“Our life is March weather, savage and serene in one hour.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
NOTE FROM THE EDITOR: It’s hard to believe it’s been almost a year since the pandemic started, and we were together for the ski weekend. I remember that weekend with smiles and sense of relief that we weren’t a super spreader event. So, this past weekend was great, to see so many of you in person, not to ski but to help out one of our own. It’s been a crazy 12 months, and while it’s not over yet, it seems like there’s a hint of light somewhere down the long tunnel in front of us.
Cheers!
March Meeting:
Date/Time: Wednesday, March 3, 2020 at 7:00 p.m.
Where: We’ll be meeting over zoom, again, at this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87070482600?pwd=bWlPcS9oclF2NGVMYVhBbHZVeDJoZz09
Program: The Swiss Alpinist and Climbing Old Growth Trees: Leo Fischer, owner and founder of Adventure Terra (https://www.adventureterra.com/) will be presenting.
Skagit Alpine Club Meeting Notes: February 3, 2021
Phil did an excellent presentation on the Skagit60. He also created an impressive slideshow/movie of photos from the 43 trip reports we posted as a club. Thank you Phil, Raymond and everyone who contributed to making the Skagit60 come to life.
As we experienced last year, the BMC isn’t a guaranteed way to cover the annual club expenses, so we discussed other ways to generate income for the club. SAC online store?
If you have experience with something like this or other ideas, e-mail the club, please
March SAC Monthly Social Outing:
Social outings will take place monthly on the weekend after the club meeting, and are open to anyone. There is no sign-up or registration required, but it is a good idea to email the outing planner to let them know you intend on joining. You may also contact the outing planner if you have any questions or concerns about the outing.
Outing Date: Saturday, March 6th
Outing Planner: Dusty Caseria (dustycaseria@gmail.com)
Outing Location: Stewart Mountain
Trailhead/Meeting Location: Y Road Parking Lot directly across from Lindquist Road (https://goo.gl/maps/6bLBjPJkaKDzkSdY7)
Planned Departure Time: 9am
Estimated Return Time: 3pm
Hike Description: Hiking Stewart Mountain from the Y road is a great way to escape the crowds near town. We'll hike a roughly 10 mile loop with about 3,000 feet of elevation gain/loss. We'll be on a mix of dirt roads and trails, some fairly primitive. While we won't be doing any off-trail bushwhacking, the trails will be somewhat rugged and steep at times. You might even have flashbacks to steep climbers trails in the cascades. It will definitely be a bit more of an adventure than some of the more popular and crowded hikes in the area. Even if the weather is dry, we'll still likely encounter some mud and probably snow up top as well. The views up high are some of my favorites in the Bellingham area.
Gear: Sturdy footwear, ideally waterproof. Extra layers and a shell jacket in case it's colder up high. Food/water for several hours. Traction devices (like yaktrax) and gaiters could be nice to have depending on conditions, but likely aren't absolutely necessary. If you like poles on steep trails, bring them.
Registration: Registration opened on January 15 and most courses are almost full! So if you’re interested or know someone who is, sign up now! For any questions or to register, check the BMC website: https://www.skagitalpineclub.com/about-bmc
Permits: The Forest Service permit has been submitted and accepted.
Safetys: If you’ve signed up to be a safety for an outing, but don’t have a current WFA certificate, please see below for details.
New Business:
Support for Alex: As most of you are aware by now, one of our most dedicated members and instructors, Alex Korteum, suffered a stroke in January. His recovery and rehabilitation have been going well and it looks like he will finally be headed home this week. I want to pass along a massive “Thank you” from Alex to everyone who helped build a ramp at his house this last weekend. If you’re so inclined, here is a link to a GoFundMe campaign that’s been set up to help him and his family as he recovers. https://www.gofundme.com/f/29voa9w51c We also discussed potentially donating a portion of the SAC online store sales to the Korteum Family. If you have other ideas on how to support them, please email the club.
Dues are due! It’s a new year, so please remember to pay your dues for 2021 using this link: https://www.skagitalpineclub.com/membership
Wilderness First Aid: Medical Guides is putting on a hybrid Wilderness First Aid (WFA) course with an online portion and a in the field training day on April 4th. Receive 10% off with the code SAC2021. SAC will reimburse $75 for attendees because we need instructors with current WFA certifications for the BMC (and it’s just a good idea and a great course). https://www.backcountrymedicalguides.org/wilderness-first-aid-courses/wilderness-first-aid-bellingham
Old Business:
Wilderness First Aid: Medical Guides is putting on a hybrid Wilderness First Aid (WFA) course with an online portion and a in the field training day on April 4th. Receive 10% off with the code SAC2021. SAC will reimburse $75 for attendees because we need instructors with current WFA certifications for the BMC (and it’s just a good idea and a great course). https://www.backcountrymedicalguides.org/wilderness-first-aid-courses/wilderness-first-aid-bellingham
SAC 60th Anniversary!
Help us celebrate 60 years of SAC by climbing mountains! The club is attempting to summit all the Skagit 60 peaks in 2020 to commemorate the 60th anniversary. The website used to track our progress is skagit60.com.
