John Muir: "In every walk in nature, one receives more than he seeks.”
NOTE FROM THE EDITOR: I apologize for the late newsletter. Rather than cranking it out while drinking an IPA by the fire last Friday, I was at the ER, getting an X-ray for my collarbone. The pain meds have gotten me through the weekend, and this newsletter out to you, though the inability to move my left arm much will leave the layout and visual appeal lacking.
Cheers!
November Meeting
Date/Time: Wednesday, Nov 6, 2019, at 7:00 p.m.
Location: The Burlington Public Library, located at 820 East Washington Avenue, one block south of Fairhaven at the corner of Washington Avenue and Holly Street.
Program: Discover your wild backyard. Come take a slideshow trail tour around Bellingham, Western Whatcom County, the Skagit Valley, Fidalgo Island, Western Snohomish County, Camano Island, and Whidbey Island with award winning guidebook author Craig Romano. He will be drawing from material from two of his recent books, Urban Trails: Bellingham and Urban Trails: Everett to share with you scores of trails, parks, and preserves to hike, walk, and run all year long.
Urban Trails: Bellingham focuses on the trails, parks, and preserves within and near Anacortes, Bellingham, and Mount Vernon. You’ll find trails to beaches, old growth forests, lakeshores, wildlife-rich wetlands, rolling hills, scenic vistas, meadows, historic sites, and vibrant communities. Trails perfect for easy or all day hikes, short or long runs, and refreshing walks. And trails throughout the Chuckanut Mountains recreation area.
Urban Trails: Everett focuses on the trails, parks, and preserves within and around the urban and suburban areas of Everett and Western Snohomish County. You’ll also find detailed trail information for Camano and Whidbey Islands’ array of beautiful parks and preserves in Urban Trails: Everett. You’ll find trails to beaches, old growth forests, lakeshores, wildlife-rich wetlands, rolling hills, scenic vistas, historic sites, and vibrant communities.
Romano is one of the most prolific trails writers in the Northwest having penned more than twenty books covering the region. His Columbia Highlands: Exploring Washington’s Last Frontier, was recognized in 2010 by Washington Secretary of State, Sam Reed and State Librarian, Jan Walsh as a Washington Reads book for its contribution to Washington’s cultural heritage.
Romano has hiked more than 25,000 miles in the Evergreen State and has completed more than 25 marathons and ultra runs including the Boston Marathon and White River 50 mile Endurance Run. He lives with his wife, son, and Maine-coon kitty in Skagit County
Old Business
The annual Mt Baker Ski Weekend will be Mar. 6 – Mar. 8. Based on limited participation in the BMC this year, we broke even on the class, leaving us only with enough reserves to start the 2020 BMC. As a result, rooms will cost $180 each for the entire weekend. There are 16 rooms available with a couple extra beds, so start making plans soon! As always, SAC will be paying for the Pizza Soiree at Chair 9 on Mar. 6. Please contact Karen Howard at: platypusshankie@gmail.com to reserve your room. You must be a SAC member to attend.
SAC turns 60 years old in 2020! How should we celebrate? How about by climbing the Skagit 60! The goal is, as a club, to tick a list of 60 peaks, all within Skagit county between July of 2020 and 2021. The crux, for now, is forming the list. If you’re interested in helping, contact the VP, Phil at wilson.phil@hotmail.com. Once the list is completed, we (Raymond) will share it on our website. We also need a talented SAC member to come up with a Skagit logo for schwag!
Conservation Committee
Canadian company proposes exploratory mining in Skagit headwaters
Imperial Metals has applied for a permit to explore for gold and copper in the headwaters of the Skagit River. The Skagit supplies water for drinking, irrigation, fish and recreation in Skagit and Whatcom counties. Additionally, all five species of salmon native to the PNW spawn in the Skagit River, including the majority of the Puget Sound’s chinook population. Imperial Metals was responsible for a 2014 mishap at Mount Polley, about 250 miles north of the Skagit headwaters, that released 24 million cubic meters of mining waste into nearby waterways. The B.C. Auditor General Carol Bellringer led a two-year investigation into the failure that pointed out several failures in compliance and also found that province’s enforcement of mining regulation did not adequately protect the province from significant environmental risk. The approval of the Imperial Mines permit would go against the High Ross Treaty between the United States and Canada, that established the Skagit Environmental Endowment Commission (SECC), a bi-lateral body intended to conserve and protect wilderness and wildlife habitat, enhance recreation opportunities and acquire mineral or timber rights consistent with those values.
If you would like to send a comment to the BC Premier, John Horgan, please see the link below. You can also contact your federal, state and local elected officials to encourage them to oppose the mine.
Skagit Alpine Club Meeting Notes: Oct 3, 2019
Rick Rogers spoke about his trip on the PCT and also shared some of his ultra light camping gear secrets. Look for his book Walking Back Home.
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