October 2009 Mountaineers Newsletter

8/9/2019 October 2009 Mountaineers Newsletter

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MountaineerThe

www.mountaineers.org

October, 2009Volume 103, No. 10

M4 Ma Natures valueas a public utility

M6 Grants help restore

atlandecosystem

M7 NEW! Destinations:Do you have a

favorite?

M2 View from the Top

M4 Conservation Currents

M4 Summit Savvy

M6 Passages

M7 Off the Shelf

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 gContinuedonM5

Fill up with NikwaxThe Moun-

taineers wants to show its appre-

ciation to its members on Sun.,

Oct. 4, by opening the spout on

hundreds of gallons of Nikwax. See

pg. 1 of the Go Guidefor details.

Climb Si for climate action! Oct.

24 will be International Climate

Action day and two Mountaineers

climbers are inviting everyone to

join them for an awareness event

at Mt. Si. See M4 for details on

how to participate.

The monthly publication of The Mountaineers

A viewing of Americas Best IdeaThu., Oct. 1Mountaineers and guests are invited to a viewing party this month of a lm that praises the creation of our countrys

national parkssome which would not have been created absent the passion and toil of people such as those with The

Mountaineers more than a hundred years ago.

The rst episode of The National Parks: Americas Best Idea, a lm by Ken Burns and Dayton Duncan, will premier on

television Sept. 27 via PBS. However, The Mountaineers will feature a showing of Episode 5: Great Nature, on Thu., Oct.

1, at 8 p.m. at club headquarters.

The fth episode of the series focuses on the golden age of parks when the Civilian Conservation Corps was created and

a young biologists work led to Congress passing a bill to protect the Everglades. It is also a period of growth for national

parks, including Mt. Rainier and Olympic National Park, where The Mountaineers was particularly involved.

Tickets for the show are $15. Proceeds will go toward expansion of the North Cascades National Park (home to El Dorado

Peak above) via the American Alps Legacy Project and the Washingtons National Park Fund. For more information, see

the ad onM3or visitwww.mountaineers.org.

Most people know that ice

doesnt melt atop Mt.

Everest and wood is not

found there. But melting ice and

wood are what led artist Jeff Clapp

to journey some 9,000 miles from

his home in Brunswick, Maine, to

the base of Everest.

After spending 20 years as a chef

in the Northeast, he said he got

tired of watching his ice sculptures

at weddings and banquets just

melt away. So, he turned to wood

sculpting.

His work earned displays in several

exhibitions and galleries while he

continued to work as a chef. One

day someone gave me a CO2 tank

Bells from EverestSpend an

evening with

artist Jeff

Clapp

Thu.,Oct.15,7p.m.,clubheadquarters

Jeff Clapp puts another Everest

cylinder to lathe.

Club-wideelectionsThe election of Mountaineers

Board of Trustees candidates

will be heldWed., Oct. 21.

Mountaineers members may

vote electronically this year at

www.mountaineers.org. For

those without internet access,

a ballot can be found on the

next page. Please seepg.2of the Go Guide for candidate

profiles and statements.

Everest leftovers nd spot on artists plate

Getintheclimbingqueue:As

one climbing season ends, another

is about to begin. Enrollment for

next years climbing courses is just

around the corner, starting with the

Seattle Branch program. See pg. 9

of the Go Guide.

Eric Simonson to visit Tacoma:

The Tacoma Branch will host one

of the biggest names in climbing

when it holds its Annual Banquet

on Oct. 17. See pg. 13 of the Go

Guidefor details.

Photo courtesy of Washingtons National Park Fund


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October009 TheMountaineer

OctoberapivotalmonthforMountaineers

The

MountaineerAlso see us on the web atwww.mountaineers.org

The Mountaineers is a nonprotorganization, founded in 1906and dedicated to the responsibleenjoyment and protection of naturalareas.

BoardofTrusteesOfcersPresident Eric Linxweiler, 08-10President Elect Tab Wilkins, 08-10Past President Bill Deters, 08-09VP Properties Dave Claar, 08-10VP Publishing Don Heck, 08-10Treasurer Mike Dean, 08-10Secretary Steve Sears, 08-10

Trustees at large

Kirk Alm, 07-10Rich Draves, 08-11Dale Flynn, 07-10Ed Henderson, 08-11Lynn Hyde, 08-11Don Schaechtel, 06-09

Eva Schnleitner, 06-09Dave Shema, 07-10Mona West, 06-09

Branch TrusteesBellingham, Steven GlennEverett, Rob SimonsenFoothills, Gerry HaugenKitsap, Jimmy JamesOlympia, John FlanaganSeattle, Mike MaudeTacoma, Tom Shimko

Interim Executive DirectorMona West

ManagingEditorBrad Stracener

Contributors,proofreaders:Barb Butler, Brian Futch, James Hamp-ton, Jim Harvey, Suzan Reiley, Darla

TishmanPhotographers & Illustrators:Scott Marlow

THE MOUNTAINEERis publishedmonthly by:The Mountaineers,7700 Sand Point Way N.E.Seattle, WA 98115206-521-6000; 206-523-6763 fax

Volume 103, No. 10

The Mountaineer(ISSN 0027-2620)is published monthly by The Moun-taineers, 7700 Sand Point Way N.E.,Seattle, WA 98115.Members receive a subscription as partof their annual dues. Approximately

$12.42 of each members annualmembership dues is spent to print andmail this publication. Non-membersubscriptions to The Mountaineerare$32. Periodicals postage paid at Seat-tle, WA.Postmaster: send address changesto The Mountaineer, 7700 Sand PointWay N.E., Seattle, WA 98115.Opinions expressed in articles arethose of the authors and do not nec-essarily represent the views of TheMountaineers.

Purposes and mission

Whoyagonnacall?Yourmentor,ofcourseAre you a new member wondering about the how-to, where-to and what-to-do

with your club? There are a number of resources available to you, not the least

our websites. Now there is also a real, live person. If you want to know about

expected conditioning for a hike, what not to wear, how to sign up for events or

whatever call or e-mail the mentor of the month. Mona West is this months

mentor. Feel free to contact her at [email protected] with your questions

or comments.

View from the Top

The clubs mission:

To enrich the community by helping people explore, conserve, learn about and

enjoy the lands and waters of the Pacic Northwest.

The clubs charter lists its purposes as follows:

To explore and study the mountains, forests and other water courses of

the Northwest and beyond.

To gather into permanent form the history and traditions of these regions

and explorations.

To preserve by example, teaching and the encouragement of protective

legislation or otherwise the natural beauty of the natural environment.

To make expeditions and provide educational opportunities in fulllment

of the above purposes.

To encourage a spirit of good fellowship among all lovers of outdoor life.

To hold real estate and personal property and to receive, hire, purchase,

occupy, and maintain and manage suitable buildings and quarters for

the furtherance of the purposes of the association, and to hold in trust or

otherwise funds, received by bequest or gift or otherwise, to be devoted to

the purposes of said association.

For the first time, Mountaineers will be able to vote for their officers via

computer online. However, those Mountaineers members without internet

access may vote in the 2009 club-wide election by completing the election

ballot below, cutting it out and submitting it by Oct. 21, 5 p.m., to:

The Mountaineers, 7700 Sand Point Way N.E., Seattle, WA 98115

2010 Mountaineers Ballot

Please select only three of the following candidates for thethree open seats on The Mountaineers Board of Trustees. (The

data used for mailing that appears on the opposite side of this bal-

lot will be used to verify and validate votes.)

JohnOhlson

MarkScheffer

MattSullivan

MonaWest

Candidates statements and profiles can be found on pg. 2 of

the Go Guide.Please read them before voting.

ByEricLinxweiler,president

October is a great time to

be a Mountaineer! Its a

time when we can grasp

one last weekend of summer,

enjoy cool weekends before snows

and rains re-

turn, and gear

up for what

promises to bean excellent

winter in the

Northwest.

October is also the start of a new

year for The Mountaineers. Our

scal year starts, as well as a new

election for our board of trustees.

Normally this is a non-event, but as

our organization transitions itself, it

is worth a second to consider just

how far weve actually come.

Consider how much progress

weve made over the past year.

Here are some highlights:

We successfully created and

moved into North Americas

foremost mountaineering center,

complete with facilities to teach

all aspects of the alpine environ-

ment (including the worlds third

largest mountaineering library).

We embarked on a journey

to bring new leadership to The

Mountaineers, ensuring that we

are focused on our second cen-

turygrowing in a sustainable

and sound fashion.

Weve successfully launched

several entry-level mountaineer-

ing programs (namely Junior

Mountaineers and Trailhead),

driven by of our program devel-

opment initiatives.

Our Legacy Society for

planned giving was established.

Mountaineers Books hascontinued to evolve and thrive,

moving a record number of

books into the digital era.

Even some of the little changes

have been exciting. This year, well

have our rst electronic election,

one that hopefully will yield more

voices in helping to ensure the

right leaders are moving our club

forward. Many thanks to our club

leaders in bringing this to The

Mountaineers.

Over the past few years, your

board has done an awesome job

at ensuring we are making the right

investments in the right areas to

both fulll our mission, as well as

move our strategic plan forward.

None of this could be done without

the unwavering support of each of

you. Countless hours are poured

into The Mountaineers by those

that love, maintain and sustain it.

Well have some exciting news for

you next month, as we continue onour path of evolution and transition.

The world never stops turning if

you are a Mountaineer!

How far will you go this year?

The

Mountaineersw w w . m o u n t a i n e e r s . o r g

In next months Mountaineer: Proles of servicevolunteers who go the extra mile

Dosewallips update


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October009TheMountaineer

Protection of the Northwests natu-

ral resources requires knowledge

of terrainpolitically and physi-

cally. The Mountaineers Northwest

Environmental Issues Course

provides the former, equipping

advocates with the necessary tools

and awareness to lobby for preser-

vation of our natural resourcesat

no charge to the student.

The Mountaineers partners with

the University of Puget Sound and

the Washington Environmental

Council to present the curriculum,

which supports the upcoming 2010

environmental legislative focus as

identied through the Environmen-

tal Priorities Coalition.

These priorities will be set by

working closely with the broaderenvironmental community and will

focus on promoting the protection

of our land, air and water. The co-

alition will announce the identied

legislative focus in October.

The course runs from Oct. 21

to Nov. 18. Lectures will be held

Wednesday evenings from 6:30

to 8:30 p.m. at the University of

Puget Sound, Collins Memorial

Library, Room 303. The course can

be offered free to all participantsthrough generous grants from The

Mountaineers Foundation and the

University of Puget Sound.

For more information, contact

Katharine Appleyard, Sound Policy

Institute at the University of Puget

Sound, 253-879-3716, kapple-

[email protected], or Nancy

Neyenhouse, 253.848.9448,[email protected].

NorthwestEnvironmentalIssuesCourseSouthSoundtostartOct.1

Dont forget to vote!Logontowww.mountaineers.org tocastyourelec-

tronicvoteforTheMountaineersBoardofTrustees

(see candidate proles on pg. 2 of the Go Guide). If

youarewithoutaccesstotheinternet,cutoutthebal-

lotonM2. You have until 5 p.m. Wed., Oct. 21!


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Canyouidentify the summit

in the foreground here? Send your

answer (by Oct. 10) to: Summit Savvy,

The Mountaineer, 7700 Sand Point

Way N.E., Seattle, WA 98115. If you

guess correctly, youll receive $10 of

Mountaineers Money, good for Moun-

taineers 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.

No one identied last months

mystery summit, Mt. Dana, as photo-

graphed by Curtis Baxstrom.

SummitSavvy

conservation

CURRENTS

Imagine your invoice if MotherNature charged for her servicesByBradStracener

How much is a wetland

worth to the owner of a $2

million home on beachfront

property? Perhaps more than the

homeowner could ever imagine. In-

deed, it could be more than anyonecould imagine or even formulate.

However, the authors of an Earth

Economics Study are trying to

make the formulization of natures

value in goods and services a bit

easier.

While billions are spent on dams or

sewage treatment plants to pro-

vide the public with protection from

oods or bacteria, nature provides

its own inherent protections to the

public. In the lexicon of the study,

these man-made and nature-made

services to our well-being are

built capital and natural capital,

respectively.

Putting a dollar gure on the sav-

ings that natural capital entails is

much more complex than, say,

putting a dollar gure on a coho

salmon caught by a sport sher at

the mouth of the Columbia River or

the economic benets that result

from the dredging of a bay to cre-

ate a harbor or port for transport

of goods. But the study, led by

David Batker, attempts to bring

economists closer to appropriating

values to these goods and services

that nature provides. Batker is an

economist and the executive direc-

tor of Earth Economics, a non-prot

organization in Seattle.

Batker and his team base thestudy on natures ability toprovide us with goods and services

that do not require mans hand.

Land, rivers and air provide many

services that sustain humankind.

Wetlands absorb rainwater and

control oodwater, forests lter

drinking water and river estuaries

harbor young migratory sh that

later become large enough for usto eat. Beaches on all of our bodies

of water, fresh or salt, are sources

of recreation.

Earth Economics maintains that

we suffer great expense when we

damage natures built-in services.

Citing other studies, the Earth

Economics study notes that inter-

est in identifying, describing and

quantifying the economic value

of ecosystem services has grown

tremendously over the past 20

years, expressly for the purpose of

improving environmental decision-

making.

The study says that ecosystemfunctions and the services theyproduce are diverse and operate

across large landscapes (storm

buffering) or, in some cases, the

whole planet (carbon seques-

tration). Highly interdependent

physical and biological systems

make life, and economic life, on the

planet possible.

The complexity of equating dollar

value to natures provisions lies in

the large landscapes involved,

such as the process of carbon

sequestration and the distribution

of ocean nutrients.

The landscape is so large that

Earth Economics could only attach

values to 12 ecosystem services

while identifying 23 categories of

ecosystem services. And yet this

study is the most comprehensive

valuation to date.

Titled A New View of the Puget

Sound Economy, the study de-

duces that the value of naturesbenets to Puget Sound Basins

4.3 million residents is anywhere

from $243 billion to $2.1 trillion.

The natural capital can thus be

used by economists to compare

with costs of built capital, such as

dams, repairs to roads (Mt. Rainier

National Park, for example), recov-

ery aid to farms and businesses,

and so on.

As the study notes in its executive

summary, What is at stake is noth-

ing less than our economic pros-perity and quality of life. Our quality

of life is excellent by any standard.

It goes on, Yet, while the Puget

Sound Basin boasts more houses,

cars, roads, buildings and other

elements of built capital every

year, most of our natural systems

are deteriorating . . . These natu-

ral systems are valuable and vital

economic assets.

The study asserts, True eco-nomics provides a better viewof our full suite of economic assets,

including the economic benets of

natural systems, which provide for

our common wealth . . . the air we

breathe, the water we drink, hospi-

table climate regulation, aesthetic

beauty, and protection from ood

and storm.

For more about Earth Econom-ics and its study, visit the website,

www.eartheconomics.org.

Brad Stracener is managing editor

ofThe Mountaineer.

The International Day of

Climate Action on Sat., Oct.24, aims to tag hundreds ofmiles onto the trail up Mt.Si.

Mountaineers climbing leaders

Sunny Remington and Eileen

Kustcha are helping to make

sure that at least 42 people join

them on that Saturday to raise

awareness and a sense of ur-

gency about the need to reduce

CO2 levels in our atmosphere.

A reduction to 350 ppm is what

scientists have identied as the

safe upper limita level not seen

since the 1980s. Currently, the

level is 389 ppm.

Carpooling will be highly encour-

aged to this event, a hike of eight

miles with an elevation gain of

4200 ft. The aim, according to

Remington, is to collect enough

participants to collectively hike

350 miles on the mountain near

North Bend. The sponsor of the

nationwide event, 350.org, calls

for organizers of awareness

events to incorporate the number

350.

Those interested in participating

should contact either Remington,

[email protected], 206-

354-8518, or Kustcha, 206-276-

3683, Eileen_kutscha@yahoo.

com, by Tue., Oct. 20.

DayofClimateActionaims

totackonmilesatMt.Si

How far will you go this year?

The

Mountaineersw w w . m o u n t a i n e e r s . o r g


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from the restaurant. I put it on a metal lathe, cut some grooves in the side

and made a bell out of it, Clapp recounted. But it was not as beautiful as

wood, so I gave up on the whole bell idea at that point.

Then, about six years ago, Clapp was watching a National Geographic

special on Mt. Everest. He learned about all the expended oxygen tanks

left on the mountain by climbers. The idea then sprouted: I looked at it likeI was stepping into a large walk-in

(cooler). What do you do with the

leftovers? Thats what the restau-

rant business is all about. You have

some prime rib that isnt quite steak

material, so you make a beef pot

pie or stroganoff out of it.

He applied his culinary acumen

to the oxygen tanks: he would

salvage them to make bells and

bowls. The devices that kept peo-

ple alive on their way to the worlds

highest peak could be given a new,

extended life.

Though it was a nifty scheme to

recycle debris otherwise left in a pristine environment, Clapp admits that

self-interest also served as motivation.

To become famous as an artist, you usually have to die to start with. I

didnt want to wait that long. So, he was looking for ways to become

noted without dying.

However, it was his knowledge of what art can do that compelled him to

journey to Nepal and the discarded tanks. What I have done is symbolic.

I have not really pulled that much trash off Everest but I have hopefully

inspired others to do great things in their lives.

So far, he has pulled exactly 132 pieces of trashoxygen tanksoff of

Everest.

The project may not have materialized had Jeff and his wife, Wendy Raw-

son, not attended a presentation by mountain guide Dan Mazur at MIT. It

was there that Clapp said he rst presented this crazy idea to someone

in the mountain community. He eventually asked Mazur, who specializes

in Himalayan climbs and treks, how he might access the discarded oxy-

gen cylinders. Dan said, for $200 I can bring one up for you. I told him I

wanted all of them.

After hearing what Clapp had planned for the tanks, Mazur, who has

trekked and climbed the region since 1986, provided Clapp with some

names and connections to his guide services, Summit Climb and Summit

Treks. I thought it was a great idea right away, Mazur stated.Clapp then started to plan logistics for a trip that would actually prove nos-

talgic for him if not life changing.

Arriving alone in Hong Kong and Bangkok to catch a ight to Nepal was

not without its apprehension. I had never traveled that far away alone, he

stated.

After approaching the front desk at his hotel in Kathmandu, he told the

clerk his name and they scratched their heads. They didnt have his name

listed. I said to myself, oh no, I am here all alone. What am I going to do

now?

Desperate for some kind of identifying information, he started to tell his

story, and then dropped the name of Dan Mazur. They all of a sudden

perked up, he said, and told me that (Dan) was actually in the building. In

fact, he was standing right behind me. I could have cried.

So I talked to Dan and invited myself to dinner. After seven days of travel-

ing with little time to sit down for a full meal, I just wanted someone to eat

with, he said with a laugh.

It turned out that Mazur was leading an expedition. Clapp was invited along

to trek the Khumbu region while the climbers did their thing. Instead of

trekking alone with his own Sherpa, as planned, he suddenly had the com-

pany of 40 others all the way through the Khumbu. In the meantime, the

travel agent for Mazurs guiding company arranged Clapps transportationand the Sherpas for retrieval of the cylinders, which ended up being the

very same cylinders that appeared in the picture his daughter had brought

home from school.

It was fun trekking with Jeff to base camp, said Mazur, who eventually

joined Clapp on a few lectures at which Clapp would talk about the bells

and Mazur about Himalayan climbing. I got to learn a lot about the bells

through that, said Mazur.

Jeff is a unique individual with fantastic ideas and a ne artist, added

Mazur, who said a small bowl made by Clapp occupies pride of place in

my home.

Knowledge of the Bells from Ever-

est project snowballed once it be-

came known amongst the Sherpa

communities. The government

offered a price tag of $25 for each

tank that Clapp could take out of

the Khumbu. Trash was viewed by

the government as not conducive

to tourism, Clapp said.

His project gained momentum in

the states as well. Backpacker

magazine eventually ran an article

about him, after he had approached

them for support, as did the Ameri-

can Alpine Clubs publication.On the cusp of a ski trip to Telluride, he said he had an epiphany while

applying the lathe to the cylinders. The excess was spraying off like little

steel scrubbies, and my oor was full of shavings.

Making trash of what was originally trash would make the project self-de-

feating, he said. My rst thought was turning the shavings into Christmas

ornaments. Instead of bells for $1,500, I could share a little piece of history

by selling ornaments for a few dollars a piece.

In 2005, he was a featured artist at theTelluride Mountain Film Festival, and

in 2007, a presenter at Disneys Holidays Around The World. Disney World

had just added a new ride named for Mt. Everest.

He was a nalist for a National Geographic award among the likes of

Patagonia and North Face. He also was commissioned, at the behest ofclimbing great Reinhold Messner, to craft a bell for the Messner climbing

museum. Neiman Marcus, meanwhile, has listed his work in its catalog.

He has cut into about half of the 132 cylinders and the bells are reaching

many of the galleries that exhibited his wood sculptures.

Clapp said his show for The Mountaineers will be all about perspective

and imagination, adding, I want everyone to have a part in this crazy

adventure.

Asked if he still donned the chefs hat, he replied over the phone, Ive got

a wedding to do tomorrow.

Brad Stracener is managing editor ofThe Mountaineer.

ContinuedfromM1

Bells and bowlsfnished product.

Trekking the Khumbu.

Guide comes to rescue of Clapp and bells

His father worked as a teacher for families of his employer, a petroleum

company in Arabia. We were given some travel coupons by my dads

company when we left Arabia, Clapp recounted. Among the coupons was

a stay in Nepal. He saw many wonders on that trip but all at the age of 5.

I had always regretted how young I was and that I couldnt remember itall, said Clapp.

If that wasnt enough to compel him, an augury of sorts was presented

by his daughter, Taylor, just before he booked his ight to Nepal. In third

grade, she had brought home from class a weekly reader about Everest

and the Nepalese Mountaineering Associations efforts to clean up the

mountain. It showed Appa Sherpa, who has reached Everests summit

more than any other person on the planet, kneeling by a pile of oxygen

cylinders.

This was a sign, said Clapp, that told me, Jeff, you are doing the right

thing. He booked his ight in February of 2004.

Though a knee-high world traveler at one time, Clapp found his adult pro-

clivity for travel an entirely different affair.

Jeff is a unique individual

with fantastic ideasDanMazur,Himalayanmountainguide


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Passages

Editors note:Following is a

rsthand account by Nancy Ney-

enhouse of work on the groundaccomplished by recipients of grant

money from The Mountaineers

Foundation. Neyenhouse, a Moun-

taineers member for 12 years, sits

on The Mountaineers Foundation

Community Grants Committee.

Being a member of the

foundations Commu-

nity Grants Committee has

great perks. Not only do I have

the opportunity to actively support

great community environmental

organizations and programs that

further the foundations mission of

protecting natural areas, but I canactually visit the places where this

work is being done.

This August, my husband and I vis-

ited the Oregon Natural Desert As-

sociation (ONDA), headquartered

in Bend, Oregon. Jefferson Jacobs,

ONDA outreach director, spent

the day with us, taking us to sites

where ONDA is actively remov-

ing barbed wire from former ranch

lands now set aside as wilderness,

refuge, or conservation areas and

restoring riparian habitat.

The Mountaineers Foundation

has a longstanding relationship

with ONDA, founded in 1987 to

protect, defend and restore the

health of Oregons native deserts.

The foundation has been support-ing the ONDA mission since 2001.

Grants from the foundation have

been used by ONDA to educate

and ght for wilderness designation

while mitigating adverse ecological

impacts from domestic livestock

grazing.

The day began with an overviewof the areas in which ONDAis currently active with their large

cadre of volunteers. Presently,

ONDA volunteers are heavily

involved in the Pine CreekConservation Area where they are

removing old barbed-wire fencing

from former ranch lands and

planting trees along streams that

have been decimated by domestic

cattle grazing. (Please see the

ONDA website at www.onda.org for

complete information.)

The area we visited had been

cleared of barbed wire earlier in

the year by volunteers from both

the Great Old Broads and the

Mazamas.

Years of cattle grazing and beaver

trapping in this area have reduced

once beautiful riparian habitatfull

of beaverinto dry, dusty canyons.

Instead of streams overowing

their banks behind beaver dams,

the water cut a deep path straight

down into the land, forming stream

canyons 30-40 feet deep, devoid of

vegetation.

The beautiful result of volunteers

planting trees along these streams

is the return of a healthy popula-

tion of beavers that are once again

damming streams to provide habi-

tat for waterfowl and a host of other

animals.

Walking up and over the hillswith Jefferson was a treat.His passion and excitement aboutwhat ONDA does and his work with

the volunteers was evident with

every step we took. Camping out

with the Great Old Broads and the

Mazamas for days at a time wasnt

a bad gig either.

Volunteers have pulled nearly 10

miles of barbed wire fencing from

this area. After it is pulled and

bundled, it is removed, and what

isnt terribly rusted is recycled for

use by farmers and ranchers in

other areasgreat for communityrelations.

Volunteers tackle atland restoration via foundation grants

DianeAltwein, a 40-year member of The Mountaineers, began hernal journey to the mountains of the great beyond on Aug. 13, 2009. Dur-

ing her tenure as a member, she made many contributions to both the cluband the outdoor community.

A graduate of the Alpine Scrambling Course, Diane volunteered at Stevens

Lodge and Kitsap Cabin, where she helped to park cars during the plays at

the Forest Theater.

She was a longtime member of the Library Committee and skilled in car-

pentry. She built locking, glass, bookcases to securely house the clubs

growing rare-book collection at its 719 Pike St. location. The cases were

later relocated to the 300 3rd Ave. W. headquarters.

Altwein joined two club-sponsored international outings to Nepal. She also

made many valuable contributions to fellow Mountaineer and trail advocate

Ruth Ittners wouldnt you like to do . . . requests.

Always ahead of her time, Altwein organized volunteer trail-work partieswell before the U.S. Forest Service considered implementing volunteer

labor. Putting her carpentry skills to use again, she built boxes for trans-

porting equipment to the worksite on pack animals. She also rounded up

trail-work volunteers, including a cook for the trail crews. Some of her ef-

forts resulted in the Whitechuck Bench Trail and the nearby Beaver Ponds

Trail near Darrington.

Born Feb. 27, 1940, she received a doctorate degree in pharmaceutical

chemistry from the University of Washington at a time when pharmacy was

a male-dominated profession. Through her perseverance, she was able to

work as a pharmacist in Texas. Ultimately, she returned to college to pur-

sue a career in chemistry with the Washington State Department of Health

as well as the Food and Drug Administration.

Volunteers pulled nearly 10 miles of barbed wire from north-central Oregon.

SEATTLE

OLYMPIA

TACOMA

December 2, 3, 4 @ 7 pm.

December 5 @ 7 pm, December 6 @ 6 pmTickets: $12 Saturday, $10 Sunday; $20 for both. $2 discount Sunday for

Mountaineers, Olympia Film Society members and students w/ID

Tickets are available in advance through The Alpine Experience and Olympic

Outtters, both in downtown Olympia, or at the theater each night.

Tickets: $10 Mountaineers, $15 General. Tickets are available through theMountaineers ofce, or by calling 206-521-6001.

December 8 @ 7 pmTickets: $10 Mountaineers/UPS staff, faculty and students. $13 GeneralSchneebeck Concert Hall, University of Puget Sound

Tickets: 253-879-3419

BANFF RETURNS TO WASHINGTON!Big thrills. Exotic locales. Wanderlust. The Banff Mountain Film Festival WorldTour promises an experience like no other. Fresh from the October festival

in Banff, Canada, the best mountain-themed lms from around the world

make their way to Seattle, Olympia and Tacoma. Tickets always go fast for thispopular event. Get your tickets today!


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Editors note:Craig Miller, an outings leader for The Mountaineers, hiked the wil-

derness of Washingtons Olympic Coast late this summera trek that took him 60

miles from Neah Bay to Oil City. In the spirit of inspiring and informing other Moun-

taineers wishing to enjoy the splendors of our states wilderness, The Mountaineer

features his trip, including advice and essential information, in the debut of a newcolumn, Destinations.

This narrow strip of coast is between two dramatically differentworlds the ocean and the forest. Highlights include the amaz-ing intertidal zone (new for me were gooseneck barnacles), scenery

(sea stacks and crashing waves), and tides.

On my seven-day trip in August, I experienced the lowest and highest tides of the

month. I prefer sleeping on the sand beaches, but at the highest tides of the month,

I instead camped above the beach and in the trees.

My campsites this trip were:

Seaeld Creek (this was a challenge the rst afternoon with incoming tides

around Point of the Arches)

Sand Point

Norwegian Memorial

Between Chilean Memorial and Hole-in-the-Wall Scott Creek

Mosquito Creek

How to go about it

This is a backpack along sand beaches, but also, a scramble around rocky, wet

headlands. Wear good boots with Vibram soles. It is better to carry an internal-

frame pack rather than an external-frame pack.

When you get the required permit for trips of at least a week, I suggest asking the

ranger for a lightweight Kevlar food canister, rather than the traditional plastic food

canister made by Garcia.

I recommend hiking this stretch of coast from July through September, when rivers

and creeks can be crossed at low volumes and at low tides. I had no problems

crossing Ozette River, Goodman Creek and Mosquito Creek. A good weather fore-

cast for a week is essential.

You should time your travel to work with the low tides. My preference would be low

tides in the middle of the day, so that I can backpack all day long. On this trip, I had

the opposite (high tides in the middle of the day), so I backpacked in the morning,

had to wait several hours for the high tides to turn, then continued backpacking in

the afternoon. At the south end (near Oil City), where there is a small headland, you

need a tide of 2 feet or lower to go around the head. The highest and lowest tides

of the month are when there is a new moon.

At Neah Bay I hiked six-tenths of a mile to spectacular Cape Flattery (the northwest

point of the lower 48 states) and also visited the Makah Museum, which featureshistoric artifacts uncovered from the Ozette Indian village buried 500 years ago in a

mudslide. I passed the archeological dig near Cape Alava on my hike.

My preference is to backpack from south to north (Oil City to Neah Bay) to avoid

the Makah tribal recreation fee ($10) and overnight parking fee ($10 per day). The

Oil City trailhead parking lot is not secure, so have a cover over any gear left in

your car. My shuttles consisted of ve hitchhikes and two buses, all for only 25

cents.

Public transport

Clallam Transit operates a large bus on Route 16 from Forks Transit Center to

Neah Bay every day except Sunday for 75 cents:

http://www.clallamtransit.com/route-16-timetable.html.

Jefferson Transit operates a small bus on Route 15 from Forks Transit Center to

La Push (they dropped me at the Third Beach trailhead) every day except Sunday

for 75 cents:http://www.clallamtransit.com/route-15-timetable.html.

Jefferson Transit operates a small bus from Forks to just north of Oil City to

US-101 intersection (called Upper Hoh Road on their schedule) every day except

Sunday for 25 cents:

http://www.jeffersontransit.com/schedules/westjeff.html.

A view of Toleak Point along the Olympic National Park Coast trail.

OlympicNationalParkCoastDestinations

Share your favorite destination with usSend an e-mail to [email protected]

or call 206-521-6013

Andrew N. Hunt

Agent

New York Life Insurance Company

11400 S.E. 8th St., Ste. 300

Bellevue, WA 98004

(253) 820-9518; www.andrewnhunt.com /

[email protected]

Brad

Stracenerphoto

Dont forget to vote!Logontowww.mountaineers.org tocastyourelec-

tronicvoteforTheMountaineersBoardofTrustees

(see candidate proles on pg. 2 of the Go Guide). If

youarewithoutaccesstotheinternet,cutoutthebal-

lotonM2. You have until 5 p.m. Wed., Oct. 21!


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Washington: Cedar Springs - October 19-21, 2007$295 includes all organic meals, classes, double room

Costa Rica - November 23 Dec 1, 2007 - Roy H & Christine Borys$1,195 Shared room, Includes 8 nights hotel, most meals, classes, ground

transport (Or: $1,895 includes RT air from Seattle)

Mexico: Yelapa - January 18-26, 2008 - Roy H & Linda Lapping$1,195 shared: Includes 8 nights hotel, most meals, classes, Mexico groundtransport (Or: $1,695 includes RT air from Seattle)

Guatemala: Lake Atitlan - Feb 14-25, 2008 - Roy H & Kara Keating$1,295 shared: 11 nights Hotel, Most Meals, Classes, Ground transport($1,895 includes RT air from Seattle)

Yoga Hiking Culture Swimming Sunshine

Roy is a Mountaineer member, hike leader, yoga and meditation teacher, minister, andreexologist. Classes & Workshops in the Everett area. Weddings ofciated too!

Yoga Retreats

Lake Atitlan, Guatemala Roy Holman

Contact for more info: Roy Holman 425-303-8150,www.holmanhealthconnections.com Yoga For Every Body

Mexico: Yelapa - Jan. 16-24, 2009$1,195 Includes 8 nights hotel, most meals, classes, groundtransport (Or: $1,795 includes RT air from Seattle)

Guatemala: Lake Atitlan Feb. 26-March 9, 2009$1,295 11 nights hotel, most meals, classes, ground transport($1,995 includes RT air from Seattle)

Costa Rica - Nov. 28-Dec. 7, 2008$1,195 Shared room, Includes 9 nightshotel, most meals, classes, ground transport(Or: $1,995 includes RT air from Seattle)

Yoga Retreats

Yoga Hiking Culture Swimming Sunshine

Roy Holman

Washington: Methow Valley Retreat, Oct. 2-4, 2009$350 Includes two nights shared lodging, organicmeals, classes, hikes, and other activities

Mexico: Yelapa - Jan 22-30, 2010$1,195 Includes 8 nights hotel, most meals, classes, ground transport(Or: $1,750 includes RT air from Seattle)

Guatemala: Lake Atitlan Feb. 18-28, 2010$1,395 11 nights hotel, most meals, classes, ground transport ($2,150includes RT air from Seattle)

Branches

& limbs

Hide-n-go-seekYou can climb but you cannot hide. An otherwise-concealed Dan Azer does

not fool a mountain goats nose for high-altitude intruders. Azer was climbing

Liberty Bell via the Blue Lake Trailhead.

Scott Marlow photo

CyclersstorytakesstageAn on-stage reading performance,

based on a book about two youngbicyclers, who, in 1909 pedaled

from their home in California to the

Alaska Yukon Pacic Exposition in

Seattle, is currently being present-

ed at various King County venues.

Vic McDaniel and Ray Francisco,

fresh high school graduates, set

out on their second-hand bicycles

from Santa Rosa in August of

1909 to take on the challenge of

cycling from their home to the expo

(AYPE). They pedaled, pushed

and walked 1,000 miles of primitive

roads for 54 days and encountered

nearly every imaginable natural,

mechanical and human challengeon their one-speed bikes.

While adventure was their primary

lure, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer

promised that a purse of $25 would

await them if they made it to the

AYPE before its nal day.

In recognition of the AYPE centen-

nial, Book-It Repertory Theatre and

4Cultures Heritage and Site-Spe-

cic performance divisions are

presenting the show, Two Wheels

North, by Evelyn McDaniel Gibb,

adapted and directed by AnnieLareau.

The performance can be seen

at nine different venues in King

County. Visit the Book-It website

at www.book-it.org for more details

about tickets and venue locations.

Secrets ofSHANGRI-LAFriday, November 13 at 7 pm

With renowned mountaineer Pete Athans

Travel to the high Himalayan kingdom of Mustang with PeteAthans as his journey leads him to a surprising fnd - atreasure trove of ancient Buddhist texts and images. Learn how

he later traveled back with a multidisciplinary team to document,study and begin to preserve this amazing fnd.

Tickets: $10 Mountaineers, $15 General. Available through the

Mountaineers Bookstore.

The Mountaineers, 7700 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle

The LasT PoLar BearAn evening with Steven Kazlowski

Thursday, November 12 at 7 pm

Tickets: $8 Mountaineers, $10 General. Availablethrough the Mountaineers Bookstore.

The Mountaineers, 7700 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle

Polar bears are widely considered to be an indicatorspecies with regards to the effects of climate change.In his book The Last Polar Bear, photographer Steven Ka-zlowski brings this critical issue to life with his unparalleledimagery. Join us for a presentation of this magnicent

animal in its natural - and endangered - habitat.

the irate

birdwatcher

Harvey Manning, a Northwest writer andlegendary conservationist, used his words andactions to open peoples eyes to naturesbeauty and to urge them to save it. The IrateBirdwatcher is a lm inspired by the written

works of Manning, with a focus on wildernesspreservation. Manning was the voice of a dedi-cated band of hikers and climbers who soughtto create North Cascades National Park andother wilderness areas.

Join us to celebrate the vision and dedicationof a true legend - Harvey Manning.

Wednesday, November 4 at 7 pm

This is a FREE event. All are welcome!

The Mountaineers Building7700 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle

A new way to pay!Members can take a bite out of

their dues payment by enrolling in

our monthly dues program. Each

month, you pay 1/12th of your

dues rate. Thats a little over $6 a

month for most members!

Get started today by visiting the

webpage below.

www.mountaineers.org/autopay.html

October 2009 Mountaineers Newsletter

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