Skagit Alpine

Skagit Alpine Club – June 2009 Newsletter

Skagit Alpine Club mission statement:  "To promote the use and prevent the abuse of outdoor recreation areas"....SAC Articles of Incorporation

Meeting:

Our June meeting will be held at 7:00 p.m. on THURSDAY June 4th at Skagit Valley College in Walter Hall T-31. The following shortcut is to a campus map http://www.skagit.edu/images/color_mvCampus.pdf. 

Secretary‘s Report:

Old Business:

·       Lynn Postler reminded us that trail work on the Pacific Northwest Trail has begun. If you are interested in joining the work crews to help maintain this now National Scenic Trail, there are work parties on the first and third weekend of every month. Lynn also gave thanks to all those who sent in letters of support in making the PNT a National Scenic Trail. Contact Lynn Postler@ sancho999@comcast.net.

·       Wade Bessett gave us an update regarding Mt.Erie and the ongoing battle between outdoor recreationalists and the ACFL. We are still fighting to protect the south side of Erie against trail closures or trail reclassifications. There will be a time for public comment at an upcoming Anacortes City Council meeting, probably in July. It is so important that we as a user group come together and defend those areas that we recreate at. If we don’t make some noise, we could lose the only decent crag around here so please take a moment and get on to the City of Anacortes website and read the ACFL draft plan and educate yourselves on what exactly is going on. MT ERIE NEEDS YOU! (and we need it).

Food and Drink Schedule:

New Business:

Jason G has received a letter sent to the SAC from the Mt. Baker Snoqualmie Forrest with some of this year’s road and trail "projects". That's good news, for these poor trails and roads that sure could use some attention.

Dave from the Navy asked if anyone was interested in filling a seat that's available at the Leave No Trace educator’s class being held. This class will teach the student how to educate others about the LNT philosophies. Contact phone is (360) 257-0853 or email Dave.Myers@navy.mil

Wade B is looking for suggestions on where we could hold our July picnic. In the past we have been going to Little Mountain in Mt. Vernon. Its a great location, but we are open to new suggestions. Please submit you ideas to Wade Bessett: bessettw@hotmail.com

 CDD gave a brief climbing class update. He notes that we are in the 5th week and nobody has perished yet, though one student did injure his own knee. All is well in the class.

Program:

“Climate History of the Skagit Valley”

Jon Riedel

Geologist- North Cascades National Park

7:30 pm – Walter Roberts Hall, T-31

Skagit Valley College

Please join us at this month’s alpine club meeting as we welcome geologist Jon Riedel to share about his work in the park.  Jon’s presentation will focus on his research documenting how the climate has changed in the Skagit valley over the past 30,000 years.  Through data he’s gathered examining local glaciers and their deposits, Jon will highlight five specific time periods where glacier moraines, buried wood, lake sediments, and macrofossils provide detailed records of the past climate.  If you have ever wondered about how glaciers and climate have shaped the Skagit Valley, this is sure to be an interesting presentation.

Jon’s presentation will follow our regular business meeting at 7pm. For more information please check out the park’s glacier monitoring webpage at:

http://www.nps.gov/noca/naturescience/glacial-mass-balance1.htm

Campus map:  http://www.skagit.edu/images/color_mvCampus.pdf

Lookout:

Outing(s):

2009   SKAGIT COUNTY TRAIL MAINTENANCE ON THE PNT

Want to do some local trail work with a wonderful group of people?  No experience needed.  Wear long pants, bring rain gear, work gloves, lunch, and get ready to have fun!  Meeting place is the Cook Road Park-n-Ride, exit 232 from I-5 north of Burlington.  Meeting time is 8:15 AM.  If you have any questions email Lynn at sancho999@comcast.net.  Hope to see you there!

Trail Work Correction - The Forest Pass is ONLY given to volunteers that work on the Easy Pass work party which is contracted with the Forest Service.  Passes are NOT given for volunteering with the PNTA or Little Mountain.  Sorry for the confusion.  Lynn and Sancho 

GENERAL TRAIL WORK

Trail work will be done on the FIRST and THIRD Saturday of each month EXCEPT JULY.

June 6 (National Trails Day) and 20 

July 11 and 25          

August 1 and 15

September 5 and 19

October 3 and 17

Conservation Report:

Special Announcement/Event:

Trip Report:

Climbing Class:

Officers:

President – Jason Griffith (360) 419-7480 jkgriffith@gmail.com

Vice President – Jonathan Frostad jonathanfrostad@hotmail.com

Treasurer – Ginny Darvill gdarvill@fidalgo.net

Secretary - Chris Noskoff cnoskoff@gmail.com

Newsletter - Corrina Marote corrina.marote@gmail.com

Webmaster - Steve Trent skagitalpineclub@comcast.net

Programs – Jason Griffith (360) 419-7480 jkgriffith@gmail.com

Lookout - John and Marie Erbstoeszer erbst@cnw.com

Outings - Lynn Postler sancho999@comcast.net

Conservation Com- Jenny Lee Frederick jennyleefrederick@gmail.com

Social Com- Wade Bessett bessettw@hotmail.com

Climbing Com - Chris Danilson