Dear Members,

Since I last wrote we have been working rather diligently to follow our shipments of goods to Pakistan. Only in the last few days have our materials begun to arrive in Islamabad where they are being retrieved by the Alpine Club of Pakistan.

It continues to be a long strange trip for some of our “Coats for Pakistan.” While over 20 pallets are in Islamabad and either at the airport or already at the Alpine Club, we understand that several pallets remain in Bahrain and Abu Dhabi waiting for space on planes into the country.

As you might imagine, our boxes are among a huge amount of material moving into the country. While I wish I could report it is all there and in use, I am only able to say that some of it is and that we know where the rest is and that it will be there soon.

I do want to report the beginnings of our partnership with the Joshua Tree Climbers Ranch http://www.climbersranch.com/ . We making some small grants to support the Ranch expenses for this winter and have made a gift of two picnic tables. I mention this here for two reasons. First, it you are traveling to Joshua Tree and can’t find a spot in the park, this is an option for you. Second, the ranch is in need of a small trailer to house the campground host and for folks to gather in occasionally if the weather isn’t cooperating.

 You will soon receive our annual appeal. Like many organizations this year, our budget suffers due to the vast support demanded by natural disasters around the world. The Club does need your help so please look for our appeal in your mailbox and look fondly on it when you find it.

 The staff and I wish you the happiest of holidays and great climbing in 2006.

 Warmly,

 Phil Powers
Executive Director
ppowers@americanalpineclub.org

The ruined town of Balakot, Pakistan. Photo by Sarfraz Khan, courtesy of the Central Asia Institute.


 PAKISTAN RELIEF EFFORTS CONTINUE

Following the AAC’s extremely successful Pakistan-relief drive, other efforts are continuing to aid victims of the devastating earthquake. In late November, the AAC shipped 1,000 boxes of gear and clothing (more than 12 tons) and raised more than $30,000 for earthquake relief.

On December 15, AAC members Steve Swenson, Jim Wickwire, Jim Whittaker and Dee Molenaar headlined a benefit slideshow and life auction at the REI store in Seattle; an equipment and clothing drive is continuing in the Seattle area through December 29, and the collected gear will be sent to Asia courtesy of the Pakistan Association of Greater Seattle. For more information, visit http://www.climbersactionnetwork.org/pakistan.
The North Face stores conducted their own relief drive in November, collecting five tons of gear and clothing at their 10 stores, and now a team of North Face athletes is in Kashmir helping to deliver supplies, in partnership with Kashmir Earthquake Relief (www.kashmirrelief.org)  Their reports make moving reading: See these at http://www.humanedgetech.com/expedition/nf10/.

Another organization, www.quakehelp.net, is coordinating ongoing gear-collection efforts around the country. If you plan to donate to one of these drives, please note that the Alpine Club of Pakistan, the AAC’s main Asian partner in earthquake relief, says that adequate supplies of warm clothing are already on hand. The priority need is for tents, blankets and sleeping bags. You can read an excellent report on the aftermath of the earthquake and the Alpine Club of Pakistan’s relief efforts at http://www.climbersactionnetwork.org/pakistan/earthquake_northern_pakistan.pdf.

FREE ICE CLINICS AT ’06 MOUNTAIN FEST
Register early for the 2006 Annual Meeting and Mountain Fest, February 10-12, in Attitash, New Hampshire, and you could climb for a half-day with Conrad Anker, Kelly Cordes, Jim Donini or Mark Richey. These four ice experts are teaching clinics on Saturday and Sunday morning at the Mountain Fest; the cost is included in the price of registration. Space is extremely limited, so sign up early. If you can’t get in, consider a course with another expert guide at the Mount Washington Valley Ice Festival, held the same weekend in nearby North Conway. Get info at http://www.ime-usa.com/ice_festival/.

Back by popular demand at the AAC Mountain Fest will be the Ladies Base Camp Lunch, an opportunity to share climbing experiences and make new friends. To see the full Mountain Fest schedule, including an amazing array of speakers, and to register for the event, visit www.americanalpineclub.org/community/events-annual.asp. Remember that mid-February is peak ski season in the White Mountains, so register and book your lodging and travel as soon as possible!

WANTED: TRAILER FOR JOSHUA TREE CAMPGROUND
The AAC is seeking the donation of a trailer for the Joshua Tree Climber’s Ranch, a low-cost climbers’ campground under development outside the popular national park (http://climbersranch.com/). The trailer would provide a home for a campground host during the climbing season. Potential donors from the Southern California area should contact Nigel Gregory at ngregory@americanalpineclub.org.

JUDGE DISMISSES YOSEMITE ROCKFALL CASE
A $10 million wrongful-death lawsuit filed by the family of a climber killed by rockfall in Yosemite Valley has been dismissed in federal court. The U.S. District Court judge ruled that Yosemite National Park officials were not required to post warnings by the Glacier Point Apron, where Peter Terbush was killed by falling rocks while belaying. The Apron has seen several large rockslides in recent years, and the family charged that the National Park Service contributed to the danger by failing to fix a water system on top of the cliff and then did not adequately warn visitors of the risk. Had the decision gone against the government, it might have led to increased restrictions on climbers. AAC Safety Committee Chair and Accidents in North American Mountaineering Editor Jed Williamson testified as an expert witness in the case.

AAC ADDRESSING INDIAN CREEK WASTE
The BLM has approved a management plan for Indian Creek, Utah, one of the best crack climbing areas in the world, that allows climbing and camping to continue mostly in its current unregulated form. In order to preserve the primitive camping experience in Indian Creek, the BLM is requiring climbers to carry out all of their waste, including feces. Later this winter, the Friends of Indian Creek, with funding from the AAC, will install three kiosks dispensing Wag Bags, and climbers must deposit their waste in these bags and carry it back to town for proper disposal. 

“Simply stated, the time for control of human waste has come,” said Jim Donini, a member of Friends of Indian Creek and an AAC board member. “Such controls have been in place and effective for river trips for years. If we want to keep from sliding down the slippery path of additional unwanted infrastructure, we must do the same.”

The AAC and Access Fund backed a similar carry-it-out program at the base of popular Castleton Tower outside Moab, Utah. This fall, climbers used nearly 200 Wag Bags at the Castleton campground, and on-site donations covered most of the cost of the bags.
For more on the Indian Creek plans, visit the Friends of Indian Creek site at http://moabdesertadventures.com/foic.htm.

ROCK CLIMBING MEET IN NORTH WALES
The British Mountaineering Club is inviting two AAC members to represent the U.S. at its International Summer Climbing Meet in North Wales, May 7-14. The 2004 meet brought 50 climbers from 21 countries to pair up with British climbers, sample superb Welsh rock climbing, and attend slideshows and social gatherings in the evenings. It’s a great deal, as the BMC picks up most of the cost other than airfare. Only two AAC members can attend. If you’re an experienced traditional rock climber at any level and feel you could represent the AAC well in Britain, contact Nancy Norris at sundance2468@yahoo.com no later than mid-January.

MOUNTAINFUND AIDS SMALL NONPROFITS
If you’d like to contribute to small nonprofit organizations working to improve the lives of mountain people worldwide, the Mountain Fund may be a good place to start. The Mountain Fund is a clearinghouse of information and fund-raising support for small, grass-roots organizations doing humanitarian and environmental work in the mountainous regions of the world. Check it out at www.mountainfund.org.


 

AAC NOW ACCESSIBLE TO MORE YOUNG CLIMBERS
Did you know that the “junior membership” category of the AAC now extends through age 28, making low-cost AAC membership available to more young climbers? Junior membership costs only $40 but comes with all of the AAC benefits, including rescue insurance, the American Alpine Journal and Accidents in North American Mountaineering, and full library privileges. Consider the gift of a junior membership to a young climber in your life. To sign up online, visit http://eseries.americanalpineclub.org/ScriptContent/welcome.cfm

SIEVERS WINS ACCESS FUND AWARD
The AAC’s Central Rockies Section, Chairman Greg Sievers and dozens of volunteers were honored with the Adopt-a-Crag of the Year Award by the Access Fund and REI. Sievers and the Central Rockies Section have hosted Lumpy Trail Days at Rocky Mountain National Park for five years in a row. The Access Fund gave the annual Adopt-a-Crag Stewardship Award to the Western Massachusetts Climbers’ Coalition. The Adopt-a-Crag Conservation Award was presented to Lincoln Else, Ken Yager, the Yosemite Climbing Association and volunteers for the second annual Yosemite Facelift in September. See http://accessfund.org/display/page/PR/33 for more information on the award recipients and their stewardship programs.

WHAT WAS YOUR BEST DAY IN 2005?
The E-News would like to feature a few AAC members’ best days of climbing of this year. If you had a great day out—or the expedition of a lifetime—and would like to share a short trip report and a picture or two, send your account to Dougald MacDonald at dougald5@comcast.net.

COMING EVENTS
January 10
Alaska
The Alaska Section presents a slideshow by Sam Johnson on his ascent of Trango II last summer. BP Energy Center, 900 E. Benson in Anchorage, at 6:30 p.m.

January 12-14
Colorado
The one and only Ouray Ice Festival. Info: 970-325-4288;
www.ourayicefestival.com.

January 13-15
New York
Cool ice and warm hospitality at the Adirondack International MountainFest in Keene Valley. Info at 518-576-2281; www.mountaineer.com.

January 21
Colorado
The Central Rockies Section will host the premiere of “Skiing the High Himalaya,” a film by Mike Marolt. The evening will include food, drink, a “Lost Images” show in which climbers will try to identify historic photos from the AAC archives, and the new film of ski descents on Shishapangma and Everest. $20 for the full evening at the American Mountaineering Center in Golden. Info at http://www.americanalpineclub.org/community/section_central_rockies.asp.

January 19-21
Wyoming
The second annual Barry Corbett Film Festival brings three nights of films and parties to Jackson. Info: http://www.alpinist.com/bcff/.

January 21-22
New York
The New York Section’s annual Adirondack Winter Outing, with ice climbing, skiing and hiking. A formal invitation will be mailed to regional members around year-end. Or, contact philiperard@nysalpineclub.org.

January 22
Massachusetts
Mark Bowen will speak at Cary Hall in Lexington about his new book Thin Ice: Unlocking the Secrets of Climate in the World's Highest Mountains. The event is sponsored by the Lexington Global Warming Action Coalition. Info on the book and other lecture dates may be found at www.mark-bowen.com/author.html.

February 10-12
New Hampshire
The 2006 AAC Mountain Fest and annual meeting will be based at the Attitash Grand Summit Hotel, in the middle of the White Mountains.
Climbing clinics, camaraderie and slideshows. See all the details at www.americanalpineclub.org/community/events-annual.asp.

February 9-12
New Hampshire
The 13th Annual Mount Washington Valley Ice Festival, held this year in cooperation with the AAC Mountain Fest, features ice climbing and mountaineering clinics, slideshows and socializing. Info at http://www.ime-usa.com/ice_festival/.

February 17-20
Wyoming
The 8th Annual Cody Ice Festival. Conditions so far this season are said to be the best in many years! Info at http://southforkice.com.

 

E-NEWS POLICIES
In order to protect the interests of our subscribers, we have established the following E-News policies.

The AAC office in Golden is the only source of outgoing messages to subscribers; recipients cannot respond to or initiate messages to the list. The AAC will not sell member e-mail addresses to anyone for any purpose and will have no commercial advertising of any kind in E-News.

Send comments, suggestions or news items to dougald5@comcast.net.

If you know an AAC member who isn’t receiving the E-News, it’s probably because the AAC does not have his or her email address. New addresses or address changes should be sent to getinfo@americanalpineclub.org.

To unsubscribe please contact getinfo@americanalpineclub.org