Newsletter	...Previous Newsletter Next Newsletter v41 Issue 1

SKAGIT ALPINE December, 2002                  Newsletter of the Skagit Alpine Club    Volume 40, Issue 12 This year's SAC Holiday Potluck, Party, and Reunion will be held Wednesday, December 4th at 6 p.m. at the 911 center    Our special guest is BOB ROCK.  Bob, former president of the Alpine Club is well known for his esquisite photography (His incredible pictures often won 1st placein past Alpine Club photo contests).  Bob has done it all, from backpacking, mountaineering, moutain biking and, more recently, sea kayaking.  Bob will dig thoughthe Archives for some historic and memorable pictures as well as some more recent stuff.    Our December party will be a perfect opportunity for a mingling of old and new.  So, if you run into SAC members from long ago, let them know that they are especially welcome.  This is also a great time to plan to pay your annual SAC dues, so come prepared to do so, before you spend all your money on Christmas.      Here’s how the potluck goes:  If your last name starts with:      A-K bring main dishes;    L-S bring salads    T-Z bring desserts, Plates, cups, silverware, napkins and beverages will be provided, and there are some cooking facilities there if you need them.  This is always a delectable affair - So, see you there! The 911 Center is located a few blocks EAST of Skagit College at 2911 College Ave. SECRETARY'S REPORT  by Leigh Agler        Did you feel the earth shaking last November 6th?  That was no doubt the effect of SAC’s honorable president, Harold Meadstepping down to be replaced by (gasp!) our first woman president, Kathy Monrad.  Go girl!  Sylvia Trask accepted the positioin of vice president, Ryan Budnick will take over as secretary and newsletter person until June at least, and George Reeves has taken on the role of treasurer.  Thank you George, Ryan, Sylvia and Kathy!        In other news, Ryan authored a wonderful article for the Skagit Valley Herald about volunteer trail crews.  A few highlights include the photo of Craig Emory and Dan Rogers working away and the article’s introduction - “Lynn Postler is impervious to water.  At least it appears that way.”   Thank you, Ryan for the great pr for the Alpine Club.  He also announced that there will soon be a link between the Skagit Valley Herald and the Alpine Club website. Ryan’s  work email is rbudnick@skagitvalleyherald.com.        Fred Darvill came and gave the report on the Park Butte lookout.  All is well now with the stove, there are directions for it’s use and extinguishers have been replaced.  John and Marie Erbstoeszer have been helping out this summer and will continue the Darvill’s efforts - looking out for hte lookout.          Lynn Postler had volunteered to take over Ruth’s efforts of offering outings each month.  Unfortunately, a minor operation on her sholder became quite a major ortdeal and she will be disabled for some time.  Anyone interested in instigating monthly hikes can let the newsletter person know, or contact Lynn at 428-4237.        Finally, the program of the night was one of those, I’m getting itchy feet for traveling kind of slide shows.  Ryan Budnick and Tasha Ahlquist went to Oaxaca, Mexico last January - May (Tasha stayed until July) in search of, among other things, great climbs.  They found them in abundance.  Climbing is jusrt catching on in Mexico, which translates to lots of new and unclibed routes, although, by the sound of it, lots of new and unclimbed terribly difficult routes or very easy ones.  Ryan shared the secret of the Mexican pocket slap move, where the hand is slapped sharply into holds to first rid them of stinging insects.  For more secrets, information on climbiing guides, and websites to check out, give Ryan or Tasha a call.  For even more secrets, buy him a beer.  Ryan will be taking over the writting of the newsletter for a while.  While he does, I might be found somewhere north of Oaxaca.    Update your speed dials with the latest info: president:     Kathy Monrad    853-8901 vice president:     Syliva Trask    856-4050 treasurer:    George Reeves    293-3417 secretary AND:     newsletter:    Ryan Budnick     856-6894                plexus12@yahoo.com CONSERVATION NEWS Last summer, the Federation of Outdoor Clubs met and decided on 21 resolutions to work on as top priority for the clubs.   I reported on the meeting at that time in this newsletter, but there was no website that detailed the resolutions.  Now there is.  You can learn about the Federation of Western Outdoor Clubs and the resolutions at www.federationofwesternoutdoorclubs.org.  Here are a few of the resolutions that pertain to our area and interests.   • SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF WASHINGTON'S STATE FORESTS •  The 2.1 million acres of forest lands that are owned by the state of Washington are managed in trust by its Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for various beneficiaries including state schools (K-12), universities, counties, and the public. The trust lands have a mandate to manage these lands with a goal of intergenerational equity. There is a conflict between managing the forests to produce short-term revenues from timber sales for the beneficiaries of the trust and protecting old-growth forests, wetlands, water, habitat for wildlife, and recreational values for the public. A campaign has been launched to make Washington state forests sustainable. It aims to improve management of Washington’s state forests by creating a national model of sustainable forestry that protects this endowment of natural resources over the long term, as well as the beneficiaries of the trust. The campaign urges: --Protecting the remaining 80,000 acres of old-growth forest from logging; --Setting sustainable levels of logging at rotation cycles of 120-140 years; --Certifying Washington state forests under the guidelines of the Forest Stewardship Council to ensure sustainable management of these trust forests in perpetuity; and --Developing additional, stable sources of funding for schools. The Federation of Western Outdoor Clubs supports the "Sustainable Washington State Forests Campaign" and urges the Washington state Commissioner of Public Lands and the board of the Department of Natural Resources to enact these policies. Contact: Doug Sutherland, Commissioner of Public Lands, Department of Natural Resources, Olympia, Washington (www.wa.gov/dnr) • STATUTORY PROTECTION OF ROADLESS AREAS  • On June 5, 2002, Representatives Jay Inslee (D., WA) and Sherwood Boehlert (R., NY,) along with 174 co-sponsors, introduced H.R. 4865, the Roadless Area Protection Act. This legislation would give statutory form and effect to the Roadless Conservation rule signed on January 5, 2001 to protect 58.5 million acres of inventoried roadless areas in the national forests from roadbuilding and commercial logging. A companion bill has been introduced in the Senate this year. The Roadless Conservation rule is being undermined by the Bush Administration, and several commercial logging projects have been approved in roadless areas. The Federation of Western Outdoor Clubs strongly supports H.R. 4865 and urges protection of all inventoried roadless areas from roadbuilding and commercial logging. Contact your Representatives and Senators and ask them to sign on as co-sponsors of this legislation. • OPPOSITION TO DEVELOPMENT AT COOPER SPUR ON MT. HOOD  • The Cooper Spur area located on the northeast side of Mt. Hood includes the sensitive watershed of Crystal Springs and continues up the mountain to the Spur itself, high up beyond the wilderness boundary. The area consists of national forest lands and approximately 700 acres of privately owned land acquired by Meadows North, LLC (an affiliate of Mt. Hood Meadows Development Corporation) through a land exchange with Hood River County. In addition to including some pristine wilderness, the overall area has minimum development (except for the existing Cooper Spur Ski Area, and such historic areas as Cloud Cap Inn and the Tilly Jane Trail). Use of the Cooper Spur area is light and primarily nonmechanized. Old-growth trees are abundant, and the area is at the heart of wildlife corridors for elk. The Cooper Spur area is threatened by massive commercial development, including a four-season destination resort complete with 450 housing units, an 18-hole golf course, shopping malls, and an indoor Olympic-size swimming pool. In addition, development plans for the existing Cooper Spur Ski Area, which currently has no chairlifts, include seven chairlifts and numerous new ski runs, expanding into the Cloud Cap/Tilly Jane Historic District. These development plans would essentially destroy most of the touring and backcountry ski trails enjoyed by many outdoor recreationists. If the developer's vision for the northeast side of Mt. Hood comes to fruition, then condominia, retail shops, ski lifts, and a golf course will forever taint the pristine hikes and views that can now be enjoyed on Cooper Spur. A family-run ski area and favorite backcountry area enjoyed by many Nordic skiers, snowshoers, hikers, and climbers will be transformed into a Disneyland-style resort. The Federation of Western Outdoor Clubs opposes the expansion of the Cooper Spur Ski Area and development of the surrounding land at issue, including any new development in the Crystal Springs watershed and in the Cloud Cap and Tilly Jane Historic Districts, expansion of the Cooper Spur ski permit area, and encroachment on the Wilderness Area directly adjacent to the Cooper Spur area. Furthermore, the Federation of Western Outdoor Clubs supports reversal of the land exchange and action to legally determine the value of the land being exchanged with Meadows North, LLC. Contact: Dave Riley at Mt. Hood Meadows and Kim Titus of the Mt. Hood National Forest. UPCOMING OUTINGS: None So, this is how outings happen.  You and maybe a friend or two think of a great place you want to go or try out.  You decide, “Hey, it would be good to have an extra person or two.” You let Ryan know at 856-6894  or plexus12@yahoo.com.  People call you.  You talk and decide if it is a suitable trip for them.  Or, you write up the outing with directions on where and when to meet and accpet whoever comes.  It’s easy.  You meet new people to climb or hike with.  You don’t have to be a “leader” or “expert” or pass any merit badges to advertise a trip.  It ain’t the Mountaineers.   Ruth Hikes - Are there any enthusiastic hikers out there who would like to help carry on the "tradition" of having a monthly hike for the club?  It would be fun to get some other people to lead hikes and help us discover new places to explore.  If interested in helping with hikes this fall or winter call Lynn at 428-4237. Hello from Show Low, AZ - Further Travels of Wade Bessett    I stayed put today trying to let the rain and south/southwest wind pass by (I'm heading south).  I have a nice 80 mile ride south on Hwy 60 without much of anything in-between, so I'll head out tomorrow early, regardless.  This is essentially the same weather system pounding the west coast currently.  I find it interesting that except for some mist for a couple of hours in Washington, I had a dry trip.  However, in the desert I've been rained on pretty good 4 different days, including a spectacular thunder and lightning storm just east of Las Vegas.  Thinking I would see only dry weather (the SW is in a multi-year drought), I sent my fenders to San Antonio while I stayed with friends near San Francisco.    The trip since Sacramento went like this: East over Yosemite National Park (went from 4500 ft 5 miles west of the park all the way over Tioga Pass at 9989 ft when darkness fell, then had an incredible moon-lit screaming downhill to Lee Vining and slept along Mono Lake on a footpath) South through Death Valley (instead of the planned east route across NV - too remote for me and possible problems of finding water), I experienced a tough day going from Hwy 395 to the valley - some serious exhaustiong and strange visions.  Southeast to stay a couple of days in Pahrump (just west of Las Vegas) with my Aunt Doris and caught a 50 mile ride with cousin Joe and family to Las Vegas.  Northwest along Lake Mead to Zion Nat. Park (UT) for 2.5 days (hiked up to Angel's Landing, part of the West Rim trail, and into the Narrows Canyon) Caught a ride east with dude from the Bahamas to the Coral Pink Sand Dunes, then pedaled north on Hwy 98 for a day and turned around the next due to very cold weather and concerns for more (I think a cold front hit the northwest at the same time), realized my sleeping bag was inadequate. South to Kanab, stayed at a Motel 6 two nights and bought a fleece sleeping bag liner for 10-degrees more warmth. Took the advice of a nice Navajo woman and pedaled a side road that ended up being a very difficult mix of sand and sandstone after I was too far to backtrack.  East to Page (Arizona) and east into the Navajo Reservation to Hwy 191, South on Hwy 191, vistited Canyon de Chelly near Chinle (saw interesting cliff dwellings on a hike into the canyon)    Yesterday I began south on 191 into 15-30 mph wind with threatening rain clouds.  After 25 miles and 3 hard hours I pulled over to huddle out of the wind in a protected spot and eat lunch along on the highway.  I was just about to leave when a Navajo family in a big pickup stopped and picked me up.  They took me 150 miles south to where I am now, Show Low, AZ.  I think that that family really saved my bacon; the highway lacked any hint of a shoulder and was full of semis and pickups going 70 mph.  Also, I had to make it at least 70 miles that day since I was on Navajo land and could not camp just anywhere.  That 150 mile ride is unforgettable.  The grandfather was driving, grandmother sprawled out sick in the back seat with bags, and his 23 yr old daughter and 1.5 yr old grandson shared the front seat with me.  They thought I looked cold and my bicycle was broken, so stopped to help.  The little boy roamed free along the front seat and would laugh heartily at my goofy facial expressions.  Changing his diaper was easy; his mom just had him lean on the dash and bend slightly.  I was amazed at grandpa's simple method of diaper disposal; roll down the window and throw a curveball into the bed of the truck (not bad a 70 mph!).  Nobody wore seatbelts and when I tried to put mine on I could not find the buckle.  They all spoke fluent English but conversed mostly in Navajo.  It seems like I learned a lot about them in that short trip.  The grandfather teaches Navajo history, philosophy, and some other courses at a small high school.  Athough obviously a poor family, they did not ask me for gas money.  But once the grandfather learned I plan to travel to Central and South America he asked that I send some small items back.  He asked for bamboo sticks from Central America, to be used in ceremonies for bringing rain to the Navajo lands (a seven year drought has been very hard due to the primary way of making a living throughout the reservation - open land grazing for cattle and sheep).  Also he asked for mackaw tail feathers and possibly tailfeathers from a diving water bird living in the Amazon River Basin (he said it was like a stork or a kingfisher, which seems odd because these are very different types of birds!).  They dropped me off at a KMart and continued on to pick up two of the grandfather's sons for a weekend of building something.  They live near a tiny rural town called Tez Ne Pah, AZ near the 4-corners area.  Their home has no electricity but does have a well (powered by a windmill).  Anyway, it was quite an adventure.    I'm spoiled; beautiful scenery is the norm throughout the southwest.  Now I'll head south towards Tuscon and then southeast towards the border.  All that's left is crossing southern New Mexico and Texas to San Antonio by early to mid-December.  About 1000 miles to go and 2300 behind me.  My body does not get tired and my mind wanders often.  I'm much more efficient at camping and occasionally even get early starts, like about 8 am.    Life on the road is good.   Wade Skagit Alpine Club PO Box 513, Mt Vernon, WA 98273 www.skagitalpineclub.com Oficers: President        Kathy Monrad             853-8901 Vice President:    Sylvia Trask           856-4050    Secretary:        Ryan Budnick               856-6894 Treasurer:        George Reeves            293-3417           climbingfool2000@yahoo.com Directors:        Keith Kraft                428-8568                       Eric Sandbo                755-0746 Committees:         Conservation:     Fred Darvill                424-5854 Lookout:        John & Marie Erbstoeszer                336-5896 Programs:        Maggie Sullivan        724-3158 Outings:        Lynn Postler               Social:            Beth Rogers                856-4517 Website:        Allen Grenz              422-7593        ryan@gotooasys.com Newsletter:        Ryan Budnick              856-6894        plexus12@yahoo.com        725 Sapp Rd        Sedro Wooley, WA 98284

This page is created and maintained by the professionals at OASYS of Mount Vernon, WA. For questions or inquiries e-mail us at: ryan@gotooasys.com