Mazama Magazine - October 2015

OCTOBER 2015

VOL. 97

NO. 10

sue s I l a peci

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Access Issues in the Pacific Northwest Portland Alpine Fest Keep Crater Lake Wild Coal & Oil Trains in the Columbia Gorge

FEATURES Parks Advisory Committee, p. 4 Five Things About the Public Lands Heist, p. 6 Access Issues in the Pacific Northwest, p. 7 Alone on the Wall, p. 10 Building Trails, p. 11 New Conservation Challenges, p. 12 Madrone Wall Update, p. 14 Keep Crater Lake Wild, p. 16 RTM 2016?, p. 18 Coal & Oil Trains in the Gorge, p. 20 Live Monumental, p. 25

MONTHLY COLUMNS Volunteer Opportunities, p. 5 Membership Report, p. 18 20s & 30s, p. 22 Evening Travel Programs, p. 23 Classics, p. 26 Mazama Lodge Notes, p. 27 Trail Trips Info, p. 28 Successful Climbers, p. 29 Executive Council Minutes, p. 30 Cover: Shane Harlson on pitch 5 of the Peregrine Traverse on Acker Rock. Photo: Marc Milobinski. Above: Climbers on Mazama Glacier on Mt. Adams. Photo: Vaqas Malik.

Mazama Staff Lee Davis • Executive Director • lee@mazamas.org Jamie Anderson •Member Services Manager jamie@mazamas.org Adam Baylor • Stewardship & Advocacy Manager • adam@mazamas.org Sarah Bradham • Marketing & Publications Manager sarah@mazamas.org Mathew Brock • Library & Historical Collections Manager mathew@mazamas.org Laura Burger • Membership & Development Assistant • laura@mazamas.org Kati Mayfield • Volunteer Manager • kati@mazamas.org Charles Barker • Mazama Lodge Manager mazama.lodge@mazamas.org

UPCOMING EVENTS OCT. 5—

MAZAMA ANNUAL MEETING & VOLUNTEER DINNER 5 p.m. at the MMC. Learn more on page 5.

OCT. 14— REEL ROCK 10

The Mazamas host REEL Rock 10 at Revolution Hall. The films are amazing– don’t miss it! More details: tinyurl.com/MazRR10

NOV. 17–22— 3RD ANNUAL PORTLAND ALPINE FEST

Five days of top level athletes, clinics, presentations, movies, and much more.

Get all the details: portlandalpinefest.org

NOV. 21— THE SUMMIT

Our BIGGEST night of the year! Two keynote speakers, Alex Honnold & Jim Whittaker, silent auction, social time, awards, food & drink. More details: portlandalpinefest. org/the-summit/

CONTACT US Mazama Mountaineering Center 527 SE 43rd Ave., Portland, Oregon, 97215 • 503-227-2345 • adventure@mazamas.org Hours: Mon.–Thu. 11 a.m.–7 p.m. Fri. 10 a.m.–2 p.m.

Mazama Lodge 30500 West Leg Rd. •Government Camp, Oregon, 97028 503-272-9214 • mazama.lodge@mazamas.org Hours: Thu. Noon–Mon. Noon

Publications Committee Committee Chair: Kristie Perry, publications@mazamas.org

Committee Members: Catherine Diaz, Ken DuBois, Joe Fox, Sue Griffith, Pam Monheimer, Lacy Turner

Alex Honnold & Tommy Caldwell on the Fitz Roy Traverse, Patagonia, Argentina. Photo: Austin Siadak.

Dean Potter. Photo: Frank Kretschmann.

Stewardship & Advocacy at the Mazamas Dear Mazamas, We recently concluded the first year of our work on the Mazamas three year strategic plan, which is funded primarily by the Mazamas Foundation with support from individual donors and partners. The plan is composed of several projects aimed at modernizing our programs and services to be scalable and relevant in the future.

The projects are organized in three areas of work: Expanding core programs; Enhancing the way we do business; and Exploring new opportunities.

In our first year, we restored part-time management to our Library and Historical Collections, and launched a new youth outreach program in partnership with the MESD Outdoor School (the Mazama Mountain Science School). We also completed needs assessments for our second-year projects to reinvent leader development, enhance our IT systems, and expand our stewardship and advocacy programs.

Our mission at the Mazamas is to promote mountaineering though our programs, and to protect the mountain environment. A major project in our strategic plan this year is to expand Mazamas stewardship and advocacy programs that help us protect the mountain environment. The stated goals of that project are: To create a mission-based policy agenda and lead in outreach and advocacy and; to lead and promote responsible recreation and stewardship work in the Pacific Northwest.

The Mazamas have a long history, a legacy even, of being involved in local, regional, and national advocacy issues. In fact, we used to be regional leaders in this work. In 1895 we were advocating regionally in support of the Cascade Forest Reserve, with our founder ADVERTISER INDEX Active Adventures, p. 32 Base Camp Brewing Company, p. 29 Centered in Motion, p. 27 Classifieds, p. 19 Climb Max Mountaineering, p. 19 Embark Adventures, p. 6 Green Trails, p. 15

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT

3 Year Strategic Plan

EXPAND core programs ENHANCE business practices EXPLORE new opportunities William Steele travelling to Washington D.C. and lobbying to preserve our northwest forests.

We also led the charge to create Crater Lake National Park, and more recently we were a strong voice in the Cooper Spur Wild and Free coalition that worked to protect the north side of Mt. Hood from development.

In recent years our Access and Trail Tending Committees have struggled to find volunteers and leaders, and our Conservation Committee has been heavily reliant on the extraordinary efforts of several key volunteers. With a legacy of leadership reaching back over 120 years we believe that the Mazamas can and should be working to regain our prominence in regional and national advocacy. Especially around issues that pertain to mountaineering, outdoor access, conservation, and responsible recreation. Simply put, we should be leading, not following.

Adam Baylor, our Stewardship and Advocacy Manager, is in charge of this project.

His position is funded entirely through a combination of support from the Mazamas Foundation strategic plan grant, individual donors, and external grants. You’ve seen his articles in recent Bulletins, and some of you have had the opportunity to work with him at trail and crag clean-ups in the Columbia Gorge, on Mt. Hood, at Smith Rock State Park, and even through a partner program in Yosemite with the Climber Stewards. Adam

Advertise with us! tinyurl.com/MazamaAdvertising Montbell, p. 24 Mountain Shop, p. 21 Next Adventure, p. 14 Oregon Mountain Community, p. 29 SMC Gear, p. 31 Sunny Freeman Real Estate, p. 27 Yatvin Computer Consultants, p. 4

also serves as the NW Oregon/SW Washington regional coordinator for the Access Fund and is a member of the Beacon Rock Climbing Association.

In the year ahead our project goals include doubling our on-the-ground stewardship events, clarifying our policy agenda in conservation and recreational access, and aggressively supporting this agenda at our state and national legislature. We also pledge to communicate much more with all of you, through articles, blog and social media postings, and regular status reports. By clarifying our advocacy priorities and focusing our efforts on these priorities, the Mazamas can retake a leading role in our community and truly make a difference.

This issue of the Mazama Bulletin is focused on conservation, stewardship and access issues and we’re sure you’ll enjoy it. If you have thoughts, ideas or an interest in helping us be leaders in these areas of work again please email your comments to adam@mazamas.org.

Thanks,

Lee Davis Executive Director

MAZAMA (USPS 334-780) Editor: Sarah Bradham (mazama.bulletin@mazamas. org). Advertising: mazama.ads@mazamas.org.

Subscription: $15 per year. Bulletin material must be emailed to the editor. All material is due by noon on the 14th of the preceding month. If the 14th falls on a weekend, the deadline is the preceding Friday.

The Mazama Bulletin is published monthly by the Mazamas—527 SE 43rd Ave., Portland, OR 97215.

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

The Executive Council meets at 6:30 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month. Meetings are open to members. The Mazamas is a 501(c)(3) Oregon nonprofit corporation organized on the summit of Mt. Hood in 1894. The Mazamas is an equal opportunity provider.

OCTOBER 2015

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Parks Advisory Committee Formed at Beacon Rock

by Adam Baylor, Mazamas Stewardship and Advocacy Manager The Mazamas, along with other climbing organizations, have been working with Beacon Rock State Park officials to develop a technical rock climbing advisory committee to begin meeting this fall. This committee is a legal requirement for Washington State Parks (WAC 352-32-085) and will assist the park rangers in climbing management.

The group will focus on some contentious issues such as designating climber and raptor buffer zones for resource protection. Climbers have raised concerns for more than a decade about seasonal blanket closures at Beacon Rock. The alternative that many climbers are familiar with is being used at Smith Rock State Park; Instead of overly restrictive blanket closures of climbing areas, officials have specified buffer zones for raptor protection.

This new advisory committee will also need to address the growing concern that classic routes on Beacon, the West Face in particular, are overgrown with poison oak or blackberries due to blanket closures. The South Face has many routes that also need maintenance; however, most of the popular climbs in that area remain in good condition.

Some fixed-anchors are in need of replacement and most climbers are confused about local bolting ethics. Old, rusty hardware can be found on many of Beacon’s abandoned routes.

Trash from the hiker trail accumulates in poison oak and blackberry bushes at the base of the West Face. New route development and bouldering in natural areas is also a growing concern as both forms of climbing increase in popularity.

While many of these problems were addressed in the 1996 Climbing Management Plan for Beacon Rock, some were partially enforced over time, others never enforced at all --the main reason Washington State Parks decided to form an advisory committee. An updated plan will help solve many of the climbing-related access issues at the popular park.

The formation of a new advisory committee comes at a key time for Beacon Rock and its thousands of visitors, both human and nonhuman. Every user group—from climbers to raptors, boulderers to pikas—faces ever changing environmental and public policies. For example: September 2015 marked the end of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service requirement to monitor Peregrine falcon populations in the Pacific Northwest. Peregrine densities are now higher than they ever were before the use of DDT. We hope this collaborative advisory committee process, led by State Park officials, will guide a new generation of climber stewards in restoring access to Beacon’s abandoned routes while at the same time protecting this natural resource.

This effort is the product of collaboration between Washington State Parks, the Mazamas, Access Fund, American Alpine Club, Beacon Rock Climbing Association and the Washington Climbers’ Coalition.

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MAZAMAS

REGISTER FOR FIRST AID Registration for Mountaineering First Aid (MFA) is now open! MFA is an intensive wilderness based first aid course that will teach you to care for injured or ill patients in the backcountry, far from definitive care. You will learn to improvise equipment and cope with wilderness specific conditions.

CPR is a prerequisite, but no other medical training is necessary. Classes involve lectures, hands-on practice scenarios and a weekend seminar.

Fall classes will be Tuesdays and Thursday evenings from Oct. 20–Nov. 5 at the MMC and a weekend at Mazama Lodge Nov. 7 & 8.

In addition, MFA recertification is offered over two nights in December and our Winter MFA session will be held the in late February and early March, 2016.

Details and registration online at: mazamas.org/education-classes/first-aid

Outings Committee Ongoing

If you have a passion for travelling and adventure trips, this is your opportunity to participate in the visioning, planning, organization, and execution of a successful Outing. Committee members work with Outing Leaders from concept to wrap-up of trips around the world. As an Outing Liaison you coordinate planning, budgeting, promoting and financial tracking with your assigned Outing Leader. As a committee member you are part of a group that establishes policy for Mazama Outings as well as providing an excellent information and consulting resource for trip planners. The committee will meet every other month on the first Thursday of the month. Interested volunteers should contact the Outings Committee Chair, Bob Breivogel, outings@mazamas.org for more information about joining the committee.

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

Outreach Ongoing

Come join the Outreach Committee as we represent the Mazamas at two of the fall’s biggest events: the Reel Rock Film Tour on Wednesday, Oct. 14 and the Portland Alpine Fest Nov. 17–21.

It’s all hands on deck and we need your help. You will join experienced volunteers as we talk about the Mazamas, and how we can fit with the active lifestyles of nearly any person who loves to get outdoors. Whether it’s hiking, climbing, taking classes, or getting involved in our conservation activities, there’s something here for everyone.

Contact outreach@mazamas.org for more information.

Mazama Families Volunteers Ongoing

The Mazama Families committee is looking forward to upcoming activities this fall and is recruiting volunteers to support our classes, hikes, climbs and social events. The Families Mountaineering 101 is underway and will need volunteers. If you are available to help assist the course, please contact coordinators Justin Rotherham and Craig Martin at FM101@ mazamas.org. To support our

CELEBRATION OF LIFE—GARY BECK Monday, Oct. 26, 6 p.m. at the MMC

Every once in a while, we are privileged to meet someone who changes our view of the world—in a wonderful way!

Join us to celebrate Gary Beck’s life and all the great memories, laughter and of course, the summits!

Bring your favorite appetizer to share and a bottle of scotch for a scotch tasting (Gary’s favorite leader treat), and stories and photos of Gary. Hope to see you there!

other activities, contact families@mazamas. org. We look forward to being outdoors with you and your kids.

Mountaineering First Aid (MFA) Skill Checkers Needed Oct/Nov 2015

Fall MFA is just around the corner! The First Aid Committee worked hard last spring to update MFA and we’re excited to keep things going this fall, but we need your help! Whether you just took the class last year or it’s been a while since you’ve helped out, if you are currently MFA certified, we have a role for you. Classes are Oct. 20, 22, 29, Nov. 3 & 5 from 6:30–9:30 p.m. at the MMC, and at Mazama Lodge Nov. 7–8. Contact Kim Edger at kimberlyedger@gmail.com if you can help with any or all of the modules, the weekend or both.

Portland Alpine Fest Volunteers Monday, Nov. 16

Are you ready?!

It’s time for the Portland Alpine Fest to kick into gear, and we need your help!

From setup to registration to take-down, we need enthusiastic volunteers to make the 2015 PAF the best one yet. Check out the Portland Alpine Fest website

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES (portlandalpinefest.org) for a full lineup of clinics, presentations and other activities, then use this form to tell us which events you’re interested in supporting: tinyurl.com/PAF2015Volunteer.

And, mark your calendars for Monday, Nov. 16, for PAF volunteer orientation. Questions?

Email kati@mazamas.org.

KATI MAYFIELD VOLUNTEER MANAGER KATI@MAZAMAS.ORG Kati Mayfield joined the Mazamas as Volunteer Manager in 2012. In this role she supports Mazama volunteers by connecting them with the resources and information they need to fulfill their duties; and by helping new volunteers engage in meaningful ways. Kati also manages the Youth Outreach Program, geared towards creating opportunities for kids in our community to learn about and play in the mountains.

ANNUAL MEETING & VOLUNTEER DINNER Oct. 5; 5 p.m. at the MMC

The Executive Council hosts this dinner, catered by Charles Barker of the Mazama Lodge, to honor our volunteers for all they have done this year. We strongly encourage committee chairs to attend the dinner and annual meeting to give your annual reports and share what your committee has accomplished. Date: Monday, Oct. 5. Food service begins at 5 p.m. at the MMC. Meeting begins at 6 p.m. Please RSVP for the dinner to dyfozter@gmail.com.

Agenda: Annual reports: president, treasurer, secretary, executive director, foundation, and committees. Results of the voting for Executive Council. Regular October Executive Council meeting to follow, in lieu of Oct. 13.

OCTOBER 2015

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5 THINGS

YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE PUBLIC LAND HEIST

by Tania Lown-Hecht, Outdoor Alliance In Oregon and across the west, a battle is looming over the sale of a huge swath of America’s public lands—putting millions of acres (and the recreation opportunities they offer) under siege. Under the guise of “state rights” rhetoric, powerful private interests are fighting to transfer public lands to state governments, where they can be more easily developed, privatized, sold off, or mined for resources. In Oregon alone, over 100 climbing areas, 120 river access points, and thousands of miles of trails would be affected by the proposed legislation.

AMERICA’S MOUNTAINS, FORESTS, AND RIVERS BELONG TO EVERYONE Public lands belong to all Americans. They are home to stunning climbing, paddling, hiking, skiing, biking, and camping that everyone can access. Together, Americans care for these special places, protecting them so that everyone can enjoy them, including the next generation.

STATE GOVERNMENTS COULD PRIVATIZE, SELL, DEVELOP, OR AUCTION OFF OUR PUBLIC LANDS TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER If our public lands were sold to state governments, they would be the responsibility of state taxpayers to maintain and protect. A single wildfire can cost $100 million to fight, which could force states to sell or auction off land to cover the costs. Imagine if the place you love to hike, climb, paddle, ski, bike, or camp were suddenly sold to a private landowner or a real estate developer.

SOME POLITICIANS WOULD LIKE TO SELL OFF PUBLIC LANDS TO GENERATE PROFIT FOR INDIVIDUAL STATES OR PRIVATE ENTITIES Right now, a handful of out of touch politicians backed by private interests like the American Lands Council have launched an aggressive campaign to dispose of America’s public lands. They have introduced dozens of bills in 11 western states that demand that the public “turn over” millions of acres of public land to state governments.

THE PUBLIC LAND HEIST IS GAINING MOMENTUM IN WESTERN STATES AND IN WASHINGTON DC Although some state legislatures voted down land transfer bills, the idea of selling off public lands is gaining momentum. In Congress, a symbolic amendment supporting the sale of public lands passed this spring. These bills challenge the foundation that underpins National Parks, National Forests, and public access to wild places. The Public Land Heist is the most serious threat that has faced our public lands in a generation.

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WE NEED TO SPEAK NOW TO PROTECT THE PLACES WE LOVE TO PLAY If our mountains, forests, and rivers are privatized or sold off, there’s no replacing them.

Voice your support for public lands by signing the petition today. By signing, you will become part of a growing movement of people who are working together to keep public lands public.

A Common Language Conservation

Stewardship

Access

Conservation is 1. the act or practice of conserving; protection from loss, waste, etc., preservation, 2. the official care, protection, or management of natural resources.

(Webster’s Dictionary).

Stewardship is one of the Mazamas core values. The Mazamas believe in protecting the mountain environment and doing so through hands-on trail and crag maintenance, tree planting, and partnering with conservation organizations in Oregon and Washington.

Access is often referred to in the climbing world as a situation that prevents recreation from occurring and needs to be balanced to make positive changes. Some examples include, private land ownership, environmental or cultural protection, or overuse and erosion of trail systems.

Conservation also refers to a political, environmental and social movement that seeks to protect natural resources including biodiversity and habitat.

Access Issues in the Pacific Northwest North Cascades National Park

Beacon Rock Beacon Rock continues to evolve as a complicated access issue. Washington State Parks officials are organizing a technical rock climbing advisory committee to address the problems of abandoned routes, volunteer support and bolting, to name a few of the problems.

Seasonal closures of the South Face occur each year on Feb. 1 and last until about July 15 depending on fledging of peregrines.

North Cascades National Park banned the use of bolts despite the National Parks Director order #41 that authorized use of fixed-anchors in wilderness and parks. This local administrative decision is complicated and our partners the Mountaineers, Access Fund and Washington Climbers Coalition are working on a compromise to keep fixed-pro on climbs such as Forbidden Peak.

Madrone Wall Located in Clackamas County, this area was closed more than a decade ago due to administrative issues with local government. Thankfully, the Madrone Wall Preservation Committee is turning the tide and this Portland crag is projected to be open in the next year.

Smith Rock State Park Smith Rock State Park is the most popular climbing area in Oregon. In the last few years, visitor use has increased substantially (hikers, bikers, climbers, etc.), and overcrowding is becoming a major problem.

VIsit mid-week for smaller crowds.

Menagerie Wilderness This is a popular climbing area near Sweet Home, Oregon that is closed more than half the year by the U.S. Forest Service. The closure has been expanded in recent years despite the success of peregrine falcons and the efforts of the climbing community. Again, please respect the closure and contact USFS to inquiry about alternative protection strategies.

The Callahans A series of sandstone cliffs near Roseburg closed to climbing unless users have a current recreational pass from Weyerhauser Paper (private landowner). Visitors without this permit will be charged with trespassing. Please respect this closure while the local climbing community and Access Fund find an alternative solution for climbing access.

Williamson River Cliffs Located between Bend and Klamath Falls on OR-97, it is undergoing a final environmental assessment by the USFS to determine partial access to the area.

OCTOBER 2015

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Get your tickets online today! portlandalpinefest.org

Like the Portland Alpine Fest Facebook page to keep up with the day to day festival news. facebook.com/ portlandalpinefestival

John Frieh 8

MAZAMAS

Alex Honnold

Dawn Glanc

Scott Adamson

Scott Rogers

Jim Whittaker

Full details available online (portlandalpinefest.org): ▶▶ Festival Schedule ▶▶ The Summit ▶▶ Clinics ▶▶ Speaker Series ▶▶ Silent Auction ▶▶ 10th Annual Portland Ice Comp ▶▶ Celebration of Trails Race Hosted by

THE SUMMIT

Nov. 21 at the Oregon Convention Center

Presentations from Alex Honnold & Jim Whittaker

Silent Auction Vendor Fair Awards Social Time

Food & Drinks After-Party at Base Camp Brewing Company

Presented by

ALEX HONNOLD

is a world-class American rock climber best known for his free solo ascents of big walls. He jumped into the mountaineering world with both feet when, with Tommy Caldwell, he completed the first ascent of the “Fitz Traverse,” climbing across the iconic ridgeline of Cerro Fitz Roy and its satellite peaks in southern Patagonia (and learned to use crampons along the way).

Lead Sponsors

JIM WHITTAKER

is an internationally renowned mountaineer, adventurer and environmentalist, is best known as the first American to summit Mt. Everest, on May 1, 1963. Jim is the author of the best-selling, awardwinning memoir, A Life on the Edge: Memoirs of Everest and Beyond.

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OCTOBER 2015

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Alone on the Wall

By Alex Honnold with David Roberts Review by Ken DuBois

T

he mind of the elite athlete is largely incomprehensible to the rest of us, and no amount of writing can ever really bring us closer to the why of what they do.

The best we can hope for is a lot of what and how, and with enough of those stories we can begin to guess at what makes them tick, even if we’ve never been in their shoes.

In Alone on the Wall, those shoes are often wedged into the cracks of granite slabs, a thousand vertical feet up. Alex Honnold specializes in setting new climbing records, and with this collection of climbing anecdotes, he brings us as close to the action as many of us will ever want to be. His first-ever climbs are detailed grip by grip, with Honnold’s remarkable commentary providing an intense, white-knuckle reading experience.

And his thought process along the way is fascinating even if it is, of course, completely unrelatable.

Honnold is primarily a free-solo climber, meaning that his preferred method is to climb rock faces with no ropes or partners, and without touching the “aid” he encounters along the way – the bolts and ropes left behind by other climbers.

He climbs in shorts, a t-shirt, and climbing shoes, with a collapsible water bottle and protein bars in his pocket, and a chalk bag on his hip to dry his hands. The only extra weight he carries is an iPod headband that plays punk songs and Eminem.

Like elite athletes in other sports, Honnold spends little time questioning his ability, and a good deal of time preparing

mentally. He does explore his objectives by climbing with ropes, and memorizing hand and footholds, but then turns his energy to the confidence building that makes it possible. In the days before his free solo climb on Moonlight Buttress in Zion National Park, for example, he spent several days waiting out bad weather and contemplating the details of his upcoming climb: “I sat in my van in a movie theater parking lot in Springdale, stared out the window and thought ... I didn’t have anything to do except think. About the climb. Sitting and thinking, hour after hour.

Visualizing every single move, everything that could possibly happen ... That’s what I mean by preparation.”

In that sense, Honnold’s approach is similar to elite athletes in any number of sports, but in other ways he’s strikingly different. There are no coaches or trainers in his camp; he goes solo, both on and off the walls. Honnold is entirely selfmotivated, and words of caution from climbing friends and family have no effect. He dislikes it when people watch him climb, he writes, because he thinks it will make them nervous. And after hours of scaling a wall in a fairly relaxed state of mind, he gets tense only when he approaches the top and can hear the voices of onlookers waiting for him to appear.

It’s before and after a climb that Honnold struggles with emotions. “That’s the strange paradox, for me at least, about free soloing,” he writes in Alone on the Wall.

“It’s the waiting beforehand that’s anxiety producing. The vacillating over “Should I do this?” When I finally commit the stress goes away. It’s actually a big relief to go up there and do it.” As soon as he finishes a climb, he tells us, he’s thinking about what he wants to do next.

In Alone on the Wall, the author takes us with him on a remarkable series of climbs, including his free-solo adventures on Red Rocks near Las Vegas, El Potrero Chico in northern Mexico, the Fitz Traverse in Patagonia, and his favorite, El Capitan and the northwest face of Half Dome in Yosemite. But it’s worth noting that only about half of the book is by Honnold, and half is about him. Following each episode described by Honnold, climbing expert David Roberts provides commentary on the events surrounding the accomplishment, including a lot of nonclimbing details like the media attention the athlete is receiving. The context is interesting but pales in comparison to Honnold’s breathtaking accounts.

Though Honnold seems to care little what anyone thinks of his life’s pursuit, he does respond, in Alone on the Wall, to the many detractors who consider his accomplishments—each one a life or death experience—to be simply too extreme.

“Some people might call this crazy,” Honnold writes. “I call it badass.”

Honnold. A and Roberts, D. Alone on the Wall. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2015.

Alex Honnold will be speaking and signing books at the The Summit on Nov. 21. Get your tickets today! portlandalpinefest.org 10

MAZAMAS

Building Trails

The Mazamas 95-year Legacy of Creating & Maintaining Trails

by Mathew Brock, Library & Historical Collecctions Manager “There is a thrill in knowing that one particular portion of a completed trail has been completed by your own labor. And double pleasure comes in hiking over the trail in later years, each turn bringing memories as well as vistas.” –R.H. Bunnage The Mazamas built their first trail in 1920 when a party of nearly 100 Mazamas helped construct the Tanner Creek trail to Wahclella Falls in the Columbia River Gorge. That same year, the Mazamas constructed or assisted on many other trails, including forging the current Eagle Creek trail in the Gorge as far as the first set of falls and creating the Mirror Lake trail near Mt. Hood. For close to 100 years, the Mazamas have continued this conservation tradition. What follows is a brief history of several notable Mazama projects.

In late 1944, the Mazamas embarked on an ambitious project nestled in the woods near the St. Johns Bridge. The City of Portland had recently acquired the tracts of land that would become Forest Park.

Some interested Mazamas felt there was a need to do something constructive with a

small part of the land. They envisioned an arboretum with groves of hardwood and nut trees providing wildlife and bird habitat. Working with the City, they hoped to create a place where members could gather to enjoy the views of the Willamette Valley and the Cascade Range.

In 1945 the Mazamas began in earnest to develop their plan. They improved an existing trail and named it the “Hardesty Trail” in memory of W. P. Hardesty, an early Mazamas benefactor. The planting of over two thousand trees followed in an area that became known as the “Mazama Forest.” In 1951, the site was further developed by planting rhododendron seeds harvested from the Hood Canal region of Washington.

A large forest fire destroyed much of the Mazamas’ hard work later in 1951 when it burned unchecked. The rhododendrons survived the fire, but it destroyed close to a third of the recently planted trees and large sections of the older fir, pine, and cedar groves. Although forgotten, the Mazama Forest lives on as an early testament to our conservation work.

The Mazamas’ association with Mt. Hood goes back to the organizations start in 1894. It seemed fitting that the organization’s name should have a presence on the mountain to recognize our long fellowship. In 1992, Ray Sheldon took on the task of making that dream a reality.

After negotiations, the US Forest Service proposed the reestablishment of the closed Cathedral Ridge trail. This massive undertaking required the Mazamas to raise $14,000 and organize many volunteer work hours on the trail. Over several years, they cleared 300 obstacles, including 30 trees from one part of the trail nicknamed Whip Saw Alley. At the time it was the largest volunteer project undertaken by any USFS District and perhaps the largest volunteer project undertaken on USFS land in the nation. The Mazama and the Forest Service dedicated the “Mazama Trail” in 1997.

More recently the Mazamas adopted maintenance of the Elk-Kings trail system in April of 2003. Many years ago the Tillamook State Forest constructed the trails up Elk and Kings Mountains, with the traverse route coming later. In the Mazamas’ first year of involvement, they made six trips to scout the trail and perform brush and drainage work. For the next eleven years, the Mazamas organized between two to three official trips a year to target specific areas of the trail for maintenance.

The Mazamas volunteered over 1100 hours of labor, or roughly 193 days, to keeping the trail open and accessible.

Sadly, when the Trail Tending Committee disbanded in late 2014, an organized effort to keep up maintenance of the trail also faltered. In 1926 R.H. Bunnage wrote that “from the evidence of use already made of [the Mirror Lake] trail during the past summer, it in all probability will be as popular, if not more so, than the Tanner Creek Trail.” His prediction has proved correct as all the trails the Mazamas have aided in remain popular to this day. The Mazamas should be proud of how they have labored over the years to develop and maintain access to a range of areas in the Northwest. In continuing to do so we reaffirm our commitment to stewardship and conservation. As you hike and explore, take pleasure in knowing that the Mazamas have had an impact on many of the trails we know, use, and love.

This page: Mazama work party in Forest Park, Mazama Forest, Edwin Sorenson Collection OCTOBER 2015

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NEW Conservation Challenges Call for NEW Strategies: The Future of the Mazamas Conservation Committee

by Alicia Imbody

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few summers ago, I co-led a group of college undergrads on a hike to the toe of Mt. Hood’s Eliot Glacier.

Our goal was to provide a firsthand look at the effects of climate change and help instill a sense of awe, and also responsibility for protecting the wild places we love. Their reactions and thank you notes sent long after the hike made it clear that we had accomplished our objective. That experience, along with the last few years as a student and teacher with the Mazamas, has reinforced my belief that helping people to enjoy the mountains safely and build positive personal relationships with the outdoors is critical to conservation.

I recently returned to this area, exploring Mt. Hood’s exposed glaciers with our Advanced Snow and Ice class, and I was shocked to see that this area of the lower Eliot has completely disappeared. Climate change is manifesting in the mountains as rapidly increasing glacier recession, poor snow pack, and rampant wildfires, and the negative impact on our classes and activities makes these changes impossible to ignore.

In addition to environmental changes, we are also facing social change, such as rapid urbanization, population explosion throughout the greater Portland Metro area, and generations of young people who are increasingly disconnected from nature.

We’re facing drastic problems that the conservationists of the past did not have, compounding the age-old struggle to protect our wild places from private development and extractive industries. The Mazamas has a strong history of conservation leadership

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in Oregon and throughout the Pacific Northwest. If we want to continue our legacy of advocating for natural environments and acting as good stewards we must develop new strategies to face the new challenges.

Conservation is key to the Mazamas’ mission. We cannot enjoy places that have been degraded and stripped of their aesthetic, cultural, and recreational values, or that have restricted public access due to private development or resource extraction. From supporting the designation of Crater Lake as Oregon’s first (and only) national park, to supporting wilderness designations around the Northwest (see “Mazamas Conservation Policy Agenda” sidebar), the Mazamas have been leaders in the local conservation movement for more than 120 years. This movement can be divided into two broad strategies: advocacy and stewardship.

Environmental advocacy is the indirect work that the Mazamas do to support particular causes or policies with decision makers, land managers, politicians, and coalition leaders. Environmental stewardship is the direct work of our members in responsible planning and management of resources, including projects like trail tending, tree planting, and Leave No Trace education. In the past, the Conservation Committee volunteers were responsible for both advocacy and stewardship, with a focus on advocacy, while the Trail Tending subcommittee did much of the traditional stewardship work. With the recent dissolution of the Trail Tending subcommittee and the addition of a staff Advocacy and Stewardship Manager, the role of the Conservation Committee has evolved.

For the last several years, as a Conservation Committee member, co-chair, and until very recently, the chair, I have worked closely with staff member Adam Baylor, the Advocacy and Stewardship Manager, who, along with Executive Director Lee Davis, serves as the primary point of contact for advocacy

work. This distinction is an important change for the organization. Delegating advocacy primarily to staff helps ensure that the organization has a focused and consistent message with decision makers, land managers, and coalitions. It also allows the Conservation Committee to focus on the grassroots efforts where we can make a significant impact, such as educating our members and empowering the broader community to be better environmental stewards. As a former lobbyist on Capitol Hill and a political scientist focusing on environmental policy, I see the need to have both staff and volunteers supporting conservation, and I recognize how critical this two-tiered approach is to our efforts.

This is especially true for big picture issues like climate change and national campaigns to protect wild lands. In order to make this partnership between staff and the volunteers most effective going forward, I have three recommendations: SUPPORT STAFF ADVOCACY EFFORTS VIA A REPRESENTATIVE CONSERVATION POLICY AGENDA. While volunteers are no longer expected to manage advocacy, they still support staff by tracking conservation issues and providing important input. One key way that the Conservation Committee supports advocacy work is by engaging our members and the community that we serve to develop a representative Conservation Policy Agenda.

This new tool is designed to help staff identify the issues that are the most relevant and salient to our members, based on outreach and surveys. The policy agenda will help the Mazamas focus limited volunteer and financial resources where they are most needed and will do the most good. The issues included on the agenda are expected to change over time, but include the top current priorities for the Mazamas.

MAZAMAS CONSERVATION POLICY AGENDA

Left: Eliot Glacier, Aug. 1901. Photo: H. F. Reid. Right: Eliot Glacier, Aug. 2015. Photo: Darryl Lloyd

EDUCATE AND EMPOWER THE MEMBERSHIP AND COMMUNITY THROUGH HANDS-ON PROJECTS. The other side of the conservation coin is stewardship: the hands-on projects that members do to make positive impacts in the environment and educate our community about important issues. An ongoing challenge and opportunity for the Conservation Committee is fostering a positive culture of empowerment. In my role as chair, I often heard from members or former members that they care passionately about protecting the environment, but they need a break from the internal and external politics and conflicts that are often associated with the conservation movement in general and the committee in particular. Rather than fighting the things we don’t want, volunteers should focus on what they do want: affecting positive change directly; leaving the natural environment better than we found it or restoring it after it has been damaged by human impact; expanding our base of support and engaging non-traditional user groups; and raising awareness about important issues on the policy agenda.

EMBRACE COALITIONS AND THE COMPLEMENTARY NATURE OF CONSERVATION AND ACCESS. The Mazamas has had the greatest success in conservation when working through local or regional coalitions and partnerships to leverage strength in numbers. Our work within coalitions shows our political support for issues that affect the larger human-powered outdoor recreation community. This support is not only pragmatic, it’s based on our values and our dual mandate to support access and conservation.

This dual mandate does not need to be a source of contention. Access and conservation are complementary and interdependent concepts for us, as an organization dedicated to supporting a science-based ecosystem management approach. If there is evidence that recreation is negatively impacting the environment, we don’t push for access; we

support closures and monitoring efforts however we can. But if there is no evidence that access by climbers or other recreational users is harmful, then we are generally in support. In the absence of scientific evidence that recreation has a negative effect on the environment, supporting continued or increased public access, and sharing trails with other humanpowered recreationists like runners, cyclists, and equestrians, directly aligns with conservation strategies. Our mission is for everyone to enjoy the mountains; more people enjoying the outdoors responsibly means more support for stewardship, sustainable management policies, and resource allocation to public lands.

Over the last three years of volunteering with the Mazamas while working as a researcher and policy analyst for land managers like the USFS and Portland Parks and Recreation, I have experienced a lot of infighting. The conservation movement has been riddled with internal conflict, and we’re missing out on critical opportunities to protect and conserve areas that are increasingly endangered by human development and resource extraction. The future leaders of the Mazamas’ conservation efforts must recognize that supporting public recreation access and conserving wild places are complementary strategies to achieve our goals.

Supporting our mission means sharing the trails and working together on big picture issues that affect us all.

I encourage all of you who are passionate about protecting the places where we play—whether you consider yourself a conservationist, a steward, or an access proponent—to support these complex and interconnected issues. Contact Adam Baylor (adam@Mazamas.org) if you are interested in supporting the organization’s conservation, stewardship, and access activities.

CURRENT ISSUES ▶▶ Supporting designation of new Oregon wilderness areas such as Crater Lake, Owyhee Canyon, Kalmiopsis and Devil’s Staircase (Wassen Creek) ▶▶ Protecting old growth trees in the Elliott State Forest ▶▶ Supporting the Cooper Spur land trade and ensuring the sustainable management of Mt. Hood and the surrounding forestland and watershed, including supporting adding back in the areas left out of the Mt. Hood Wilderness 2009 Omnibus legislation ▶▶ Opposing the transport of fossil fuels through the Columbia Gorge and Mt. Hood National Forest ▶▶ Promoting youth conservation outreach such as supporting PEAK Leave No Trace training and providing grants for organizations engaged in promoting youth outdoor education and stewardship ▶▶ Educating and engaging our members on the Mazamas’ efforts to become a carbon neutral organization through programs such as tree planting and working to make the MMC more sustainable ▶▶ Continuing to raise awareness within the community about the negative effects of climate change on alpine environments via resolutions such as the Oregon Climate Declaration ▶▶ Supporting climber/hiker stewardship programs and monitoring efforts to ensure that our activities have a positive impact on the environment

What other issues do you think the Mazamas should be tracking and supporting as part of the Conservation Policy Agenda? Share your thoughts with Advocacy and Stewardship Manager Adam Baylor via email (adam@mazamas.org).

OCTOBER 2015

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Madrone Wall Update Keith K. Daellenbach, Director, Secretary/ Treasurer, Madrone Wall Preservation Committee Advocacy efforts earlier this year have paid off. The Clackamas County Parks Advisory Board (CCPAB) unanimously voted to move forward in the creation of Madrone Wall Park.

This was possible with support from the Mazamas, Access Fund, American Alpine Club, and Madrone Wall Preservation Committee (MWPC). We sent more than 500 letters from all over the country including support from local schools, churches, scouting groups, and businesses. Each person asked the CCPAB to move the park creation forward. The importance of this unanimous vote cannot be overstated. Had the vote gone the other way, it would have been considerably harder to generate any future positive momentum towards park creation—so “Thank You!” In June, MWPC and civil engineers performing pro bono work at T.Y. Lin International completed a set of engineering construction documents. These documents are based on the 2009 Park Concept Design created from a year-long study with public input. It also includes the conditional use permit requirements determined by Clackamas County.

MWPC volunteers provided site tours to staff from Senator Ron Wyden and Senator Jeff Merkley’s office, Clackamas County Tourism Development Council (TDC), Park Advisory Board, Access Fund, the Mazamas, and the Oregon National Guard 1249th Engineering Battalion. The Guard is evaluating a collaborative effort that would deploy Guard soldiers in a Community Assistance Project (CAP) to build the required access road and onsite parking.

The MWPC also worked with CCPAB to submit a preapplication grant packet to TDC in July which resulted in an invitation by TDC to submit a full application by mid October.

A TDC grant could make it possible to match other funds that would pay for road and parking construction materials, a toilet, trailhead kiosk, and other amenities.

Many items are being worked on simultaneously including completing the full grant application to TDC, the CAP packet review by the National Guard, and discussions with Clackamas County Parks for creating an operations and maintenance plan for the future park as well as an Memorandum of Understanding between CCPAB and MWPC. Chris Winter at Crag Law Center, Adam Baylor of the Mazamas, Joe Sambataro with the Access Fund, Eddie Espinosa with the American Alpine Club, and Kelly Rice and Keith Daellenbach of MWPC have been working closely with Audubon Society of Portland to create the framework for a peregrine falcon and climbing management plan.

The Madrone Wall remains closed and we ask that the community refrain from poaching the site as it makes opening a public rock climbing park all the more challenging. Please follow new developments at www.savemadrone.org and facebook.com/ madronewall.

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Keep Crater Lake WILD

by Bridget Callahan, Oregon Wild

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rom the top of Mt. Scott, at 8,900 feet elevation, you see not only magnificent Crater Lake, but also the endless cascading mountains in the distance. On my recent visit, no one at this viewpoint spoke, all reverently taking in the deep blue lake, the perfectly placed coneshaped island, the dramatic 2,000 foot walls surrounding the crater, and towering peaks marching away in either direction.

I was here for Oregon Wild’s Crater Lake Wild Week, a week-long series of hikes around our only national park. The goal was to explore Oregon Wild’s flagship Wilderness campaign, the Crater Lake Wilderness proposal. This ambitious 500,000 acre proposal encompasses the “Crown of the Cascades,” including the backcountry of the park and the wildlands surrounding it.

All of it majestic, yet none of it protected as wilderness.

We hiked mountains, lakes, rivers, and wildflower meadows. We were engulfed by massive old growth trees, parted a sea of thousands of tree frogs, and heard wild howls in the night.

We’ve compiled some of the best backcountry hikes we discovered in the Crater Lake region and hope you’ll join us in exploring, and appreciating, the natural wonders beyond the rim.

THE UPPER ROGUE RIVER TRAIL This trail follows its namesake’s famed

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headwaters and this 4.5 mile section has it all: enormous firs and pines, creeks, waterfalls, wildflowers, and—if you time it right—wild huckleberries.

Rough Rider Falls booms with white cascading water, surrounded by emerald moss and fallen logs, making an excellent lunch spot. A second set of falls and a forest blanketed by massive Sugar pine cones comes later in the trail. Continuing on to the Upper Rogue River Trail can also make an excellent extended backpacking trip.

As important as the Rogue River is for fisheries, recreation, and wildlife, the headwaters are not protected as Wilderness. The controversial logging project known as Bybee looms around the corner, while off-roading, mining, and encroaching development keep nipping at the edges of this wild landscape.

TWIN LAKES Wait, which Twin Lakes? Of the many pairs that share the moniker, these Twin

Lakes by the North Umpqua River are the most impressive in Oregon. Really.

Within the Crater Lake Wilderness proposal, this 5.5 mile loop hike offers breathtaking meadows teeming with wildflowers and dancing butterflies, and towering old-growth trees the size of giants. There’s a rocky outcropping where you’ll find yourself gazing straight down into two dazzling blue lakes.

The water‘s azure glimmer is more reminiscent of the Dominican Republic than Oregon—a rainbow of hues varying from cobalt to periwinkle, waning into gold as the edges of the lake lap at the sand. You’ll wonder how it was humanly possible to take in this sight and then bestown it such an uninspired name. This lookout is great for lunch, and builds anticipation for dipping in the crystal waters below.

A trail wraps around the first lake and leads to the second. The smaller lake is the prettier of the two. Its water’s color is vibrant and beckons swimmers. Primitive

campsites at the far end make this a lovely backpacking destination.

The views at the top lookout show a stark contrast of different public lands designations.

While Twin Lakes is one of the more beautiful places I’ve visited in Oregon, the clearcuts in the distance serve as a stunning contrast and glaring reminder of the sad reality facing many Oregon’s forests.

MT. SCOTT The highest peak inside the national park has a final elevation of almost 9,000 feet. But instead of a wind-whipped, icy wasteland, the 2.5 mile trek is a surprisingly well-groomed trail, with plenty of shaded places to take in the views.

Mt. Scott’s other surprise is the magnificent flora. During the summer, incredibly vivid Indian paintbrush guides hikers up. My personal favorite, the native Western Pasqueflower, looks just like a truffula tuft from Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax.

As the 360-degree lookout comes into view, the entire Klamath Basin, Siskiyou Mountains, and the Three Sisters all become visible, leaving you marveling at the treasures of our state.

CROWN OF THE CASCADES The nexus of Oregon’s ecosystems, this region connects the high deserts of the east and lush

forestlands of the west, the Cascades to the north and the Klamath-Siskiyous of the south.

This landscape plays a critical role in our fight to combat climate change, and Oregonians have a unique and influential role in slowing the impacts: Our state is home to six of the top ten carbon capturing forests in the United States. Of these, five are within the Crater Lake Wilderness proposal. Forests serve as the lungs of the planet, actively storing carbon as we continue to industrialize and demand more resources.

While many factors contributing to greenhouse emissions are beyond our control, we can protect our publicly-owned forests.

With the Crater Lake Wilderness proposal, 500,000 acres of pristine wildlands in the heart of our state can be permanently protected as an enduring legacy for future generations. And with a meager 4 percent of our state protected as Wilderness, now is the time to demand more protection.

Join the thousands of Oregonians working to ensure Crater Lake receives the protection it deserves. Sign our petition (http://tinyurl.com/ craterlakewild) to Senators Wyden and Merkley, or contact Bridget at Oregon Wild (bc@ oregonwild.org) for more ways to get involved.

It’s a big, beautiful landscape. It will take all of us to preserve it for future generations.

About the Author: Bridget is the Wilderness Campaign Organizer for Oregon Wild, a 40 year old statewide conservation organization working to protect and restore Oregon’s wildlands, wildlife and waters. She works across the state to highlight both the wonders and the threats facing the Crater Lake region so that this wonderful landscape can be protected as Wilderness for future generations to inherit and enjoy. A native Oregonian, Bridget enjoys the many gifts of this state: rafting, backpacking, and sampling the bounty of Oregon wine.

Background: Paintbrush at Crater Lake. Photo: Zoe Kimball. Left page: Phantom Ship at Crater Lake. Photo: Maria Waters. Above: Rough Rider Falls.

Photo: Paul Burdick OCTOBER 2015

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Main: RTM 2015., Photo: Rex Breunsbach. Inset: Gold Standard team— Sue, Joan, Rita, Linda, Holly, Kate, Joanne, Randy, Liz. Photo: Richard Seekatz

ROUND-THE-MOUNTAIN 2016?

by Kate Evans

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ave you ever wondered about hiking the Timberline Trail as part of Mazamas’ Round-theMountain (RTM)? Are you able to hike over 40 miles in three days while climbing 10,000 plus feet?

2015 was the 10th Annual RTM trip during Labor Day weekend. It’s easy to participate: register, identify your preferred hiking speed, attend orientation, and drive or vanpool to Mazama Lodge on Friday afternoon to meet your team before indulging in a delicious dinner. Participants stay at Mazama Lodge, enjoy hot showers, comfortable bunks (but bring earplugs) and wonderful meals, while each day hiking 13–15 miles on the Timberline Trail with your team.

Six teams of up to 12 are color-coded and paired: blue and green, burgundy and chocolate, and black and gold. The trail is hiked in three sections: Top Spur to Elk Cove (13.1 miles), Timberline to Cloud Cap (13.9), and Timberline to Ramona Falls (15.9). An example: gold team starts at Timberline Lodge and black starts at Ramona Falls, hiking in opposite directions.

Your elevation gain depends on your trailhead; in this scenario the Ramona Falls starters have a lot more elevation than the Timberline starters. Each evening the groups share stories and photos.

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Who hikes RTM? This year, of the 50 hikers, the youngest participant was in his late 20s and the oldest was in her early 70s, with many of the hikers in their 50s and 60s. You find parents and children, couples, and friends. Many hikers participate in this adventure more than once, and many of the hike leaders are also repeaters.

This year was my third, and my first time co-leading with my good friend Joan Zuber. We had a group of eight: Liz and Sue, friends from northern Washington; and Richard, Linda, Randy, Joanne and Rita, friends from Corvallis; plus Holly, the daughter of on of the Corvallis friends who was unable to attend. Richard and Holly received our group Hero and Shero awards by assisting at stream crossings, with barefoot Holly acting as a human rail at one. She also collected and carried out trash, including a pair of boots.

How did this year compare to my two previous years? Because of our hot, dry summer and lack of rain, the stream crossings were much easier, but the flowers—bear grass, lilies, and pasque flower—were more faded.

Each team starts with its assigned color, but then quickly picks its own unique name. Last year we were the Banana Slugs; this year we were the Gold Standard. While we quickly settled on our name, the black team never did decide. Their ideas included Black Diamonds, Obscenians, Black is Back, Pack is Black, Black Sheep, Black Clouds, The Night’s Watch (Game of Thrones), and, my favorite, Black—Deal With It.

Our team truly earned their team name, with nary a complaint despite the challenging weather. (However, someone did suggest we rename the event WTM, for Where’s the Mountain.) On Day 1, Top Spur to Elk Cove, the rain wasn’t too bad, but we had very limited mountain views.

Day 2, Timberline to Cloud Cap, we began with great views of Mt. Jefferson, but by the time we crossed the White River the clouds moved in and it rained almost the entire rest of the day. On Sunday night the new basement pellet stove at the lodge was used to dry wet boots, mittens, and gloves. Folks were even using hairdryers to dry soggy boots!

On Day 3, from Timberline to Ramona Falls, the decent weather and gorgeous mountain views arrived. Our only problem that day was the bees nesting in the trail which had stung someone in each previous group. Fortunately Meg Linza did a great job of flagging and describing the bees’ location so we were able to go off trail and avoid it entirely.

In spite of the weather our team had a wonderful time, largely due to their Gold Standard attitudes; the lodge staff, Charles Barker, manager, Renee, Claire and Max, provided great meals and service; and our highly efficient, responsive RTM coordinators, Marilyn Zigler and Rex Breunsbach, did a great job! Thank you, all!

We hope you’ll join us for RTM 2016 with coordinators Shane Harlson and Nicole Fink. We’ll see you on the trail!

Reinstated: Charles Lief (2008), Joseph York (2010) W

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You also received a Voter Pamphlet in the mail (see image below) which contained detailed information on each Executive Council candidate as well as your ballot. Ballots must be at the Mazama Mountaineering Center no later than noon on Oct. 5, 2015 to be counted (we regret that we cannot accept ballots after that time). You may view candidate biographies for Executive Council online at mazamas.org.

Nominating Committee Matt Carter Hannah Seebach Joan Zuber

Julia Mendelson—Old Snowy David Mepham—Mt. Rainier Steve Nice—South Sister Stephanie North—South Sister Kathy Pettigrew—Mt. St. Helens Nicholas Rillstone—South Sister Tim Scott—Mt. St. Helens Paul Stadnik—Mt. Hood David Tetrick—South Sister Richard Urban—Mt. St. Helens Nathan Wallace—South Sister Michelle Wisener—South Sister

Au g .

Executive Council Jon Jurevic Chris Kruell Barbara Weiss Darrell Weston

Fabian Becerra—South Sister Lori Brown—Old Snowy Clare Dawson—South Sister Debbie Dwelle—Mt. St. Helens Kate Fiendell—South Sister Karine Godin—Mt. St. Helens Alexandra Howard—Middle Sister Kim Kelsey—South Sister Nathan Langholz—Mt. Elbrus Rosa Lehman—South Sister Anna Lio—South Sister Nathan Mathabane—South Sister Yevgeniy Mayevskiy—Mt. St. Helens

REI

The list of Executive Council and Nominating Committee candidates for our upcoming 2015 election, listed alphabetically, is as follows:

Welcome New Mazamas!

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

WIDE FORMAT PRINTER: Ideal for printing 11x17 map. Great for photos too! Canon PIXMA ix6520 (new $349) plus ink cartridges ($140) for $250.

Email rdenker@mac.com or call/text 503-956-3791.

HOUSE AND PET SITTING BY BILLIE GOODWIN—Mazama member since 1986. Call 503-254-6121 or email oriongood@aol.com.

OCTOBER 2015

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Coal& Oil Trains travel in the gorge

by Ryan Rittenhouse, Conservation Organizer & Michael Lang, Conservation Director of Friends of the Columbia Gorge

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he Columbia River Gorge is a national treasure equal to any national park, yet more than 20 proposals to build new fossil fuel terminals throughout the Northwest threaten to turn it into a major fossil fuel pipeline. These terminals would result in a tenfold increase in milelong, extremely heavy trains passing through the gorge every day.

An oil train passes just yards from Jemtegaard Middle School in Washougal, WA.

Protection of the beauty and resources of the Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area means having the ability to respond to changing conditions and new challenges as they arise. The danger presented by oil transport is a case in point: the risk of an oil train accident in the Gorge has increased dramatically in recent years.

In 2013 alone, American oil trains transported 57 times as much oil as they did between 2005 and 2009. That increase is staggering, and compounding the concern, this oil moves in single-shell rail cars that are unsafe for transporting highly flammable liquids.

Rail cars likened to ticking bombs are thundering across our landscapes and through our communities, and if plans for a dozen terminals in the Northwest are approved, oil train traffic through the Columbia Gorge would dramatically increase. Yet none of our communities are adequately prepared to respond to an oil train accident and explosion.

In one three-week period early this year, four trains carrying highly-flammable crude oil from the Bakken oil fields of North Dakota derailed and exploded, causing millions of dollars of damage. These accidents spilled millions of gallons of oil into rivers, endangered communities, destroyed buildings, and forced evacuations. The costly clean ups will take many years. Perhaps most disturbing, all of these accidents involved newer, reinforced railcars referred to as CPC 1232s, touted by the oil industry as being safer than the old models.

The White House and Congress are finally taking notice, but will they take action to protect our communities and the environment?

Portland KGW reporter Laural Porter interviewed President Obama earlier this year and asked about the risks of oil trains.

The President responded, “We can’t afford a spill that could have a devastating effect on some of our most beautiful landscapes.”

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Unfortunately, the Department of Transportation recently adopted final oil train safety rules that fall well short of the President’s lofty statement. These rules would: reduce public notice of how much oil is being transported, apply only to trains carrying 1 million gallons (or more) of Bakken crude oil, only require oil tanker cars to be puncture proof up to 12 miles per hour, and yet allow speeds of 50 miles per hour in some places. These rules are under appeal by Friends of the Columbia Gorge and other groups, but are unlikely to improve significantly beyond what they currently are.

COAL AND OIL The Burlington Northern rail tracks in the Gorge are littered with coal dust from the four to five coal trains that traverse the Gorge every day. The Surface Transportation Board has determined that coal dust weakens rail tracks and results in more train accidents and derailments.

Last year an average of 19 mile-long oil trains traversed the Gorge each week at speeds of 60 miles per hour. Each train carries three million gallons of highly flammable Bakken oil. If pending proposals for 11 new oil terminals in the Northwest are approved, oil train traffic would quintuple to 14 oil trains through the Gorge every day.

These factors make oil train accidents much more likely. A derailment and ensuing fire would be catastrophic, and emergency responders are not prepared to contain a major accident. These “bomb trains” traveling along the Columbia River pass within yards of homes, schools, and businesses; crossing creeks, rivers, wetlands, and endangered species habitat.

The railroads are ill-equipped to respond to accidents and oil spills. At an oil train safety forum in White Salmon last year, local residents asked how the railroad would respond to an oil train

accident along the Columbia River.

The railroad hazmat director’s reckless answer stunned the audience: they would let the oil float downriver to the next dam (sometimes 10 to 20 miles away) and collect it there. This cavalier response did not address the additional danger from tar sands oil, which is also shipped through the Gorge. Heavier than water, tar sands oil sinks and cannot be controlled with booms or other traditional clean up methods.

VANCOUVER TESORO TERMINAL The Tesoro and Savage corporations want to haul 15 million gallons (or more) per day through the Gorge to a new oil terminal on Vancouver’s waterfront, which would be the largest oil-by-rail terminal in the country. The project is currently under review by the Washington Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council.

Friends and our allies staunchly oppose the proposal and have intervened in the review. The City of Vancouver also opposes the project and has intervened, along with the City of Spokane and two Native American tribes.

STAND UP TO OIL! Friends has joined forces with environmental and community groups in both the Power Past Coal and Stand Up To Oil coalitions. Our goals are to stop the approval of new coal and oil terminals in the Northwest, ensure safe transport of existing oil through the Northwest, and promote safe alternatives that decrease our national reliance on fossil fuels.

There were hearings on two of the three proposed oil terminals for Grays Harbor, WA on in early October, and the comment period closes on Oct. 29. You can submit comments against those oil terminals by going to tinyurl.com/ CoalOilPubComment. More hearings on oil and coal terminals will be occurring over the next year, you can subscribe to our action alerts to stay informed on these hearing dates and comment periods: www.GorgeFriends.org/ subscribe.

Please help protect the Columbia River Gorge, one of America’s greatest national treasures, from destruction at the hands of fossil fuel corporations.

About the Authors: Ryan Rittenhouse joined Friends of the Columbia Gorge in June 2013. For six years prior to moving to Oregon, Ryan lived in Austin, TX where he worked as an environmental organizer and activist with Public Citizen and Greenpeace. His work there included fights over proposed and existing coal plants, the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline, and nuclear plant expansions. A native of Cleveland, OH, Ryan has also worked for Ohio Citizen Action and has spent months at sea volunteering for oceanic wildlife protection and conservation.

He has a degree in Communications from Allegheny College in Pennsylvania.

Michael Lang joined Friends of the Columbia Gorge in 1993 as Forest and Land Use Coordinator and has served as Conservation Director since 1995. He oversees all aspects of the monitoring and litigation program, as well as working with allies and the media to promote Friends’ priorities and playing a key role in our lobbying efforts. Michael has intimate knowledge of the Management Plan that governs the Gorge, having reviewed development proposals and worked with County planners and Gorge Commission staff throughout his tenure. Prior to joining Friends, Michael directed campaigns for several electoral candidates and voter initiatives.

OCTOBER 2015

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20S & 30S

Upcoming Trips & Activities

Join the fun—get involved today!

As the weather transitions to fall, the 20s & 30s Mazamas aren’t slowing down! Labor Day weekend was a hit with an overnight backpacking trip. Sandor Lau recounts the adventure: “Our groups braved September rains to enjoy the last glow of summer with three days of camping at Raab Campground on the Clackamas River. We warmed our spirits with day hikes to Bull of the Woods Wilderness, Hawk Mountain, and Bagby Hot Springs, then shared food and camaraderie by the campfire, just after the fire ban was lifted. Back at camp, Mazamas tried to outdo each other with culinary feats, craft projects, and fire making.”

If you have considered becoming a hike leader with the 20s & 30s Mazamas, but haven’t known how to get your feet wet, check out the upcoming opportunities below.

SATURDAY, OCT. 10: HIKE—TAMANAWAS FALLS & APPLE PICKING Join the Mazamas for an autumn adventure in the Hood River Valley. We will start with a short and scenic hike along Cold Spring Creek to Tamanawas Falls. After the hike, we will head to the

Giving Back

to the

Trails

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nearby Kiyokawa Family Orchards for fruit picking! In addition to apples, we may be able to pick (or obtain from the farm store) chestnuts, winter squash, and even kiwis! Bring your own empty box, bag, or container for fruit collecting. If there is interest, we can finish our day with food and refreshments in Hood River. Hike: 3.6 miles, 590 feet. Drive: 172 miles round trip.

NW Forest Pass required at Tamanawas Falls. $2 members/$3 nonmembers. Meet at the SE Corner of Gateway Transit Center, 8AM. Leader: Reena Clements MONDAY, OCT. 26: COMMITTEE MEETING Would you like to get involved with the 20s & 30s Mazamas? We are looking for volunteers! We invite everyone to come join our monthly committee meeting at 6:30 p.m. at the MMC. 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 at the nearby Horse Brass.

Please keep checking our page on the Mazama website, as well as our Meetup group, for hikes and activities throughout the month. We look forward to adventuring with you soon!

20s & 30s adventuring near Mt. Rainier.

SATURDAY, OCT. 17: TUMBLE LAKE AND DOME ROCK! Trip limited to 12; contact a leader to sign up!

With a perfect view of Jefferson, a beautiful lake, a huge waterfall, and rock pinnacles to explore, this long distance, steep elevation hike promises to be an explorer’s delight. We’ll start at the Tumble Ridge Trailhead at Detroit Lake and hike up to Dome Rock, with the remains of a lookout tower and great views of the high Cascades. After that we’ll head down steep terrain to Tumble Lake, in deep forest ringed by a fascinating collection of rock pinnacles. We’ll have lunch, and then go check out the top of Tumble Falls, one of the largest waterfalls in this part of the Cascades. Plan on a full day of high adventure. We will likely stop at Giovanni’s Mountain Pizza in Mill City on the way home.

Hike: 14.8 miles, out and back. 4,200 feet elevation gain. Pace: Moderately fast (due to sunset). Drive: 200 miles. Meet: 7:30 a.m. at Gateway Transit Center, first floor, NW corner. Leaders: Mike Kacmar (mikekacmar@yahoo.com) and Anna Revolinsky.

by Matt Reeder Over the weekend of Aug. 21–23 I led a group of 20s & 30s into the Bull of the Woods Wilderness. Not long before I left for the hike, I learned that the trail we were going to use on the first day, the Welcome Lakes Trail, was in serious need of maintenance. I decided to take matters in my own hands and contacted the Mazamas to see if I could get my group to help clear out the worst sections of the Welcome Lakes Trail. Mazamas contacted the Forest Service, who were eager to let us go to work. And go to work we did!

We put about 4 hours of work into helping brush out the Welcome Lakes Trail, and as a result, this little-used trail is in much better shape than it was. It’s still brushy and it needs tread work, but it is now passable and relatively easy to follow. It felt great to give back, and I look forward to leading more trail tending events in the future.

EVENING TRAVEL PROGRAMS We appreciate voluntary contributions at the discretion of each attendee. Carpooling, public transportation, biking, and walking to the MMC are encouraged. Thank you for supporting our successful series by your regular attendance.

Program Committee: John Leary (Chair), Dyanne Foster, Ben Jones, Sharon Leary and Nancy Bentley.

Programs Get Underway!

Wednesday Programs begin at 7 p.m., and are free and open to Mazamas and the general public.

ALASKA TREK AND KAYAK, OCT. 7

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Join Zachary Brown (PhD, Stanford University), as he narrates last summer’s adventure trekking up the Pacific Northwest Coast. Through photos and stories, Zach will describe the joys and travails of his 4-month, 2300-mile solo hiking/kayaking journey from Stanford University to Alaska. The goal of this wild trip north? Spread the word about Inian Islands Institute, the field school he is founding on a remote and beautiful island in his Alaskan homeland, dedicated to education, research, and sustainability.

MT. HOOD ART, OCT. 14

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is excited to present an evening of time-based art created in response to land management in Mt. Hood National Forest. EIS is a collaborative multimedia project that seeks to bring attention to land management issues on public lands by bringing dancers, visual artists, writers, sound artists, and musicians to visit areas threatened by logging and development.

They seek to increase public awareness for protection of wild lands and engagement with environmental activism within the Portland arts community. EIS is reimagining and redefining the form, scope, and potential impact of an environmental impact statement through artist research and response. This presentation will include music, video, performance, and dance. Featured artists will include Amy Hardwood, Lisa Schonberg & Secret Drum Band, Heather Treadway, Sidony O’Neal, Danielle Ross, and Alison Clarys.

SELECTED CLASSIC BACKPACKING TRIPS IN WYOMING’S BRIDGER-TETON NATIONAL FOREST, OCT. 21

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The Bridger-Teton National Forest is the third largest National Forest outside of Alaska, stretching from Yellowstone National Park to the Wind River Range, and includes the Bridger Wilderness, home to seven of the 10 largest glaciers in the lower 48. The stunning landscapes in this national forest range from mountain meadows to timbered slopes to high alpine plateaus, and include hundreds of high alpine lakes, glacial cirques, and wide sweeping valleys. Images from three popular backpacking trips will be shared, as well as some practical information that may be helpful to those considering their own treks in this beautiful National Forest. Paula Wetzsteon will be this evening’s virtual guide.

THE HAYDUKE TRAIL, OCT. 28

The Hayduke Trail is an extremely challenging, 800-mile backcountry route through some of the most rugged and breathtaking landscapes on earth. Located entirely on public land, the trail links six of the national parks on the Colorado Plateau in Southern Utah and Northern Arizona (Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Bryce Canyon, Grand Canyon, and Zion) along with the lesser known, but equally splendid, lands in between them, including national monuments, recreation areas, forest, and BLM Districts. It is not intended to be the easiest or most direct route through this incredibly varied terrain, but is rather meant to showcase the stunning Redrock Wilderness of the American Southwest. Come along on this journey with Erin “Wired” Saver who has hiked over 10,000 miles of long distance trails and enjoys sharing her hikes through her daily blogs.

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OCTOBER 2015

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LIVE Monumental

by Suzanne Lee

T

he KEEN Live Monumental campaign is an effort to help protect 3 million acres of our country’s finest wildlands that are currently open to private development and resource extraction if left unprotected.

I was invited to join the KEEN Live Monumental Tour Crew on a road trip across the country in a 1976 GMZ Eleganza RV to gather signatures for a petition urging President Obama to protect these areas as national monuments.

My Live Monumental road trip started in Santa Cruz, California and ended in Denver, Colorado. Over the seven days on tour with several of my KEEN coworkers, we drove more than 1,520 miles, ate gourmet meals (McDonalds) and made a lot of turkey sandwiches. We hosted events all along the way, from breweries to the headquarters of retail partners like Patagonia and Osprey, who are also passionate about protecting the places where recreationists play. We worked hard to gather hundreds of signatures and even found some time to play in the Mojave Desert and the Grand Canyon. I’m so happy to have been a part of this campaign and to have had the chance to see these incredible places firsthand!

One of the five spectacular places KEEN is highlighting is the Owyhee Canyonlands, an area of 2.5 million acres in southeastern Oregon that includes sheer desert canyons, rivers, and incredible red rock formations.

The Mazamas have been working with conservation grantee Oregon Natural Desert Association (ONDA) to ensure the permanent protection of this area, which represents the largest conservation opportunity remaining in the lower 48 states. The Owyhee Canyonlands are a haven for wildlife including mule deer, elk, pronghorn antelope, and home to one of the world’s largest herds of California bighorn sheep. Rolling sagebrush hills house the Greater sage-grouse, a species that is dangerously imperiled due to dwindling habitat. National Monument status would ensure that an area twice the size of Yellowstone, including 186 miles of Wild and Scenic Rivers, would be protected for these fragile wildlife populations. This protection would also ensure public access for recreation, including hiking, rafting, fishing, camping, birding, and wildlife viewing.

The other four locations that we are highlighting include: Gold Butte in Nevada, Mohave Trails in California, Birthplace of Rivers in West Virginia, and Boulder-White Clouds in Idaho.

The latter earned protected status as of Aug. 7, when President Obama signed into law 275,000 areas as wilderness.

But this is only about half the area that was proposed for national monument status, so our work isn’t done!

HOW CAN YOU GET INVOLVED? ▶▶ Learn more about the Owyhee Canyonlands Conservation Proposal at WildOwyhee.org. ▶▶ Support the Live Monumental campaign by signing the petition: keenfootwear.com/livemonumetal OCTOBER 2015

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CLASSIC MAZAMAS

For members with 25 years of membership or for those who prefer to travel at a more leisurely pace Share years of happy Mazama memories with our group. All ages are welcome to join the fun.

CONTACTING THE CLASSICS ▶▶ Rose Marie Gilbert, 503-762-2357, gilbertrosemarie@centurylink.net (chair) ▶▶ Kate Evans, 503-635-6540, kateevans97@gmail.com (EC Liaison) ▶▶ Main email: classics@mazamas.org.

If you are interested in leading an event in November please contact Rose Marie Gilbert or Lanning Russell by Oct. 12.

SATURDAY, OCT. 10, LAKE OSWEGO WALK, 10 A.M. AT GEORGE ROGERS PARK This three-mile out-and-back walk from George Rogers Park to Foothills Park will focus on historic places and art in Lake Oswego. Learn how Sucker Creek became Lake Oswego; and see the Oregon Iron Company’s first charcoal iron smelter, Lake Oswego’s first school from the early 1850s, the 1929 home of George Rogers, a 1900 worker’s cottage, and the 1890 Odd Fellows Hall. We will also visit Lee Kelly’s sculpture,

Angkor 1, in Millennium Park, and Frank Boyden’s Stafford Stones, honoring poet William Stafford, in Foothills Park. Bring a lunch; we’ll be eating in Foothills Park.

Access George Rogers Park from State and Middlecrest/Wilbur. Go east on Wilbur to Furnace, turn right, and continue to George Rogers Park. Park and meet near the smelter at 10 a.m.

Leader Kate Evans, 503.635.6540.

MONDAY, OCT. 19, 4T TRAIL HIKE (TRAIN, TRAIL, TRAM, TROLLEY) Meet at 9 a.m. at the NE 42nd Ave MAX station. Park at NE 42nd and Senate—free parking on south side of freeway near ramp to the station. All day Tri-met rates: $5/$2.50 seniors. If you are on the west side of town, meet us as we come up the elevator at the zoo right around 9:35 a.m. (depending on MAX schedule).

From the zoo we will follow the 4T signs on the forested trail. This trail is about 4.1 miles long and gains about 800 feet. Dress for the weather and wear good shoes—there could be some mud. With luck and good weather we will have some

great views from the top of Council Crest and beautiful fall colors. This hike will take about 3 hours. Bring water and snacks.

In summary: Trail to OHSU, Tram to south waterfront, Trolley to downtown.

Then, depending on your point of origin, transfer to the Train back to the zoo or back to the 42nd Ave station.

We will pick a place for lunch on this trip. There are plenty of possibilities.

Leader: Buzz Lindahl. Cell phone 503781-8956. Email: erlindahl@gmail.com WEDNESDAY, NOV. 11, OLD SALMON RIVER WALK More details in the Nov. Bulletin. Leader: Kurt Kessler 503.622.3524.

FRIDAY, DEC. 11, CLASSICS HOLIDAY PARTY More details in the Nov. Bulletin.

OCT. 2017 HIKING THE DRAGON KINGDOM–WEST Fifteen days of day hikes in Bhutan.

For more information contact David Christopher at David.R.Christopher@ gmail.com.

MAZAMAS FAMILIES

by Eric Einspruch The Mazamas Families committee is looking forward to upcoming activities this fall. Our second cohort of Families Mountaineering 101 (FM101) has started, with 42 students enrolled who will be learning mountaineering fundamentals over the next several months. Special thanks to Justin Rotherham and Craig Martin for coordinating the class this year!

Please keep your eye on the Mazamas Families web page to find new activities as they’re posted. We are also looking for people to lead activities, including hikes, climbs, and social events. Contact families@mazamas.org if you are interested in leading an activity. We look forward to being outdoors with you and your kids.

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Whether you are a lifelong Mazama member, currently enrolled in the Basic Climbing Education Program, reading this Bulletin at your local climbing shop, or somewhere in between, you should make sure you know all of the benefits of Mazama membership.

Go here to learn more: Are you ready to join? Get all the details on how to become a member of one of the oldest mountaineering organizations in the country: mazamas.org/join

Your Home on the Mountain

by Charles Barker, Mazama Lodge Manager FALL WORK PARTY, NOV. 28, 9 A.M.–3 P.M. This year our goal is to have a great winter—lots of snow— and we decided the best way to do that is to tempt fate and schedule our Fall Work Party on Saturday, Nov. 28. We haven’t scheduled a workday this late in the year since Nov. 2009 and that was a great snow year! Even if we have snow there is still plenty of work we can do. A complimentary lunch will be served at noon.

ROUND-THE-MOUNTAIN (RTM) 2015 Over Labor Day Weekend we had great success with our 10th Annual RTM event.

Thanks go to Rex Breunsbach and Marilyn Zigler, RTM coordinators for the past two years, on a job well done. This was also the first weekend that our new pellet stove had a chance show us what it can do.

It kept the basement nice and warm for the entire weekend.

A nice change from the chilly basement of the past.

MAZAMA LODGE

ENJOY THE FALL SEASON AT MAZAMA LODGE If you have a flexible work schedule or are retired, consider staying with us on Thursday or Sunday during the month of October. It’s a great time to enjoy the lodge during fall and still have use of the summer parking area. Soldout/exclusive use dates: Oct. 9, 16, 17, and 23.

THANK YOU! Thank you to all the Mazamas that chose to host their social events at the lodge this past August. It was a real honor to have your family and friends come visit Mazama Lodge from all over the world.

We are so accustomed to seeing our guests in outdoor gear we do a double take when guests show up in wedding gowns and a tux. We are delighted that you have chosen to use the Lodge as a setting for weddings and other social events—it really is the perfect place!

Mazama members Andy Schiesti and Kathleen Hahn show you can never overdress at Mazama Lodge! Photo: Charles Barker.

Sunny Freeman sunnyfreeman@windermere.com SunnyFreemanHomes.com twitter.com/sfreemanhomes 503.684.9698

Your Mazama Realtor OCTOBER 2015

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TRAIL TRIPS SCHEDULE

Join us! Mazama Trail Trips are open to everyone.

Contact Trail Trips Committee co-chair Terry Lawson at 503-819-9250 with any questions.

To lead a hike next month, log on to https:// mazamas2.org.

20S & 30S MAZAMAS ARE ALSO HIKING Everyone is welcome. See the separate list at mazamas.org/activities-events/20sand30s

Class A: Easy to moderate; less than 8 miles and under 1,500 feet elevation gain

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

WILDERNESS DESIGNATION Wilderness—Limit 12 inidicates that the hike enters a Forest Service-designated Wilderness Area and the number of participants is limited to 12, including the leader.

Class C and Cw: Difficult to strenuous: 15+ miles in distance OR 3,000+ feet elevation gain; Class Cw indicates winter conditions

HK B2 Oct 03 (Sat) Mt. Hebo.

Rex Breunsbach 971-832-2556 or breunsba@teleport.com.

Wilderness—Limit 12. Exploratory.

Overlooking Tillamook Bay, 3,000 ft. Mt. Hebo is part of a 15-millionyear-old basalt flow from eastern Oregon that also formed Saddle Mountain. 6.5 miles 1,504 ft. Dr. 120 Target/185th 8 a.m.

HK A1.5 Oct 04 (Sun) Dry Creek Falls. Jim Selby 828-508-5094. Fall colors on this slow-paced hike from Cascade Locks to Dry Creek Falls.

Great hike, rain or shine. Back to Gateway by 5 p.m. 5.4 miles 710 ft.

Dr. 78 Gateway 11 a.m. MU HK B2 Oct 07 (Wed) Fish Creek Mountain. Rex Breunsbach 971832-2556 or breunsba@teleport. com. Fish Creek Mountain, once a lookout site, delivers great views of Mt. Jefferson and a unique lunch spot on High Lake. 7.2 miles 2,500 ft. Dr. 110 MMC 8 a.m.

HK A1.5 Oct 10 (Sat) Bayocean Spit. Richard Getgen teambears@ frontier.com. Beach hike and estuary hike in one loop. No sign up list. 8.1 miles 0 ft. Dr. 120 Target/185th 8 a.m.

HK B2 Oct 10 (Sat) Lower Salmonberry Railway. Rex Breunsbach 971-832-2556 or breunsba@teleport.com. From Matt Reeder’s Off the Beaten Trail, we will follow an abandoned rail line along the Salmonberry River canyon, across trestles, and past aged railroad machinery. 10 miles 300 ft. Dr. 125 Target/185th 8 a.m.

HK C2.5 Oct 11 (Sun) Larch Mountain from Multnomah Falls.

Kate Evans 503-635-6540. Enjoy views of multiple mountains on this great conditioning hike. 13.8 miles 4,100 ft. Dr. 48 Gateway 8 a.m.

HK B2 Oct 14 (Wed) Gales Creek-Storey Burn Loop. Tony Spiering 503-680-8112. Hike Leader

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Provisional Hike, Rex Breunsbach assisting. Gales Creek trailhead to Storey Burn up to the Summit and back on Gales Creek Trail.

Nice loop trail in the Coast Forest.

Should be back in town early evening. 8 miles 1,400 ft. Dr. 50 Target/185th 8 a.m.

HK A1.5 Oct 17 (Sat) Vancouver History & Waterfront Walk.

Jim Selby 828-508-5094. Walk through historic Officer’s Row of Ft. Vancouver with its colorful trees and take in the Artillery Barracks, then on to The Academy built in 1868. Continue through the farmer’s market to the new waterfront area, past the murals and onto the Columbia River walkway to the statue honoring women shipyard workers. After a coffee shop stop return to the Museum via the Land Bridge designed by Maya Lin and past the recreated 1880’s Ft. Vancouver.

Done by 2:30 p.m. Great hike rain or shine 5 miles 150 ft. Dr. 0 Pearson Air Museum, Vancouver.

Meet at Museum at 1115 E. 5th St. Vancouver. 9:30 a.m. MU HK B2 Oct 21 (Wed) Salmon River Trail (Upper). Rex Breunsbach 971-832-2556 or breunsba@teleport.com.

Wilderness—Limit 12. Great woodsy hike along the river with fall colors and the smell of autumn.

Should be a great view on top too.

7.2 miles 950 ft. Dr. 82 TH MMC 8 a.m.

Street Rambles

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.

HK B1.5 Oct 24 (Sat) Riverside Trail of the Clackamas. Richard Getgen teambears@frontier. com. Wilderness—Limit 12.

Forested hike between Riverside camgrpound and Rainbow campground along Clackamas River. No sign up list. 9.2 miles 500 ft. Dr. 104 TH Gateway 8 a.m.

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.

HK B2 Oct 25 (Sun) Dog Mountain Loop. Bill Stein 503-830-0817.

Classic Columbia Gorge hike is fun any time of year. Be prepared for wind, rain, cold, and/or sun, and we’re sure to have some kind of view. We’ll go up the usual trail and down the Augspurger trail for a counter-clockwise loop. 7.2 miles 2900 ft. Dr. 98 TH Gateway 8 a.m.

MU: Hike is posted on Meetup.

HK C2 Oct 28 (Wed) Huckleberry Mt. (Boulder Ridge). Rex Breunsbach 971-832-2556 or breunsba@teleport.com.

Wilderness—Limit 12. Nice graded trail through Salmon Huckleberry Wilderness. Mt. Hood views abound. 10.6 miles 3,100 ft. Dr. 72 TH MMC 8 a.m.

HK B2 Oct 31 (Sat) Eagle Creek (Cross-Over Falls). Bill Dewsnap 503-260-6712 or billdewsnap@ yahoo.com. Wilderness—Limit 12.

Classic Gorge hike, great anytime of the year—except when there is ice. Should be some beautiful fall colors. Come prepared for the predicted weather conditions. 12.6 miles 1,080 ft. Dr. 74 TH Gateway 8 a.m.

Various leaders will lead walks every Tuesday and Thursday.

Multiple groups will be led at different paces. 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. ▶▶ Tuesdays: Oct. 6, 13, 20, 27 ▶▶ Thursday: Oct. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29

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

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

Hike fees: $2 for members, each family participant, and those belonging to clubs in FWOC; $4 for non-members. No person will be turned away if they are unable to pay. Street Ramble fees: $2 per person; $1 per person if over 55 or 14 and under.

Both members and nonmembers are welcome at all trail trips. Trail Tending events are free.

Meeting Places: Gateway–SE corner of P and R Garage near 99th and Pacific (I-84 Exit 7); Land 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; SnoPass–Snow park pass.

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

Alcohol 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.

SUCCESSFUL CLIMBERS June 21, Adams, South Side.

Leader: Eileen Kiely, Asst: Elizabeth Copeland. Ghislain Gressard, Marci Haddad, Alyssa Hursh, Gregory Simons, Dawn Van Seggen Aug. 15, Castle-Pinnacle, East Ridge. Leader: Richard Bronder, Asst: Ted Slupesky. Erin Beyer, Karen Graves, Morgan Harvey, Marjorie Hendryx, Andrew Leaf, Eugene Lewins, Daniel Sherman, Joan Wallace, Patrick Aitchison, Saralinka Rejholec Aug. 15, Broken Top, Northwest Ridge. Leader: Gary Ballou, Asst: Elizabeth Copeland. Stephen Baker, Eric Chapman, Tracy Gagnon, Alexandra Howard, Meggan Low, Amy Mendenhall, Kaitlin Rupert Aug. 15, Le Petit Cheval, Spontaneity Arete. Leader: Matthew Sundling, Asst: Stephanie Spence.

Stephanie Bruckbauer, Lori Coyner Aug. 15, Mt. Stuart, Cascadian Couloir. Leader: Michael Hortsch, Asst: Daniel Mick. Amad Doratotaj, Mark Duin, Mark Fowler, Eric Jacobson, James Miller, Andrea Ogston, Gary Riggs, Lisa Ripps, joshua van otterloo Aug. 16, Tamanos, Owyhigh Lakes. Leader: Richard Bronder, Asst: Ted Slupesky. Erin Beyer, Karen Graves, Morgan Harvey, Marjorie Hendryx, Andrew Leaf, Eugene Lewins, Daniel Sherman, Joan Wallace, Patrick Aitchison, Saralinka Rejholec Aug. 16, Mt. Shuksan, Sulphide Glacier. Leader: Paul Underwood, Asst: Howie Davis. Stevan Arychuk, Daniel Gibson, Kim Osgood Aug. 16, South Sister, Green Lakes. Leader: Amy Mendenhall, Asst: Elizabeth Copeland. Stephen Baker, Gary Ballou, Erin Chapman, Tracy Gagnon, Meggan Low, Kaitlin Rupert Aug. 17, Liberty Bell, Beckey Route. Leader: Matthew Sundling, Asst: Stephanie Spence. Stephanie Bruckbauer, Lori Coyner Aug. 21, Tamanos, Owyhigh Lakes. Leader: Doug Wilson, Asst: Drew Gaylord. Sherry Bourdin, Cathy Gaylord, Erich Leeser Aug. 22, Broken Top, Northwest Ridge. Leader: Paul Underwood, Asst: James Pitkin. Reuel Kurzet, Pamela Martin, Ralph Oyler, Tamara Ross, Justin Thibeault, Mary Turner, Ethan Wood

Aug. 22, Old Snowy, Snowgrass Flat. Leader: Lori Freeman-LaDuke, Asst: Sue Griffith. Carole Beauclerk, Charles Blanke, Alice Brocoum, Larry Buzan, Rebecca Green, Richard Laduke, Josie Blanke

Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM)

A Mazama committee providing support services to Mazamas. If you or your group have had a traumatic experience contact the Mazama office (503-227-2345) or Marina Wynton. All debriefs conducted through CISM are confidential.

Aug. 23, Observation Rock, Srandard. Leader: Robin Wilcox, Asst: Terry Brenneman. Patrice Cook, Brad Hupy, Benjamin Stabley Aug. 23, South Sister, Devils Lake. Leader: James Jula, Asst: Bianca Pyko. Robert Bondaruk, Alyssa Hursh, George Mercure, Stephanie North, Ken Park, Scott Sandberg, Kris Simbajon, Lori Ireland, Anshu Sarje Aug. 23, Broken Top, Northwest Ridge. Leader: Paul Underwood, Asst: Michael Levis. Dyanne Foster, Kimberly Hefty, Suresh Singh, Mark Swartz, Tammy Jo Becker, Nicl Swartz Aug. 27, Broken Top, Northwest Ridge. Leader: Doug Wilson, Asst: William O’Brien. Anne Harris, Sara O’Byrne, Grace Peters, Courtny Ryan Aug. 31, Broken Top, Northwest Ridge. Leader: Doug Couch, Asst: Kris Simbajon. Daniel Gates, Ghislain Gressard

Portland’s premier shop on the East Side.

Sept. 1, South Sister, South Ridge.

Leader: Doug Couch, Asst: Kris Simbajon. Ghislain Gressard Sept. 5, Liberty Bell, Beckey Route. Leader: Thomas Miller, Asst: Cameron Brown. David Carrier, Bob Kaminski, Carmen Nale, Zhan Shi, Roger Wong Sept. 6, South Sister, Devils Lake.

Leader: George Shay, Asst: Rae Lantsberger. Elly Branch, Steve Warner, Chris Snethen Sept. 12, Liberty Bell, Beckey Route. Leader: Gary Ballou, Asst: Ted Slupesky. Nicole Castonguay, Martin Gillen, Bridget Martin, Joan Wallace Sept. 12, Mt. St. Helens, Monitor Ridge. Leader: Richard Bronder, Asst: Morgan Harvey. Robert Bondaruk, Tom Noonan, Kris Simbajon, Jillian Clinton, Dave Sett, Scott Wasko, Nicole Wasko Sept. 12, Old Snowy, Snowgrass Flat. Leader: Lori Freeman-LaDuke, Asst: Daniel Mick. Mary Godwin, Richard Laduke, Lawrence Solomon, Tony Spiering, Hillary Beard

Oregon Mountain Community 2975 NE Sandy Blvd. Portland, OR Hours: M-F 10-7 SAT 10-6 SUN 12-5 503-227-1038

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EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MINUTES—SEPT. 8, 2015

The Executive Council meets at 6:30 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month.

Meetings are open to members. Draft Minutes.

Attending: Sojo Hendrix–president, Judith Baker–vice-president, John Rettig– secretary, Steve Hooker–treasurer, Kate Evans, Sunny Freeman, Marty Hanson, Amy Mendenhall, Joan Zuber. Staff: Lee Davis, Jamie Anderson.

The meeting was called to order at 6:30 p.m. by President Sojo Hendrix. It was noted that a quorum was present.

The agenda was reviewed. Judith Baker requested a few minutes to follow up on the Employee Handbook actions she was assigned last month, and John Rettig requested a short item to acknowledge the directors whose terms were coming to an end. It was moved by John Rettig and seconded by Judith Baker to approve the agenda as amended; motion carried unanimously.

The general minutes from Aug. 11, 2015 were reviewed. Motion and second were offered to approve the minutes as written; motion carried unanimously.

BUSINESS AND STAFF REPORTS: The Secretary’s Aug. 31 membership report was read into the record (see page 19).

The Treasurer’s Report was reviewed.

As of the end of July, Mazamas total operational revenue is $729,757 ($40,764 for the month) and total operating expenses are $975,613 ($83,085 for the month).

Current total assets are $1,311,677. The bottom line continues to track favorably to budget.

Lee Davis presented the Executive Director’s (ED) report. Items noted beyond the written summary provided in the packet were as follows: ▶▶ Directors are specifically requested to attend the Oct. 5 Annual Meeting. ▶▶ The two big name presenters at the Portland Alpine Fest will be Jim Whittaker and Alex Honnold; this information just went public. We expect this to be a good draw for The Summit. ▶▶ Preston Corless has received $8,000 in pledges to offset the costs for appraisal and other fees for the Smith Rock property. ▶▶ Budgeting for the advanced classes is being discussed with the leaders; there is a desire on their part to limit enrollments, and this impacts the projected revenue.

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▶▶ The Ice Wall project will be complete by the end of September, and the replacement sponsorship contract with CAMP USA is available. ▶▶ The IT project will be ready for review at the October Executive Council (EC) meeting.

On behalf of the EC, John Rettig offered a word of thanks to Sojo Hendrix, Judith Baker, and Joan Zuber for their three years of diligent and faithful service to the Mazamas on EC. OLD BUSINESS: The Employee Handbook language in the Employee Acknowledgement form that was struck in the August 2015 approval of the handbook, and that Judith Baker requested she be allowed to investigate, was discussed. This language was the short phrase “... except as stated in my “Terms of Hire” agreement ...,” Judith reported that her investigation revealed that the language should stay in, and offered a motion to reinstate this phrasing into the handbook.

Steve Hooker seconded; motion carried unanimously.

The CAMP USA replacement sponsorship contract was reviewed. It was moved by John Rettig and seconded by Kate Evans to approve the contract as written; motion carried unanimously. CAMP USA has already signed; the president and secretary will execute the Mazamas part.

The consent agenda was reviewed; there were written reports from the following committees: ▶▶ 20s & 30s Mazamas ▶▶ Classic Mazamas ▶▶ Climbing ▶▶ Expedition ▶▶ Outings ▶▶ Outreach ▶▶ Trail Trips The reports not requesting action were approved by consensus.

Lee Davis reported that regarding the Climbing Committee’s report on their new “highly qualified leader addition” project, Kati Mayfield will be named project leader, and this is well supported within the committee.

Climb Committee reported a new chair, Larry Beck, was elected. It was moved by John Rettig and seconded by Kate Evans to approve Larry Beck as chair; motion carried unanimously.

Jamie Anderson presented an MMC Capital Maintenance Overview.

NEW BUSINESS: Steve Hooker and Lee Davis presented the proposed 2015–16 budget, showing an income level of $1,074,026 and expenditures of $1,421,180 for the entire organization.

We will now budget for contingencies; the ED has a $10,000 contingency, and EC has $20,000 in the draft budget. There was some discussion around the reduction of $10,000 in the grant budgets for conservation, expeditions, and research; from the conservation perspective, Lee felt we could insource this same effort using staff to manage some of the programs we’ve initiated over the past few years. It was moved by Judith Baker and seconded by Amy Mendenhall to approve this budget as written.

Further discussion ensued around the $10,000 grant reduction; it was moved

by Steve Hooker and seconded by Judith Baker to amend the motion to add “the EC no later than November 2015 will re-examine the $10,000 grant reductions.”

John Rettig requested an amendment to the amendment to state that we would move $10,000 now from EC contingency fund to grants budgets, and instead examine restoring the $10,000 to the EC contingency in November; motion maker refused second amendment. Vote was called on the original amendment; motion carried unanimously.

A vote was then called on the original motion to approve as written, motion carried 6-2 (Judith Baker, Steve Hooker, Kate Evans, Sunny Freeman, Marty Hanson, and Amy Mendenhall assenting, John Rettig and Joan Zuber dissenting).

We adjourned at 8:46 p.m.

Executive Council minutes are abridged and subject to approval; for official version, go to mazamas.org/members/executive-councilreports/.

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