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Skagit Alpine |
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Newsletter of the Skagit Alpine Club September 2006 Volume 44 Issue 9 “To promote the use and prevent the abuse of outdoor recreation areas."
____________________________________________ We have a new regular meeting location that should work for us at least through December and hopefully beyond. Maggie helped set this up with the college - thanks Maggie! We're meeting at N-123 (Nelson Hall) at the Skagit Valley College at 7:00 pm. Nelson Hall is located next to the library on the north side of it (this is south of the tennis courts).Program: Skiing the Wapta Icefield and Garibaldi Neve: Two Canadian Ski-Mountaineering Classics - By Jason Griffith In the late winter and early spring of this year, Jason Griffith had the opportunity to sample a couple of Canada's ski-mountaineering classics: the Wapta and Garibaldi Neve traverses. Huge glaciers, elegant peaks, comfy huts, and great skiing terrain have put these traverses on most backcountry skiers tick lists. Both trips can be done a variety of ways, but Jason took a leisurely seven days on the Wapta and raced along on a two day ski of the Garibaldi Neve, including an ascent of Garibaldi. While it is often hard for classics to live up to the hype, Jason found that both these trips delivered all that they promised and then some - both are good enough to repeat every year! Neither are particularly difficult, and most backcountry skiers with a little bit of fitness and good weather should be able have a go at both of these Canadian gems. Please join us at this month's Alpine Club meeting to hear about Jason's trips, ask questions, and get ready to head up north this winter for some Canadian powder! Park Butte Lookout update: An amazing amount of work was accomplished at Park Butte Lookout on August 12 and 13, 2006 thanks to: Wade Bessett, Corrina Marote, Jean Hanson, Maggie Sullivan, Babe, Rosann Wuebbels, George Reeves, Neil Jorgensen, Ed Gastellum, and Diana Meza. We initially thought it would mainly be a "Putty Party" but much more was accomplished! Windows were re-glazed, some even replaced, the door was repaired, shutters were re-enforced, stove table was fitted with a metal protective cover layer, and some of the hand railings were scraped and primed. Wow, to say the least. Thanks again to all of you who joined us for a great work party weekend; we greatly appreciated your help, great skills, good humor, and shared love for the Park Butte Lookout. By the way, we just purchased more of the primer from Karl's Paints in Mount Vernon and they again gave us a 10% discount on behalf of the Skagit Alpine Club's volunteer work. The Park Butte Lookout is looking really great with its new shake roof. Lief Hazelet and his assistants from the Forest Service completed the new roof during this wonderful August weather. We're planning a one day trip up to the Lookout on Labor Day, Monday, September 4, to finish up the railings. If you are interested in painting the railings, bring a paint brush (a Forest Service Pass for parking your car) and join us up there for a fun day. (Guess this sounds a bit like paining Aunt Polly's fence…). We plan to leave Mount Vernon around 7 a.m. on Monday and spend the day at this magnificent spot. Let us know if you are interested in joining us or if you have any questions. Thanks, Marie and John Erbstoeszer Park Butte Lookout Stewards Newsletter Editor needed! Call or email Wade if you are interested or if you want to recommend someone for the position. Thanks!
Wade Bessett, 770-0250,
bessettw@hotmail.com
____________________________________________ SAC Outings Schedule: To participate, call the trip leader. Space may be limited or there could be additional skill or gear requirements. Anytime: Mountain biking and trail running in the Anacortes Forest Lands. Call George Reeves at 360-293-3417. ____________________________________________ Interested in being a trip leader? Submit your trip to outings chair Lynn Postler at 360-428-4237 or sancho999@comcast.net. Please include leader’s name, phone number and e-mail, date of trip, total distance to be hiked/biked/skied, elevation gain, travel time to trailhead, days gone, cost, if any, and skill and gear requirements. ____________________________________________ Skagit Alpine Club Officers President Wade Bessett, 770-0250, bessettw@hotmail.com Vice President Jenny Baker, Baker_1240@yahoo.com Secretary Laurie Sherman, 293-2984, shermanpt@verizon.net Treasurer Jill Youde, 202-7441, drjillo@yahoo.com Directors Kathy Monrad, 853-8901 and Harold Mead, 299-8196 Committee Chairpersons Conservation in transition Lookout John & Marie Erbstoeszer, 336-5896 Programs John Seehorn, 422-5020, jseehorn@hotmail.com Outings Lynn Postler, 428-4237, sancho999@comcast.net Website Steve Trent, smacktrent@hotmail.com Newsletter in transition Deadline: Oct. 15
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