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Skagit Alpine Club – February 2010 Newsletter
Skagit Alpine Club mission statement: "To promote the use and prevent the abuse of outdoor recreation areas"....SAC Articles of Incorporation
Meeting: Our February meeting will be held at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, February 3rd at Skagit Valley College in Robert’s Hall T-31. The following shortcut is to a campus map http://www.skagit.edu/images/color_mvCampus.pdf.
Secretary‘s Report:
Old Business: From our Treasurer: As of Jan. 26, 18 of 65 paid last year members have sent in their dues for 2010. If you haven't yet PLEASE DUE. Events outside our control have made it necessary for SAC to carry our own insurance if we are to continue the climbing class. This will totally change our income/expense balance and dues are our only income (except for the class, which we can't do without the insurance... you get it...) So be prepared to pay at the next meeting or send to P.O. Box 1054 MV 98273. $25 for individual or family. It's a bargain. Ginny, treasurer
Jason Griffith did some birthday acknowledgments as well as a recap on the recent Christmas party we had last month. JG also mentioned that the annual Glacier ski trip is approaching soon. The dates are February 19-21, 2010 at Skyline just out of Glacier. This will be a pre-pay trip for all members who wish to go. Please sign up to bring food and beverages to the meetings. So far all the meetings are wide open!
Food and Drink Schedule:
New Business:
The lookout committee is reporting that all is well at the Park Butte LO and that we collected $319.45 in donations in 2009, which seems to be about average says Marie E. She also mentioned that we usualy spend between $40-$400 to maintain the LO each year, depending on if it needs painting or other major work. There was also a donation made already this year in the amount of $50.00. A member of
the Washington Trails Association was at the meeting to share with us the new
2010 trail maintenance calendar. Volunteers are needed and there are dozens of
work parties planned for this year. If you or anyone you know are looking to
help out, go to www.wta.org.
Program:
Lookout: Park Butte Lookout Update
Donations to the Park Butte Lookout for the 2009 Calendar Year totaled $319.45. The annual average over the past five years was $344 with a low of $180 and high of $552.
We’re off to a great start for 2010 with a recent donation of $50.
If anyone makes it up to the Lookout during these winter months, let us know how things are.
Marie and John Erbstoeszer Park Butte Lookout Stewards
Outing(s):
Conservation Report:
Climbing Class:
The climbing committee chairman and Executive Committee continue to "chase the bouncing ball" to resolve our insurance issues so that we can teach our course this year. This has been an exhausting and frustrating process for us. At least one insurance provider has suggested that no one will insure our club without a Risk Management Plan. This is completely new territory for this club, which would formalilze our risk/safety planning and execution for all class outings. We have been drafting a plan (nearly complete), which will be provided to insurance companies that have not outright rejected us.
So, what does this mean regarding the class? Well, if we can actually get insurance nailed down, things will have to come together fairly quickly. Essentially, we will need to develop and implement our advertising/media strategy pronto and we would begin registering potential students immediately. To avoid wasting people's time, I have avoided calling a Climbing Committee meeting. The committee will meet only if/when we have the insurance thing resolved to get things rolling on the class.
On a separate, but related note, the question arose as to whether an individual has to be currently paid up on the dues (i.e. officially a "club member") to participate in class outings. I forwarded this to the Executive Committee and all indicated that their view/opinion of the situation is that they must, even if this hasn't formalized. Furthermore, this mandate is interwoven in the club's risk management strategy.
CDD
Special Announcement/Event:
Washington Trails Association Work Party schedule: Sign up at www.wta.org
Trip Report: Submitted by Dr. Jillo (Jill Youde)
Winter Wallow on Whitehorse, Jan. 23 2010
Due to a dearth of snow and a mediocre weather forecast, a winter ascent of Whitehorse seemed a plausible idea. Chris D., Alex and I met in Mt. Vernon at the unholy hour of 5am. An hour later we were trudging in the dark towards the grand dame of Darrington. The road is blocked off before the trailhead, adding another 400 vertical feet and 2.6 heartbreaking miles to an already long day. In retrospect, I'd wear light approach shoes in; the snow level was high on the trail, and after a full day in plastic boots, my dogs were barking! The three of us were on Whitehorse with the mountaineering class in April 2007, which was a fairly average snow year. It was amazing how different the terrain looked now with significantly less snow. That and occasional whiteout fog made us second guess our routefinding abilities a bit. The snow conditions were perfect for walking in without snowshoes, and there were no signs of recent avalanche activity. The abundance of flagging in the trees beyond Lone Tree Pass reassured us that we were on the right track. Finally, as the fog subsided, we saw High Pass glimmering in the distance. I was seriouly sucking wind as the two Energizer Bunnies kicked infinite steps ahead of me. Chris, always the (smart ass) gentleman, gallantly offered to short rope me up to the pass a la Sandy Pittman-Hill. I reluctantly declined. We arrived at High Pass about 11:30am and took a lunch break, then headed out across the glacier somewhat blindly, as the fog was getting so dense, you couldn't see the summit block. Then the Mountain Gods smiled on us: the fog abated, and Alex led up the majestic last pitch: 20 feet of rotten snow and thin ice over rock. We were on the summmit just before our turnaround time of 1:30pm. The weather was turning nastier and our descent involved a unpleasantly exposed downclimb. We had no pickets or pitons, it was looking grim. Alex came up with a brilliant plan to belay Chris and I down, then sling a rock horn for his descent. It worked! The hike out went smoothly and we were back to the car just as darkness fell at 5:30pm, and celebrating at the Porterhouse by 6:45pm. If anyone feels so inclined, there are some bomber rap anchors awaiting you on the summit, enjoy!
Pictures available on website (after our Esteemed WebKeeper has a chance to post).
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 – 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
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