October Newsletter  

Skagit Alpine

Skagit Alpine Club – October 2009 Newsletter

 

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

 

Meeting:

 

We are back to meeting the first Wednesday of every month.  The October 7th meeting will be in Roberts Hall T-31 7pm.

 

Secretary‘s Report:

 

Old Business:

Lynn Postler told the club about an upcoming work party on the Easy Pass trail in September (Ed. Note: CANCELLED). She also announced that there will be a work party on a piece of the Little Mt. trail Saturday October 10Th.

 

Lynn spoke about the Girls On Ice program that some club members helped out with in the summer. Helpers carried gear and supplies up to the Girls On Ice camp way up on the glaciers of Mt.Baker and assisted in bringing gear back to the cars after the girls spent a week or so up there. For any questions about trail maintenance or Girls On Ice, Contact Lynn Postler@ sancho999@comcast.net.

 

Our esteemed Prez needs someone to step up to take over Programs.  Please contact Jason if interested.

 

Food and Drink Schedule:

Month

Food

Beverages

Oct

Dan Gorski

 

Nov

Ian Rae

 

 

New Business:

 

Maggie reminded us about the Anacortes City Council meeting taking place on Tuesday September 8th. This will be the last opportunity for users of the Mt Erie to share their comments with the City Council before they decide whether to adopt or recommend changes to the new ACFL draft plan.

Jason G told members some news of the Steheiken Rd.
Legislation to rebuild the upper Stehekin Valley Road passed the House Natural Resources Committee.
4th District Congressman Doc Hastings says rebuilding the road will restore an economic lifeline for people who live and work in Stehekin, as well as increase access to the North Cascades National Park for visitors.  The legislation must next be considered by the full House and Senate before it becomes law. Hastings says record flooding in recent years washed out parts of the road, making nearly half of the roadway inaccessible to vehicle traffic. Rebuilding the road requires Congressional approval. The bill would authorize the National Park Service to adjust the wilderness boundary for the sole purpose of rebuilding the closed section of the road away from the Stehekin River.

 

The November SAC program will feature the adventures of SAC members!  We will share our adventures for the summer (or year) in increments of about 15 minutes each.  For photo support of your presentation, please load no more than 20-30 photos onto JFro's photo bucket site (instructions to follow).  There is internet access in our meeting room so we can access our photos without having to switch out memory drives.  PLEASE do NOT bring your photos on some kind of memory drive.

 

Sign ups:

 

Wade Bessett (and Steve Trent):  “Nooksack Tower Adventure”

Corrina Marote: “A Year (nearly) of Weekend Adventures”

 

Here are JFro's step-by-step instructions for loading photos:

 

 

“Go here: http://photobucket.com/

In the Log In box on the right enter

Username: Skagit-Alpine-Club

Password: onbelay

 

This will take you to the club front page. On the left you'll see a link called "SAC Climbing Class 09". That's the folder with all the pics from this year.

Under that link you'll see a box labeled "Add new album".

Type in the name of the folder you want to create and click "Save"

This will open a new window with the heading "Album added (you're now viewing "blah blah")

At this point, either click the "Upload images and photos" button or the "bulk uploader" link to upload a bunch at once.

That's it. I did notice that we've used up 77% of our free account already, so that leaves room for about 80-90 more photos. If that's not enough space, let me know and we can open a new account. Or, if my directions are too jumbled, let me know and I'll set everything up for you.”

 

Program:

 

"The Forbidden Tour - a spectacular tour in the North Cascades.”  The tour takes you to some of the most stunning and dramatic scenery and terrain available for a ski mountaineer in the Northwest.  The tour is believed to be the brainchild of Martin Volken and he claims that this is one of the best tours that he has come up with.  Crossing many glaciers and dropping deep into the Cascades we hope to able to give you an appetizer of what you can encounter in terms of terrain and decision making problems should you decide to ski the tour.  We will describe two attempts at the tour one in 2007 and one in 2009, on one occasion we completed the tour and on the other we did not.  The reason why we did not complete it in 2007?...........well we guess you have to come and listen to find out. 

 

Expect a presentation with some stunning photography accompanied by some avalanche basics and personal insight into decision making and group dynamics.

 

Joe Elsholz - grew up ski patrolling on the steeps around the shores of Lake Superior, he's got a knack for GPS navigation.

Oyvind Henningsen - born and bred in Norway, the birthplace of modern skiing, he's got a knack for finding snow instability.

 

Both are knee dipping tree fairies, some say they are a wee bit touched.  One thing is for sure they both share a passion for the mountains, avalanche education and skiing.

 

Please join us Wednesday, September 2nd at 7pm- Skagit Valley College, Walter Roberts Hall- T-31.

 

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

 

Lookout:

Submitted by Marie and John Erbstoeszer

 

We've been up to the Park Butte Lookout three times this summer and we're pleased to say it has been getting lots of visitors and is in good shape.  Recently, we did some repair on the storm door hooks and cleaned the Coleman Stove.  The blueberries on the way in and out were spectacular.

 

FYI:

A recent donation letter from a Dale Petersen included the following information:  "On August 31, I made my first hike to Park Butte after living in the area for 38 years. I was grateful for the one hour use of the well kept Lookout all alone – awesome place and the fact at 74 that I could make it up there in less than two hours." 

 

"For your information, three of us have started a Mount Baker Area History draft exhibit for the National Museum of Forest Service History in Missoula.  We may include something about Park Butte.  The Museum does not yet have a building so the main effort is fund raising.  If any of your people want to know more or want to work on this project please let me know at   NMFSHmtbaker@comcast.net  "

 

Outings:

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!

 

GENERAL TRAIL WORK

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

October 3 and 17

 

LITTLE MOUNTAIN WORK PARTY - In honor of Fred Darvill the SAC has committed to work on his trail up Little Mountain every year. Next month we will be working on Saturday October 10th.  Meet us 8:30 AM at Ginny Darvill's home on 20175 E Hickox Rd.  Bring raingear, work gloves, lunch, and tools (shovels, picks, clippers).  The lower trail is in pretty good shape with just a few wet spots.  Need to do some brushing and cleaning of ditches.  The upper trail needs a little tread work.  Sign up - Email Lynn at sancho999@comcast.net or call 428-4237 if you have any questions.  Friends are welcome!  Hope to see you there!

 

Conservation Report:

 

 

Special Announcement/Event:

Submitted by Maggie Sullivan 724-3158

 

Mt Erie and the ACFL 2009 draft plan

Anacortes City Council public hearing

September 8, 2009

 

    At this last chance for public comment on the '09 plan, climbing organization representatives spoke including: the Washington Alpine Club, the American Alpine Institute, the Skagit Alpine Club, the Access Fund, Washington Climbers Coalition and Youth Dynamics.   Several local climbers also spoke, including Dallas Kloke, Tim Nelson, Alan Henshaw, Wade Bessett, Harold Mead and Maggie Sullivan.  Doug Shepard spoke as a south side hiker.  Chris Noskoff, local climber and Jeremy Allyn from Mountain Madness offered welcomed moral support.

    Adding to our support were letters from all of the above, as well as from the Seattle Cub Scout Pack 144, Mountain Madness, the Mountaineers, Peregrine Expeditions (youth climbing) and two more local climbers, Kirk Bigelow and Amanda Giles.

 

  All the comments touched upon similar issues:

-The acknowledgement that Erie is an area of significance for climbing and that we are apprectiative of access to the mountain.

-Climbers have been and will continue to be stewards of Erie in terms of conservation and safe climbing practices and are willing to participate in the management of Erie

-The '09 plan's liability & procedural requirements are excessive, alienate instructional climbing groups and need to be revisited.

-The Mt. Erie Advisory Board should consist entirely of experienced Erie climbers/scramblers who will report to and work with the FAB and Parks & Rec Dept.

-Request clarification of "approval" processes, i.e. of new climbing routes, fixed anchors & bolts, definitions such as "minimum impact" and other nuances of the plan.

-Mt Erie should have its own Management Plan; existing access trails and climbing routes grandfathered in and scrambling an accepted activity.

    The effort that everyone has made, both in this series of public comments, and those in the past, have definitely made an impact on the ACFL planning process for future climbing and scrambling on Mt. Erie.  We will continue to attend the final City Council meetings and will report back with the outcomes.

  Sincerely,   Maggie Sullivan, Wade Bessett and Harold Mead


 

 

Trip Report:

 

None!  I hope that means you have all been out there enjoying the great outdoors.  I know I have!  Your prose is welcome and encouraged! –Ed.

 

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