Newsletter	March 2004 Newsletter January 2004 Newsletter

February Club Meeting Wednesday Feb 4th - 7 pm, 911 Center, 2911 E College Way Jason & Kim Griffith The Two Towers: Climbing and Tramping in New Zealand. Perhaps you saw one or all of the recent "Lord of the Rings" films and thought, "That's New Zealand? Those mountains look amazing . . . I need to go!" Or maybe you hated the movies, but really would like to see some big mountains and lots of ice. Either way, please join Jason and Kim Griffith at the February Alpine Club meeting as they recount some of their adventures, climbing and tramping on the South Island of New Zealand. The slides will chronicle a portion of a two month trip the two took in early 2003, where Jason and Kim discovered the limits of fun as a newly married couple. In the process, they managed to claw their way up Mts. Cook and Aspiring, terrify thousands of sheep, destroy a rental car, and get really, really smelly. They'll try and keep the fun under control for the slide show, and stick to the climbs of Cook and Aspiring along with their trip over the Main Divide on the Copland Track. Plan to bring lots of questions for Jason and Kim as they recount their trip, share advice, and generally entertain us for an hour with some great images! Secretary’s Report Jan 7, 2004 Stepping in for the absent president Monrad, V.P. Sylvia Trask called the meeting to order at 7:10. A variety of items were discussed under old and new business. The foremost item was a discussion concerning the 2004 Mountaineering Course (see below). Treasurer George Reeves gently reminded everyone that dues are due. Your $25 check or money order can be sent directly to George, or brought to the next club meeting. 2004 Mountaineering Course Alan Grenz will be the principle instructor, with Wade Bessett helping in the initial organization. An organizational meeting will be held in February. Please let Alan or Wade know if you are interested in helping. Remember, this is your chance to give back to the club by providing mentorship to aspiring climbers. At the same time, you get to start loosening up for the climbing season and hang out with a bunch of really good people. At present, no one has stepped up to take on the backpacking class, which Rick Rogers developed and instructed through SVCC last year. The college wants to know ASAP if this course will be offered. To get the low down, interested parties should talk to Rick. Authored by Brian Heinrich, Maggie Sullivan read a statement that bans advertisements from the SAC newsletter. After discussion, a slightly revised version the membership voted to adopt this policy as a bylaw. -editor’s note: as stated in the bylaws:   "The Skagit Alpine Club does not accept commercial advertisements in the Skagit Alpine Club newsletter.  This policy reflects our commitment to further the Skagit Alpine Club's effort to use the newsletter as a way to promote camaraderie, share information, and discuss Club business." Acting president Trask announced that the club received letters of thanks for donations made to Planned Parenthood, and the Western Washington University “women in the backcountry” group. Last October, at the "charity give-a-thon", Rick Rogers proposed the idea of a SAC scholarship to be available for students taking our moutaineering class. Maggie reminded the group of this proposal and asked us what we thought of the idea. The majority of members in attendance were supportive. It was agreed that a scholarship committee (Maggie, Chris Danilson, and Laurie Sherman) develop the idea further and a proposal before the membership at the February meeting. Our guest speaker for the evening was geologist, professor, and climber Doug McKeever. You might remember him as the hard man “travel light guy”, whose presentation about MEGA-trail running dazzled the membership last spring. This time, Doug’s presentation focused on glacier processes (Glaciers 101), what one might call “glacier trivia”, and a summary of his observations over the last 30 years. While, impossible to summarize every aspect of this presentation, two things really came out for me: 1) Doug is an encyclopedia of glacier knowledge, and 2) we have it pretty damn good here in the North Cascades (as if we didn’t already know it). More about Doug and glaciers can be found on his website (keyword “Doug McKeever” on Google). Respectfully submitted by Chris Danilson Some Announcements... From Allen Grenz I will be out of the area starting January 19th and returning February 24th. If you have submissions for the web site, please send them to ryan@gotooasys.com. He will do his best at getting stuff posted. Until my return, climb safe! Looking forward to returning and starting the class. also from Allen... 2004 Climbing Class Spring 2004 Mountaineering Course Planning Meeting 6:30- 8:00 pm Wednesday, February 11 Hearing Room B, Skagit County Administration Building Climbing Nuts! It's time to start organizing the 2004 SAC-SVC Basic Mountaineering Course. If you haven’t helped out in the past or are looking for an excuse to get out of the house, commit to helping out and teaching now! Your experience and perspective is just as important as those that are around year after year. Discussion will be about the upcoming class needs, new ideas to consider for the class itinerary and syllabus, who is willing to help instruct specific classes and lead specific outings, and anything else the instructors/helpers want to bring up. Directions: From I-5: take Exit 226/Kincaid; go west; at second light (just west of R&R tracks) go right on 3rd St./Memorial Hwy (north/west); immediately go left into the U-shaped parking lot (other parking lots are nearby and there is plenty of street parking also); this parking lot is surrounded by the old courthouse (south) and administration (west) and juvenile jail (north); Hearing Room B is at the southwest end of the Administration building on the ground floor (there are 3 hearing rooms) Since I will be out of the area during the initial planning stages, Wade Bassett has agreed to assist me in my absence. He may be contacted in the following ways: home 360-595-9563, work 360-419-3466 (Wednesday and Friday only), email bessettw@hotmail.com. If you just can't make it to the meeting but would still like to help, please let Wade know via e-mail or call. When I return, I will pick where ever the planning is. I hope to see many of you helping out his year, its looking like the snow is going to make a great year! Thanks Allen Grenz/Wade Bassett ACFL Volunteer Trail Maintenance (Anacortes Community Forest Lands - ie. Mt. Erie, Sugarloaf, Heart Lake, Whistle Lake, etc.)   Saturday, February 14th 10a.m. at Heart Lake Help bring the trails out of the mud! We'll be working on trails 209 and 224, north of Heart Lake. Bring gloves, boots, a shovel and/or a pick! Meet at the Heartlake parking lot.   Saturday, March 20th at 10 a.m. at Whistle Lake We'll be pruning and clearing debris off of one of our fire emergency access trails. Bring gloves, boots and pruning sheers.  Meet at Whistle Lake parking lot. Call Jonn Lunsford at 360-299-1953 for more information 2004 SAC Dues According to the membership roster the 2003 membership expires February 2004. If you have not sent in your dues for 2004 please do so otherwise this may be your last copy of the Skagit Alpine. $25 to George with the form on the back of the newsletter will keep the Skagit Alpine coming to your doorstep or browser. Outings February 14 – Lover’s walk around Lake Padden 2.6 mi. loop, minimal e.g. Why not enjoy time with your sweetie by starting out Valentine’s Day with a stroll through the trees and walk around a lake with friendly conversation? And if you opt for something longer and a bit more strenuous, include Padden Ridge (5.8 mi. loop, 500 e.g.). Solo flyers, families, and doggies are also welcome. Call Ruth at 360-445-3520 or grw.realenergy@verizon.net if interested. Plan to meet at 9am. From the Editor Newsletter Submissions I want to thank the following people for their newsletter submissions and trip reports during the last six month while I have been designing and editing the Skagit Alpine: Brad & Kathy Monrad Jill Youde Rick Rogers Eric Sandbo Craig Emery Jim Lapp Maggie Sullivan Laura Bedford Jeff Smith Lynn Postler The plethora of material that has been submitted makes the job of designing and producing this newsletter a breeze. Please send in your trip reports, climbing experiences, and op-ed pieces. All submissions are welcome. On a side note: I have been asked in the past to reprint articles that have been written and published in other publications that are outside the public domain (e.g. newspaper/magazines.) To publish these articles in the Skagit Alpine is a violation of copyright without express written permission of the publisher (in nearly all cases the publisher holds copyright, not the author). Articles such as these will not be reprinted in the Skagit Alpine. If you have found such an article that you feel would be important for the membership to read, please write an introduction and/or an opinion for the piece and then reference where the reader can find the article either by publication or a link on the web.

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