattie Courtright, Mazama Marketing & Events Coordinator

New Members: .................................. 17

Rebecca on the summit of Mt. Hood.

For someone who deals with crisis all day, Rebecca Morris couldn’t have a sunnier disposition.

“Being a critical care nurse, I started getting involved in the Mazamas last year as a way to get away from the demands and hustle and bustle of life,” said Rebecca. Rebecca was thrilled to find the Mazamas because while she loved being outdoors, she needed a community to safely scale mountains. “Not growing up in an outdoorsy family, the only climbing I heard about was when someone was in an accident on Mt. Hood. BCEP last year really gave me the skills and confidence to climb safely and really enjoy it.”

Now Rebecca regularly climbs and hikes with Mazamas, and she also lends her ultra-organizing skills to the office every week. “This year I hope to improve my climbing by taking more Mazamas courses, and being supportive of the mission by volunteering in backcountry rescue medicine someday.” If you see her around the MMC, make sure to chat about long-distance hiking as she hopes to through-hike the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) in the future. Something tells me that the PCT is going to be a piece of cake for this inspirational Mazama.

If you'd like to recognize someone in our semi-regular Point of Inspiration, email: mazama.bulletin@mazamas.org.

Where's the Annual?

Your Annual is moving to August! You'll be treated to the same great stories, reports from the previous year, a history of the last year of events, in addition to the most recent award winners from the volunteer recognition event in May. Expect to see the Annual in your mailbox in early to mid-August.

18 MAZAMAS

Ryan Abbott–South Sister Jonathan Block–South Sister Douglas Diamond–Chimborazo David Grabin–Kilimanjaro Rebecca Holmes–Mt. St. Helens Nathan Kaul–Mt. St. Helens Taylor Kavanaugh–Breithorn Anupama Kurpad–Mt. Adams Andrew Meskel–South Sister Tina Oliva–South Sister Beau Richardson–Mt. St. Helens David Sarbell–Ishinca Karey Schoenfeld–Mt. St. Helens Caroline Schulman–South Sister Tom Shi–Kilimanjaro Ivet Silhava–Middle Sister Kate Wolpert–South Sister

Reinstatements:................................... 10 Deceased:........................................... 6

Eleanor Dyke (1936), Thomas Gale (1942), Josephine Hagstrom (1953), Mary Muir (1946), Audrey Wass (1973), John Wilson (1943)

Total Membership: Feb. 28, 2016—3,422 Feb. 28, 2017—3,456

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

SUCCESSFUL CLIMBERS March 20, Mt. St. Helens, Swift Creek–Worm Flows. Leader: Rico Micallef, Asst: Michael Austin.

Terry Sayre, Gregory Simons, Stephen Zadrozny

EXPLORE BEYOND THE FAMILIAR

Meet the MOUNTAIN 600 . Inspired by

our legendary hiking boots, we partnered with Vibram ® to forge a new path in footwear – featuring the first-ever Vibram ® SPE midsole for superior performance without the weight.

DANNER.COM

MAY 2017 19

by Keith K. Daellenbach

I

n June 2016, a month after starting a new engineering manager job at a Portland company, my boss allowed me to head out on an epic 24-day road trip with my wife, Amy, and our 10-year old son, Micah. I am grateful for the generous vacation right after starting a new job. We made the most of it driving over 5,100 miles, hiking 103 miles, and visiting nine National Parks, two National Monuments, one National Recreation Area, and two Native American tribal parks in the desert southwest and in Colorado. It reminded me of the road trips I took with my family when I was a kid in the Brown family Ford Ranch Wagon, a veritable boat launched each summer for discovery. The highlight of last summer’s tour was the one-day, rim-to-rim hike across the Grand Canyon in Arizona. Of the Grand Canyon, President Theodore Roosevelt said, “Leave it as it is. You cannot improve on it. The ages have been at work on it, and man can only mar it.

What you can do is keep it for your children, your children’s children, and for all who come after you, as one of the great sights which every American if he can travel at all should see.” While the Grand Canyon National Park was established in 1919 by President Woodrow Wilson, it was President Theodore Roosevelt that first established it as a National Monument in 1908.

Keith, Amy and Micah beside the Colorado River in Grand Canyon National Park. Photo: Keith Daellenbach

20 MAZAMAS

A little more than half way through our trip exploring the Colorado Plateau, we arrived to Grand Canyon National Park.

Earlier in the trip, we were only a few miles from the headwaters of the 1,450 mile long Colorado River at Milner Pass (10,759’) on the Continental Divide in Rocky Mountain National Park approximately 750 miles upriver from Phantom Ranch. The drive up to the South Rim is admittedly not particularly noteworthy, but once at the edge of the Grand Canyon itself, the earth opens up with a vast maw miles across and over a mile deep. I could not help but chuckle recalling the irony of Chevy Chase’s Clark Griswold’s character in Vacation (1983) who, upon first seeing the Grand Canyon for the first time, impatiently responds to his wife’s question, “Don’t you want to look at the Grand Canyon?”, with an abrupt scenery scan and, “Ok, let’s go.”

Originally, I figured we would split up the hike with a stay at Phantom Ranch lodging at the Colorado River crossing,

Amy, Micah and Keith at Bright Angel Point on the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. Photo: Keith Daellenbach

but by the time I planned this hike, those accommodations had long since been snapped up. So too were all sites at backcountry campgrounds (Cottonwood, Bright Angel, Indian Garden) along the route. The application for these backcountry permits occurs some five months before the hike. Not to take anything away from staying overnight in the Grand Canyon, completing the 23.5 mile hike in one day means far less gear required as it is essentially reduced to a long day hike. The beauty is no backcountry permit is required for a day hike.

Each year, this National Park receives over 350 requests for assistance by hikers experiencing a variety of issues including fatigue, heat exhaustion, underlying medical conditions, and lack of preparation or planning. Warning signs along the rim are ubiquitous, including those blaring “Caution! Down is Optional, Up is Mandatory!”. Given the summer heat

an be suffocating, paying heed to these warnings is warranted. We planned for each of us to have plenty of caloric food, lots of salty snacks and protein, and plenty of water and electrolyte drinks. Amy made sure we each had lightweight hiking pants, full sleeve shirts, sun hats, and sun screen.

If we had to stop at night, where the desert temperature can drop dramatically, each of us had a lightweight down or polar fleece jacket and an emergency space blanket just in case.

There are probably several ways to dial in logistics for this point-to-point hike. It makes sense to start at the North Rim and hike to the South Rim because trailhead at the North Rim (8,241’) is over thirteen hundred feet higher than the trailhead at the South Rim (6,860’), so there is less elevation gain than elevation to descend.

For transportation to the North Rim, we packed our day packs and, wearing only

Piute Creek

by Gary Snyder (Excerpt from Piute Creek) One granite ridge A tree, would be enough Or even a rock, a small creek, A bark shred in a pool.

Hill beyond hill, folded and twisted Tough trees crammed In thin stone fractures A huge moon on it all, is too much.

The mind wanders. A million Summers, night air still and the rocks Warm. Sky over endless mountains.

All the junk that goes with being human Drops away, hard rock wavers Even the heavy present seems to fail This bubble of a heart.

Words and books Like a small creek off a high ledge Gone in the dry air.

continued on next page MAY 2017 21

BACKPACKS

AVAILABLE AT THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS Ashland Outdoor - Ashland Backcountry Gear - Eugene

Next Adventure - Portland Oregon Mountain Community - Portland

ONLINE- WWW.MYSTERYRANCH.COM

Grand Canyon, continued from previous page our hiking clothes and shoes, parked our car at the Maswik Lodge and took the one-way Trans-Canyon Shuttle (www. trans-canyonshuttle.com, $90/per person).

This van shuttle departs twice daily from the South Rim at Bright Angel Lodge for a 215 mile, four and a half hour trip. It crosses the Colorado River over Navajo Bridge at Marble Canyon (river mile 684.2 as measured from U.S./Mexico border) just down river from Lees Ferry on the way to the Grand Canyon North Rim Lodge.

There, we checked into our frontier cabin adjacent to the historic lodge (ca. 1930’s) and had a feast in the cavernous main lodge dining room. One last niggling bit of logistics required arrangements for transport from the Lodge two miles back up the road to the North Kaibab trailhead.

I didn’t want to add any distance to the already long hike, so I offered “Jack” our Trans-Canyon Shuttle driver, who was staying on the North Rim overnight, forty dollars to take us there at three in the morning. He responded by saying he would be able to do it if we could agree on the price of twenty dollars. Sold!

22 MAZAMAS

So, after our feast and evening stroll around the grounds of the lodge, we retired to soft, warm beds and set the alarm for 2:30 a.m. We awoke, and Jack was outside waiting for us with the engine running and drove us over to the trailhead under cover of darkness. By 3 a.m. we were underway. An ominous flash of lightning lit up the forest, and a few rain sprinkles dried up quickly in the desiccated air.

Over 14.5 miles, the trail descends 5,761 feet to where it crosses the Colorado River at 2,480 feet. For the most part, it is a gradual descent along a wide hiking trail. The upper sections navigate across cliffs of sedimentary rock hundreds of feet thick; in some places the route has been blasted into the cliff itself so it is nearly a tunnel with only one side open out to a precipitous drop. There is, in fact, one short section blasted directly through buttress of rock named Supai Tunnel.

While expertly trained, this descent on the back of a mule would be unnerving for me.

As the morning wore on, the stars overhead lost their illumination and the first hints of sunlight striking the upper

cliffs now high above us took on colors of purple, red, orange, yellow, and cream.

We continued our descent. One of the remarkable things about this hike is the abundance of potable water. The Kaibab Plateau through which the Colorado River cuts the Grand Canyon dips north to south, so surface water and melted snow permeating rocks on the north side of the canyon essentially flow towards the river while surface water permeating rock on the south side of the canyon essentially flows away from the river. This manifests itself at Roaring Springs, 4.7 miles hiking below the North Rim. Here, tremendous volumes of year-round water emanate from a Paleozoic layer between permeable Muav limestone resting on top of an impermeable Bright Angel shale.

This water is treated at Roaring Springs and is pumped both up to the North Rim and, conversely, allowed to drain down to Phantom Ranch where it is pumped across the river in a pipe on the underside of the silver suspension bridge (ca. late 1960’s, river mile 601.15) and up to the Grand Canyon Village on the South Rim. Nearly

six million people visited Grand Canyon National Park last year and most of them came to the South Rim, so it is a tribute to the bountiful Roaring Springs and the engineering feat which pumps 500,000 gallons of water a day up to the South Rim Village. When all drinking water fountains are in operation along this trail, which are between one and seven miles apart, cool, clear water from Roaring Springs is available. It

prefer a tent. In any case, don’t feed the wildlife as they can not only spread infectious diseases through fleas and ticks, they can also be aggressive causing injury.

It was here, where clear Bright Angel Creek deposits into the Colorado River, that one-armed Civil War veteran Major John Wesley Powell and his pioneering geographic expedition arrived on the 84th day of their expedition on 16 August 1869. Starting in the Wyoming Territory and down the great unknown of the Green and Colorado Rivers, they explored and mapped one of the last truly unexplored regions of the contiguous United States. They spent a couple days repairing their wooden boats and drying out meager rations. His original name for this creek was Silver Creek, but later renamed it to its present name. We went down to the river’s edge and watched the muddy water race by; the river there is about 150 feet wide.

We crossed over the silver bridge, and the temperature was hovering slightly over 100˚F. Amy felt like we were walking through time, starting with the Precambrian basement Vishnu Schist rock—1.7 billion years old and containing intrusions of red-flecked Zoroaster granite. Indeed, the Grand Canyon is one of the most complete records of exposed geologic layering in the world. While the rocks are ancient, the canyon itself is young. Like a layer cake rising against a blade, it formed primarily in the last six million years as the Kaibab Plateau uplifted allowing greater river gradient and therefore fast erosion by the river.

Hiking up 4,380 ft. in elevation from the river over 9 miles along the Bright Angel Trail to the South Rim, one eventually leaves the metamorphic schist of the Inner Gorge and passes through layer after layer of sandstone, shale, and limestone formations that were the result of millions of years of marine depositions into the Panthalassic Ocean prior to the formation of the supercontinent Pangea. The rock layer that caps the South Rim is 270 million

Always carry plenty of water on all trail sections and note that water from Bright Angel Creek (north side of river) and Garden Creek (south side of river) can be filtered for use if the fountains are not in operation. is possible that this pipe distribution system could erode and break leading to no potable water at the fountains for sections of the trail. Always carry plenty of water on all trail sections and note that water from Bright Angel Creek (north side of river) and Garden Creek (south side of river) can be filtered for use if the fountains are not in operation.

As the day warmed, at each fountain, we religiously stopped, ate, drank water, and doused our hiking shirt and caps in water and put them back on. Evaporative cooling fended off overheating for some time before our shirts and hats dried out before the next stop. Once in the canyon, the perspective changes from the glorious vistas over the gaping chasm to close in-cliffs, side canyons, and desert scrub flora, including prickly pear cactus and blackbrush. Along the way, we saw desert spiny lizards and mule deer.

We reached Phantom Ranch (built ca.

1922) before noon and poked our heads into the dormitory accommodations.

While clean, to me, it looked a little dodgy given some of the region’s rodents carry infectious diseases like hantavirus.

While we were there tanking up on water, a ground squirrel tore into the backpack of one of the Phantom Ranch guests. If it were me staying there, I’d

years old. Along our way, we broke one of the cardinal park rules by hiking during the oppressive mid-day heat but we took our time. We were careful not to overexert and actually felt fine, taking frequent rest and water/food breaks.

We ended up in semi-rescue mode of a former infantry soldier who had served in Iraq and, while very tough mentally, was woefully unprepared lacking basic provisions. We leap-frogged each other out of the canyon and by the last time we saw him a couple miles below the South Rim we had given him water, food, ibuprofen, ace bandage, a trekking pole, and a headlamp (which he returned to our lodging later that night).

The last push to the top above Indian Garden Campground climbs through a wall comprised of 3,000 ft. of cliff formations that look impenetrable from below. This remarkable trail threads its way through natural weaknesses in the cliffs. In the evening, as we were nearing the rim, we saw a flash of lightning . I measured 45 seconds on my wristwatch—a little over 9 miles away (speed of sound is roughly 5 seconds per mile). Indeed, the storm cell appeared to be parked about that distance away over Phantom Ranch. As the measured time between flash and sound decreased to 35 seconds (about 7 miles away), I told Amy and Micah we would have to pick up the pace on this exposed trail near the rim to make sure we reached the safety of buildings on the rim before the storm overtook us. Fortunately, after 16:44 hours of hiking, we arrived at the South Rim just after sunset and dove into the gift store at Bright Angel Lodge just as it started to pour. Here, we purchased “rim to rim” T-shirts.

Micah gave his all on that final push to the top and threw up in the restroom, feeling better afterwards. Tough kid.

With that behind us, we celebrated our accomplishment that night with a hot shower, meal, and a soft bed at Maswik Lodge a few hundred yards from the Rim—our epic completed.

Americans have a propensity to boast about how great our country is, and the Grand Canyon is truly one place that will not disappoint. If you’re planning a visit the Grand Canyon and want to hike, consider skipping the bureaucracy and heavy pack and hike through geologic history on a long day-hike traverse of this amazing national treasure.

MAY 2017 23

Meet Your Mazama Hike Leaders

by Karoline Gottschild

A

fter a long, cold, and WET winter, we are all awaiting the return of long, dry days where we can wander and soak in the beauty of the Pacific Northwest. Thankfully, the Mazamas have an awesome crew of hike leaders ready to take you on the trails. Whether you are in the mood for long hikes, short hikes, hikes with lots of elevation, or slow meanders at sea level, you'll be able to find a hike, and hike leader, to match your preferred style. Meet a few of the hike leaders you can look forward to hitting the trails with this spring and summer.

RICHARD GETGEN

Regis Krug at Rock of the Ages Arch.

REGIS KRUG

Leaving behind the bitter winters of Pennsylvania 33 years ago, Regis has not looked back, only up, toward peaks to be climbed and vistas to be appreciated. Most Mazamas, it appears, are naturally somewhat introverted left-brainers, and Regis, a high-tech manager, lover of the wilderness solitude provided by solo hikes, fits right in. Yet, like all other Mazama leaders, he loves to share his experience and expertise with other similar-minded nature souls. If you look in the back of Regis’ closet you won’t find any skeletons, because (aside from being a reasonable non skeleton-collecting left-brainer) where would all his gear go? Fittingly, like many a true Mazama, Regis has a guest room for his permanent guests— his hiking gear. When not in his outdoor playground, the Gorge or Mt. Hood, Regis can be found playing with his grandkids or in his wood shop building furniture.

Are you looking for hikes and backpack trips at a nature-appreciating pace of about 2.0? This year, Regis is hoping to explore new trails on Mt. Adams, Rainier, or in central Oregon. Surely it would not take much prodding (try using dark chocolate cherry Kind bars) to get Regis to organize a trip. Sign up here.

24 MAZAMAS

Meet your home-grown, authentic Oregonian and Mazama leader, who since 1992 has led over 1,100 hikes! Yes, that’s almost a hike every single week for a quarter of a century. When Richard isn’t hiking, he might be found reading voraciously, having consumed about the same number of books as he has hikes (and we’re not talking trail maps either). Listing Grapes of Wrath and To Kill a Mockingbird among his favorites, Richard is clearly a serious thinker. While relaxing, his ear buds might be delivering tunes of Def Leppard or Abba (maybe it depends on how scenic his hike or how slippery the mud was that day). You may not find Richard at large and loud social gatherings, but—this is perhaps the fiscal analyst in him—he prefers quiet, one-on-one conversations of substance.

Surprisingly, although a Mazama, Richard professes a fear of heights—but then isn’t part of being a Mazama overcoming and vanquishing?

When munching, Richard might be found bitedeep in Junior mints and lemon bars, (goody-carrying hikers, beware of plying him with allergy inducing peanuts or you may be carrying your leader back down the mountain). Unlike many a rock star, Richard doesn’t appear to have any skeletons in the closet, only camping gear. One item on his bucket list is to hike the New England forests in the fall to enjoy their glorious display of colors. Anyone interested in organizing an East Coast Mazamas Expedition? Get up and get going.

Richard Getgen on Garfield Peak at Crater Lake National Park.

WAYNE LINCOLN

Bill Stein on one of his favorite trails, the Christmas Ornaments Trail in the Columbia River Gorge.

BILL STEIN

What do you get when you take a South Carolinian Blue Ridge Mountain hiker with four siblings from a boating family? A sail team? Nope. You get Bill Stein, lover of mountains and world travel, Peace Corps member, and Portlandian since 1996. You get an urban transportation modeler, an introvert turned eloquent Toastmaster, an avid reader and event organizer for authors of books set in places afar. If you have been to Niger then maybe you can call him Garba. The history behind his African name? Well, you could ask him— while hiking up the local hills. Bill has been a Mazama trail blazer since 2014. His adventures include Secret Cave at Mt. Talbert Nature Park, Wolf Creek Trestle on the Salmonberry Trail, Round-the-Mountain, or closerto-home Street Rambles. While Bill’s four siblings who now live in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and Spain are running marathons, Bill intends to keep running around Oregon. He also loves Washington, British Columbia, Northern California and never wants to leave the NW, except for one bucket-list item, New Zealand.

(Wayne and Pongo look out!)

Meanwhile, this year on NW’s terra firma, Bill is planning to lead Coyote Wall and the Labyrinth, as well as some backpacking trips. So join up—the pace is often a relaxed 2.5, but Bill will accommodate folks at a leisurely 2 and 1.5, as well. If you share a car with this fearless leader, you might want to bring along Cuban, Brazilian, or African music, and some cashews. Ask him about the Kutna Hura bone church and his illegal Camel crossing. So many trails to hike and stories to tell.

Wayne Lincoln tells us he first met the world in Lower Hutt, New Zealand, before moving on to Christchurch, where, he says, he grew taller but not necessarily up. Fun-loving and eternally boyish, he still managed to become a respectable electrical engineer, eventually landing on our shores. Now a Portlander for 27 years, and a Mazamas leader since 2005, this is, alas, Wayne’s last year in the NW. So, hurry up and join his hikes before he returns to his New Zealand roots where he plans to frolic in his native Alps. If you play nice on his Mazama hikes, maybe he’ll divulge the location of his secret retirement abode in the North Island woods. This is where he plans to retire with Pongo his Abyssinian cat, building a cabin instead of sub-stations, woodworking, and enjoying life with other islanders whom he plans to initiate to new leisure hikes (which he strangely referred to as pub crawls).

Speaking of leisure, Wayne paces his hikes at a sceneryappreciating 2.5, which allows a hiker to not only take pictures with both hands on the camera and an eye behind the lens, but also not worry about falling off a cliff while doing so. As most of Wayne’s hikes are street rambles, it may be more about not becoming road-kill. On the topic of roads, note that Wayne will and has literally walked in front of a bus to save a fellow human.

(Wayne told how one day he sees a heavily bandaged man hobbling to catch a tri-met bus; Wayne asks the driver to wait.

She refuses, so Mazama Wayne jumps out and places himself squarely in front of the large fenders until the said bandagee makes it to the bus.) Moral of the story? Go hiking with Wayne because he has many more amusing stories, and he may even catch that boulder that is about to fall on your head. N.B.: Wayne likes licorice, figs, and nuts. Oh, and Pongo likes mice— but he won’t be on the hike.

Wayne Lincoln at Pup Creek, near Clackamas River on a frigid day.

MAY 2017 25

ADVENTUROUS YOUNG MAZAMAS (AYM) Activities for those in their 20s and 30s and anyone young at heart.

Check our website, tinyurl.com/mazaymactivities, and Meetup page, meetup. com/Adventurous-Young-Mazamas, frequently for the most up-to-date schedule. All trips are $2 member/$3 nonmember.

MONTHLY EVENTS: ▶▶ AYM committee meetings are the fourth Monday of each month from 6:30–8:30 p.m. at the MMC. ▶▶ Interested in learning what AYM is about or looking for a casual introduction to our group? For a social introduction to the group, be sure and join us for pub night on the third Monday of the month. ▶▶ We also host board game night on the first Wednesday of the month (check our website and Meetup page for location. They rotate every month! ▶▶ Additionally, we are hosting “Climb Mornings” once a month at local rock gyms. Information is posted on Meetup and our website.

With the incoming warm weather, AYM’s May events will feature longer weekend trips. Contact leaders for more information and to RSVP. CAR CAMP—STAR-GAZING AND TRAIL-BLAZING ADVENTURE: MAY 6-7 Join AYM for a unique car camping experience that will feature a Saturday group potluck followed with an evening Sky Show at the Goldendale Observatory.

On the way to and from our base camp, we plan to lead the following events: a variety of hikes (on both days), advanced forest navigation (Saturday), and a caving exploration (pending conditions, on Sunday). $15 for Mazama members/ $25 for nonmembers. Drive: ~250 miles minimum RT. Washington Discover Pass is required at the observatory and for some of our planned hikes. Event Leaders: Taylor Courier, Mike Kacmar, Sarah Miller, and Cabe Nicksic. Event Coordinator: Mike Kacmar. Please visit AYM’s web page for more information and to register. This trip is capped at 20 people.

26 MAZAMAS

AYM recently featured hikes in the Eastern Gorge, where we encountered beautiful, non-icy weather, and abundant wildflowers. Hikers featured here are at the Lyle Cherry Orchard Trail. Photo: Reena Clements

COMMITTEE MEETING—MAY 22, 6:30 P.M. AT THE MMC Would you like to get involved with AYM? We are always looking for volunteers! We invite everyone to come join our monthly committee meeting. We will review the past month’s activities and plan the future month. We love guests at our meetings, and we often go out for libations afterwards.

EASTERN OREGON ADVENTURE—MAY 26–29 Join AYM to discover the heart and soul of Eastern Oregon's finest landscapes for a four-day/three-night trip in the tepees at Clyde Holliday State Recreation Site. Leave Portland Friday afternoon to be able to hike in a few miles and capture the sunset at the Painted Hills. On Saturday, hike the lakes and waterfalls of the Strawberry Mountain Wilderness. By Sunday, be prepared for challenge, hiking into the Black Canyon. On Memorial Day (Monday),

we will pack up and check out the nearby John Day Fossil Beds Sheep Rock Unit before driving back to Portland. Hikes are subject to change based on weather and trail conditions. Bring your snowshoes.

Potlucks and campfires at night. $60 for Mazama members/$90 for nonmembers.

Drive: ~700 miles minimum RT. Event Leaders: Mike Kacmar and Sándor Lau Please visit AYM’s web page for more information and how to register. This trip is limited to 10 people.

MAZAMA LODGE Your Home on the Mountain.

SPRING SKIING It looks like we are going to have good conditions for spring skiing well into Memorial Weekend this year. May is our slowest month of the year, so if you are looking for a getaway, then May is a great time to come. Please note that we are closed on Saturday, May 6 for a private event.

SUMMER SPEAKER SERIES The Wednesday Evening Programs take a yearly hiatus during the summer months, but for the second year in a row, programs will be offered the first Sunday of each month at Mazama Lodge, May–September, at 6 p.m.

These are free programs, open to members and guests. On speaker evenings, dinner will be served at 5 p.m. for $13.25 (no program in August). A special thank you to Dyanne Foster who has coordinated with the speakers.

MAY 7: TRAIL RUNNING WILDERNESS ADVENTURES Along the spine of the Left Coast is a landscape of unspeakable vastness and soul-stirring beauty, a true glimpse into the world as it once was. The Cascade and Sierra Nevada Ranges have been inspiring adventurers, wanderers and wonderers for many years. There is no greater setting for discovering one’s self than running among these resplendent and magical spaces.

Local trail runner and ultra marathoner Sean Harrasser has spent almost thirty years exploring mountain wildscapes and exploring the edges of his own capabilities.

These are not stories of setting speed records, nor are they centered on racing.

They are an ordinary person’s quest for something extraordinary, set in the heart of the high country, a sparkling obsession with discovering the beauty and mystery of the Wilderness around us and within us.

JUNE 4: DOLOMITES & VIA FERRATAS Mazamas John Leary, Jim Palo, John Creager, and Terry Olson experienced the thrill of walking and climbing via ferrata in the Dolomites in Italy. A via ferrata, the iron way, is a mountain route equipped with steel cables, ladders, fixed anchors, and a few wooden walkways and suspended bridges.

The ferrata provide access to places normally reserved for rock climbers. Based out of the beautiful village of Cortina, and some nights in mountain rifugios, we had two fantastic weeks of climbing and were stopped in our tracks by amazing views from a perspective that few have the opportunity to experience.

Climbing the ferrata makes one feel like a kid in Disneyland. The beautiful European architecture in Munich, Bolzano (where we saw Otzi, the 5,300 year old Iceman), and Venice was a huge added bonus.

MAY 2017 27

FAMILIES MOUNTAINEERING Families Mountaineering 101 or FM 101 trains adult and youth climbers for entry-level mountaineering activities including rock climbing, snow climbing, car camping, navigation, conditioning, and first aid. In this family-oriented class, parents are actively engaged as students or assistants. Through family participation, this course unites families in enjoyment of the outdoors and exploring in the mountains. FM 101 just wrapped up another successful year with a capstone trip to Smith Rock State Park.

Below, Rich Hunter, FM 101 co-coordinator, shares the highlights of the graduation.

FM101 WARMS UP ON MONKEY FACE, CRUSHES NORTH POINT AND STUDENT WALL The weather forecast was daunting, but FM101 was determined to celebrate graduation in style with a capstone effort at Smith Rock. With an enthusiastic group of 14 families, more than 20 kids between the ages of 7 and 15, we were thrilled to arrive at the park with blue skies and no rain all weekend. Saturday's action included 10 routes at North Point, including a fixed line through the 4th class approach chimney, rappel practice station (see photo of Mark Seker), and seeking warmth in the sun on top of the large columnar basalt boulders broken off the cliff in that reach of the Crooked River.

Saturday night at Haystack Reservoir was a fabulous pot luck, and we were treated to an amazing starlight sky and pictureperfect purple sunrise revealing Mt. Hood and Mt. Jefferson to the west. The sun came out even stronger on Sunday, and after a quick warm-up on Monkey Face, we hiked 1.5 miles to Student Wall to begin the serious climbing. Highlights of the Student Wall routes were Clara Lio, Liz Wallace, and others ascending tough 5.8 crack climb one after the other, as well as Kaia Hunter ringing the bell on top of Kindergarten Crack. With this fresh new experience under our belts, this year's graduates of FM101 are ready to join Mazama climb teams and have some fun climbing high this summer!

Families youth bouldering near Smith Rock. Photo: Rich Hunter

FAMILIES MOUNTAINEERING 101 INFORMATION NIGHT ▶▶ June 5, 6:30–8 p.m. at the Mazama Mountaineering Center ▶▶ More Information: tinyurl.com/maz-fm101

PERU TREKKING OFF THE BEATEN PATH. Very high, remote, scenic trekking in Peru.

TWO treks offered this year: 11 days, from the Bosque de Piedras to near the Quelcaya icecap, to Pacchanta using part of our route from 2016, much at 16,000 feet plus; and 8 days, from Chua Chua to Ccoylloriti and Tinqui, not quite as high. October 2017. Contact climb leader Ellen Gradison: ellengradison@gmail.com for more info.

Classified Advertising THESE LISTINGS ARE PAID ADVERTISEMENTS. THE MAZAMAS IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR CONTENT.

Un-used Black Diamond Tent “Bombshelter” Winter, Expedition, 4-Person. 315-806-8114, $600 28 MAZAMAS

503.684.9698

MAZAMAS PUT THEIR BEST SHOVEL FORWARD TO PROTECT WATERSHEDS

by Lea Wilson

Mazamas planting trees along Still Creek in Mt. Hood National Forest.

In April, a small team of Mazamas joined forces with the Sandy River Basin Watershed Council and the US Forest Service to plant 250 Western redcedar and relocate approximately 75 sword ferns in several restoration locations along Still Creek in Mount Hood National Forest. Despite forecasts for rain, wind, and a falling freezing level, intrepid volunteers enjoyed a cool, mostly dry morning in good company. Several volunteers saw a redd in the creek, and our Forest Service host Cate brought us homemade chocolate chip cookies.

April’s event wraps up the tree planting season. In December, about 30 Mazamas helped plant more than 700 native trees and shrubs with Friends of Trees at Veteran’s Creek in SE Portland. Thank you to everyone who chose to donate their Saturday mornings to these important watershed protection projects.

Mazamas organizes stewardship activities with community partners throughout the year. If you’re interested in getting physical to protect the places you love, watch for volunteer opportunities in the Bulletin or email Adam Baylor, the Mazamas Stewardship and Advocacy Manager at adam@ mazamas.org.

OREGON MOUNTAIN COMMUNITY

PORTLAND, OR

ESTABLISHED 1971

OMCGEAR.COM 2975 NE Sandy Blvd. Portland, OR Hours M-F 10-7 SAT 10-6 SUN 12-5 503-227-1038

MAY 2017 29

by Sue Griffith

N

ew Zealand is one of those magical places that demands unhurried exploration. Home to miles of jaw-dropping beauty, and water so pure you can drink it from the source, it begs to be explored on foot.

Hiking, or “tramping” as the Kiwi’s call it, is my favorite way to explore. Not only does it offer a chance to experience natural splendors up close, but it provides an opportunity to meet likeminded folks who share a passion for the outdoors. With only two weeks to invest down under, the biggest problem is deciding where to start.

In 1993, the New Zealand Department of Conservation (DOC) selected what it considered the country's nine best hiking routes and developed those crown jewels into a hut and track network of premier hiking trails. Scattered around the North and South Islands, a land area the size of Colorado, these Great Walks serve as gateways to some of the best backcountry scenery in the world. Fiordlands National Park in the Te Wahipounamu UNESCO World Heritage Area of southwestern New Zealand is home to two of the Great Walks: the famous Milford Track with its stunning waterfalls and verdant valleys and the lesser-known Kepler Track featuring misty mountain tops and tussock-lined ridges.

These two tracks offer a range of habitats in a single region. Problem solved.

The four-day, 33-mile Milford Track is the best-known of the Great Walks and requires considerable advance planning as a consequence (see www.greatwalks. co.nz). Up until 1965, the Milford was open only to fee-paying guided walkers staying in expensive, privately operated lodges.

This scheme did not sit well with locals and spurred the little-known ‘Milford Freedom Walk’, a protest that led to today’s

30 MAZAMAS

A hiker navigates stairs on the Milford Track. Photo: Sue Griffith

parallel system of guided and independent walkers. By chance, I met a hut warden who had taken part in that illegal 1964 hike of the Milford. A small, lean woman with time-worn features, she paused a moment remembering her teenage self of 50 years ago, then laughed as she recounted her tale. Like merry pranksters, they slept in soggy tents, forded dangerously swollen rivers clutching at hastily strung ropes, and barely persuaded a local boat owner to shuttle them back to their cars in Milford.

Their bold actions convinced the DOC to revamp their fee rules and now everyone has free access to the track, paying only for accommodations. Guided walkers, or “pamper trampers”, enjoy fully serviced luxury lodges with hot showers, fluffy bedding, and gourmet meals. Independent walkers travel the same track but carry food, cooking utensils, and bedding, and stay in the more spartan DOC huts. Costs differ by a factor of ten. It was an easy choice. The Milford is a one-way track, hiked south to north. To maintain the wilderness experience, the government limits the number of trampers starting each day to 40 independent walkers and 50 guided walkers. The outfitters stage the

guided walkers throughout the morning to further minimize crowding on the track.

The independent walkers must advance each day to the next hut. No exceptions, not even for foul weather. A reminder to pack accordingly.

Guided or independent, the Milford adventure begins with an unforgettable 85-minute ferry ride to the northern tip of Lake Te Anau. I braved the unprotected top deck to soak in my surroundings—knifeedged mountains dusted with fresh snow, icy spray from the lake, and but for the primitive landing at Glade Wharf, not a sign of civilization.

There are plenty of books and websites describing the natural features of the Milford Track—its spectacular river valleys, sky-scraping peaks, and breathtaking waterfalls. But what sticks in my mind isn’t found in these accounts. My memories fix on the day-to-day hut and trail experiences, those things you can’t Instagram: the 250foot suspension bridge with just a little too much swing to it; hikers from around the globe chattering in a dozen different languages; the post-hike dips in glacier-fed

continued on page 32

It's all about the ridgeline on the Kepler. Photo: Sue Griffith

MAY 2017 31

Tramping, continued from page 30 of the Kepler Track’s beech forests, tussock grasslands, and mountain ridges. And again, the memorable moments are the unscripted ones: tramping through the towering, Suess-like fern forests; the ranger-led nature walks full of information about the local flora and fauna; learning to carve a shallow line in the dirt to attract curious robins for an up close and personal encounter; that top-of-the-world feeling when the clouds finally clear on Mt. Luxmore’s 5,000 foot summit; surviving the 90-plus knee-numbing switchbacks on the 3,000 foot drop to the Iris Burn Hut; the backcountry outhouses set in the most stunning scenery imaginable; intense quiet and air so pure it has no scent; inky nights lit only by the moon and stars; and looking back up the mountain to see what you’ve accomplished.

The Kiwis are a friendly bunch, and the hospitality did not stop at the end of the trail. A sparsely populated country with ten times more livestock than people, over the course of my two week visit I ran into the same bus driver three times.

Soon we were on a first name basis. Like

so many folks I’d met, Allan was a naturalborn storyteller and added a new episode each time we met. After learning I had completed the Kepler, he asked me about the trail’s notorious winds. He listened to my report of 50 mph gusts, then launched into his own tale of a Swiss hiker who had encountered 110 mph winds on the Luxmore Saddle. The hiking group turned back, but this guy figured since he had summited both Everest and K-2, he could navigate the Luxmore Saddle on his own.

Indeed, he completed the track but spent four hours on hands and knees traversing the two miles of exposed saddle. By now, it felt like Allan and I were old friends.

With so many beautiful hiking options at home, why travel halfway around the globe to hike? The cross-cultural connections.

The sense of a common human language in a troubled world. The suspension of time and place. For two wonderful weeks, New Zealand embraced me and delivered a perfect adventure I hoped would never end.

For more on hiking in New Zealand check out books in the Mazamas Library with call #919.31

Join us on our award winning South Island Adventure!

Come along on our 14-day ‘Rimu’ trip to explore the South Island.

Hike • Routeburn and Kepler Tracks • Punakaiki • Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park • West Coast beaches and rainforests • Franz Josef Glacier (with heli-hike option)

Plus

TH

E

W O R L D’

S

ST

I

P

TU

N

32 MAZAMAS

S BE

E ADV

• Bike Te Araroa Track • Sea kayak Milford Sound and Okarito Lagoon • Explore Queenstown • Snorkel with seals • Morelea farm show

RE

TR

ACT17132

waters; a late-night trip to the outhouse with an impromptu astronomy lesson when a stranger points out the Southern Cross and its pointer stars (Alpha Centauri and Beta Centauri); the nocturnal call of a lonely kiwi desperate for a mate; the eery blue-green luminescence of glow-worms tucked among forest ferns; cheeky kea, alpine parrots working in tandem to steal your food in a choreographed performance where one bird cavorts in front of you while his co-conspirator sneaks behind to grab your lunch; rivers of liquid jade, so clear you can see not just the stones on the bottoms but the mile-long trout that call it home. Now we’re talking about the finest walk in the world.

The Kepler Track opened in 1988 to relieve pressure from the over-subscribed Milford. The 37-mile loop offers trampers more flexibility than the Milford. It can be hiked in either direction, or to a single hut and back, and offers both DOC huts and camping sites. The whole loop can be completed in three or four days.

Like the Milford, you don’t have to search long for mile by mile descriptions

CONSERVATION CORNER

PLACES WORTH PRESERVING AYM at Tamanawas Falls in 2016.

by Barbara Weiss

I

t’s the perfect hike for a hot summer day. The trial meanders along a cold creek, winds through a lush fairyland forest mixed with Western Red Cedar, Doug Fir, and old growth Ponderosa Pine. In deep summer the air is both sweet and musky. The trail ends in a gorgeous 100 foot waterfall that splashes down into a cool pond, initiating a spray that’s intoxicating and refreshing. All this after only four miles and about 500 feet of elevation gain. The trail? It’s Tamanawas Falls—just off Highway 35, out of Hood River, not far from Sherwood Campground.

When I was a kiddo, I hiked this path several times every summer. Back then, it was rare to meet another soul. I felt like the falls was a magical world of Narnia proportions that belonged only to me and my family. As an adult the hike became my go-to escape from the grit and pace of Portland city life. “Tamanawas” is a Chinook word meaning friendly or guardian spirit. These days the Tamanawas Falls trail ranks high on many “best hikes” lists, and you don’t find yourself alone along the trail or at the falls for long—and for good reason. It is a friendly hike, and

many have found welcome respite along the path and at the falls.

But the future of Tamanawas Falls as a much loved, pristine refuge is not certain.

Environmental groups are pushing for the protection of the falls area as part of the Lewis and Clark Mount Hood Wilderness proposal, which would preserve it from logging, mining and other development.

But Mt. Hood National Forest’s recently revived Polallie-Cooper II timber sale remains a threat. The proposal would permit the logging of close to 3000 acres and building 12 miles of roads in

the East Fork Hood River watershed, directly impacting parts of the proposed Tamanawas Falls Wilderness.

For many years, the Tamanawas Falls hike along Cold Spring Creek has provided an accessible wilderness experience for 1000’s of hikers. Perhaps it is now up to us to step in as the “guardian spirit” for this truly remarkable area, to protect it for generations to come.

For more information on the falls and the proposed timber sale, visit bark-out. org, or read the Tamanawas Falls Fact Sheet at oregonwild.org.

LIBRARY UPDATES

The Mazamas Library will launch its new on-line catalog soon! The new system will allow for easy searching, putting books on hold, email reminders for overdue books, and more. Look for full details on the new system and how to get your patron number in the June Bulletin.

Thanks to volunteers who handcataloged 4,000 books in 4 months to make this transition happen!

Jill Torberson was the lucky library volunteer to attach the last barcode sticker to the final book in the circulating collection.

MAY 2017 33

TRAIL TRIPS JOIN US! MAZAMA TRAIL

TRIPS ARE OPEN TO EVERYONE Contact Trail Trips chair Bill Stein at trailtrips@mazamas.org with any questions. To lead a hike next month, go to: mazamas2.org.

HK B2 May 3 (Wed.) Eagle Creek in Clackamas Foothills Rex Breunsbach 971-832-2556 or rbreunsbach@gmail.com. This is the other Eagle Creek. We will travel through old growth forest. Be prepared for some interesting creek crossings and slippery terrain. Poles and waterproof boots a must. 9.4 mi., 1,200 ft., Drive 90, TH, MMC 8 a.m.

HK A1.5 May 6 (Sat.) LabyrinthCoyote Wall Loop Richard Getgen teambears@frontier.com. In search of bitterroot blooms. Ascend Labyrinth, descend Coyote Wall.

Several wildflower varieties and river views. No sign-up list, just show up. 7 mi., 1,200 ft., Drive 126, TH, Gateway 8 a.m.

HK B2 May 6 (Sat.) Kings Mountain Bruce Giordano brucegiord@yahoo.com. Lovely hike in the woods of the Coastal Range.

Nice view from top if good weather and good workout in a short amount of time. 5.4 mi., 2,780 ft., Drive 66, Target/185th 8 a.m. (AR) HK B2 May 7 (Sun.) Angels Rest Reuel Kurzet rkurzet@comcast. net. Hike through lush, green forest with a waterfall, scenic creek, and possible spring Trilliums in bloom.

Continue switch backing up a ridge and traversing scree from an old rockslide to top out on a small mesa with spectacular views of the western Columbia Gorge. Some poison oak along the trail. Weather can be windy and wild at the top, so be prepared with warm, waterproof clothing. 4.6 mi., 1,584 ft., Drive 42, Gateway 9 a.m. (WF) MU HK A1.5 May 8 (Mon.) Dry Creek Falls Flora Huber 503-658-5710.

Easy 5.4 loop hike to roaring falls.

5.4 mi., 710 ft., Drive 78, TH, Lewis & Clark—near toilets I-84 Exit 18 9 a.m. (WF) HK B2 May 10 (Wed.) Wilson River–Forest Center to Keenig Creek Rex Breunsbach 971-8322556 or rbreunsbach@gmail.com.

EXPLORATORY—We will start at the Forestry Center, hike along the Wilson River then duck into Ryan Creek canyon exiting at Keenig Creek campground. This will require a car shuttle. 10 mi., 1,500 ft., Drive 90, MMC 8 a.m.

34 MAZAMAS

HK B2 May 12 (Fri.) Silver Star Mountain (Grouse Vista) David Gast pdg17838@gmail.com. Join us for this hike in SW Washington.

With clear weather, we will have great views from the top. 7.5 mi., 2,300 ft., Drive 60, Fishers landing transit center, Vancouver 8:30 a.m. (AR) HK A1.5 May 13 (Sat.) Cape Horn Susan Koch 971-678-3446. This will be an out and back hike from the trailhead on SR14 to the Nancy Russell overlook and back. Lower part of this trail head is closed until mid-summer. With good timing the delphiniums will be blooming for a nice show of color. Stunning views from Pioneer Point across the gorge.

3.5 mi., 800 ft., Drive 60, Gateway 7:30 a.m. (AR,GH)MU HK A1.5 May 13 (Sat.) Ridgefield NWR Jim Selby 828-508-5094. We will start our hike with the River S unit first, driving its road but also hiking the Kiwa Trail. Seeing waterfowl will be the main goal for this portion of the day. Around 12:30 p.m. we will arrive at the Carty unit for a nice 3-mile hike including terrific oak groves, seeing a Native American plank house, and looking for a variety of song-birds. Back to Gateway around 4:30 p.m. 4 mi., 150 ft., Drive 60, TH, Gateway 8 a.m. MU HK B2 May 13 (Sat.) Elk Mountain Loop Sherry Bourdin 503-246-8095.

It will be a challenging ascent up Elk Mountain. After a high 5 at the summit, take in a great view, and then enjoy a long, shady descent following Elk Creek. A beautiful hike any time of the year but especially in the Spring. 8.5 mi., 2,950 ft., Drive 60, Target/185th 8 a.m. (AR) HK B2 May 13 (Sat.) Hamilton Mountain Loop Tom Eggers 503334-6356. A little bit of everything!

This hike offers waterfalls, views of beautiful basalt formations, staggeringly lovely overlooks into the Gorge, steep uphill sections, ridge lines and forest. We'll even go to a seldom-visited overlook towards Beacon Rock. Good hiking shoes/ boots needed. Gear up appropriately for the weather. Contact leader if you have questions. 8.6 mi., 2,300 ft., Drive 88, TH, Gateway 8:30 a.m.

(WF)MU

WEBSITE UPDATES Leaders may schedule a hike after the Bulletin is published, or occasionally a hike location will change.

Visit tinyurl.com/maz-hikesched for updates!

WESTSIDE STREET RAMBLES Multiple teams hike at different paces every Tuesday and Thursday with various leaders. Bring a headlamp. 4–8 miles, 500– 1,500 feet. Meet at REI-Pearl, NW 14th and Johnson. Group leaves promptly at 6 p.m.

EASTSIDE STREET RAMBLES: Wednesdays throughout the spring and summer. Walk at a brisk pace (2.5-3 m.p.h.) through the streets and up to Mt. Tabor Park. 2 hours (please arrive early to sign in) 5 mi., 500 ft., Drive 0, MMC, 6 p.m.

MORE HIKING Adventurous Young Mazamas (tinyurl.com/maz-aymactivities), and other Mazamas lead hikes as well. See the full list at: mazamas.org/activities-events.

HK A2 May 14 (Sun.) Wildwood Trail to Pittock Mansion Nancy Goering ngoering@att.net. Meet outside at the Les AuCoin plaza between the two MAX station elevators. It costs $6.40 to park so consider taking public transportation. How about a nice afternoon walk through Washington Park to great views over the city at Pittock Mansion? We'll take the Wildwood Trail past the Japanese Garden and return via Hoyt Arboretum. It's Mother's Day so we'll probably be with lots of others but it's worth it. 7 mi., 800 ft., Drive 0, Forest Park - Zoo - MAX Sta. 12:30 p.m.

HK B2 May 14 (Sun.) Angels Rest Kate Evans 503-635-6540. Expect fabulous views on this wonderful hike in the Gorge. 4.6 mi., 1,520 ft., Drive 42, Gateway 8 a.m. (GH) HK B2 May 14 (Sun.) Dalles Mountain Bob Breivogel 503-2922940. Columbia hills state park in Washington, across from the Dalles.

Hike trails from old ranch to the summit ridge. Flower meadows, gorge and Mt. Hood views. 6 mi., 1,800 ft., Drive 194, State Park, Gateway 8 a.m.

HK A1.5 May 15 (Mon.) Falls Creek Falls (Lower trail) Flora Huber 503-658-5710. This hike takes you to the lower tier of Falls Creek Falls, which is among the largest and most powerful waterfalls in southern Washington. Originating on the Red Mountain plateau - Falls Creek sends a considerable volume of water hurtling 335 feet over its valley 3.4 mi., 640 ft., Drive 120, Lewis & Clark—near toilets 9 a.m.

HK A2 May 15 (Mon.) Coyote Wall (to top of meadow) Ellen Burns 503-703-8907. Up Catherine creek, then high traverse over to Coyote wall. Return to cars by lower route.

May see some early wildflowers. 5.8 mi., 1,520 ft., Drive 125, call leader for details 8:30 a.m. (GH)MU HK B2 May 17 (Wed.) Sedum Ridge Mowich Butte Rex Breunsbach rbreunsbach@gmail.com or 971-8322556. We will hike the PCT up to the ridge, then climb on up to the Butte.

Good views of Rainer, Adams and St. Helens. Poles and Traction Devices highly recommended. 11.3 mi., 2,700 ft., Drive 90, SnoPark, MMC 8 a.m.

HK A2 May 19 (Fri.) Weldon Wagon Road Ellen Burns 503-7038907. Lovely hike along an old wagon trail once used for transporting fruit for harvest. We should see some nice wildflowers. 3.6 mi., 1,050 ft., Drive 102, 8:30 a.m. Call Leader for details (GH) MU HK A1.5 May 20 (Sat.) Cape Lookout Richard Getgen teambears@frontier.com. Hike along the ridge of the cape past tall spruce to the point for an ocean view. 5.2 mi., 970 ft., Drive 148, Target/185th 8 a.m.

HK A1.5 May 20 (Sat.) Heritage Tree #2, Laurelhurst–Lone Fir Tom Guyot 503-761-9519. This urban hike stops at Heritage Trees in the Laurelhurst neighborhood and the Lone Fir Cemetery, Portland's oldest.

The pace will be moderate and this is a dog friendly hike. We'll see 13 impressive trees representing 11 species. Meet in the MCC parking lot at the corner of SE 43rd and SE Stark Street. Please arrive at least 10 minutes early so we can leave on time. 4 mi., 100 feet ft., Drive 0, MMC 8:30 a.m. MU

HK B2 May 20 (Sat.) Salmon River Trail (Upper) Deborah Gant email. deborah2@gmail.com. Wilderness— Limited to 12. This beautiful trail is in a lush old-growth forest. A sweeping viewpoint of the Salmon River canyon will greet us when we break for lunch at the top. 8 mi., 1,050 ft., Drive 80, TH, Gateway 8 a.m. (MH,WO) HK C2 May 20 (Sat.) Devil's Peak Lookout via Cool Creek David Nelson dkbmnelson@gmail.com.

Wilderness—Limited to 12. This hike offers an excellent work out.

We will hike up the Cool Creek trail to the old fire lookout. Have lunch, explore the lookout and enjoy the views before hiking back down.

Views of Mt. Hood, Mt. Adams and Mt. Jefferson, if weather permits.

Bring food, snacks, water and 10 essentials. Trekking poles a plus.

Contact leader at dkbmnelson@ gmail.com to register your spot or first come, up to the wilderness limit. 8.2 mi., 3,200 ft., Drive 84, TH, Gateway 7:30 a.m. (MH) HK A2 May 21 (Sun.) NW Heights Ramble Mark Sanzone msanzone@ yahoo.com. A morning ramble through the trails and streets of NW Heights and Skyline cemetery. End by noon. Meet at the Forest Heights Starbucks at Miller Road and Mill Ridge. 5 mi., 1,000 ft., Drive 0, 9 a.m.

HK B2 May 21 (Sun.) Tom/ Dick Mountain David Nelson dkbmnelson@gmail.com.

Wilderness—Limited to 12. We will hike up to Mirror Lake and then up to the ridge to the top for a great views of Mt. Hood, Mt. St. Helens, and other peaks. Have lunch, return to Mirror Lake and hike around the lake before heading back to the trailhead. Contact leader at dkbmnelson@gmail.com to register your spot or first come, up to the wilderness limit. 7.2 mi., 1,715 ft., Drive 94, TH, Gateway 7:30 a.m. (MH) HK A2 May 22 (Mon.) Warrior Rock/Sauvie Island Ellen Burns 503-703-8907. A pleasant hike along the beach and through the woods to the lighthouse on Sauvie Island.

Interesting sights include the Columbia River, beach areas and birds. 6.8 mi., 0 ft., Drive 20, 8:30 a.m.

Call Leader for details MU HK B2 May 24 (Wed.) Silver Star Mountain (Grouse Vista) Rex Breunsbach 971-832-2556 or rbreunsbach@gmail.com. Up past Sturgeon and Pyramid rock to the summit of 4,309-foot-high Silver Star mountain. Second highest peak in Southwest Washington.

Great 360 degree views. Traction Recommended 7.5 mi., 2,300 ft., Drive 70, Gateway 8 a.m. (AR)

HK B2 May 26 (Fri.) Angels Rest Ellen Burns 503-703-8907. Great views of the Columbia River Gorge from the top! 4.6 mi., 1,584 ft., Drive 42, Gateway 8:30 a.m. (GH)MU HK A2 May 27 (Sat.) Moulton Falls Jim Selby 828-508-5094. After a brief hike at Lucia Falls we will enjoy the great Moulton Falls trail. Nearly always see an eagle or two and lots of wildflowers including rare fawn lilies. We'll eat at the Moulton Falls railroad station before the hike back to our cars, back to Gateway around 3 p.m. 6 mi., 200 ft., Drive 60, Gateway 8 a.m. (WF)MU HK B2.5 May 27 (Sat.) Dog Mountain Loop Bill Stein billstein. rpcv@gmail.com. The early meeting time is to ensure parking availability.

Brisk pace! Up the usual way, down via the Augspurger trail, with a snack on the summit. We'll be back in town around lunchtime. Should be crowded with fellow hikers and replete with wildflowers. RSVP required by Fri. 5/26. 7.2 mi., 2,900 ft., Drive 98, TH, Gateway 6 a.m.

(AR,GH)MU HK C2 May 27 (Sat.) Salmon Butte Trail Larry Solomon muensterhump@hotmail.com.

Wilderness—Limited to 12. Hike through old growth forest then climb the many switchbacks to a track just below the summit of Salmon Butte from where we view Mts. Hood, Adams, and Jefferson. 12 mi., 3,200 ft., Drive 98, MMC 8 a.m.

HK A2 May 28 (Sun.) Tom McCall Point/Rowena Plateau Reprise Tom Eggers 503-334-6356. Drive a little, see a lot! This is a reprise of a hike we had to cancel last October due to weather. . .and now the wildflowers should be out. Two lovely out and back trails that lead to overlooks of area volcanoes, small ponds and the Columbia River. We'll start by heading up 1,000 ft. of trail in 1.5 miles to Tom McCall Point. If it is a wet day the trail can be slippery so bring good hiking shoes/boots.

We'll then head down and onto the trail descending past several small ponds to Rowena Plateau. Along the way is a side trail leading to the top of a cliff with an awesome 500' sheer drop off. Bring gear appropriate for the weather. Long pants recommended as the area does have ticks and poison oak. Contact leader if you have questions. 7 mi., 1,100 ft., Drive 140, Gateway 8 a.m. MU HK B2 May 28 (Sun.) Augspurger Mountain–Cook Hill Ellen Burns 503-703-8907. Columbia River Gorge Hike with some views. Lunch at the top! 6 mi., 1,600 ft., Drive 146, 8:30 a.m. Call Leader for details (AR)MU

HK C2.5 May 28 (Sun.) Larch Mountain (Multnomah Falls) Bob Breivogel 503-292-2940. Wilderness— Limited to 12. Hike from Multnomah falls bottom to the summit of Larch mountain. Should be spring wildflowers, cascades, and mountain views. Moderate pace and hourly rest stops. Should be back to Gateway by 5PM. 13.8 mi., 4,100 ft., Drive 48, Gateway 8 a.m. (WF,AR,GH,WO) HK B2 May 29 (Mon.) Saddle Mountain Meg Linza 503-502-8782.

Leader will meet participants at the TH at 9 a.m. I will be coming from the coast. Spring weather unpredictable, and exposed summit.

Will require layers, rain gear, traction shoes and poles for slippery descent.

Beautiful views to the coast from the summit in good weather. Should have wildflowers and some exposure.

7.2 mi., 1,900 ft., Drive 96, TH, Target/185th 8 a.m. (AR)MU HK B2 May 31 (Wed.) Bull of the Woods Rex Breunsbach 971-8322556 or rbreunsbach@gmail.com.

Wilderness—Limited to 12. From this Lookout site Mt. Jefferson is up close and personal. The lookout building is aging but still here. This a long slow drive, therefore expect a long day. 7.1 mi., 2,000 ft., Drive 142, MMC 8 a.m.

(AR,MH,WO)

Class A: Easy to moderate; less than 8 miles and under 1,500 feet elevation gain Class B: Moderate to difficult; less than 15 miles with 1,500–3,000 feet elevation gain OR 8–15 miles with less than 1,500 feet of elevation gain Class C and Cw: Difficult to strenuous: 15+ miles in distance or 3,000+ feet elevation gain; Class Cw indicates winter conditions Class D and Dw: Very difficult, strenuous trips in challenging conditions. No specific distance or elevation gain. Special equipment, conditioning, and experience may be required. Contact leader for details before the day of the trip is mandatory. Dw indicates winter conditions.

Numeral after class indicates pace. All pace information is uphill speed range; e.g. 1.5 = 1.5–2 mph: a slow to moderate pace; 2 = 2.0–2.5 mph: a moderate speed common on weekend hikes; 2.5 = 2.5–3.0 mph: a moderate to fast pace and is a conditioner.

“Wilderness—Limit 12” indicates the hike enters a Forest Service-designated Wilderness Area; group size limited to 12.

MU: Hike is posted on Meetup.

WF: Hike qualifies for Waterfall Awards.

AR: Hike qualifies for Awesome Ridges Awards.

GH: Hike qualifies for Gorge High Points Award.

WO: Hike qualifies for Wild Ones Award.

MH: Hike qualifies for Mt. Hood Award.

Hike fees: $2 for members, each family participant, and those belonging to clubs in FWOC; $4 for nonmembers. No person will be turned away if they are unable to pay. Street Ramble fees: $2 per person; $1 per person if over 55 or 14 and under. Both members and nonmembers are welcome at all trail trips. Trail Tending events are free.

Meeting Places: Gateway–SE corner of P and R Garage near 99th and Pacific (I-84 Exit 7); L and C–Lewis and Clark State Park (1-84 Exit 18); Oswego TC–Boones Ferry Rd at Monroe Parkway; Salmon Creek P and R–Vancouver P and R at 134 St (1-5 Exit 7 or 1-205 Exit 36); Parkrose/Sumner Transit Center–Sandy Blvd. and 98th Ave. (1-205 Exit 23A); Durham–P and R at Boones Ferry and Bridgeport (1-5 Exit 290); MMC– Mazama Mountaineering Center, 527 SE 43rd at Stark; Pendleton–Pendleton Woolen Mills in Washougal; REI–Pearl, NW 14th and Johnson; Target185–Target P/L Sunset Hwy at 185th. Dr.–round-trip driving mileage. ft– Hike elevation gain. TH Pass–USFS parking pass needed for trailhead; SnoPark–Snow park pass.

Trail Trips Hike Rules: Hikers are encouraged to carpool and share costs. The maximum suggested total rate each is a donation of ten cents per mile for up to three people per vehicle. Dogs are not allowed except for hikes designated as “dog-walks.” Alcohol and firearms are not allowed. Participants should wear appropriate hiking shoes; carry lunch, water, rain gear (umbrella, parka, or poncho), and the 10 essentials (whistle, extra food and clothing, sun protection, map, compass, flashlight, first aid kit, pocket knife, waterproof matches, fire starter).

Participants should be in a physical condition appropriate for the difficulty of the hike.

Leaders may decline anyone not properly equipped or judged incapable of completing the hike in a reasonable time frame. Hikers voluntarily leaving the group are considered nonparticipants. In case of accident, illness, or incapacity, hikers must pay their medical and/or evacuation expenses whether they authorize them or not. Hikes leave the meeting place at the time listed. Adverse conditions, weather, and combined circumstances can affect difficulty.

MAY 2017 35

OUTINGS ADVENTURE TRAVEL: FOREIGN & DOMESTIC CHAMONIX—MT. BLANC ALPINE CLIMBING JULY 9–24 Intermediate Climbing School graduates, Advanced School graduates, or equivalent experience required. Most climbs involve following pitches of 5th class terrain and/ or WI2+. Outing cost will be $2,250 per person, airfare to Geneva not included. Costs include round-trip transportation from Geneva to/from Chamonix and all lodging and transportation within the Chamonix-Mt. Blanc area for 15 days (nearly all lifts, gondolas, trains, and cable cars are included).

Food cost, hut fees, and the Midi-Hellbronner gondola not included. For full details go to the website. Contact leader, Lee Davis, lee@ mazamas.org for more information.

MT. THIELSEN TO DIAMOND PEAK PCT BACKPACK JULY 21–28 Backpack the spectacular Pacific Crest Trail from Mt. Thielsen to Diamond Peak.

We begin with a Mt. Thielsen climb, then continue on the Pacific Crest Trail to our climb of Diamond Peak. Lakes, forest, and countless scenic views await you on this comfortably paced trip. We’ll take seven days to cover the 57 miles of trail and climb approaches. Participants should be able to carry a backpack with four days of food and camping gear and have class “A” climbing skills.

Outing cost of $142 to $345 for a group size of three to five, including leaders. Cost includes mileage to and from our entry and exit points, plus campground and outing fees.

Participants are responsible for their meals and equipment. A trip overview and gear assessment and recommendation session will be held prior to departure.

A $150 deposit is due June 20. Outing leader is Joe Whittington (joewhittington@gmail. com) 503-297-6344. Assistant Leader: TBD

YELLOWSTONE OUTING JULY 30–AUG. 5 Alternates only. See April Bulletin or go to mazamas.org for more details.

OREGON COAST TRAIL HIKING AUG. 9–16 From Humbug Mountain State Park, we will hike approximately 70 miles of the Oregon Coast Trail south from Bandon to the California border. We will use car shuttles to connect the segments of the trail. Most of the hiking will be on the beach interspersed with trails through the headlands. This is a diverse area with spectacular scenery.

Participants are responsible for making their own transportation, lodging/camping arrangements, and meals; they can come for fewer than 8 days if they wish. Outing cost will range from $105–$240 depending on the number of participants and member status. A $150 deposit is required, with sign-up by July 15. (Participants should make reservations ASAP if they are planning to stay at Humbug Mountain State Park.)

Outing leader is Joe Whittington (joewhittington@gmail.com), 503-297-6344; Assistant Leader: TBD.

BAILEY RANGE TRAVERSE AUGUST 13–19 The Bailey Range traverse in the Olympic National Park is a high and remote crosscountry trek of unique and matchless beauty. It is one of the finest high traverses in Washington.

The Bailey Range is a physically and mentally demanding trip. The party must be comfortable with rock, snow, and occasional ice travel, display competent route-finding, and carrying a full pack. The path is largely off trail. There are steep sections with exposure on the Catwalk near Cat Peak and on sections of narrow way trails. Crampons and ice axes may be needed for the Elwha Snow Finger.

Outing cost $290–$210 for 4 to 6 participants. A $100 deposit is required, with sign-up by June 15, 2017. Contact outing leader Bob Breivogel (breivog@teleport.com) or assistant leader Kate Evans (kateevans97@ gmail.com) for more information or to apply.

TRINITY ALPS HIGH ROUTE TREK SEPT. 16–22 Join us as we hike Northern California's Trinity Alps High Route, a ~40 mile alpine trek which circumnavigates the Canyon Creek drainage and includes the summits of up to 6 named peaks in the Trinity Alps Wilderness. The Trinity Alps are a spectacular and rugged collection of mountains and ridges in the Klamath Mountains of Northern California. The high route encompasses largely off trail hiking and is mostly above the tree. All peaks should be 3rd class or less and will not require any technical gear. The 6–8 participants will need to be in good physical condition and have experience in at least one 50 mile (or greater) trek. We will be traveling light and fast, up to 10 miles per day with daily elevation gains varying from near 0 to almost 5,000 ft.

The terrain will be challenging with rocks, brush, and scree. The cost of the outing is $258–$305 (depending on the number of participants) and covers all fees and lodging costs. We will be carpooling to the trailhead and staying in a hotel the night before and after the trek. A $100 deposit will be required upon acceptance. Contact leader Gary Bishop, gbish90@hotmail.com, or assistant Brooke Weeber, bweeber@ gmail.com, for more information.

HIKING IN THE TRINITY ALPS OCT. 1–8 Alternates only. See April Bulletin or go to tinyurl.com/maz-outings for more details.

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

36 MAZAMAS

SERVING ON MAZAMAS EXECUTIVE COUNCIL (BOARD OF DIRECTORS)

by Steve Hooker, Mazama President The Mazama Board of Directors, also called “the Executive Council,” is the primary and central governing body of the Mazamas; it sets the direction for our activities, determines priorities, and has both administrative and financial responsibility for the organization as detailed in our bylaws. Serving on Executive Council is both an honor and a responsibility, and is an excellent leadership opportunity in our organization.

Three Directors are elected to a 3-year terms on the nine member Executive Council at the annual election each October. The Mazama Nominating Committee is currently recruiting and reviewing prospective candidates for the upcoming election. Prospective nominees for Executive Council should understand the commitments and responsibilities

required of them prior to deciding to run, and our members who vote in the election should also be aware of these responsibilities.

In support of this, Executive Council has approved a Roles and Responsibilities document to better communicate what has been expected from our board members in recent years. These are general expectations, not formal requirements, and do not supersede the bylaws. As we near the election, we wanted to more broadly disseminate these expectations to the membership at large: ▶▶ Members of the Mazamas Board of Directors are expected to understand and support Mazama mission and vision, to serve as ambassadors for the Mazamas, and to lend advice and expertise to Mazama leadership. ▶▶ The Board of Directors must provide broad fiscal and administrative

oversight, including the adoption of an annual budget and review of tax forms and audits. ▶▶ As a non-profit organization, fundraising and development are vital to the success of the Mazamas. One of the most important functions of the board is to assist with and oversee Mazama fundraising efforts. ▶▶ Board members are expected to attend and actively participate in monthly board meetings, semi-annual retreats, and to serve on at least one board committee or department.

For a complete roles and responsibilities document visit http://tinyurl.com/ maz-boardduties, or for questions about the nomination and election process, contact Alex Fox, Chair of the Nominating Committee, at nominating@mazamas.org.

CLASSICS For Mazamas with 25 years or more of membership or those who prefer to travel at a more leisurely pace.

If you wish to contact the Classics, email classics@mazamas.org or call Chair Rose Marie Gilbert at 503-762-2357.

LEADING EVENTS IN JUNE Those wanting to lead need to reply to Rose Marie or classics@mazamas.org by the twelfth of each month so notice can be included in the upcoming Bulletin.

TRANSPORTATION PLAN Our east side transportation pick up point will be Gateway; our west side will be the Sunset Transit Center. If you are interested in providing or receiving rides to Classics events you can sign up on the Classics section of the Mazama website or contact our new transportation coordinator Flora Huber at flobell17@ comcast.net or 503-658-5710.

MAZAMAS AWARDS & VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION EVENING—MAY 11 Come see who will be receiving the Parker and Hardesty Cups, the 16 Peak Awards, and more. Socialize with friends and enjoy appetizers, a slide show, and

stories celebrating Mazamas volunteers. At the Evergreen, 618 SE Alder St., 6–9 p.m., $10 tickets available at tinyurl.com/mazvolawards JAPANESE GARDEN WALK—MAY 22 Portland Japanese Garden includes waterfalls, koi filled ponds, a wisteria arbor and even a tea-house that was built in Japan with ancient construction techniques. It's a very pleasant walk with great views of Portland. There is a charge for admission. Leave the Mazama Mountaineering Center at 10 a.m. to carpool. Leader: Flora Huber at flobell17@ comcast.net or 503-658-5710.

CLASSICS COMMITTEE MEETING—MAY 22, 11 A.M.–12:30 P.M. Our meetings are the fourth Monday of the month at the Mazama Mountaineering Center. We are in need of volunteers!

Please see the Volunteer Opportunities section for more information.

DICK AND JANE MILLER’S POTLUCK PICNIC—JULY 1 AT 12:30 P.M. You are invited to Dick and Jane Miller’s home for their annual potluck picnic.

Plan to attend and invite another Classic Mazama or significant other to share in potluck fashion: main dish, salad, or dessert. Lemonade and water will be provided, but if you have a favorite beverage please bring it along. Plates and utensils will be provided.

Dick and Jane are at 17745 SW Cooper Mtn. Lane, Beaverton. Coming from the east, take Hwy. 26 to 217. Go south on 217 to the Scholls Ferry Rd. exit across from Washington Square. Take a right onto Scholls Ferry Road and go west to SW 175th Avenue. Turn right and go up the hill ¾ mile to Cooper Mtn. Lane on the left. This is on a curve with limited sight distance, so use caution making the left turn onto Cooper Mtn. Lane. Then follow the Miller signs and orange traffic cones to the Miller driveway. If you have any questions, call Dick or Jane at 503-5903598. We’ll see you there!

MAY 2017 37

THIS MONTH IN EXECUTIVE COUNCIL (MAZAMA BOARD OF DIRECTORS) Upcoming Board Meetings: Tuesday, May 16; the June meeting will be on Monday, June 19; All meetings begin at 3 p.m. and are open to all members. There is a public comment period at 5:30 p.m. This summary has been approved by the Board for publication.

This meeting summary by Mathew Brock, Library & Historical Collections Manager; full meeting minutes are always available online.

President Steve Hooker called the (EC) meeting to order at 3 p.m., on Tuesday, April 18. No members chose to speak during the first member comment period. Motion carried to adopt the amended April agenda, and the minutes from the March meeting and Executive Council session. Secretary John Rettig reported that current membership is 3,456, marking a net gain of 34 members over this time last year. Jon Jurevic provided the treasurer’s report. Total revenue is up in February to $603,297 while operating expenses are $592,401. Revenue is 8 percent above budget and expenditures are 7 percent below budget.

In his Executive Director’s report, Lee Davis mentioned that the Basic Climbing Education Program (BCEP) is wrapping up. The Spring Executive Council Retreat is May 7, followed later that week by the Mazama Awards & Volunteer Recognition Evening on May 11.

Lee noted that the solar panel installation is nearly complete on the MMC and should be operational within two months. Lee and Marty Hanson reported that we are having difficulty finding contractors to bid on the proposed Mazama Lodge renovations, with multiple contractors simply saying they are already booked through the fall with work.

We are also soliciting initial bids for potential renovations and expansion of the MMC to aid in the upcoming strategic planning process, and because programs are consistently asking for more classroom space.

In his external report, Lee noted that he and Steve Hooker both gave testimony in Salem on the creation of an Office of Outdoor Recreation (Oregon House Bill 3350). We will continue to work with our partners to help build support for the bill. Travel Oregon has begun holding roll out sessions to discuss their recent outdoor recreation initiative, which both Adam Baylor, Mazama Stewardship & Advocacy Manager, and Lee participated. The top three strategies identified by the initiative are creating the Oregon Office of Outdoor Recreation, building and improving the state's long38 MAZAMAS

distance trail networks, and conducting an economic study to determine the impact of outdoor recreation at the county level. Lee will be traveling to Washington D.C. to attend meetings with the Oregon delegation, the Outdoor Alliance, the Nature Conservancy, and OIA Capital Summit between April 24–28. Lee closed his report by asking the council to attend the Volunteer Appreciation event on May 11.

Claire Nelson, Mazama Youth & Outreach Program Manager, was on hand to give a recap of Mazama Youth programs. Mazama Mountain Science School (MMSS) served 650 students in 2017; it's the largest population of 5th graders yet. She is working with the school district's planning for next years MMSS with a focus on communication and procedures. Her greatest concern is the uncertainty with Measure 99 funding and Oregon’s current state budget shortfall.

Claire is set to serve on the Oregon State University's Outdoor School Advisory Committee for a two-year term. Adventure Wild Day Camp is almost sold out for this summer with a wait list forming for nearly all of the sessions. More field trips for the camp are planned to Mazama Lodge this year, and we will continue to add more climbing and outdoor recreation curriculum into the camp each year.

The council then adjourned into executive session. After a break, the meeting resumed with a brief overview of the agenda for the upcoming Spring Retreat. Facilitator Nick Viele from C3 Strategies was on hand to answer any questions about the goals and expectations of the day long retreat. A discussion about potentially hiring a Mazama Development Director in the fall followed.

In making the case, Lee stated that revenues from development continue to grow, as do the number of annual donors, and Jon Jurevic said simply that this position would pay for itself in short order. In the past the Mazamas relied heavily on support from the Mazamas Foundation to cover basic administration costs, and rarely generated enough excess revenue to adequately maintain our facilities or invest in program development. Steve Hooker stated that we have been working for several years to transition away from needing regular operating support from

the foundation. With this goal in mind, the Mazamas needs to grow its revenue stream to support growth and programs.. There was consensus that we should be looking for someone who understands the vision and mission of the Mazamas and is willing to build long-term relationships with donors and the community. The council was strongly supportive of exploring the topic further and asked Lee to report back at the May retreat with a draft job description and salary and annual goal projections.

Vice President Chris Kruell gave a brief update on the Member and Community Surveys. Preliminary results from the membership and the broader recreation community will be available in time for the May retreat. The council tabled a budget request from the Research Committee until the May meeting in order to review the 6 month budget reforecast before making a decision. No members chose to speak for the second member comment period. President Hooker then inquired as to the status of the proposed membership dues increase from $60 to $72 for regular members. John Rettig reported that the Governing Documents committee had reviewed the proposal and approved the language. A motion carried for placing the change on the upcoming October ballot.

The meeting ended with Laura Pigion giving a brief update on the Smith Rock Ranch project. The project team recently held the third and final community meeting.

Attendance was good with over 120 residents attending the three sessions. The project manager will submit the conditional use permit to Deschutes County for review this month. A public hearing is expected in July and a final decision by the county is expected

by September. Laura and the project team have recommended that the Mazamas create decision matrix with options dependent on the outcome of the conditional use permit.

Member input on the project will continue to be collected through the upcoming survey and additional forums through the summer, all before Executive Council determines if we should move forward with the development.

The meeting adjourned shortly before 5:30 p.m. The next Executive Council meeting is Tuesday, May 16, at 3 p.m.

We love these places. *

*Love is a verb; without action, it is merely a word.

Green Trails Maps™ is committed to supporting trail maintenance and development.

We contribute and work with trail advocacy organizations throughout the west to ensure you and your next generations have more and better access to these treasures.

Green Trails ‘Boots on the Ground’ Mapping Crews walk the talk and mapeach step to ensure users have the most accurate and current trail information available.

Get here on our NEW Wallowas Map #475SX

www.facebook.com/GreenTrailsMaps

www.GreenTrailsMaps.com

206.546.MAPS (6277)

MAY 2017 39

MazamasÂŽ 527 SE 43rd Ave. Portland OR 97215 www.mazamas.org

Mazama Periodical Postage Paid in Portland, Oregon