Welcome to Skagit Alpine Club (SAC)
Who we are... We are a group of outdoor enthusiast who live in the vicinity of the
North Cascade Mountains.

Newsletter:  The February newsletter is in along with an excellent trip report by our own Dr Jill with some excellent pictures.  If you are interested in all of the peaks in Washington State indexed by county and elevation, check out this new website, Washington Peaks

Dues:  As of Jan. 26, 18 of 65 members have sent in their dues for 2010. If you haven't yet PLEASE DO!  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 and 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.

Ski getaway!  Wax your skis and pack your bags, the 2010 SAC ski weekend is coming up Feb 19th-21st! Back by popular demand, this years' getaway will once again take place at Snowline near the scenic town of Glacier. We are running it a bit differently this year, in that the club is subsidizing part (not all) of the total cost. So . . .the first 14 folks who get Ginny a check for $25 (per person), get a spot reserved. If there is overwhelming demand, we can try and get another place, but the sooner folks speak up the better. We hope that by paying some of the cost, folks will commit, regardless of the weather. After all, hanging out with your fellow SACers is more than half the fun - I hope to see many of you there!

SAC Mountaineering Class: 

The 2010 Basic Mountaineering Course is a go!!! Prospective students should understand the following:

 ·          The course is now open for registration on a “first come-first served” basis until the student roster is filled
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Tuition is $180 (not including a $20 gear fee to be paid at the first class)
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Register by downloading, completing and mailing the student registration form and the liability release form along with your tuition to: Skagit Alpine Club, P.O. Box 1054, Mount Vernon, WA 98273
·
         
Personal health insurance is required (sorry, this is a requirement of our insurance!)
·
         
Missing class sessions and/or outings these may limit your ability to participate in future outings
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Good physical condition at the onset of the class is essential
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A complementary one-year membership to Skagit Alpine Club
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Students are entitled to discounts at several local mountaineering retailers

All instructors should familiarize themselves with the newly revised risk management plan.

Lookout:   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.

Index Climbing:  Washington Climbers Coalition (WCC) is working to raise $300,000 to buy the Lower Town Wall and surrounding crags near Index, Washington.  The area is currently threatened with closure and even possible quarrying and we seek to preserve it as a climbing park.  In March of 2009 the owner put up no trespassing signs because she was prepared to market the area to interested quarry operators. Seeking to prevent any quarrying and loss of climbing access, the WCC secured an option to purchase this property in May of 2009.  WCC also obtained the owner's commitment to allow climbing to continue while we raise the money to buy her land.  Donations can be made online, by mail, email, or phone.  For more information go to: http://www.washingtonclimbers.org/IndexFund/

Gray Wolves in Washington:  The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has published a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for Gray Wolf Conservation and Management in Washington. Gray wolves are listed at both the federal and state level as endangered in most of Washington.  Two breeding pairs of wolves have been found in Washington, a result of increased dispersal of wolves from recovering populations in Idaho and Montana, and dispersers from British Columbia.  In response to this, and in anticipation of the eventual return of all wolf management to the state, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife initiated development of a state wolf conservation and management plan.  The draft plan establishes conservation/recovery objectives for downlisting and delisting the species, and identifies strategies to address conflicts and achieve recovery.   WDFS is taking public comment on the draft plan until January 8, 2010. Comments can be made online or sent in via fax, mail or email.  For more information go to: http://wdfw.wa.gov/wildlife/management/gray_wolf/mgmt_plan.html
 

 
 

  • Do you have gear to sell?  
    We want to know about your gear needs - both for sale and wanted. Submit your information to skagitalpineclub@comcast.net.  They will be posted on the Gear Swap page.
  • Do you enjoy the areas trails, and want to know what it takes to maintain them?
    visit the Volunteer Opportunities page to learn more.
  • We need your input for the SAC website.
    Stories, Photo's, Great new information links, current events, etc. Please send it in to skagitalpineclub@comcast.net

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 cdanilson@yahoo.com

Skagit Alpine Club
P.O. Box 1054
Mt Vernon, WA 98273

  • Next SAC Meeting: First Wednesday of the month, at 7:00PM, Skagit Valley College, Roberts Hall, Room T-31.

    LOCATION:  Our meeting room at Skagit Valley College is T-31 in Walter Hall. The following shortcut is to a campus map.

    Program:  A Portable Way to Hit the Winter Trails

    Winter Hikes of Western Washington Deck
    The 50 Best (Mostly) Snow-Free Trails of Western Washington

    Craig Romano

    Featuring the author’s recommended trails for winter hiking throughout Western Washington, the Winter Hikes Deck is a versatile pack of outdoor options. From low-land routes and rainforest rambles, to coastal tramps and protected peaks, each card features a route description on one side and a map on the other. The deck includes 13 never-before-published hikes. Several additional cards will provide essentials for winter hiking, an index of hikes, and information on winter flora and fauna.

    Author Bio:
    Craig Romano is an avid hiker, runner, kayaker, and cyclist. He’s written for many publications and is co-creator of Hikeoftheweek.com. He is the author of Best Hikes With Dogs Inland Northwest, Columbia Highlands: Exploring Washington’s Last Frontier, as well as Day Hiking: Olympic Peninsula, Day Hiking: North Cascades, and Day Hiking: Central Cascades. Craig lives in Mount Vernon, Washington.
     

For questions or inquiries about the Pacific Northwest or about anything regarding the Skagit Alpine Club information displayed on this site, Please contact skagitalpineclub@comcast.net.

Park Butte work party

Mt Gardiner

Graybeard, North Face

Mt Shuksan

More pictures
found in Photos

Mt Fay, Canadian Rockies

NE Ridge, Mt. Triumph

Mt Index, North Face

Mt Athabacsa, Canada

Climbing class on Liberty Bell

Camp on Mt Logan

Liberty Ridge, Mt. Rainier