Post on 29-May-2018
8/9/2019 February 2010 Mountaineers Newsletter
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MountaineerThe
www.mountaineers.org
February, 2010Volume 104, No. 2
M3 Service Award
M5 Hike the Hill fortrails
M2 View from the Top
M4 Conservation Currents
M4 Summit Savvy
M7 Passages
M7 Off the Shelf
M8 Branches & Limbs
DiscoverTheMountaineers
If you are thinking of joining -
or have joined and arent sure
where to start - why not attend
aninformation meeting?
Check theGo Guide branch
sections for times and locations.
Are you ready to jump right in?
Visitwww.mountaineers.org.
Need to call?206-521-6000.
PERIODICAL
POSTAGEPAIDAT
SEATTLE,WA
T
heMountaineers
7
700SandPointWayN.E.
S
eattle,WA98115
U p c o m i n gU p c o m i n g
Continued on M3
Himalayan trekking A free
presentation and slide show aboutHimalayan trekking will come to
Mountaineers headquarters on
Thu., Feb. 4. See pg. 2 of the Go
Guide(International Outings) for
details.
Ski holiday Mt. Baker Lodge
welcomes all to shake off their
boots before entering, but other-
wise the doors are open to all ski,
board or snowshoe fanatics on
Presidents Day weekend. See pg.
18 of the Go Guide.
The monthly publication of The Mountaineers
Attendee reects on hopesand nopes of Copenhagen
The urgency has not
trickled down to everyday
people or they would be
putting more pressure on
their governments. Florian Schulz
with Mountaineers Publisher HelenCherullo in photo at left
Florian Schulz photo
Editors note:Mountaineers
Books Publisher Helen Cherullo
attended the International Con-
ference on Climate Change
in Copenhagen for the books
division imprint, Braided River,
whose mission is to engage new
audiences in the pursuit of pro-
tecting the last wild places in the
American West, while creating a
sustainable future. Also attendingwere Braided River and Moun-
taineers authors/photographers
Florian Schulz, Steven Kazlowski
and Subhankar Banerjee. Fol-
lowing are some excerpts from
a blog Helen composed on the
Braided River website. You may
view the blog in its entirety at
www.braidedriver.org.
Perceptions
Back at home people e-mailed
and asked me, What about the
riots? Have you seen the vio-
lence? The media loves to report
on conictbut it was such a
small part of what was going on,
and no, I saw none of it, although
the sirens and police presence
did intensify with each day.
If 100,000 really was the total
number of people demonstrating
Continued on M6
Sometimes a Mountaineers
member just wants to get
out and try something new,
without having to know everything
about carpool rules or cancellation
policies.
Such was the case with Jack Nich-
ols, a Washington native who was
looking for a way to learn a new
outdoor skill without much commit-
ment or the risk of embarrassment,
let alone danger.
I really didnt know what I was
getting into at rst. I thought about
joining The Mountaineers for a
while, but was kind of hesitant,
not wanting to go into a group of
experienced outdoors people and
be seen as someone who doesntknow what they are doing, stated
Nichols, who joined The Mountain-
eers in 2008 and participated in
his rst instruction-oriented activity
By Brad Stracener
Trailhead
whets biggerappetite fornew member
Nichols on a Mountaineers rock climb.
Service Award recipient, pg. M3
Library operations changeDue to operational changes, Moun-
taineers wishing to use The Moun-
taineers Library should contact
member services at 206-521-6001.The library continues to offer an
outstanding collection of books, pe-
riodicals, videos, and club records.
Our archived and current sources
of information focus on outdoor
recreation, including rock, snow,
water and mountaineering sports.
There is also a breadth of conser-
vation, human and natural history
resources available.
The library provides a rich resource
Continued on M7
Mountaineers ofces will be closed
Mon. Feb. 15 in honor of Presidents
Day. The closure includes the book-
store and library.
Get tickets Reel soon! The March
dates are set and tickets usually gofast, so check out the vitals on the
Radical Reels lm tour on M5.
Sharpen the lens Enrollment
continues for the renowned basic
photography course offered by the
Seattle Branch. See the ad on M5
or pg. 12 of the Go Guide.
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February010TheMountaineer
with the newly developed Trailhead
program.
The great thing about Trailhead is
that, for example, you dont have to
know everything about the carpool
system. You meet lots of cool peo-
ple and get to gain an experience
that you wouldnt have otherwise.
One of those cool people, accord-
ing to Nichols, was the Trailhead
coordinator, Ken Hahn, a Moun-
taineers staff member, who found-
ed Trailhead nearly two years ago.
I have not seen anything quite
like Trailhead. There are other
programs out there but it gets a bit
scary because there is usually lots
of technical stuff involved, Nichols
noted.
According to Hahn, one of the pur-
poses of Trailhead is to offer taste
tests of our bigger programs.
He added, There is no huge
monetary, time or gear-purchase
commitment. Most of what we of-
fer is done in a day, and done in a
super-casual, welcoming and safe
atmosphere.
From there, Hahn noted, partici-
pants are left to decide whether
or not to progress to a broader
curriculum with The Mountaineers,
as Nichols eventually did. Now
a graduate of The Mountaineers
climbing course and a Trailheadleader, Nichols said his rst Trail-
head trip as a participant was an
Alpine Scrambling For Beginners
outing in June of 2008 that Hahn
led.
Nichols said he likes Trailheads
structureor lack thereofcom-
pared to a lot of other outdoor
programs he has experienced.
Before joining The Mountaineers,
he whetted his appetite for climbing
by taking a brief course at Vertical
World. He soon found that it wasdifcult to nd others interested
enough to join him on rock climbing
trips.
The great thing about Trailhead
is that everyone is just having so
much fun that it rubs off. said the
Microsoft employee who lives in
Ballard. He noted that this dynamic
makes it easier to nd companions
for outdoor adventures.
Hahn says Trailhead has essen-
tially spawned its own community,
within The Mountaineers greater
community. In the past, its often
been at the larger course level
where community and bonding
has formed, said Hahn, and this
is where long-lasting value (and
retention) is grown in the organiza-
tion. But, he noted, the virtue of
Trailheadand its uniquenessis
the complement of entry-level
experiences it offers Mountaineers
such as Nichols.Indeed, the 28-year-old has
become a bit of an ambassador
and recruiter of new Mountaineers
members. I have actually brought
a couple of people into our rock-
day events. He told of another oc-
casion when he was speaking with
a restaurant server about climbing
and the person became interested
in joining The Mountaineers.
He is not bashful about propound-
ing the virtues of Trailhead and
The Mountaineers. When I joinedThe Mountaineers, there were no
programs for someone new to the
club. Then Ken (Hahn) sent an
e-mail out about the intro to alpine
scrambling event.
Nichols said the Trailhead pro-
gram is a great introduction to the
outdoors and The Mountaineers
because everyone is there to have
a good time.
Currently there are about 10-
12 Trailhead events offered per
month, according to Hahn. Expan-
sion of the program is planned for
2010, and he hopes that maybe as
many as 25-30 events are offeredper month club-wide by next year.
It is a running joke, Nichols said,
that every Trailhead trip includes
at least one participant who works
for either his employer or Ama-
zon. However, he said the groups
in Trailhead are otherwise quite
diverse and fun.
I get to meet tons of cool people
from all different walks of life who
I would not have met otherwise.
You see rich, poor, young, women,
menall with different reasons
as to why they are there and what
they want to gain from the experi-
ence.
Utlimately, he said, The common
vein is fun. It is the start of some-
thing for everyone and that is why
they are there.
Brad Stracener is managing editor
ofThe Mountaineer.
Trailhead at a glance: New or prospective members can now sample an activity before
committing to a large investment of time and effort.
If a member misses the enrollment deadline for a course, he or she
can get a taste of it through Trailhead and experience the culture of
The Mountaineers.
Serves as a refresher for members whose skills in a particular en-
deavor may have become rusty.
Trailhead events are offered year-round.
Note: Ken Hahn is currently presenting the virtues of Trailhead on a club-wide
tour of all Mountaineers branches. He is also gathering and sharing the details
of activity programs at the branch level in order to leverage Mountaineers pro-
gram strengths and to help solve the organizations challenges. For questions
regarding Trailhead or program development in general, Hahn can be reached
at 206-595-7237 or kenh@mountaineers.org. To check out Trailhead trips, just
visit www.mountaineers.org.
Everyone is having so much fun that it rubs off
Trailhead participants stage for an introductory rock climb near Vantage.
Continued from M1
Ken
Hah
np
hot o
By Brad Stracener
Editors note:At The
Mountaineers Annual Meeting last
September, six volunteers were
presented with a Service Award,
which recognizes members for
their outstanding service to the
club. This month, we spotlight Bill
Deters.
Bill Deters was born into an out-
doors family, but it took a tumble
down a snow slope while hunting
one day to prompt him to join The
Mountaineers, and the organization
is much the better for his mishap.
Recently presented the organiza-
tions Service Award, Deters joined
in 1980, when The Mountaineers
was completely run by volunteers,
even its administration. We only
had a bunch of folding chairs (for
clubhouse events and meetings),
and REI was still downstairs on
719 Pike (Street), he recalled. I
dont think we had any professional
staff at all.
He was born a third generation
Seattle nativethe Ballard neigh-
borhood specically. His parents
and their parents hunted, shed
and foraged for a lot of their food.
Deters was bow hunting for moun-
tain goats on White Chuck Moun-
tain when he lost footing and slid
down a steep grade on pretty hard
Dedication, perseverence mark Deters contributions
As president, Deters (left) steered the club through the selling of its old
headquarters to John Goodman (right), thus enabling the move to Magnuson Park. Continued on M5
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February010 TheMountaineer
Can you identifythe summit in
the foreground here? Send your answer
(by Feb. 10) to: Summit Savvy, The
Mountaineer, 7700 Sand Point Way
N.E., Seattle, WA 98115. If you guess
correctly, youll receive $10 of Moun-
taineers Money, good for Mountaineers
Bookstore merchandise, and well
publish your name in next months
column. (In case of a tie, one winner will
be chosen at random.) Club employees
or persons shown in the photograph are
not eligible. Each month well publish a
new mystery summit and identication
of the previous one.
Send your photographs (or slides)
for possible publication as a mystery
summit (include identication for our
benet). If we use your photo, you
will get $10 of Mountaineers Money
as well.
At the end of each year, all correct
respondents names are placed in a
hat and the winner of that drawing will
receive $50 of Mountaineers Money
good for purchases at The Moun-
taineers Bookstore. GRAND PRIZE
WINNER: Ed Palushocks name was
drawn from all those with correct an-
swers in 2009. Congratulations, Ed!
No one correctly guessed last
months mystery summit, Hoodoo
Peak, as photographed by Greg
Marsh.
SummitSavvy
conservation
CURRENTS
The Mountaineers boasts a
long history of winter recre-
ation in the Stevens Pass
area. Generations of Mountaineers
have enjoyed human-powered
recreation at Stevensprimarily
snowshoeing, cross-country skiing,
snowboarding and lift-assisted
downhill skiing.
Opened in 1948 as the Stevens
Ski Cabin, an upgrade in 1954
gave birth to The Mountaineers
Stevens Lodge, offering the only
overnight accommodations avail-
able at the pass and welcoming
Mountaineers members as well
as the general public from early
December through mid-April. In
keeping with The Mountaineers
conservation values, recent up-
grades at Stevens Lodge include
installation of waterless urinals and
low water-use toilets.
It is through this lens of historical
use and commitment to minimizing
the environmental impact of our ac-
tivities that a development proposal
from Stevens Pass Ski Area must
be viewed.
The Mountaineers is often called
upon to provide input to landmanagers on issues that require
us to balance the interests of our
activities and properties against
those of our mission and the ideal
of good stewardship we hold dear.
Providing input on this proposal is
a clear example of the challenge
we face as a multifaceted, dynamic
organization in which we mustas
one wise member recently com-
mentedthread the needle to
provide comprehensive, well-in-
formed input that represents The
Mountaineers as more than the
sum of its parts.
In August 2007, Stevens Pass Ski
Area submitted, as required by
their special use permit, a Master
Development Plan (MDP) with Mt.
Baker Snoqualmie (MBS) NationalForest. The plan as submitted
includes several projects which
would be conducted in phases.
Phase I includes an upgrade to
the water treatment system and a
lift-assisted mountain bike park to
provide summer recreation oppor-
tunities at Stevens Pass.
In June 2008, the MBS requested
public input on the proposed MDP
in what is known as the scoping
process under the National Envi-
ronmental Policy Act (NEPA). The
goals of the scoping process are to
inform the public about a proposal
for which NEPA regulations apply,
to seek input from various public
and governmental stakeholders to
identify issues and illuminate any
signicant impacts that may result
from the proposal and to form pos-
sible alternatives to the proposed
actions in the proposal.
We enhance our standing asan organization in the viewof the general public and with pub-
lic land managers by recognizing
that while we may support propos-
als that enhance recreation, we
hold serious concern for impacts
that detract value from our natural
landscapes. Raising these con-
cerns is especially important during
in the scoping process.
NEPA requires that impacts to the
environment from proposed actions
be assessed before projects begin.
Public input is not merely request-
Qualied support for Stevens Pass
plan issued by MountaineersBy Leesa WrightMountaineers Public Policy Associate
ed but required by NEPA, ensuring
that citizens are able to help inform
decision-making on issues affecting
our public lands. What NEPA doesnot do is mandate that a federal
agency opt for the most environ-
mentally sound decision. Instead,
it requires that the environment be
considered along with other factors
such as economic interests, public
safety requirements, national secu-
rity concerns and so on.
After the scoping deadline, the
agency rules out any concerns
that do not apply to the proposed
action(s) for a project while incor-
porating the main themes of the
allows the agency to proceed with
a project after only the few months
of study it took to conduct the EA,
as opposed to conducting a full-blown EIS which can take years to
complete.
Members of The MountaineersConservation and Recre-ational Access Divisions have
digested the 250-plus pages of the
Stevens Pass Master Development
Plan Phase I EA. Comments were
provided to the MBS that gener-
ally support Phase I of the Stevens
Pass MDP, with some signicant
caveats that the cumulative ef-
fects of all proposed development
Our national forests provide many important
ecosystem services and any further develop-
ment must carefully consider the continuing
incremental degradation of habitat . . .
Mountaineers letter to Mt. Baker-SnoqualmieNational Forest
public comments it received into
an environmental assessment
(EA). Along with the proposed ac-
tion, one or more other actions or
alternatives may be outlined in
the EA. A no action alternative is
also included as a kind of baseline
control by which impacts from the
proposed action(s) can be com-
pared.
An EA is often used to determine
if a more in-depth Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS) should be
conducted for the project.
Upon completion of the initial
environmental assessment,
the agency again solicits public
comment in what is known, aptly
enough, as the comment period.
The agency collects and weighs
the input from the public in its
decision on how to proceed. At this
point, it can go one of two ways:
the agency can nd that impacts
from the proposed project warrant
the more thorough EIS process
or it can issue a Finding Of No
Signicant Impact. This nding
phases must be considered in
future EAs.
Following is an excerpt of The
Mountaineers letter to MBS. Please
contact leesaw@mountaineers.org
for a full copy of the letter if you are
interested.
We support the specic projects
identied in Phase I that will result
in a direct benet to our organiza-
tion and members of the public
who enjoy recreational opportuni-
ties that developed facilities pro-
vide. Our national forests provide
settings for the majority of alpine
recreation facilities in the United
States, providing recreational op-
portunities that help to improve the
quality of life and healthy interac-
tion with the natural environment.
This being said, our national forests
provide many important ecosystem
services and any further develop-
ment must carefully consider the
continuing incremental degrada-
tion of habitat in the project area
in light of past and potential future
impacts.
8/9/2019 February 2010 Mountaineers Newsletter
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February010TheMountaineer
snow. He said, I very narrowly missed breaking my neck. Thats when
he decided he needed to learn how to self-arrest and joined The Mountain-
eers.
Back then, I thought that running into a group of Mountaineers was like
running into two Scout Troops camped together at your intended destina-
tiontoo many people in one place, Deters said. But once he started tak-ing the basic alpine courses with The Mountaineers, he couldnt stop taking
courses. I completed just about every Seattle course offered, scrambling,
basic and intermediate climbing,
winter travel, Nordic skiing and ski
mountaineering. The more I did,
the more I wanted to do.
He eventually instructed for each
course he had taken. He admits
to getting a bit burned out after
volunteering for 10 years with the
climbing committee, but in that time
he had learned a lot about leader-
ship and had gotten the opportunityto climb all over North America.
He said he also learned a lot
about the power of volunteerism.
He noted, When I look around the
world and see what is going on, it
always impresses me how much
time, energy and effortquality effortis given to The Mountaineers by
its volunteers, instructors and trip leaders. He added, There is a huge
amount of power gained from the volunteer experience and a lot of per-
sonal satisfaction.
After stepping back for a few years, his wife, Cindy, became volunteer
treasurer for what was then a newly-formed Seattle Branch. That is when
Bill became reenergized and again stepped up for the club during a pivotaland tumultuous time. When he became president of the organization in
2006, the former president had just resigned only after a two-month tenure.
There was much heated debate about whether the club should move from
its lower Queen Anne location to the new building at Magnuson Park.
He noted, (Cindy) really got me going. I became keenly aware how much
more the club needed to change, and came to believe its very survival was
at risk. We were so down in the weeds that we didnt have a clear, big pic-
ture view of where we were going, what our goals were, or what success
looked like.
The personal costs were high for lots of good people, and the attrition
was painful, he said of the controversy over the move. I dont think were
entirely out of the woods yet, but we are so much healthier today.
He added, I see The Mountaineers as revitalized. We have a dynamic
plan. Weve done a lot to change our direction, to dene who we are now,
and where we want to go in the future. I think our new headquarters and
executive director are just the beginning.
Deters said there are more big choices ahead, and there probably always
will be to some extent. He added, I am proud to have been a small part
of some of those changes, and I am blessed to have met so many truly
outstanding people and leaders. The people who have stepped up and
continue to step up are phenomenal.
Bill Deters can truly be counted among those ranks.
Brad Stracener is managing editor ofThe Mountaineer.
Continued from M3
Award recipient reveres the power of volunteerism
Calling all trails advocates, hikers!The American Hiking Society invites all trail lovers to join its annual Hike
the Hill: Trails Advocacy Week in Washington, D.C., Feb. 20-25.
Participants will be offered the chance to train in advocacy skills and
strategies, to meet and deliberate with trail advocates from across the
nation, and to educate and urge Congress to protect trails and the hik-
ing experience from coast to coast.
Briengs on trail issues include: FY2011 trails appropriations, Land and
Water Conservation Fund allocations, climate change and energy devel-
opment, transportation funding reauthorization, Treasured Landscapes
and how to engage the next generation of trail stewards.
For more information, check out the Hike the Hill web page at American
Hiking Society: www.americanhiking.org/Our-Work/Policy-Advocacy/
Hike-the-Hill.
What can $73 a year get you?
Sometimes a wilderness areaWhen you join The Mountaineers you join
a partner in the lobby for wilderness pres-ervation, including our most recent col-
laboration: the Wild Sky Wilderness Area.
BANFF
MOUNTAIN
FILM FESTIVAL
rAdIcAL
rEELS
TOUr
presented by
sponsored by
Hang on to yourseats or some o thewildest high-adrenalinemountain sport flms!
www.radicalreels.com
Seattle
Olympia
Thursday, March 11, 2010 at 7 pm
Friday, March 12, 2010 at 7:30 pm
The Mountaineers Program Center, 7700 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle
The Capitol Theater, 206 E. 5th Ave., Downtown Olympia
Tickets: $15 general, $10 Mountaineers. Tickets are available through The Moun-
taineers ofce, or by calling 206-521-6001. Please purchase in advance - this
show will sell out!
Tickets: $12 general. Available through the Alpine Experience, Olympic Outt-
ters, or at the door.
Mountaineers courses, such as the intermediate climbing course in Seattle, are
about to begin and enrollments are about to end. Check this months GoGuide to
nd out about enrollment deadlines throughout our seven branches for climbing,
sea kayaking and some winter travel courses.
Still time to enroll in some courses!Jessica Todd photo
8/9/2019 February 2010 Mountaineers Newsletter
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February010 TheMountaineer
on Saturday, and about 900 were
arrestedthis represents a mere 1
percent of the demonstrators. The
consensus on the streets was that
that the rioters had planned ahead
to use Copenhagen as yet anotherworld stage, promoting the usual
anarchistic agendas.
There was some concern over se-
curity one morning when we heard
that demonstrations were going to
be held against Coca-Cola (one of
the sponsors of Hopenhagen, as
well as for the World Wildlife Fund
tent, where free Coke was avail-
able). Coke uses a lot of water in
its processing, and is not exactly a
healthy, sustainable food choice in
a world where people go hungry for
a lot of ugly, preventable reasons.
Extra security was called, but the
demonstrations did not appear tomaterialize. I opted for the mint tea
anyway.
The only solution
An exhibit I looked for but missed
was Safety Gear for Small
Animals, by Canadian artist Bill
Burnsa selection of gear de-
signed for protection of animals
(small birds, mice, frogs. . .)
including safety vests, helmets,
and protective gogglesall evok-
ing the fragility and vulnerability of
these creatures facing a changing
climate.
Perhaps he could envision a gear
solution for polar bears. Ques-tions we elded at the Arctic Tent
were often from people hoping for
an easy solution: Can we move
them to Antarctica? Can they live
on landcant they live on berries,
roots and small animals like other
bears? Cant we save some of
them in zoos and wait for the ice to
return? No, no, and nothe only
solution is to cap CO2 emissions
at 350 parts per million maximum,
and the only way to do that is to
dramatically refocus to green tech-nologies, and to provide signicant
nancial support to developing
nations to do the same. Not impos-
sibleit only takes political will.
Nopenhagen
I dont think that you believe you
are on the winning side. This was
Archbishop Desmond Tutus pro-
asked, Well, what will you have?
Thinking back on the day, I thought,
oh hell, Ill have a Coke.
As I counted out the coins, he
asked me a bit more about what I
did, and we chatted for a while. I
talked with him about using stories
and photography to take people
to places they might never experi-
ence on their own, and to show
them what is beautiful about the
last remaining wild places on the
planet, as well as the incessant,
irrevocable threats.
At our core, all of us want to make
a difference with our lives, and
every individual action weavestogether with others, gaining
strength and volume. This is the
only way anything of great social
consequence ever gets done, and
the only way the ongoing work after
Copenhagen stands a chance.
As I turned to leave, and reached
the door, he said, Heydont give
up.
No, there is actually no chance of
that.
Continued from M1
Ah yes. You are one of those who like
to talk, talk, talk, but then nothingever comes of it.
I took a breath and paused a bit. I then
said, Yes, I think I am.
phetic challenge to us all. Certainly,
a highlight of the trip for me was
standing 20 feet from the archbish-
op as he encouraged the open-air
crowd of thousands to persist andask for what was reasonable, just
and right.
He emphasized that the will of
the people can change the world,
and mentioned ending apart-
heidsomething that government
and politicians would never have
accomplished on their own steam.
And, he says, so it will be with
climate change.
There was much hope for results
at the conference. And after the
conference, there is anguish and
disappointment that an articulate,
enforceable, meaningful contract
with the countries of the world
particularly the United States and
China was not achieved. We
made a start, but there is so much
work to do, and so little time.
What comes next?
As I walked back to my hotel, the
encouragement from Desmond
Tutu oddly turned to a feeling of
inadequacy. I felt powerless, and
wondered if there was a point to
my presence in Copenhagen.
Blocks later my thoughts turned
darker, into a solid case of self-pity.
I was thirsty. I stopped at a corner
store for some water. I couldnt tellif the clear liquids in the bottles on
the shelves were lled with water
or with alcohol, and then wondered
if it mattered.
The man behind the counter asked
where I was from.
Im from Seattle, how about you?
Im from Santa Barbara, but its
been a long time.
Then, small talk about the weather,
and, Why are you here?
Im here for the climate change
conference.
Ah yes. You are one of those who
like to talk, talk, talk, but then noth-
ing ever comes of it.
I took a breath and paused a bit. I
then said, Yes, I think I am.
He took my measure and then
At times disheartened, publisher stays the path
Subhankar Banerjee, a Mountaineers member who has photo-
graphically documented winter life in the Arctic, among many other
projects, attended the climate conference in Copenhagen as an exhibi-
tor with the Global Gender and Climate Alliance (GGCA). A coalition of
various United Nations organizations, the GGCA works to ensure that
climate change policies,
decision-making, and initia-
tives at the global, regional
and national levels are
gender responsive.
Banerjee commented on
how his work, past and
current, was affected by
the conference.
We work in a small and
narrow domain, Banerjee said of artists and writers. We kind of do
our own thing or what is appropriate for us. But being (in Copenhagen)
showed us that we are contributing in our own small ways to make
people aware that global warming is now and not just in the future. It
reassured me that this is necessary work and we are all part of the
crisis.
The body of his work, he stated, looks at man and nature not as two
different things, as has traditionally been the case, but as one in the
same.
His current work with GGCA focuses on how climate change has af-
fected the womans role in the world. You cannot talk about whales
without talking about the Nupiats and their survival, or the caribou
without talking about the Gwichin and their survival. Gwichin elder
Sarah James traveled to Copenhagen along with Banerjee. Bringing
Sarah to Copehagen lent a voice to the conference that otherwise may
not be heard by the politicians.
He said Copenhagen, though a failure in terms of policy-making,
was just a stopping point. A larger tour for the GGCA is in the works
for places such as Shanghai, Johannesburg and Madrid, he said. It
may end up in Mexico City, he added, where the world will revisit the
climate conference and hopefully answer the question of how we take
care of our incredible diversity while developing (societies).
Florian Schulz, author of Yellowstone to Yukon: Freedom toRoam, said the conference was a bit disappointing, and added, the
reports from the scientists are really, alarming.
While he was at the conference, he attended a panel discussion on the
acidication of the coral reef ecosystems, which up to now have suf-
fered a 30-percent mortality around the world. I wasn't as aware of this
problem until I attended, he noted, but said it essentially amounts to the
loss of an entire food chain for marine life, because the coral ecosystem
is what provides the exoskeletal carapace for crustaceans.
The urgency has not trickled down to the everyday people, or they
would be putting more pressure on their governments. Thats where
my work, and Braided River, work comes in.
Banerjee (left) with Steven Kazlowski.
HelenCheru
llophoto
Lending the voice of Braided River
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February010TheMountaineer
Passages
The latest from your Mountaineers LibraryOff the shelf
Mary Fries, an avid naturalist, conservationist and author who led manyMountaineers trips, died Dec. 18, 2009, at the age of 85.
Fries grew up in Southwest Washington where she enjoyed and studied
the landscapes and ora of the area as a child. In 1947 she became the
childrens librarian at the Tacoma Public
Library, where she remained for 30 years,
highly regarded by her fellow librarians and
the children who enjoyed her stories of Ba-
bar, Pooh and the like.
She joined The Mountaineers in 1948 and
for the next 30 years was an enthusiastic
hiker, backpacker, and resource person on
the subject of our native ora. She wrote thetext to Wildowers of Mount Rainier and the
Cascades, with photos by Bob & Ira Spring,
published in 1970 by the Mt. Rainier Natural History Association and The
Mountaineers. If you have that book, treasure it. There are very few collec-
tions of wildower photos and text that equal that wonderful collaboration.
A charter member of Tahoma Audubon Society, she later joined and took a
major role in conservation issues for the Washington Native Plant Society
With Mountaineers 61 years.
(WNPS). Every year she taught the native plants courses for Audubon and
led eld trips through the prairies, foothills and alpine zones of the state.
Included in regular outings with The Mountaineers, WNPS, and Audubon
were trips to seek rare and endangered plants, take native plant invento-
ries, and make special notes on invasive exotics. She was contributing au-
thor of A Field Guide to the Common Wetland Plants of Western Washing-
ton & Northwestern Oregon, edited by Sarah Sear Cooke and published
by Seattle Audubon and WNPS.
Her knowledge of invasive plants led to an appointment on the Citizen
Advisory Committee to the Washington State Noxious Weed Control
Board. Her work there led to legislation that provided for the listing of Class
A or B noxious weeds, as well as regulations for the use of herbicides for
the control of invasive species.
She organized seed collecting in the alpine zones at Mt. Rainier to pro-
mote the careful propagation of wildowers to replenish areas denuded by
storms or heavy use.
As conservation chair for South Sound chapter of WNPS, Mary studied
environmental impact statements and agency guidelines for landscape
management. Among her tools were expertly written letters to managers
and legislators explaining the need to protect our native plants in the Garry
oak prairies, various sensitive forest areas and special alpine zones. She
backed up her correspondence with effective photos which she also usedin her many presentations and programs.
Mary also walked her talk, managing family acreage of woodlands near
Winlock. She practiced Timber Stand Improvements, cherished her big
trees, and when approached by loggers to sell, turned them down.
Editors note: WNPSsDouglasia (Winter 2004) published a biographic
sketch of Mary in honor of her 80th birthday. For an e-mail copy of Marys
life and times, contact Catherine Hovanic, wnps@wnps.org.
In the January Off the Shelf, staff librarian Kathleen McCluskey wrote, TheMountaineers Library is a rich resource that would not have been able to continueoperating in the last several years without the support of The Mountaineers Foun-
dation. That was somewhat of an understatement, because for the past ve years
The Mountaineers Foundation fully funded the operations of the clubs outstanding
library and, in June 2009, provided a grant that would have funded the library in
2010.
Several months ago, the Library Committee was informed by the interim executive
director that the club leadership was considering the elimination of the part-time
staff position for a professional librarian as part of an ongoing effort to reduce club
expenditures. In early December the club leadership made the decision to eliminate
that part-time position, effective Dec. 31, and to return to The Mountaineers Foun-
dation the unused portion of its June 2009 library grant.
Where do we go from here?
As of this writing the Library Committee has begin formulating a course of action
that will allow the library to remain open to serve the membership and the public,
albeit with some restrictions based on the limitations of the non-professional volun-
teers.
The greatest challenge will be how to maintain the online electronic card cata-
log without the skills of a professional librarian. Once the Library Committee has
reached a consensus, it will work with new Executive Director Martinique Grigg to
develop the best plan of action possible within the available resources. We hope to
announce more specic information in the March edition of Off the Shelf.
Special note: In late December the Library Committee held a farewell dinner
party to honor Kathleen McCluskey for her outstanding performance as staff
librarian. When Kathleen started seven years ago, she arrived at a library that
operated on ve separate methods of categorization, with rather sporadic records.
But, due to her professional skills and personal dedication, she leaves a library that
is completely organized under one recognized standardthe Library of Congress
cataloging system.
In addition, Kathleen immersed herself in the librarys outdoor-oriented content
which allowed her to answer the many reference questions received from our
worldwide online users. As a result, many now consider The Mountaineers Library
to be among the top mountaineering/outdoor-oriented libraries available to the
public in the English-speaking world. Thank you, Kathleen, for your seven years
of outstanding service to The Mountaineers Library; service that went way beyond
what was warranted by your part-time staff position. You will be greatly missed, but
denitely not forgotten.
To stay updated on the library, log on to www.mountaineeers.org and click on Li-
brary in the top banner of the front page.
By Dennis Sampson, chair of the Library Committee
Changes coming to library
for trip planning, as well as skills development, how-to information and
historical research.
Located in the new club headquarters at Magnuson Park, the library is
temporarily unable to allow book checkout, but keep an eye on our web-
site and The Mountaineerfor future announcements about resumption of
checkouts. In the meantime, materials will be available for reference, but
users should check with member services on the ground oor before using
the library.
To nd the library, look for the stairs leading up to your right after you walk
through the main entrance. See the library link at www.mountaineers.org
for updates and driving directions.
Continued from M1
Library to continue providing a vast resource
Enroll in a school as big as allthe outdoorsand then someWhen you join The Mountaineers you not
only tap into year-round outdoor acitvi-
ties. You acquire the skills to introduce
hundreds of others to natures splendor.
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February010 TheMountaineer
Branches& limbs
Tom Hodgman,a ormerMountaineers climb leader,
has lived in Europe since 1997
and now ofers guided tripsor the Tour o Mont Blanc.
The Tour of Mont Blanc
Its the dream of a lifetime
www.FranceinaBoot.comENVIROSTARS RATING
Our services include design
and installation of:
Drought tolerant and native plantings
Rockeries and stone patios
Edible landscapes &Backyard wildlife habitat
To schedule a free site visit,
please call
Michael Lockman
206-459-7022
or visit us online at
www.we-design.net
Our beautiful Northwest
gardens provide food,
shade, privacy and
enjoyment for you
and your family.
LICENSED, BONDED & INSURED #WEDESDI938K9
with The Mountaineers
Mt. Baker Lodge
Kitsap Cabin
Meany Lodge
Snoqualmie Campus
Stevens Lodge
only steps from hiking trails
and chairlifts
www.mountaineers.org/lodge/baker
camp, picnic, snowshoe
only an hour from seattle
www.snoqualmiecampus.org
ski in, ski out, relax
www.stevenslodge.org
winter sport lessons, learn, explore
www.meanylodge.org
enchanting old-growth preserve,
forest theater, salmon safaris
www.kitsapcabin.org
Escape
Hikers to protest cutsWashington Trails Association
(WTA) members and a delegation
of Mountaineers plan to travel to
Olympia on Wed., Feb. 3, for Hiker
Lobby Day, in attempt to save doz-
ens of popular Washington trails
from the threat of imminent closure.
The governors supplemental
budget calls for cutting the Depart-
ment of Natural Resources (DNR)
recreation funding by $278,000.
This follows last years 50-percent
recreation funding cut.
DNR responded to the budget
dictate by presenting a plan to
close 53 of its 148 recreation sites,
including the Rattlesnake Ledges,
Mt. Si and Little Si trails. These
three trails alone serve over a half-
million hikers each year, mostly
from the Puget Sound area.
These and many other trails state-
wide will close if the cut goes intoforce. Closures could start as early
as next month, according to DNR.
The Mountaineers and WTA urge
all hikers and others who cherish
their trails to join them at the Capi-
tol during Hiker Lobby Day, to talk
to their elected representatives and
to urge them to restore funding to
DNR. For more about the event,
see the article at www.wta.org.
For more information on visiting
the Legislature or contacting your
representative, see http://www.
leg.wa.gov/legislature, specically,
Find Your Legislator.
Gift aids Rhodie PreserveThe Mountaineers Foundation hasreceived a conservation easement
gift from Ueland Tree Farm, LLC.
The perpetual easement protects
approximately 100 acres of critical
watershed near Chico and Lost
Creeks, adjoining The Mountain-
eers 360-acre Rhododendron
Preserve in central Kitsap County.
The property includes The Moun-
taineers Kitsap Forest Theater, its
historic Kitsap Cabin and one of the
largest remaining vestiges of Puget
Sound lowland old-growth forests.
This gift ensures that riparian
zones along the creeks are pre-
served in perpetuity, thus protecting
spawning habitat critical to salmon.
The agreement includes an option
for the foundation to purchase an
additional 68 acres of Uelands
property to supplement the pre-
serve.
The foundation rst approached
Ueland about purchasing the acre-age in 2004, according to Jamie
Gordon, president of The Moun-
taineers Foundation. After some
purchase discussions, Ueland
generously gave these easements
to The Mountaineers, he added.
The protection afforded these
areas demonstrates Ueland Tree
Farms commitment to environmen-
tally responsible property man-
agement. Weve continually had
a positive relationship with Craig
Ueland and his associates, and we
hope to continue it in the future,
Gordon said.
For more information, see www.
uelandtreefarm.com and www.
moutaineersfoundation.org.