This Issue

Dear Members:

I may have joined the AAC for tangible benefits like the American Alpine Journal and the Henry S. Hall, Jr. Library, but it’s an intangible that keeps me involved with the Club. The word “fellowship” is a bit musty, but I believe it’s the greatest strength of the AAC. The friendships I’ve made through the Club are an incalculable benefit and will last a lifetime.

This winter’s Mountain Fest and Annual Meeting in Ouray, Colorado, will provide unprecedented opportunities for AAC members to make lasting friendships. In addition to the usual dinners and speakers (and, yes, late-night bar sessions), there will be numerous new opportunities for socializing with fellow climbers: a dance band will play after the Friday-night dinner, a cash breakfast will be available to all members at the meeting headquarters on Saturday and Sunday, and participants can sign up for free ice climbing and skiing clinics with big-name climbers you usually only get to read about in the magazines. We’ve begun posting information about the Mountain Fest on the AAC web site at http://www.americanalpineclub.org/community/events-annual.asp. New information will be added every week, and registration materials will be mailed in early January with the winter edition of the American Alpine News.

I look forward to seeing you in Ouray.

[Photo] Mt. Sir John Abbott (11,192 feet) from the landing site.
Paul Geddes

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SEARCH
The AAC’s Executive Director Search Committee, chaired by Vice President Jim Ansara, has created a job description, identified a number of promising candidates, and begun initial interviews. To ensure that the broadest range of potential candidates is reached, the committee has been advertising in several local and national publications. The Search Committee consists of Jim Ansara, Bob Craig, Dougald MacDonald, Mark Richey, Glenn Porzak, and Steve Schwartz. The committee hopes to make an offer to a final candidate by midwinter.

ICE CLIMBING ECRINS
There’s not much time left to plan, but AAC members who have free time in early January may want to consider traveling to France for the 15th annual Ice Climbing Ecrins festival. Ice Climbing Ecrins has invited two climbers from the U.S. to attend this event, which features demos, a gear expo, dry-tooling and ice dyno contests, and, of course, fabulous ice climbing in the foothills of the Western Alps. Room and board will be provided to two representatives of the AAC, but climbers must pay their own way to the event in France. If you’re interested in attending, contact Brent Bishop at sandmgear@aol.com. For more info on the event, visit www.ice-fall.com.

CLASSIC TETON PHOTOS
Member Jody Langford from California wrote to suggest we check out the photos on his web site (www.sierramountainphotography.com). We did, and we highly recommend a visit to this site for beautiful shots of the Sierra and some fabulous images from the 1950s in the Tetons, where Langford’s father, James, was a climbing ranger.

[Photo] Willi Unsoeld on a Tyrolean traverse to Symmetry Spire.
Jody Langford

WOMEN’S LUNCHEON
The 2005 Mountain Fest in Ouray will feature a special event for women only, called the Ladies’ Base Camp Lunch. This free event will be at noon on Saturday, March 5. (Lunch will be available for purchase.) Guest speakers will talk on a variety of subjects, and there will be a sneak preview of a women’s show by alpinist Louise Thomas. Bring one photo of your own that best represents your view of climbing as a woman. Any woman who would like to attend will be asked to RSVP with the registration materials for the 2005 Mountain Fest and Annual Meeting, which will be mailed to AAC members in January. Questions? Contact Eliza Moran at oulala007@aol.com.

GREAT DEALS STILL AVAILABLE
The annual AAC auction is still online and will run through midnight on Dec. 19. Top-quality outdoor clothing and equipment from AAC corporate sponsors, beautiful artwork, and classic works of mountaineering literature are available at amazing prices – some at 50 percent off the retail price! Items will be shipped at AAC expense to the winning bidders, and all proceeds from the auction benefit the AAC’s missions. So buy something good and do some good, just in time for the holidays. Visit the secure auction site at www.blacktie-colorado.com/silent-auction to get started.

RESCUE PHOTO NEEDED
Jed Williamson, editor of Accidents in North American Mountaineering, is still looking for a good cover shot for the 2005 edition. No payment, but 15 minutes of fame guaranteed! Send a note or digital image to jedwmsn@sover.net.

DREAM CLIMBS
Paul Geddes wrote to tell us about a great expedition to British Columbia last summer that followed in the footsteps of two well-known American climbers: “In August 2004, I was part of a four-person climbing trip that retraced two first ascents led by Allen Carpé and Rollin Chamberlin in 1924 and 1927. We were successful in climbing both: Mt. Sir Wilfred Laurier (Titan), 11,550 feet, and Mt. Sir John Abbott (Kiwa), 11,192 feet, the two highest peaks in the Premier Range of the Cariboo Mountains. We camped at 8,600 feet on a remote buttress above the Kiwa Glacier near Carpé’s 1927 bivouac site. We believe that we were the fifth party to have ever camped in the Kiwa Nevé.

“We made the third ascent of Carpé/Chamberlin/Withers’ 1924 first-ascent route up the ice slopes of the northwest face of Titan. In their cairn just below the summit, we located the summit register from this first ascent. The second ascent of this peak was made by the same route in 1925, and thus there was a second register entry by the famous Canadian mountaineers Don and Phyllis Munday. We removed this historical document from the mountain and donated it to the Alpine Club of Canada’s collection at the Whyte Museum in Banff, Alberta.

“We also climbed Kiwa, making the fifth recorded ascent of the mountain. We followed the Carpé/Chamberlin first-ascent route, a heavily glaciated, east-facing snow and ice line, with a steep rock pyramid at the summit. We enjoyed 10 days of perfect weather and were able to climb five other summits before flying out.”

[Above] Register from the 1924 and 1925 ascents of Mt. Sir Wilfred Laurier.
[Below] Mt. Sir John Abbott (11,192 feet) from the landing site.
Paul Geddes

Been climbing? The E-News features a different AAC member’s interesting climbs each edition. Send a short report (250 words or less) on your latest dream climb, and you could be featured in the next E-News. Digital photos also are welcome. Contact: dmacdonald@americanalpineclub.org.

LIBRARY REGISTERS 500th PATRON
This has been a banner year for use of the Henry S. Hall, Jr. American Alpine Club Library. Since the library’s catalogue went online in October 2003, more than 375 new patrons have signed up to check out books and videos, and the number of registered library patrons has surpassed 500. The library will circulate around 3,500 titles this year, many through the mail. Get in on the action yourself: Check out the catalogue at http://americanalpineclub.library.net/.

NEW ROUTE ON MONT BLANC
American Alpine Journal Editor John Harlin III achieved a longtime dream by climbing a new route on Mont Blanc’s storied south face in September. He attempted the route last year with Mark Jenkins but was stormed off after Jenkins had led a crux 5.11 roof. Harlin returned with Julie-Ann Clyma and Roger Payne from Great Britain, and the team climbed the new route in a four-day roundtrip from the valley in Italy. Their route is a super-direct version of the classic Innominata Ridge (the first route up the face). Harlin had dreamed of climbing a new line on Mont Blanc since his father did new routes on the Freney and Brouillard faces of Mont Blanc, on either side of the Innominata, before dying on the north face of the Eiger in March 1966.

[Photo] The upper portion of the new route Dawn to Decadence, Mont Blanc, Italy.
John Harlin Photo

SAVAGE MOUNTAIN
Author and filmmaker Jennifer Jordan has spent years researching the history of women climbers on K2. Now Jordan is touring the country to screen her documentary film “Women of K2,” and sign copies of her newly published book, “Savage Summit: The True Stories of the First Five Women Who Climbed K2.” Both the film and the book chronicle the lives of the first five women to climb K2 and how they died. Check Jordan’s website for the date of an appearance in your area: www.JenniferJordan.us.

COMING EVENTS
January 14-16
New York
The 9th annual Adirondack International Mountaineering Festival will be held in Keene Valley, with clinics, demos, and slideshows. See www.mountaineer.com.

January 22-23
New York
Annual New York Section Adirondack winter outing: A weekend of ice climbing, skiing, and other winter sports in the heart of the High Peaks. For registration material, contact philiperard@nysalpineclub.org.

February 3-6
Michigan
The Michigan Ice Fest – largest gathering of ice climbers in the Midwest! Slideshows and workshops by such well-known climbers as Barry Blanchard, Raphael Slawinski, Jim Donini, and Sue Nott. Party with free beer! Contact www.downwindsports.com; 906-226-7112.

February 18-20
Quebec
Eighth annual Festiglace du Quebec The North Face. More than 5,000 climbers and other outdoor enthusiasts gather in Pont-Rouge, Quebec, for three days of fun. www.festiglace.com.

March 4-6
Colorado
The 2005 American Alpine Club Mountain Fest and annual meeting in Ouray. Ice climbing and backcountry skiing clinics, great slideshows, dinners, dancing, and more! Info and registration materials coming soon at www.americanalpineclub.org/community/events-annual.asp.

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