Mazama Magazine: January 2020

We are the bond stronger than any rope.

Everything we make is designed by climbers, for climbers. Each piece is crafted by peak and crag to give you absolute protection, comfort and mobility when you really need it.

NEXT ADVENTURE | PORTLAND W W W.RAB.EQUIPMENT

FEATURES Snow & Avalanche Safety in the Backcountry, p. 8 Climbing the Matterhorn, p. 16 Slow is Smooth, And Smooth is Fast: Inside the Mind of a PAF dry-tooling Competition Competitor, p. 20 The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Turns 50, p. 22 Youth Program, p. 24 MONTHLY CONTENT Executive Director's Report, p. 4 Upcoming Activities, p. 6 Volunteer Opportunities, p. 7 AYM, p. 10 Mazama Lodge, p. 12 Membership Report, p. 13

Saying Goodbye, p. 13 Mazama Library, p. 14 Travel Programs, p. 19 Mazama Outings, p. 26 Classics, p. 27 Trail Trips, p. 28

ADVERTISER INDEX Cascoly Travel, p. 6 Davis Financial, p. 31 Mountain Shop, p. 31 Next Adventure, p. 5

Oregon Nordic Club, p. 12 Rab, p. 2

Advertise now! tinyurl.com/ MazamaAdvertising

Left: Snow Lake, Washington is a popular ski and snowshoe destination that is almost entirely in avalanche terrain. Even if you’re on the flats, pay attention to what is above you! Photo: Ali Gray. Cover: Scott Branscum (front) and Matt Gantz on the summit of Eldorado (North Casceds, Wash.). Photo: Brittany Eriksson.

CONTACT US

MAZAMA STAFF

MAZAMA MOUNTAINEERING CENTER 527 SE 43rd Ave., Portland, Oregon, 97215 Phone: 503-227-2345 | adventure@mazamas.org

MITSU IWASAKI Executive Director mitsuiwasaki@mazamas.org

Hours: Mon.–Thu. 11 a.m.–7 p.m.; Fri. 10 a.m.–2 p.m.

SARAH BRADHAM Operations Director sarah@mazamas.org

MAZAMA LODGE 30500 West Leg Rd., Government Camp, OR, 97028; Phone: 503-272-9214 | Hours: Thu. Noon–Sun. Noon

PUBLICATIONS TEAM Editor: Sarah Bradham, Bulletin Editor, (mazama.bulletin@mazamas.org) Members: Jonathan Barrett, Lindsey Garner, Brian Goldman, Darrin Gunkel, Ali Gray, Katie Polanshek, Claire Tenscher (publications@mazamas.org)

MATHEW BROCK Library & Historical Collections Manager mathew@mazamas.org LAURA BURGER Development Coordinator lauraburger@mazamas.org

CHARLES BARKER Mazama Lodge Manager mazama.lodge@mazamas.org

KELSEY SHAW Member Services Administrator kelseyshaw@mazamas.org

MOLLY MOSENTHAL Youth Program Coordinator RICK CRAYCRAFT mollymosenthal@mazamas.org Facilities Manager facillities@mazamas.org CLAIRE NELSON Youth & Outreach Manager clairenelson@mazamas.org TIM SCOTT Education & IT Support timscott@mazamas.org

For additional contact information, including committees and board email addresses, go to mazamas.org/ contactinformation.

MAZAMA (USPS 334-780):

Advertising: mazama.ads@mazamas.org. Subscription: $15 per year. Bulletin material must be emailed to mazama.bulletin@mazamas.org. 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 4 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.

JANUARY 2020 3

From the Executive Director

MAZAMAS & ADVOCACY

T MITSU IWASAKI

he Mazamas is a non-profit organization whose mission is to “Inspire everyone to love and protect the mountains." In my brief time with the organization, I have come to understand we do this through education, advocacy, and community building. While our education and community building work are more or less a clear component of our identity, our work in advocacy is not as prominently understood by all of our members or the general public.

MAZAMAS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

According to a 2017 Outdoor Industry Association report, 69 percent of Oregonians participate in outdoor recreation each year.

Americans spent $887 billion in outdoor recreation generating 7.5 million jobs nationally. Oregon accounted for 172,000 jobs and $16.4 billion in consumer spending in that report.

Outdoor recreation is a powerful sector in the economy, and as such, the Mazamas have a strong presence in advocating for responsible access and preservation of our local and federal public lands through our own programs as well as through multiple partnerships. Of those partnerships, our three most significant are with Oregon Outdoors, the Oregon Outdoor Recreation Network, and the Outdoor Alliance.

OREGON OUTDOORS Oregon Outdoors was formed in 2017 under a fiscal sponsorship of the Mazamas when leaders from across Oregon came together with a shared vision for preserving Oregon’s outdoor assets. At that time, we established a mission “to harness the shared interests and influence of outdoor recreation businesses, conservation groups, and recreation organizations to preserve and expand Oregon's outdoor assets for future generations.” We developed common priorities in order to bring our collective voice into action to ensure that outdoor recreation is celebrated and sustained as an integral part of Oregon’s identity. Almost three years into the creation of Oregon Outdoors, we have a strengthening coalition and have had several significant legislative successes.

OREGON OUTDOOR RECREATION NETWORK Oregon Outdoor Recreation Initiative started in June 2016 when a 25-person Oregon Outdoor Recreation Initiative leadership team developed a 15-year vision for outdoor recreation in Oregon. The initiative launched with several goals in mind: to build capacity and synergy to expand outdoor recreation opportunities for residents and visitors; to create sustainable economic vitality for Oregon’s communities; and to make Oregon a world-class outdoor recreation destination for all. In 2018, the Oregon Outdoor Recreation Initiative transitioned to a statewide network, the Oregon Outdoor 4 MAZAMAS

OREGON OUTDOORS • Formed in 2017 • Regional Coalition • Acronym—OO • Mazamas is the fiscal sponsor of Oregon Outdoors • Mission: To harness the shared interests and influence of outdoor recreation businesses, conservation groups, and recreation organizations to preserve and expand Oregon's outdoor assets for future generations.

OREGON OUTDOOR RECREATION NETWORK • Started as an initiative in 2016, formalized as a network in 2018 • Statewide network • Acronym: OORN • Mazamas is a member of OORN • Mission: A statewide initiative that brings together businesses, agencies, land managers, conservation groups, and recreational user groups around the goal of expanding access to outdoor recreation and increasing the economic impact and sustainability of Oregon's outdoor recreation industry.

OUTDOOR ALLIANCE • Formed in 2013 • National coalition • Acronym: OA • Mazamas are a member of OA • Mission: Outdoor Alliance works to protect the places we ski, hike, climb, paddle, and bike by bringing together the voices of America's outdoor recreation community to protect the outdoor experience for everyone to enjoy.

Recreation Network. Recognizing that the success of the outdoor recreation economy is tied to various sectors, nine impact areas were identified that will lead to the creation of new outdoor recreation opportunities, improved sustainable economic vitality for Oregon’s communities, and making Oregon a world-class outdoor recreation destination.

OUTDOOR ALLIANCE Nationally, we are members of the Outdoor Alliance, which “works to protect the places we ski, hike, climb, paddle, and bike by bringing together the voices of America's outdoor recreation community to protect the outdoor experience for everyone to enjoy.” In other words, because a unified outdoor recreation community is the best way to protect the outdoors, by connecting millions of outdoor enthusiasts, Outdoor Alliance works to protect, promote, and enhance human-powered recreation, and ensures the best protections for places that matter to the outdoor recreation community. As a coalition, the Outdoor Alliance represents 250,000 human-powered outdoor recreation users in the U.S. and works with a community of more than half a million advocates to protect outdoor recreation on America’s public lands, secure meaningful protections for important places, make outdoor advocacy accessible and effective, and secure innovative and equitable public land policy.

SUCCESSES The work of our coalitions and alliances impact local, regional, and federal policies. And, their work overlaps. Together, in collective voice and impact, we have made significant contributions to advocating for and preserving our outdoor access.

Some successes our coalitions contributed towards include: ▶ Reauthorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which directs a portion of royalties derived from off-shore oil and gas leasing to fund recreation and conservation projects across the country. This program has funded recreation and conservation projects for more than 50 years in all 50 states. ▶ Oregon Wildlands Act. Passed in the 2019 this public lands package brought together long-standing efforts to protect some outstanding rivers and wild landscapes in Oregon, and was passed with strong bipartisan support. It designated 30,621 acres of wilderness in Devil’s Staircase, and protected 256 new Wild and Scenic River miles. It includes Wild and Scenic River protections for tributaries of the lower Rogue River, the Nestucca River, Molalla River, Jenny Creek, Wasson Creek, Franklin Creek, and several important tributaries of the Elk River. ▶ Establishing the Oregon Office of Outdoor Recreation as a resource to businesses and nonprofit organizations, a partner to agencies and communities, and an advocate for the outdoors.

As the Executive Director of the Mazamas, I have a seat at the table to help guide and steer all three of these organizations so that the Mazamas continue to add to the collective local, regional, and national voice and to ensure that our interest and viewpoints are well represented. As members of our community, please feel encouraged to reach out to me with your thoughts on how the Mazamas might best contribute to advocating for and inspiring everyone to love and protect the mountains.

JANUARY 2020 5

UPCOMING ACTIVITIES & EVENTS BASIC CLIMBING EDUCATION PROGRAM (BCEP) Info Night on Jan. 9 Class Dates: March 10–May 2, 2020 Application Opens Jan. 14, 2020 at 9 a.m.

Application Closes: Jan. 21, 2020 Info Night: Jan. 9, 2020, 7–9 p.m. at teh Mazama Mountaineering Center Badges Earned: Course: BCEP, Basic Rock, Basic Snow Have you wanted to climb our nearby mountains but don’t know how to get started? Hood, St. Helens, Adams? Maybe others?

The Mazama Basic Climbing Education Program (BCEP) is for you! BCEP teaches the skills needed to climb snow covered peaks and outdoor rock—and introduces you to other people who like to climb!

The eight-week class includes weekly lectures and team breakout sessions, field sessions, and conditioning hikes. The field sessions provide practical exposure to basic rock climbing and snow travel. Field sessions may include overnight camping, a stay at the Mazama Lodge, or an “alpine” (nighttime) start. You will learn and practice the basic technical skills needed to climb a glaciated peak as a climb team member.

BCEP includes five technical field sessions, two to four hikes, and six evening lectures over the course of eight weeks. Additional sessions are commonly offered by individual team leaders. A mandatory skills assessment occurs at the end of the course.

MAZAMA RESEARCH GRANT PROGRAM

Request for Proposals

The Mazama Research Committee is now accepting research grant proposals for funding in 2020.

The Mazamas promotes mountaineering through education, climbing, hiking, fellowship, safety and the protection of mountain environments. We support scientific research, including the collection and dissemination of scientific information regarding mountain and wilderness environments. Research of geologic features, biological communities, and human endeavors pertaining to the understanding, enjoyment, and safety of outdoor recreation are some of the relevant research topics supported by the Mazamas.

All information regarding Mazamas research grants, including the Request for Proposals and Application Instructions, can be found at mazamas.org/researchgrants.

Funding will be awarded in the spring of 2020. Please address any inquiries to the Mazamas Research Committee (research@ mazamas.org).

6 MAZAMAS

YOUTH VOLUNTEER TRAINING: MENTAL HEALTH 101 Jan. 7 at the Mazama Mountaineering Center Mental health issues affect everyone. One in five people experience a diagnosed mental illness each year. If it's not you, it's your partner, your friend, your colleague, your neighbor, or your child. Over half of mental illnesses are diagnosed by age 14, and they manifest in many ways all around us. Join Daniel Cavanaugh on January 7th at the MMC for an evening of exploring the fundamentals of youth mental health literacy, how it manifests right here in the MMC and our outdoor spaces, and in Mazama Youth Programs. Come with a willingness to learn and leave with takeaways on what to do if someone around you seems to be experiencing difficulties related to their mental health. This training is intended for Mazama Youth Program Volunteers, but open to anyone interested. Signup online at mazamas.org. Free.

AYM CLIMB NIGHT Jan. 8, 6 p.m. at Planet Granite Hey everyone, we're bringing back AYM Climb Night. Climb Night is open to everyone, regardless of age or climbing ability.

You'll be required to be belayed certified if you plan on rope climbing. Most people who come to climb night have been top roping or lead climbing a couple of times. We'll meet at 6 p.m. in the retail entrance area of PG (by the benches!); we'll do a quick round of introductions and pair off belay partners. There will also be the option for some post-climb drinks/food at a nearby bar if people are interested (totally optional)! If you cannot meet us at 6 p.m., just come look for us around the gym. For more information and to RSVP, check out the event on the AYM MeetUp page.

HIKE LEADER APPRECIATION NIGHT Jan. 24, 6–10 p.m. at the Mazama Mountaineering Center This is an event for Mazama Hike leaders. It is a time to come together, socialize with each other, and recognize the hike leader achievements for the year. Signup online at tinyurl.com/ HLAN2020.

2020 light walking tours of Bulgaria, Cappadocia and Lycian trail in Turkey in May and June. View http:// cascolytravel.com or email steve@cascoly.com for details

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES YOUTH OUTREACH BELAY VOLUNTEERS ALL EVENTS ARE THE MAZAMA MOUNTAINEERING CENTER Jan. 11, 12:45–2:45 p.m.

Jan. 13, 12:45–2:30 p.m.

Jan. 15, 2:15–4 p.m.

Jan. 25, 12:45–2:45 p.m.

Feb. 1, 9:45–11:30 a.m.

Feb. 1, 12:45–2:30 p.m.

Feb. 3, 4–5:45 p.m.

BACKCOUNTRY FILM FEST Jan. 31 & Feb. 1 at the Mazama Mountaineering Center Calling all “go big or go home” winter enthusiasts! Get ready to get goosebumps while you “Ooh!” and “Ahh!” over our winter wildlands in this collection of short films. Produced each year as a celebratory backcountry community event by the Winter Wildlands Alliance, the 15th Annual Backcountry Film Festival line-up is full of snowy, cinematic adventure sure to inspire both the local backcountry and general communities. Winter Wildlands Alliance is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting and preserving winter wildlands and a quality human-powered snow sports experience on public lands. Get details: mazamas.org/ backcountryfilmfest

TRAUMA INFORMED CARE TRAINING

Are you interested in volunteering with Mazama Youth Outreach? Sign up today to be a belay volunteer for one of our many climb days. Partners include Girls Inc., Portland Tennis & Education, Rosemary Anderson High School, HOLLA Mentoring, Campfire Columbia, Walt Morey SUN School, and Play East! If you have not yet belayed for our youth programs, you will need to complete a Youth Volunteer Agreement and a background check prior to volunteering. Signup online required; signup closes two days prior to the activity start date. Go to tinyurl.com/MazYouthOutreach to see all upcoming options.

MINUTES TAKER

Third Tuesday of the month, appx. 4–7 p.m.

Our Executive Board—Executive Council—meetings are the third Tuesdays of the month from 4 p.m. to around 6:30 p.m. The minute taker will need to take the minutes and also provide a summary for the Bulletin. This is approximately a 5-hour monthly committment, requires proficiency in MS Word, MS Excel, Google Docs, Google Sheets, and Google Drive. The individual must be able to be discreet, professional, and hold confidential information as needed. If you are interested, please email mitsuiwasaki@mazamas.org.

MAZAMA OFFICE VOLUNTEERS

Feb. 4, 6:30–8:30 p.m. at the Mazama Mountaineering Center

Ongoing, weekdays

Trauma affects everyone. Whether direct or indirect, traumatic experiences of all types and sizes alter the way we perceive the world around us and interact with one another. Join Mary Sepulveda for an evening of exploring how trauma manifests in the MMC and in the outdoors. During this two hour training, participants will gain a deeper awareness of types of trauma and their triggers, learn ways to support those who have experienced or are actively experiencing trauma, and prevent secondary trauma and retraumatization. This event is open to all Mazamas and highly encouraged for Youth Outreach Volunteers. There is limited space, must RSVP to attend. Free.

Are you looking for a fun and interactive way to get to know the Mazama community and programming better? Do you find yourself with free time during the week? Apply today to be a Mazama Office Volunteer! Office Volunteers support staff with everything from answering phones and emails to organizing supplies and helping to manage our database. At the Mazama Mountaineering Center, Office Volunteers are often the first face, and voice, that members and nonmembers interact with. So if you are friendly and looking to share your inspiration to love and protect the mountains, we want you! Apply at tinyurl.com/ mmcofficevolunteer.

JANUARY 2020 7

Snow & Avalanche Safety in the BACKCOUNTRY

by Ali Gray

W

nightmare.

inter is a wonderful time to get out and explore. The landscape transforms from the noisy commotion of summer into pristine slopes, solitude, and unparalleled natural beauty. But with this beauty come inherent risks. Avalanches, harsh weather, and challenging navigation and/ or travel are just a few of the factors that can turn a joyous snowshoe or ski tour into a snowy

Following are some key things to keep in mind when you head out to the mountains or backcountry wilderness this winter.

AVALANCHES Avalanches are perhaps the largest threat in the winter, depending on where you are. The nuances of traveling safely in avalanche terrain, recognizing unstable snow, performing a search and rescue, and mitigating human factors are beyond the scope of this essay, but here are some broad ideas to get you thinking.

Any slope can technically slide, but slopes over 25 degrees have a much higher risk—slopes similar in steepness to an easy blue square run at a ski resort.

Slopes that are most sought-after for skiing and snowboarding (think few trees, wide-open bowls, and moderately to fairly steep terrain) are the most prone to avalanche—38 degrees is the avalanche sweet spot. Avalanches can also travel far into valley floors or across flat terrain, so even if you’re not traveling on a steep slope make sure to pay attention to the slopes above you.

It’s important to pay close attention to your surroundings when traveling in the mountains or foothills in the winter.

Not only is the slope angle (steepness) important, so are other terrain features such as gullies, cliffs, and trees. Even a small slide can build up snow in a gully or creek bed and bury you, or carry you off a cliff. Avoiding these terrain traps is a good way to mitigate your risk—travel along ridgelines, don’t cross above cliffs, and avoid the center of a bowl or other large clearing in the trees. Generally (but not always), tight trees are also safe to travel in 8 MAZAMAS

since they can hold the snow in place.

Paying attention to sounds the snow makes and what it looks like is a great way to mitigate avalanche risk. If the snow starts collapsing or sliding, if it sounds hollow or makes a “wumphing” sound, or if you see shooting cracks, make a 180 and get out of there! Avoiding areas with windaffected snow (look for drifts or ripples on the snow surface) is also a good idea. Avoid areas and similar terrain if you see signs of recent avalanche activity.

Reading this short piece is no substitute for real avalanche training, including carrying a beacon, shovel, and probe and knowing how to use them. Here are some resources to help get you started:

▶ Avalanche Awareness talks: For those new to learning about avalanches or those wanting to brush up on their knowledge, attending an Avalanche Awareness talk is a great place to start.

These are regular events held at local outdoor retailers throughout the winter through organizations such as the Northwest Avalanche Center (NWAC) or REI. Check nwac.us or rei.com for more info. ▶ Avalanche I course: If you want to travel in avalanche terrain in the winter, I can’t stress enough taking an Avalanche 1 course or equivalent. ▶ Check the AIARE (American Institute for Avalanche Research

and Education) website at aiare.info for local or regional courses throughout the winter. ▶ The Mazamas offers a yearly Backcountry Ski Touring course for those interested in skiing or splitboarding in the backcountry. The course provides training roughly equivalent to AIARE Avalanche 1. The 2020 course is now full, but registration will open for 2021 in October 2020! ▶ Northwest Avalanche Center (NWAC): NWAC is the go-to resource for avalanche information in the Pacific Northwest. They provide daily avalanche and weather forecasts throughout the winter, with advice on where and how to travel safely in the winter backcountry. Checking their website at nwac.us before you head out should be a mandatory step in your winter adventures.

PLAN FOR ANY WEATHER “Blink your eyes and the weather changes” is a statement those of us who spend time in the mountains know well. This is especially true in winter.

Being on a snowy slope in the blazing sun can have you shedding layers faster than you can apply enough sunscreen to prevent scorching your skin. A sunny day can turn into a freezing whiteout in a matter of hours or minutes, leaving you exposed or possibly lost in the snow.

Pack plenty of layers (no cotton!) and pay attention to the weather and your surroundings. A rapid drop in temperature can mean a storm is approaching, and clouds looming below you can engulf a mountain faster than you might think. Bring a GPS to help navigate through a whiteout, and remember you can use things like chairlifts, rows of trees, or ridges as a sort of “hand-rail”—let these features guide you back to where you can see or to a known point.

If all else fails, try to get out of the wind, dig a hole or cave in the snow if you can, put on all your layers, and sit on your pack. A warm thermos goes a long way, and an emergency bivy sack is never a bad thing to bring. Know the signs of hypothermia and frostbite, and what to do if they begin to show.

BE PREPARED FOR THE UNEXPECTED Unexpected things can happen in the wilderness any time of year, but in the winter even a small issue can get amplified into a much larger problem.

Lost gloves or torn pants can expose you to the wet and cold, and a snowshoe, ski, or snowboard gear malfunction can turn a quick jaunt over the snow into a grueling, post-holing slog through snow up to your waist. And don’t forget cold fingers don’t work like warm fingers, and being cold can make you lethargic and feel mentally drained.

Bring extras of the absolute necessities (gloves, socks, hat) and put together a small repair kit for your

Left page: Winter offers beautiful landscape prime for exploration, but even small gullies and creeks shown here in the White River canyon can be dangerous when the snow is unstable.

Top: My shoes soaked through on this overnight hike, leaving my feet dangerously wet.

Breaking down into frozen ponds and streams is another thing to be cautious about.

Bottom: Students in last year’s Mazama Backcountry Ski Touring class learning about how to check for and test snow stability.

continued on page 11 JANUARY 2020 9

Adventurous Young MAZAMAS (AYM) Activities for those in their 20s & 30s or anyone young at heart.

Featured Event

WINTER WEEKEND 2020

January 31–February 2 Winter Weekend 2020 is almost here! Join Adventurous Young Mazamas for two nights in front of the fireplace at historic Mazama Lodge in Government Camp and three days of snowy adventures on the mountain. We'll have snowshoeing and cross-country skiing in the day and hot catered breakfasts and dinners, board games, yoga, crafts, sledding, and more in the evenings. Visit Mazamas.org to register.

10 MAZAMAS

WANT TO BE FEATURED ON THE AYM INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT? TAG @AYMPDX IN YOUR PHOTOS OF MAZAMA ADVENTURES!

Check the website at mazamas.org/AYM and the AYM Meetup page frequently for the most up to date schedule.

All trips are $2 for members/$4 for nonmembers unless otherwise noted.

Monthly climb nights are back! Check meetup for details on these as well as our monthly pub nights.

Snow & Avalanche, continued from page 9 clothing and gear. I keep a knife with pliers, duct tape, ski/Voile straps (these are truly amazing), needle and thread, and a pole basket in my pack all winter, alongside extra batteries and lighter/matches.

Always tell someone not on the trip where you’re going and when you plan to be back (make sure to update them if the plan changes). Carrying a GPS tracker such as a Garmin InReach or Spot device as a last resort for a rescue can and does save lives.

WINTER DRIVING Getting to your destination is an oftenoverlooked aspect of winter recreation. Not only are many roads permanently closed in the winter, mountain roads regularly close unexpectedly due to a large storm or avalanche. Check ODOT or another state’s transportation website for updated closures before you head out.

Another driving consideration is traction—make sure to carry chains if your car doesn’t have snow or studded tires, and put them on before you get into trouble.

Front-wheel drive or 4/all wheel-drive vehicles are a better option than their rearwheel counterparts in the snow. Adding some weight to the back of rear-wheel vehicles can help.

Most important is the driving itself.

Think slow and steady on snow and ice (watch for black ice, too). Gunning the accelerator will only cause you to slide more if you’ve already started, and make sure to turn the wheel and apply the brakes slowly and gently. Leave plenty of space between you and the car in front so you have time to brake if needed.

NOW GET OUT AND HAVE FUN!

splitboarding, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, ice climbing or mountaineering, snowmobiling, or sledding, snowy pursuits can bring great joy to our lives. Knowing how to take care of yourself and manage risk in avalanche terrain or around other winter hazards is highly important, but that shouldn’t deter you from getting out there and making fantastic memories with your friends and family.

Above: Weather can quickly change, making it difficult to navigate or hiding dangerous terrain, such as the cornice at the Summit of Mount St. Helens in this photo. Photo: Ali Gray.

Winter recreation is for everyone.

Whether you’re out ski touring or JANUARY 2020 11

MAZAMA LODGE Our home on the mountain.

WINTER HOURS: Thu. Noon–Mon. Noon

by Charles Barker, Mazama Lodge Manager

J

anuary and February are traditionally our heaviest use months by Mazama members, and Mazama programs. We still have lodge availability every Friday, except January 31 when AYM takes over the lodge for the annual AYM Winter Weekend.

While every Saturday evening in January is booked for overnight use, we are open for day use until 3 p.m., serving a hot lunch with grilled cheese, hot soup, fresh fruit, carrot sticks, hummus, and cookies for dessert. Lunch is $9 for adults and $7 for kids 12 and under. Lunch is served from noon until 1:30 p.m. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

The Mazama Hill is once again lit thanks to our generous donors, and we would like to once again thank them for their donations. The lights will stay on until 10 p.m. so you can enjoy wonderful sledding! Mazama Hill is groomed every week and sometimes more depending on snow conditions. You'll want to avoid camping on the lodge hill as the groomer is out at 4 a.m. A special shout out to Timberline who is providing grooming on Mazama Hill and the West Leg Road. Some of our guests are taking the shuttle to Timberline and skiing back to Mazama Lodge on their last run for the day.

We are open on Martin Luther King Day, January 20, closing on January 21 at noon. For those you with kids in Portland Public Schools, there is no school on Monday, January 27, making Sunday, January 26 a perfect night to stay at the lodge.

A special thank you to Jim Vanlente who is keeping our 16 year old snow tractor running another winter.

The dorm level bathroom remodel is finally complete and is serving our needs well. The new solid glass doors are keeping the water in the shower stall and off the main floor, solving the water issue that cropped up after the initial remodel work was done.

Oregon Nordic Club PORTLAND CHAPTER

Come cross-country ski with us!

MEMBERSHIP INCLUDES:

Overnight Trips (local & international)

Weekend /Mid-Week Ski & Snowshoe Tours Bus Transportation to Mt. Hood (2020 January/February weekends)

Monthly Programs Summer Trail Tending Tilly Jane Cabin Weekends Merchant Discounts

Join today! onc-pdx.org 12 MAZAMAS

Mazama Membership November Membership Report NEW MEMBERS: 49 Cody Anderson—Mt. Hood Lauren Ballinger—Mt. Adams Daniel Beel—Blanca Peak (CO) Andrew Bivin—Broken Top Jo Ellen Carter—Mt. Adams Zachary Cipolletta—Middle Sister Russell Conine—South Sister Donald Craner—Mt. St Helens Marty Currey—Old Snowy Mountain Jesse Engum—Mt. Hood Emma Fairley—South Sister Scott Faithfull—South Sister Kristen Flemington—Mt. Adams Dan Florence—Mt. St Helens Tim Glaser—Mt. Adams Paul Guernsey—Mt. Baker Salil Harsulkar—Mt. St Helens Becky Higbee—Mt. Adams Isaiah Hogberg—Mt. Adams Greg Horner—Mt. St Helens Gary Josephsen—Mt. Hood Billy James Joyce—Mt. St. Helens S. Trevor King—Mt. St. Helens Sarah Krakauer—Mt. Rainier Prachi Kshirsagar—Mt. St. Helens Brad Larson—Mt. St Helens

Matt Libby—Mt. St Helens Lyudmila Likhonina—Mt. St Helens Ty Melero—Mt. Hood Tiffany Meyer—Mt. Hood Jarrod Morrow—Mt. St Helens Abigail Newby-Kew—Mt. St Helens Benji Patel—Mt. Hood Brandi Reynolds—Mt. St Helens Christin Ritscher—Mt. St Helens Kevin Ritscher—Mt. St Helens Andy Robbins—South Sister Kate Rosen—South Sister Lauren Skonieczny—Mt. Adams Jenni Tan—Mt. St Helens Bryan Thompson—Mt. Baker Thomas Torkelson—Mt. St Helens Britni Tourjee—Old Snowy Mountain Morgan West—South Sister Douglas Whitlow—South Sister Dave Willett—Old Snowy Mountain Wendy Willis—Mt. St Helens Brandon Ziemba—Mt. Baker

REINSTATEMENTS: 7

Susan K Cassidy (2006), Nicole Clock Harrison (2014), Frank P. Hood (2016), Kathleen C Morrison (2009), Janice E Schermer (1992), Hal Shaw (1992) & Jami L. Wireman (2013)

DECEASED: 3

Barbara Engel (1952), Alvie Stults (1973), & Raymond Thygesen (1991)

MEMBERSHIP ON NOV. 30: 2,670* (2019), 3,649 (2018) *In previous years the "drop" of lapsed members did not occur until December 31. For 2019 we followed our membership year and dropped lapsed members on October 31 which explains the year over year difference.

RENEW TODAY! Has your Mazama membership lapsed? Renewal is quick and easy! Simply login to our website at mazamas.org, go to your dashboard, and click on Renew Your Membership. Follow the prompts.

That's all there is to it! Your membership will be renewed. Membership expiration date is October 1.

Saying GOODBYE MARLYCE GHOLSTON 1936–2019 Mazama life member Marlyce Gholston passed away November 8, 2019 at the age of 83. She joined the Mazamas in 1954, at age 19, after climbing Mt. Hood.

ALVIE STULTS 1933–2019 Mazama Alvie "Al" Stults passed away October 26, 2019. Alvie was a member between 1973 and 1996.

M.C. "CORKY" CORCORAN 1940–2019 Mazama Corky Corcoran passed away on October 28, 2019. He was a member from 1990 to 1996.

JANUARY 2020 13

Mazama

LIBRARY

Learn more about the Library & Historical Collection at mazamas. org/library.

Established in 1915, the Mazama Library is nationally recognized as holding one of the top mountaineering collections in the country. Located on the ground floor of the Mazama Mountaineering Center, the library is a fantastic resource for members and the general public to find information on hiking, climbing, camping, and exploring the rich history of regional and global mountaineering culture.

DID YOU KNOW? ▶ Top of the World Provincial Park is located in the Canadian Rockies. ▶ In 1911 Henry Alexander, Jr. drove a 20-horsepower Ford Model T to the summit of Scotland’s Ben Nevis as a publicity stunt. It took four days to drive up and two and a half hours to drive down. ▶ After four unsuccessful attempts, the American feminist Annie Peck Smith finally made the first ascent of Huascaran’s north peak (21,833 ft.) in 1908. She was fiftyeight years old at the time. ▶ When you hike down into the Grand Canyon, for every foot in elevation you drop you step 200,000 years into the geological past.

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Treasures from the SPECIAL COLLECTION Across East African Glaciers: an account of the first ascent of Kilimanjaro, by Dr. Hans Meyer, 1891. Considered by many the most important book on mountaineering in Africa. The book documents the first undisputed ascent of Mount Kilimanjaro's highest point, Kibo.

Doctor Meyer, a geologist and experienced climber, made three attempts on the peak between 1887 and 1889. He successfully reached the summit on October 6, 1889.

Meyer realized the greatest obstacle to reaching the summit was the lack of food at higher elevations. On his final attempt, he established several camps on the mountain and was able to make several attempts on the summit without descending.

Meyer's book is a lively and easily readable account of his adventure. Mazama Library Special Collection 916.7 M61.

Books on ICE CLIMBING ▶ Ice: tools and technique, Raleigh, 796.53.R13 ▶ Ice world: Techniques and experiences of modern ice climbing, Lowe, 796.53.L95 ▶ Ice & mixed climbing: modern technique, Gadd, 796.53.G11im ▶ Climbing ice, Chouinard, 796.53.Ch46

New RELEASES & ADDITIONS Mount Hood Revealed: 11,240 Feet of Oregon History, Adventure and Magnificence, by The Oregonian, 2019. The Oregonian presents a hardcover pictorial book on the Pacific Northwest's treasured mountain. This 160-page coffee-table book features Mount Hood history, expeditions, recreation, and natural beauty through historic and modern photos and stories from The Oregonian, local archives and our readers. Full-color, never-before-published photos make this book a compelling look at Mt. Hood. The work contains almost fifty images from the Mazama Library and Historical Collections. Mazama Library call # 917.95 B65

The Mazama Library NEEDS SUPPORT—from you!

Do you or someone you know have vintage mountaineering gear that is looking for a home? Don’t give it to Goodwill, donate it to the Mazama Library and Historical Collections! We are always on the lookout for wood handle ice axes, early climbing gear, vintage catalogs, turn of the century photographs, early mountaineering books, and more. Please contact library manager Mathew Brock at mathew@ mazamas.org to discuss potential donations. We apologize, but we cannot accept any Mazama Annuals published after 1925 or National Geographic magazines.

Please consider a financial contribution to support the Mazama Library, a nationally recognized collection and one of the few remaining mountaineering libraries in the United States. Your financial donation will help support our full-time librarian, acquire rare mountaineering books and historic photographs, and maintain our valuable archives and historic objects collections. Thank you for your support.

JANUARY 2020 15

CLIMBING THE MATTERHORN

by Lisa Ripps

E

ver since I was a kid, I wanted to climb big mountains, and when I pictured a real mountain, complete with Swiss meadows and ibex roaming around, it was the almost perfect pyramid of the Matterhorn that I was imagining. Sure, there were great mountains closer, like Mt. Hood, but I wanted to put my feet on what I imagined to be something exotic, foreign, and historic.

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Above: The trail. Right: Matterhorn from the lake. Photos: Lisa Ripps.

The conditions weren’t good. The ice was too thin to put in ice screws but it coated the rocks and made gripping them difficult. We put on our crampons at the hut and wore them the whole time.

In school I think we must have read a story about the Matterhorn and the exciting adventures and terrible tragedy of the first climbers to summit.

For years I toyed with the notion of climbing the Matterhorn but other projects and destinations kept me from getting there.

Finally, in 2016 I started the preparations to make my dream of climbing this iconic mountain a reality.

I planned a trip to Switzerland, with Zermatt serving as my homebase.

I knew September was potentially late in the year to climb it, but from everything I read it would be cold but otherwise usually good weather. I spent some time doing acclimatization hikes and climbs in the States and then in the fall of 2017 I headed off to Switzerland.

The Swiss Alps are breathtakingly beautiful and the Matterhorn is the crown jewel. It is probably the most photographed mountain in the world and at almost 15,000 feet it stands alone, silhouetted above the ridges of mountains around it.

It straddles the border between Switzerland and Italy and can be climbed from either side. The Italians call it Monte Cervino and it can be seen prominently from both countries. In Zermatt, it dominates the views. On clear days, scores of people line up at the telescopes in town to look for climbers on the mountain trying for the summit.

The Matterhorn has a long history of denying anyone a successful first ascent. It holds the record for being the last of the Swiss peaks over 13,000 feet to be summitted. Not until 1865 did a team led by British climber Edward Whymper and a team of seven climbers finally tag the

top, but at a great cost. After Whymper made several unsuccessful attempts to climb the Matterhorn, he and six other men did get to the summit by coming up the Hornli Ridge route from Switzerland, just ahead of another team that was attempting it from the Italian side of the mountain. On July 14, 1865 the British team summited, and after about an hour started descending.

An hour below the summit, one person on the rope team slipped, pulling rest of the team along with them. The rope went taut then broke, saving three of the seven climbers but tragically four of the team fell to their death below. They are buried in the church cemetery near the base of the mountain, along with many of the over 500 other climbers who have perished attempting to climb the Matterhorn.

I contemplated all this as I watched the Matterhorn from Zermatt, waiting for a weather window to open. I made another trip up to basecamp at 10,700

feet only to be denied a chance to climb higher. Clouds and storms raged along with high winds and ice storms making climbing impossible. Twice I extended my stay in Zermatt hoping for better weather. Finally, on September 5th, the storms blew over and the sun reappeared over the massive mountain.

I spoke to the Swiss guide service and was told the conditions would be terrible but it might be possible to try to climb. I heard that almost everyone else planning to climb that day had already canceled because the conditions would make it very difficult to climb, and we were very unlikely to summit.

I decided to head up to basecamp one more time. My husband came up with me as far as Schwarzsee, gave me the gear he had been carrying for me and we parted company. He headed back to the safety of Zermatt and the telescopes, and I trudged on up

continued on next page

JANUARY 2020 17

Matterhorn, continued from previous page the next part alone to the Hornli Hut at 10,600 feet. I met up with my Swiss guide there. He knows the Hornli Ridge route well, which is important since we would start rock and ice climbing in the dark, and being even a little off route greatly increases the risk of rockfall. In the hut, the few climbers that were there introduced themselves and chatted a little, but not with the usual enthusiasm typical of a group of climbers meeting for the first time. We briefly discussed each of our experience and how many times we had each tried to summit the Matterhorn. Most had tried it more than once. One Japanese man was on his fifth attempt to summit.

I quietly admired his tenacity. He kept returning to Switzerland each year to try again. There was a muted sense of quiet tension, with none of the usual boisterous discussions of our previous climbing 18 MAZAMAS

adventures. After the short introductions, we separated, each going off to different parts of the mostly deserted hut alone. I sat quietly upstairs and read.

Later, we had dinner, a nap, and at four a.m. got up to climb. The conditions weren’t good. The ice was too thin to put in ice screws but it coated the rocks and made gripping them difficult. We put on our crampons at the hut and wore them the whole time. It was mixed climbing the entire way (using crampons and tools on both ice and rock.). We had a rope connecting the two of us but he placed very little protection, which concerned me at times. There are fixed lines in a few places and each time we got to one I was glad it was there. Several times the guide told me we wouldn’t make the summit, but we kept going.

View from the summit. Photo: Lisa Ripps.

By 9:58 a.m. we were standing on the summit looking out over Italy in one direction, and Switzerland the other. The ice and snow that had so severely slowed our progress coming up, now glinted and twinkled in the bright morning sun and made the mountain below us look like it was coated in diamond dust. We took a few pictures, had a little water, and started the long climb back down. The next day the Swiss officials closed the mountain, and the climbing season was over until the next year.

Later, after a warm shower, a cold beer, and the best tasting burger I’ve ever eaten, I stopped by the cemetery and spent some quiet time there to contemplate the lives of the climbers buried there, and felt a kinship with them, and with all of us who understand the risks, but still choose to climb big mountains.

EVENING TRAVEL PROGRAMS The Mazamas offers a robust Evening Travel Program from mid-October through April every year on Wednesday evenings at 7 p.m. at the Mazama Mountaineering Center (527 SE 43rd Avenue, Portland, Ore.). You’ll virtually travel to every corner of the globe as our dynamic speakers immerse you in their experience through photos, video, and great storytelling.

Programs are free and open to the public. We appreciate voluntary contributions at the discretion of each attendee. Carpooling, public transportation, biking, and walking to the MMC are encouraged. View the entire season’s schedule at mazamas.org/eveningtravelprograms.

Bullet Trains, Baseball, and Buddhism, January 8 Join Thomas McCormack as he shares stories from his travels in the Chugoku and Kansai region of SW Japan. He will begin with a major league baseball game in Fukuoka and a bullet train ride along the Inland Sea to the Aioi Bridge (ground zero) in Hiroshima, followed by another dash at 180 mph past fields of green rice to famous temples and gardens in Kyoto—Higashi Honganji, Tofukuji, Kiyomizu-dera, Koetsuji, and Eikando. A 45-degree cogwheel train up Mt. Hiei to the historic Enryakuji complex, then south into the heart of Kansai and the towering Buddha at Todaiji in Nara, and a walk past men fishing the Uji River to Koshoji and Byodoin. Finally, a return to the north edge of Kyoto to sit in the lotus posture all day long at Seitaian hermitage in Gentaku.

Cycling the Jordan Trail, January 15 Join us for a bikepacking adventure in the Middle East! In March 2019, ultrarunners Dana Katz and Heather McGrath traveled to Jordan to complete the 400-mile Jordan Trail.

They returned with tales of incredible hospitality, cultural immersion, and super fun biking.

Thorangla: The Way To Real Mukthinath, January 22 Deepa Chetty and Ananda Vardhana will be presenting their adventure in the Manang Valley and beyond. Despite various setbacks, they would vanquish fear of altitude and make it to one of the highest passes in Nepal.

Bikes, Boats, and Boots in SE Asia, January 29 Bangkok was the beginning of a bike adventure for John Leary and friends, through three of Southeast Asia's most fascinating countries; Thailand, Cambodia & Vietnam.

Traveling Southeast Asia by bike is the best way. Once you get away from those busy highways, the back lanes and dirt tracks open and offer gorgeous views of the surrounding countryside and local village life. Out in the sunshine riding through paddy fields, fruit plantations, alongside rivers and lakes you are rewarded with an altogether more intimate travel experience than catching the stuffy bus. It is surprisingly easy to access remote areas barely touched by tourism. In rural Thailand, curious locals welcomed us as we biked picturesque rural roads and trails through remote villages. In Cambodia, we found it fun and liberating riding mostly on dirt roads where stunned local children were delighted by sweaty tourists trudging along a rutted, dusty track. We saw Siem Reap and the world's largest temple complex the stunning Angkor Wat, sailed across Southeast Asia's largest lake, the Tonle Sap, visited Phnom Penh and “The Killing Fields,” the Irrawaddy River Dolphins, beautiful beaches, many, many temples and markets and rode into Vietnam to experience the wonderful, watery world of the Mekong Delta and much more.

JANUARY 2020 19

Slow is Smooth, and Smooth is Fast Inside the mind of a PAF dry-tooling competition competitor

by Jonathan Barrett

S

low is smooth and smooth is fast; this was my mantra as I prepped for the Portland Alpine Fest’s drytooling competition. The rules dictated that the participants with the top five fastest times would proceed to the finals round, so it might seem odd to climb slowly. However, I didn’t doubt my ability to top out. I had won the men’s division for the last three years in a row. As long as I didn’t make a mistake, I would certainly pass through again. Slow would be smooth which would translate to speed.

It was late August when I started my focused training again. Why? Because I am, by nature, a competitive person, and wanted to defend my record.

Experience told me that there were two key components that would come into play if I wanted to be successful for the fourth year in a row. The first was the physical strength to pull hard for at least five minutes.

I had plenty of this from a summer of climbing outside. The second was much harder to achieve though. This was the sense of “feel” that I needed to develop so that I could climb as well with tools as without. The challenge in dry-tooling lies in the simple fact that you cannot sense the contact point between the steel pick and the hold in the same way that your fingers are giving constant feedback during a rock climb. As such, it is easy to fall off the route, not because you are gassed but because the tool skates off the feature. Relearning this was my primary goal. Unfortunately, overconfidence in this skill would eventually cause me to make a crucial error during the finals.

In my basement, I am fortunate to have a small plywood bouldering wall to train on. It is not much, about 20 feet in length by 12 feet in height, but it gives me the advantage of being able to train with ice tools. As the owner and “general manager” of the facility, I have permission to tear the place up with steel picks, which I did.

There were three types of holds that I set up to train on. The first were the typical resin holds one might find in any climbing gym. The second were disassembled door hinges. If you pull the steel pin out of a door hinge, you are left with two halves.

Each has a series of channels that the pin passes through. The opening or hole that

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the pin would pass through makes for a 1⁄4 inch divot that an ice tool pick will fit into but only just barely. The third are hardware store eyebolts that get screwed into the t-nuts. These allow for a variety of movements, including stein pulls. Each of these features gave me a mechanism for acquiring the tactile sensitivity that I would need in the competition.

Early in my training, my primary focus was on developing the movement patterns that I would need in the competition. A technical ice ax has two places for the hand--the lower traditional grip and a second one above it that the climber can use to choke up on the tool. When moving from hold to hold, I practiced hanging from the lower grip, dropping the pick of the second tool into the crook made by my thumb on the hand hanging from that grip, and then grasping the higher handle with my now empty hand. This would allow me to do two things. The first was to choke up higher on the tool to increase my reach.

The second was to be able to switch tools in my hands. Some climbers will hold a tool in their teeth or hook it over their shoulder to accomplish this task, but I have never found it as secure as setting it briefly on my thumb. After a few weeks of diligent practice, I was able to make this switch fluidly.

As the weeks went by and I became more comfortable moving from large hold to large hold, or door hinge to eyebolt, I started to use smaller and smaller plastic holds with surfaces that were no longer level or even concave. The sensitivity that I was developing allowed me to better know when a tool was likely to slip off instead of stick where I had placed it. From my past experiences at the competition,

I knew that most of the holds would be large enough, but there would be moves that would require me to pull in directions other than down and to possibly pull against a surface that was convex. Initially I often landed on my butt because I was not judging correctly the contact point and the vector. I would weight the tool, initiate tension, and then find that the pick would slide off. However, it was not long before I could trust the tip of the pick to stick on a surface that had a divot not much bigger than the head of a golf tee.

My final training strategy was to prepare for the unique demands of the competition format. I knew from past experience that using leashes while on top rope was a recipe for entanglement. This was especially true when moving onto and off of the hanging obstacles—long 4x4s with holds bolted on to them and one-inch holes drilled in to receive the pick. It is easy for the rope, leashes, and obstacle to become a rat’s nest when moving through that section of the route. Once again, I built a simulation of these in preparation. My previous practice of hooking a tool over a thumb became indispensable. In addition, I had to relearn how to maintain the appropriate body tension as the wooden beam swung wildly when weighted.

All of this work ultimately paid off in the qualifying round for the competition.

I climbed slowly which was smoothly, and being smooth meant that I was fast. In fact I was the quickest by far to top out. I felt confident that I would succeed. Perhaps too confident.

Timing of the finals round started when my second foot left the ground. In my head I could see the clock running. I had been in isolation when the four other

This meant that to win I would need to also reach the final hold, but I only had to best one person’s time. I knew I could climb the route; the question was how quickly.

“Slow is smooth and smooth is fast.” competitors had climbed and knew that only one had topped out based on the reaction of the crowd and the announcer’s comments. This meant that to win I would need to also reach the final hold, but I only had to best one person’s time. I knew I could climb the route; the question was how quickly. “Slow is smooth and smooth is fast,” I said to myself. I hooked the hold, flagged a foot, and moved up. There was sidepull into a layback into another sidepull. “Slow is smooth,” I said to myself again. The hours climbing in my basement made the movement feel natural. The 4x4s were next. “Easy,” I thought. Hook, match, maintain body tension—all like I had practiced. I knocked off the first, then the second, and went into the third. An advantage to these obstacles is that one can shift their weight from one direction to the next. I could lean out right against the first set of foot jibs and then out left pushing against the subsequent ones.

More sidepulls followed as I moved up the wall. With careful footwork and balance, I climbed gingerly, at times choking up on the tool to improve my reach. Two thirds of the way up the wall, I had lost track of time. “How long had it been?” I wondered.

Did I need to rush? “Slow is smooth and smooth is fast,” I reassured myself.

Two holds from the top, I was faced with a choice: attempt a difficult sidepull or try to hook the convex top of the hold.

The former would give me more security although it required more power; the latter would give me more reach. I tested the top, first with a gentle tug and then with full commitment. It held, so I moved up only to realize that I needed to use the sidepull instead given the placement of foot jibs. Time slowed down, and I weighed my options. My connection to the route through the steel pick had felt dialed in.

It was as if the nerves in my fingers had

extended out along the tool itself. What should I do? The top was tenuous, yet I felt confident it would not skate off the convex bulge. No, it was too risky. I had time, so I made the decision to readjust into the sidepull. In trying to make the switch, I popped off.

Slow is smooth and smooth is fast.

This was true. I had had a minute and a half to work through the final two moves to the top. I had been very fluid through the bottom eighty percent of the route. My training had left me very well prepared. I had plenty of grip strength.

My footwork was precise. I read the line with few mistakes. Why did I come off so close to the top? The reason was simple: I took a big risk by trying to hook the concave top instead of the more strenuous sidepull. Perhaps my training had left me too confident in my ability to read the quality of contact between the pick and the plastic.

Lowering off, I felt nothing but satisfaction though. Tom Bierne, the only man to finish the finals route, greeted me with a warm, strong handshake. I had watched him on the qualifying route and felt fully satisfied that I had been beaten by a very strong climber.

I know that next year I will be back, better trained than before, and I hope that he is too. Collectively we can raise the bar and continue to make the Portland Alpine Fest a showcase of the amazing talent in the Pacific Northwest.

About the author: JONATHAN BARRETT grew up in New England and moved to Oregon in 1997. He joined the Mazamas in 2007.

When not working as a full-time language arts teacher at North Marion High School or being a father to a 3rd grader, he finds the occasional morning here and there to sneak up Mt. Hood, pull some plastic, or crank out a long run in Forest Park.

Top: The author moves through the hanging 4X4 obstacles on the men’s finals route. Photo: Andrew Barnes.

Middle: Using your thumb as a hook is a secure means of switching grips on a modern ice tool.

Photo: Jonathan Barrett Bottom: A disassembled door hinge mounted on a block of wood makes for a great training tool.

Photo: Jonathan Barrett

JANUARY 2020 21

CONSERVATION CORNER

THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT (NEPA) TURNS 50

by John Rettig

P

erhaps a precautionary note is first in order: this may seem from the title to be a rather dry reading—after all, how can a name like National Environmental Policy Act describe anything that isn’t, well, boring?

But it need not be, and if you look at it in terms of what it has allowed the Mazamas and like-minded outdoor activity and conservation groups to accomplish over the past 50 years, and what would have likely happened if it hadn’t existed, it can be quite an interesting story to tell. It will be kept short here in observance of the potential to be a very dry subject!

Some context: The 1960s and 70s were a pivotal period in awakening both the public and legislators to a national environmental, conservation, and land use awareness, and this awakening resulted in many significant legislative acts that are still forming the backbone for today’s laws. Although the legislative part of NEPA ended pretty abruptly in 1980, the public generally still saw the need to continue progress, and we are now in the position of looking back at that time period as a golden period. Many events are coming up significant anniversaries, and we have covered a few of these in this column in the past. The list bears another look, just because it is almost overwhelming in its numbers: ▶ 1962: Rachel Carson's Silent Spring published ▶ 1964: Wilderness Act passed, bringing in 9.1 million acres designated as wilderness ▶ 1967: Environmental Defense Fund founded ▶ 1967: Oregon Beach Bill passed ▶ 1968: Wild and Scenic Rivers Act passed ▶ 1968: National Trails Act passed ▶ 1968: Redwoods National Park formed ▶ 1968: North Cascades National Park formed ▶ 1969: UNESCO conference on Man and His Environment ▶ 1970: National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) signed into law ▶ 1970: First Earth Day observed ▶ 1970: EPA established ▶ 1970: Clean Air Act passed ▶ 1972: Supreme Court decision Sierra Club vs. Morton ▶ 1972: Federal Water Pollution Control Amendments of 1972 passed ▶ 1972: DDT banned ▶ 1973: Endangered Species Act passed ▶ 1974: Discovery of atmospheric ozone depleting chemicals; phase out began ▶ 1975: Hells Canyon Protection Act passed, establishing it as a National Recreation Area ▶ 1976: National Forest Management Act (NFMA) passed ▶ 1980: Superfund Act passed ▶ 1980: Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act passed; added 56 million acres of Wilderness

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WHAT IS IT? The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA, for short) assured that federal agencies had to submit a detailed environmental impact statement, or EIS, prior to undertaking any “major Federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment” — offering timber sales on federal land, for example, or building an interstate highway. It needed to be interdisciplinary and thorough, detailing any environmental problems likely to result from the proposed project and listing alternatives, including both those that might be more costly, and also a “no build” alternative. The public would be given notice and invited to comment during a specified period after the EIS was published. During this period the research results, data provided, and viability of alternatives were fair game. Interested parties were also permitted to submit independent research and data to be put into the record. The agencies were required to consider all of this input.

Although individuals were allowed to comment, organizations such as the Mazamas initially were not—the latter first required the 1972 decision of Sierra Club vs. Morton in the US Supreme Court. While at the end of the day the final decision was not accomplished with a public vote, the entire process did involve the public much more directly than ever before.

The act passed in Congress with only 15 dissenting votes, and was signed into law on January 1, 1970, by President Nixon, who stated he was “convinced that the 1970s absolutely must be the years when America pays its debt to the past by reclaiming the purity of its air, its waters, and our living environment. It is literally now or never.” This represented a bipartisan consensus that may have been unmatched at any other time before or afterward.

WHAT HAS IT MEANT IN THE PAST? Very early on, the immediate beneficiary of NEPA was the formation of the EPA to put some structure behind the new government mandate, and the passage of the Clean Air act. Others took a little longer, but one can go down the list of significant events above and note that there were many significant changes that happened in pretty quick succession afterward, although it is sometimes difficult to determine exactly what impact NEPA had

Above: Mt. Hood from the west. Photo: Bob Breivogel

on passage. Since the deck had previously been stacked without the expectation of a fair process, the initial victories might have been a bit easier once NEPA leveled the playing field.

THERE ARE THREE NOTEWORTHY LOCAL ISSUES THAT MAZAMAS PARTICIPATED IN AND INFLUENCED THROUGH NEPA, EITHER DIRECTLY OR THROUGH COALITIONS: ▶ Hells Canyon of the Snake River, which achieved protection in 1975 after a long and drawn out process that started as an attempt to block construction of three dams. ▶ The Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, established in 1986 ▶ The 2009 Omnibus Wilderness legislation act, which included significant additions to the Mt. Hood National Forest

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO US TODAY? We tend to take for granted that we can provide input through the NEPA process, either as individuals or through The Mazamas or our affiliated coalitions. This would not happen without NEPA, and if it did, it would be a much more haphazard process.

There are multiple opportunities of significance to the Mazamas where we do take advantage of this, and furthermore we occasionally ask Mazama members to comment as individuals— that is, after all, one of the tasks we take seriously on the

Conservation Committee.

If you do have an issue of concern, and feel it should get elevated, contact a member of the committee, or email conservation@mazamas.org.

WHAT CAN A MAZAMA DO? Speak out! This article has sidestepped the current political situation which has resulted in threats to many environmental laws on the books because NEPA is not about any one issue—it’s about a process that allows the public and organizations to get involved, and requires their input to be considered. This uniquely isn’t about taking sides on anything, which is why it enjoyed such bipartisan support when it was passed.

To learn more about the current threat to NEPA, visit: sierraclub.org/sierra/national-environmental-policy-act-nepa.

JANUARY 2020 23

Youth Programs

by Molly Mosenthal, Mazama Youth Program Coordinator

MAZAMA WILD CAMPS

A

fter steady growth of our summer day camp since 2012, last year brought a need for more types of camp programs. Campers from our inaugural year were aging out of our camp offerings, transitioning into the Families Mountaineering 101 class, and asking for more summer opportunities for 11+ year olds. Alongside more overnight opportunities at the Mazama Lodge for older campers, extended care options, and the first ever Spring Break Camp, 2019 welcomed the pilot year of overnight climbing camp for 11–14 year olds, formerly Adventure CLIMB. All of 2019's new offerings were a hit, and led to what we knew would come: “More, please!” We listened to our campers and families, and knew we had to continue to bring more opportunities for older campers. With that, we recognized that it was time to merge the two sister camps into one. Formerly Adventure WILD and Adventure CLIMB, both are now known as Mazama Wild Camps. We are excited to continue to expand offerings for 4–14 year olds in 2020, and even more in years to come.

Marking the 9th year since founding and the 4th year as a full-fledged Mazama program, Mazama Wild Camps are excited to open registration on January 15th for all 2020 camp programming. Summer opportunities abound for 4-14 year olds, as well as camps during spring break and Portland Public School in-service days for grades K-3. Don’t wait to secure your space to adventure, climb, create, and more!

Register your young mountain goats today at mazamas.org/mazamawild. Mazama members receive $35 off each week-long camp session, or $10 off single day sessions. ▶ Have you outgrown camp as a camper and are you feeling ready for a new challenge? Contact mazamawildcamps@mazamas.org to inquire about 2020 camp employment opportunities.

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YOUTH PARTNER PROGRAMMING Youth Partner Programming is taking up a new look in 2020.

Formerly offering rock climbing only and mostly indoor, we’re heading outside with our valued youth partner organizations for more action, adventure, and snow! After a busy fall season serving 217 youth with the help of 44 volunteers in the months of October and November alone, we are looking forward to diving deeper this winter.

This January and February will bring over 15 events with both new and returning youth partner organizations. From the MMC rock walls, to snowshoeing in Government Camp, to team building over hot chocolate at the Mazama Lodge, we’re excited to continue to fulfill our mission of inspiring all youth to love and protect the mountains. Stay tuned later this winter and spring for a rock climbing leadership course, an outdoor skills course, more overnight adventures at the Mazama Lodge, and as always, more climbing at the MMC! ▶ Are you interested in volunteering to help young outdoor enthusiasts to learn to climb, belay, rappel, snowshoe, and more?

Contact molly@mazamas.org. ▶ Are you curious about are youth partners? Visit mazamas.org/ youthoutreachclimbing for more.

MAZAMA MOUNTAIN SCIENCE SCHOOL Now in its 6th year, Mazama Mountain Science School kicks off this month at the Mazama Lodge! Students will settle in at the Lodge for three days and two nights to explore the science of snow, glaciers, volcanoes, and our dear Wy’East. Lessons and activities will take them out of the cozy bunks of the Lodge and into the towering, snow-drenched Douglas firs. They’ll learn to navigate on snowshoes, explore physics on sleds, and use engineering concepts to build snow caves and even snow hotels!

Learn more at mazamas.org/mmss.

JANUARY 2020 25

Mazama OUTINGS National and International Adventures of three days or more.

Go to mazamas.org/outings to view all outings. When you apply, you will be prompted to complete your profile, and you’ll enter credit card information. If accepted, your credit card will be charged for the trip deposit, and you will then be sent an invoice for the remainder of the outing cost. This invoice can be paid by credit card or check.

26 MAZAMAS

DEATH VALLEY: HIKING & EXPLORATION MARCH 8–15, 2020 Participants are responsible for their transportation ( flying to Las Vegas and car rental, or driving from Portland). We will try to organize carpools for the group, as well as gear sharing. An SUV type of car with adequate ground clearance is desirable but not absolutely necessary.

It is expected that you have some prior car camping experience, as we will need tents and sleeping bags, and will cook on camp stoves. We will camp seven nights at the Furnace Creek group campground, which has water and flush toilets but no on-site showers. There is a general store and restaurant nearby if needed, and showers can be taken at the nearby resort for a small fee.

Days are generally pleasantly warm and nights cool; but be prepared for a variety of weather conditions, as it can be hot and cold the same day, as well as windy.

We will have day hikes, mostly A- and B-level at a moderate pace. We may also climb (strenuous) Telescope Peak if there is enough interest and if conditions permit.

There are non-hiking activities—Scottie’s

LEADER: BOB BREIVOGEL Castle (may reopen this year); old mines and ghost towns (which largely involve scenic drives); and wildlife viewing, including desert pupfish, bighorn sheep, reptiles, birds, and insects. March is also a good time for wildflowers if the conditions are right.

The leader is an avid photographer with many years experience and several prior trips to Death Valley. Those interested in photography should bring their camera gear.

We have the opportunity to view sunrise, sunset, and wildflowers in different areas of the park, such as Zabriskie Point, Artist Pallette, Badwater, and the sand dunes. This is a dark sky park, and we will have some moonless nights later in the trip for sky viewing.

The cost of the trip, including Outing fees and campgrounds, is $115–$190, depending on group size (8 min–13 max, not including leaders). Signup deadline is February 15, 2020.

Deposit is $80. Contact leader Bob Breivogel (503-292-2940) or breivog@teleport.com if you have questions.

EXPLORE ESCALANTE AREA IN SW UTAH MAY 2–9, 2020 LEADER: DYANNE FOSTER Join us for a week in Escalante, Utah, enjoying Band C-level hikes in nearby canyons, including several slot canyons. Plan to fly to Las Vegas airport to pick up rental vehicles then drive the three hours to Escalante through beautiful Southwest Utah. A day visit to Bryce National Park and an overnight backpack will be offered.

We will be based in Escalante RV Park for seven nights in shared cabins with camping also available. Outing costs for members: tent camping $240–$250 ($360– $370 nonmembers) or a cabin $300–$310 ($420–$430 nonmembers).

The RV park has excellent facilities including showers, washing machines and dryers, a picnic area for outside cooking, and a restaurant next to the park.

Costs include lodging, permits, and fees. Participants are responsible for travel (SUV or crossover vehicle recommended) and all meals. A deposit is required by February 1, 2020—$60 for members and $120 for non members. Contact Dyanne Foster at dyfozter@gmail. com with questions. We will have a pre-outing meeting in February 2020.

HIKING IN SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA AUGUST 3–10, 2020 LEADER: LARRY SOLOMON We're heading north this year to wild Alaska! Join us for a 7-day outing where we will enjoy a daily B- or C-level hike in Chugach State Park or on the Kenai Peninsula.

Our daily adventures into the wilderness may well include encounters with moose or bears. There are also wildlife cruises available to view whales, sea otters, and eagles. Or maybe take a whitewater rafting trip! The possibilities are vast.

We will be staying in the resort town of Girdwood, formerly known as Glacier City due to the colossal rivers of ice that blanket the surrounding mountains. Our home will be a completely furnished four bedroom, three bathroom chalet with two full kitchens, a hot tub, free WiFi, and cable TV. Depending on the number of participants and the accommodations selected and available, the costs of lodging plus outing fees range from $725–$1,200 for members and $950–$1,260 for nonmembers. Participants are responsible for travel and all meals.

Go to mazamas.org/outing for full details. Signup begins on January 10 and the deadline is April 15 with full payment due by May 1. Contact leader Larry Solomon (muensterhump@hotmail.com ) or assistant leader Sherry Bourdin (sbourdin@reig.com ) for more information.

Mazama CLASSICS For members with 25 years of membership, or for those who prefer to travel at a more leisurely pace.

We lead a wide variety of year-round activities including hikes, picnics, and cultural excursions. Share years of happy Mazama memories with our group. All ages are welcome to join the fun.

CONTACTING THE CLASSICS To contact the Classics: Chair Flora Huber at 503-658-5710 or flobell17@comcast.net, or classics@mazamas.org.

SUPPORT THE CLASSICS Classics needs a volunteer to put more content in our column on a quarterly basis. We want to document past Classics events and make sure that our postings to the web are current and complete. More generally, there is always work to be done on the committee. Our meetings are the fourth Monday of every other month at 11 a.m. at the MMC. Email classics@mazamas.org and tell us how you can help.

LEADING EVENTS IN FEBRUARY If you want to lead an event please contact the Classics at classics@mazamas.org by the twelfth of each month so notice can be included in the upcoming Bulletin.

CLASSICS COMMITTEE MEETING Our next meeting is Jan. 27 from 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m. at the MMC, in the library. Check the Bulletin or the website.

CLASSICS 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 transportation coordinator Flora Huber at flobell17@comcast.net or 503-658-5710.

SIGNING UP FOR A CLASSICS EVENT Please sign up online or contact the leader at least a day before the event. Share your cell phone number and mention anything that is relevant to you (such as “will meet at trailhead instead of meeting place” or “need a ride” or whatever). Please arrive on time if you are carpooling and make a contribution to the driver for gas.

TUES. JAN 7: CROSS COUNTRY SKIING Meet at Sandy Safeway at 8:30 a.m. Contact Flora Huber at 503-658-5710 or flobell17@comcast.net

TUES. JAN 21: CROSS COUNTRY SKIING Meet at Sandy Safeway at 8:30 a.m. Contact Flora Huber at 503-658-5710 or flobell17@comcast.net

JANUARY 2020 27

TRAIL TRIPS

JOIN US! MAZAMA TRAIL TRIPS ARE OPEN TO EVERYONE tact Trail Trips trailtrips@mazamas.org with any questions.

The Mazamas offers our Trail Trips (hiking) program to serve just about every ability level. We have leaders who like to take their time meandering along flat trails for a short duration, while others want to hike at a fast clip up the side of a mountain. You get to choose what is best for you!

All Mazamas hikes are open to members and nonmembers. We welcome nonmembers or those with limited experience on our hikes. Our leaders are some of the most experienced hikers in the Northwest, and they can show you some spots that you might never get to on your own! Hikes are $2 for members/$4 for nonmembers. Sign up online.

HK B1.5 Jan 1. Mazama Ridge on First Day of the Decade. Bill Stein, billstein.rpcv@ gmail.com, 503-830-0817. Start your 2020s with a snowshoe in Mt. Rainier National Park.

From Paradise we'll ascend a ridge that shares a name with our organization via a route that avoids avalanches. Given ideal conditions, we will have a closeup view of Mt. Rainier and winter views of the Tatoosh Range and the big volcanos to the south. This is a moderatedifficulty snowshoe. Please only sign up if you are starting the decade in excellent condition and/or have previous snowshoe experience— and if you don't plan to stay up too late on New Year’s Eve. Every vehicle needs a US National Park pass and must carry chains, with AWD vehicles preferred. 3.5 mi., 1,000 ft., Drive: 156. Meet at Gateway Park & Ride at 6 a.m. MeetUp HK Cw2 Jan. 1. Snowshoe to Jack Lake. Tyler (Toby) Creelan, tyler.creelan@gmail.com, 503929-6233. Join us for a snowshoe up to a frozen high wilderness lake. Pack a thermos, and we will train and learn animal prints of the Cascade Crest ecoregion. The first snowfall of the year is a great time to study animal tracks, so our focus will be print identification. This route offers great opportunities to see signs of animals, but especially snowshoe hare, elk, and bobcat. Required: Snowshoes and ten essentials, including headlamp. Hikers must stay on route and respect wildlife (ORS 498.006). Standard fitness to walk with cursory breaks at ~1,000/hour. Hike is 10.5 mi., 3,000 ft., RT, Drive 180. Meet at Gateway Park & Ride at 8 a.m.

Class A: Easy to moderate; less than 8 miles and under 1,500 ft. elevation gain Class B: Moderate to difficult; less than 15 miles with 1,500–3,000 ft. 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+ ft. elevation gain.

Class D: Very difficult, strenuous trips in challenging conditions. No specific distance or elevation gain. Special equipment, conditioning, and experience may be required.

Contacting leader for details before the day of the trip is mandatory.

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

Numeral after class indicates pace. All pace

28 MAZAMAS

HK B2 Jan. 1. First Dog of the Decade. Gary Riggs, gary.riggs@outlook.com, 503-236-1883.

Start the decade with an exhilarating hike up Dog Mountain! We'll hike up the scenic trail past Puppy Dog to the summit. We'll take the Augspurger Trail back down. Be prepared for ice, snow, and wind. Bring microspikes or some kind of traction, at least. Snowshoes may be required. Yes, and insulated hot drinks for break time!. 7.2 mi., 2,900 ft., Drive: 98.

Meet at Gateway Park & Ride at 8 a.m.

HK A1.5 Jan. 5. Orenco Woods/Rock Creek Trail. Rick Craycraft, leftfield5@juno. com, 503-679-2113. This hike begins in the Orenco Woods Nature Park and runs along Rock Creek. Except for a few alternative trails it is all paved. Quiet woods and swales interspersed with crossing busy streets and traveling under Sunset Highway 6.4 mi., 195 ft.

Meet at MMC Parking Lot at 9 a.m.

HK A2 Jan. 7. Whipple Creek Dog Friendly Hike. Don McCoy, donald1020@aol.com, 503246-7416. This is a Clark County Park west of the Clark County Fairgrounds. It allows hikers, bikers, horses, and dogs on a leash.

It usually isn't that crowded in January. The route we usually take is 4.8 miles with an elevation gain of 300ft. Leashed, well-trained dogs are welcome, but you don't need a dog to attend. Since this is a dog hike, we meet at the trailhead at 10 a.m. The trailhead is at 17202 NW 21st. Ave.; Ridgefield, WA. HK A1 Jan. 7. Cross Country Ski at Meadows Nordic Center. Flora Huber,

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.

Hike fees/Snowshoe/Nordic Costs: $2 for members, $4 nonmembers; Backpack Costs: Vary depending on trip.

Meeting Places: Clackamas Towne Center Park & Ride (9225 SE Sunnyside Road, Clackamas): 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

flobell17@comcast.net, 503-658-5710. Join Flora for a cross country ski on the groomed trails of the Meadows Nordic Center on Mt. Hood! Participants will meet at the Safeway in Sandy at 8:30 a.m. Please be aware that passes are required to ski at Meadows. Use this link to determine costs: https://www.skihood. com/the-mountain/nordic-center. This activity is dependent on weather and if it is raining on the pass, Flora will cancel. MeetUp HK A1 Jan. 10. Snowshoe: Timberline Lodge to Government Camp by Moonlight.

Angela Schaefer, auschaefer219@yahoo. com, 503-597-9649. Join us for a challenging downhill snowshoe from Timberline Lodge to Government Camp. We are supposed to have a full moon this evening—let's also hope for a clear sky! Headlamps still a must for this trip. Leader will recon this route prior to our event; we also have an assistant leader with experience on this route. We leave Gateway at 3:30 p.m. and arrive in Government Camp for an early dinner at a local establishment (Location TBD). We will then move/leave the cars at the Summit Ski School/rest area where we catch the last shuttle up to Timberline Lodge. https://www.mthoodexpress.com/ schedule-map. Leader will pre-purchase our tickets for the shuttle up to Timberline Lodge—please bring $2 cash to cover this expense. Leader plans to stay in Government Camp overnight after our snowshoe and spend the following day in Government Camp. We'll communicate more details before this event so that we can make carpool plans for everyone. Additional expenses to plan for: Dinner in Government Camp, $2 shuttle bus

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.–Hike elevation gain. TH Pass–USFS parking pass needed for trailhead; SnoPark–Snow park pass. FLTC–3510 SE 164th Ave. in Vancouver. 99th TC–9700 NE 7th Ave. in Vancouver.

Trail Trips Hike Rules: Hikers are encouraged to carpool and share costs. The maximum suggested total rate each is a donation of ten cents per mile for up to three people per vehicle. Dogs are not allowed except for hikes designated as “dog-walks.” Alcohol and firearms are not allowed. Participants

should wear appropriate hiking shoes, and 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.

READY TO SIGN UP ONLINE? Many hikes have limited space. Sign up online to secure your spot.

Are you a first time user? Go to mazamas.org/gettingstarted to learn how to create your account. It’s simple, and should take no more than 5 minutes to get up and running.

Please review the information at mazamas.org/gettingstarted carefully before creating your account. If you still have questions, email us at help@mazamas.org. ticket to TLL, post-event drinks if we choose, recommended reimbursement to driver $10 (100 miles RT from Gateway to Government Camp). For drivers: Sno-Park pass may be required. 3.5 mi., -2120 ft. (net downhill), Drive: 110 RT. Meet at 99th Street Transit Center Park & Ride at 3:30 p.m.

HK B2 Jan. 11. Tom-Dick Mountain. David Rempel, 928 587-0511, crempel2@yahoo.com.

This time of year is about my favorite for hiking Tom Dick and Harry—cold and crisp with everything in a snowy white mantle. The popularity of the trail should provide for a well-stomped down trail. Bring trekking poles & foot traction (e.g., Yaktrax, microspikes, etc.)—this is not a snowshoe hike. Drivers will need to have tire traction devices on board (e.g., chains, studded tires, etc.) Drivers will need an Oregon SnoPark pass. Hike sign-up on Mazama website is required. UNDER 18 YRS OLD PARTICIPANTS: Require signed parental permission slip presented to hike leader at start; those 13-14 yrs old must be accompanied by parent/responsible adult (as identified in permission slip). No dogs as we will be crossing into a wilderness area where the 12 heartbeats rule is in effect. Watch the forecast going into the hike to know what to expect. 7.2 mi., 1,715 ft., Drive: 94. Meet at Gateway Park & Ride at 7 a.m., plan to arrive 10–15 minutes early to check-in and organize carpooling. You can also choose to meet at the trailhead at 8:15 a.m.

HK A1.5 Jan. 11. White River Canyon Moonlight Snowshoe. Joe Whittington, joewhittington@gmail.com, 503-297-6344. We will celebrate the Wolf Moon by snowshoeing up the White River Canyon to a luminous view of Mt. Hood. We'll start at the White River Canyon SnoPark about 6 p.m. and make our way about two miles near the nose of Whitewater Glacier and an amazing view of Mt. Hood. 4 mi., 600 ft., Drive: 60. Meet at Gateway Park & Ride at 4 p.m. MeetUp HK B1.5 Jan. 15. Cape Horn. Sharon Detrick Ross, sharondross@comcast.net, 503-7897042. This is one of the closest Gorge trails to the Portland-Vancouver metro area. It features gorgeous views, rocky crags, streams, and two waterfalls. The lower trail closes on February 1st for the nesting Peregrine Falcons, so we should be able to do the loop. We will start at the Park & Ride on State Road 14 and go down to Cape Horn Road, following the trail clockwise. Driving time to the trailhead is 45 minutes. This is not a dog hike. 7.2 mi., 1,400 ft., Drive: 55. Meet at Mazama Mountaineering

Center (MMC) at 8 a.m.

HK A1.5 Jan. 19. Peak to Peak in town. Rick Craycraft, leftfield5@juno.com, 503-679-2113.

A mid-winter neighborhood hike on the east side. Starting from the top of Mt. Tabor we'll meander through city streets, the Rose City golf course, and up the side of Rocky Butte.

There is a steepish section right at the end.

Then we'll retrace our steps, more or less, and take the long staircase back to the Mt. Tabor crater parking lot. 8 mi., 1,000 ft. Meet at Mt. Tabor Park at 9 a.m.

HK B2 Jan. 20. Hamilton Mountain Loop in Winter. Nancy Lloyd, nanlloy@gmail. com, 360-725-0362. Enjoy a day on Hamilton Mountain, a classic hike on the Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge, under winter conditions. Parking in Beacon Rock State Park is free on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. If you have the day off—and all the gear on the lengthy required gear list—why not join us? There is potential for snow and/or icy conditions. For that reason, microspikes or yak-trax are required, and trekking poles are strongly recommended. 7.6 mi., 2,100 ft., Drive: 88. Meet at Mazama Mountaineering Center (MMC) at 8 a.m.

HK A2 Jan. 21. Sandy River Delta Dog Friendly Hike. Don McCoy, donald1020@ aol.com, 503-246-7416. We will follow the Boundary Trail to the Meadow Trail and explore the boundary of the dog park. Dogs in this park can be off leash except for on the Confluence Trail. Well-behaved dogs are welcome, but you don't need a dog to attend.

Because this is a dog hike, we meet at the trailhead. You will need a parking pass, day passes are $5; NW Forest Passes OK. I plan on using my Senior Pass. 4.4 mi., 40 ft., Drive: 15.

Meet at Sandy River Delta Parking Lot at 9 a.m.

HK A1 Jan. 21. Cross Country Ski at Meadows Nordic Center. Flora Huberflobell17@comcast.net, 503-658-5710.

Join Flora for a cross country ski on the groomed trails of the Meadows Nordic Center on Mt. Hood! Participants will meet at the Safeway in Sandy at 8:30 a.m. Please be aware that passes are required to ski at Meadows.

Use this link to determine costs: https://www. skihood.com/the-mountain/nordic-center.

This activity is dependent on weather and if it is raining on the pass, Flora will cancel.

MeetUp HK A1.5 Jan. 25. Herman Creek Pinnacles via PCT. Rick Craycraft, leftfield5@juno.com,

STREET RAMBLES Tuesday & Thursday at REI in the Pearl JANUARY 2, 7, 9, 14, 16, 21, 23, 28, 30 Every Tuesday & Thursday you can join a team of Mazamas at the REI in the Pearl District. Going on a Street Ramble is one of the best ways to get an introduction to the Mazama hiking program. Meet other hikers and maybe plan a weekend trip, maintain your fitness after work, and see some hidden parts of Portland you might never get to see otherwise. Interested in joining us? All you need to do is show up, check in, pay, and be ready to go at 6 p.m. We'll see you there!

Note: If Portland Public Schools are closed for weather-related issues, Street Rambles will be cancelled.

Meet in the parking garage at REI in the Pearl District at 1405 NW Johnson Street, Portland, 97209.

503-679-2113. Starting on the north end of the PCT in Oregon, we'll take the time to see all the sights—Dry Creek Falls, the Pinnacles, and Pacific Crest Falls—and then continue to the junction with the Herman Creek connector trail. Maybe we'll get some nice late Jan. weather … or not. If we get wet and cold there are plenty of places in Cascade Locks for warm drinks and post-hike munchies. 7.4 mi., 1,610 ft., Drive: 37. Meet at Gateway Park & Ride at 8 a.m.

HK A1.5 February 9. White River Canyon Moonlit Snowshoe. Bill Stein, billstein.rpcv@ gmail.com, 503-830-0817. It can be magical to ascend White River Canyon on snowshoes by the light of the full moon, without headlamps if the night is cloudless. The view of Mt. Hood by moonlight is as arresting as the view by sunlight. The full moon will rise within minutes of our departure for the mountain, and we'll return to Clackamas Town Center P&R before the last Green Line train north.

Note that your ten essentials include a headlamp with working batteries; we'll have to use our headlamps if it's a cloudy night.

Please ensure that you know how to attach JANUARY 2020 29

MAZAMA MEMBERSHIP

Education • Advocacy • Community Building

W

hat does it mean to join the Mazamas? As a member you will be a part of one of the most respected mountaineering and outdoor organizations in the country. Our members are passionate outdoor individuals who are dedicated to our mission of inspiring everyone to love and protect the mountains. The Mazamas and its members work towards our mission through education, advocacy, and community building

AS A MEMBER YOU WILL: ▶ Meet new friends who share your love of the outdoors ▶ Contribute towards scholarships to get underserved populations outdoors ▶ Discounted rates on Mazama activities & discounts at local outdoor retailers and gyms ▶ Receive our monthly Mazama Magazine ▶ Join the American Alpine Club (AAC) at a reduced rate (once you join you will receive a code to use on the AAC website) ▶ Gain full access to the world-class 5,000 volume Mazama Mountaineering Library ▶ Receive free rescue insurance anywhere in the world below 6,000 meters and up to $10,000 ($5,000 with Mazama membership; $10,000 with joint AAC membership) ▶ Volunteer! You can join our team and lead trips, classes, and other activities

JOIN If you have summitted a glaciated peak, join our ranks today by signing up (or renewing) at mazamas.org/join.

SUPPORT If you are interested in supporting the Mazamas' mission with a financial contribution, go to mazamas.org/donate. or call our office at 503-227-2345.

Mt. Hood climb on Dec. 6, 2019.

Photo: Kim Anderson.

30 MAZAMAS

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

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INTERESTED IN JOINING THE MAZAMAS?

Get membership details on page 30 and join today at mazamas.org/join