Dear Members,

During my first week on the job here at the AAC, I lost my close friend and climbing partner, Jim Ratz, to a rappelling accident. We are still not quite sure what happened—mistake, rockfall or medical emergency—but the result remains the same: We have lost a member of our community and a champion for the mountain environment.

Jim was at a crag that he frequented on most sunny afternoons, with friends nearby. He had probably descended this particular route dozens of times. We will never know whether complacency was a contributor. Nonetheless, I am reminded that even when climbing seems most under control, the vertical world is not a forgiving one.

This sad time has been made vastly more manageable by the support of friends in the AAC community. My first weeks were punctuated by a board meeting here in Golden at which we agreed that providing more opportunities for community-building for AAC members and other climbers is among our most important goals going forward—a goal that we did our own little part to achieve by trooping out, en masse, to climb together on the Sunday following the meeting.

We often speak of endowments and libraries as some of the Club’s most important assets. It is clear to me, however, that our greatest asset is people.

Phil Powers
Executive Director
ppowers@americanalpineclub.org

 


 AAC RELEASES MAJOR STUDY OF CLIMBING RESCUES
The AAC has just published a comprehensive analysis of climbing rescues and the move to hold climbers responsible for rescue costs. The report, “Climbing Rescues in America: Reality Does Not Support ‘High-Risk, High-Cost’ Perception,” was prepared by Deputy Director Lloyd Athearn, who showed that the fatality rate at major climbing destinations has declined dramatically over the last several decades, and that climbing rescues occur far less frequently than with seemingly safer activities such as hiking, boating, and hunting. The report proves that climbers are not a significant drain on the public-safety system, and it debunks many of the arguments used to support discriminatory charge-for-rescue policies specifically targeting climbers.

The Associated Press prepared a feature story on Athearn’s study that was picked up by newspapers throughout the West and in New England. The report also received television coverage in Colorado. The full report is posted online at www.americanalpineclub.org/docs/AAC%20Rescue%20Report%20med.pdf.

NATIONAL HISTORIC STATUS SOUGHT FOR THE GUNKS
Climbers Ralph Erenzo and Annie O'Neill have begun preparing applications aimed at listing the Shawangunks cliffs in New York on the National Register of Historic Sites. The process is expected to take a year to complete. “The Gunks played a seminal role in the development of American rock climbing in the last century and continues as one of this country's most important climbing resources,” Erenzo said. “We hope to establish the
escarpment as a National Climbing Area and Historic Site.” For more info, contact Erenzo at ralph@tuthilltown.com.

CLIMBERS’ RANCH SET TO OPEN
Time to pack your boots and head to Wyoming: The Grand Teton Climbers’ Ranch will open for the season on June 6. This year, the Ranch will begin offering discounted lodging to members of the AAC and other mountaineering groups. A night’s stay for members is just $8, compared Climbers’ Ranch and volunteer for the annual work week: June 1–6. Work-week participants receive free lodging at the Ranch through the end of the month. Info: gtcr@onewest.net.

YOUNG CLIMBERS RECEIVE AAC GRANTS
The second round of 2004-05 Mountaineering Fellowship Fund awards from the AAC has been announced. A total of $3,700 has been granted to climbers 25 and under for expeditions around the world.

• Janet Bergman, $600 from the REI Challenge Fund for first free and first female ascents in Patagonia.
• Colin Haley, $800 from the REI Challenge Fund for an alpine-style attempt on Nanga Parbat in Pakistan.
• William Hinckley, $350 for an expedition to the Cirque of the Unclimbables in Canada.
• Nick Martino and Renan Ozturk, a total of $1,000 for an attempted one-day ascent of Nameless Tower in Pakistan.
• Chris Thomas, $600 from the Rick Mosher Fund to attempt the first ascent of a subpeak of Mt. Huntington in Alaska.
• Andy Wellman, $350 to attempt a new route on Caraz II and other climbs in Peru.

AAC Mountain Fellowship Grants are awarded by a committee of Yvon Chouinard, Eiichi Fukushima (chair), James Funsten, Kestrel Hanson, Joe LaBelle, Pete Metcalf, Travis Spitzer and Geoff Tabin. For information on how to apply, see http://www.americanalpineclub.org/knowledge/grants.asp.

SCOTT FISCHER CONSERVATION GRANT
The 2005 Scott Fischer Memorial Conservation Fund Grant was awarded to Paul Charlton of Ellensburg, Wash., for construction of a stone latrine in the Nangmah Valley of Pakistan. The latrine will provide essential sanitation needs for trekkers, climbers and porters using the normal basecamp area for Amin Brakk and other peaks. This project is also supported by the villagers of Kande and the Central Asia Institute. For more info on the Scott Fischer grants, visit with the usual $10. And if this bargain price is too steep, come to the http://www.americanalpineclub.org/knowledge/grants.asp#scottfischer.

YOSEMITE DREAM JOB?
For a climber with the right background, this could be the career opportunity of a lifetime. Yosemite National Park has requested proposals to operate a gas station and auto-repair shop in El Portal, just a couple of minutes from the entrance station by Arch Rock. If you like fixing cars and have always wanted to run your own business, what better place to do it than Yosemite Valley? Lunch breaks at the Cookie Cliff, anyone? Concession proposals are due July 20; info at www.nps.gov/yose/news/2005/fuel0504.htm.

NEW HUT DISCOUNT
The Sorcerer Hut in British Columbia’s Selkirk Range has joined the AAC’s discount system. Accessible only by helicopter, this hut is open winter and summer and gives access to superb powder skiing and glacial mountaineering among peaks up to nearly 11,000 feet. The lodge books visits for both groups and individuals, either fully guided and staffed or self-catered. See www.sorcerorlodge.com. For a complete list of discounted huts in the AAC system, visit http://www.americanalpineclub.org/community/ranches-huts.asp.

R.J. SECOR INJURED IN FALL
Author and longtime AAC member R.J. Secor was severely injured in mid-April when he lost control of a glissade on Mount San Antonio (aka Mount Baldy) in Southern California’s San Gabriel Mountains. Secor slid hundreds of feet and smashed into some rocks, suffering several broken bones, including skull fractures. He was airlifted to a hospital in critical condition; although he is making steady progress, he faces a long recovery. A widely traveled climber, Secor is the author of guidebooks to the Sierra, the Mexican volcanoes, Aconcagua and Denali. Send good wishes to rjsecor@earthlink.net.

INAUGURAL ROWELL AWARD GOES TO JIMMY CHIN
Outdoor photographer Jimmy Chin has received the first Rowell Award for the Art of Adventure. The Rowell Award honors “an adventurer whose artistic passion illuminates the wild places of the world, and whose accomplishments significantly benefit both the environment and the people who inhabit these lands and regions,” according to the award committee. The award was created to celebrate the accomplishments of famed adventurers and photographers Galen and Barbara Rowell, who died in a plane crash in 2002.

Chin’s recent assignments have ranged from free climbing in Mali, Africa, to climbing Mt. Everest in 2004 with David Breashears and Ed Viesturs, while shooting the documentary video and production stills for the film to be based on Into Thin Air. Along with Conrad Anker and Rick Ridgeway, Chin was a member of Galen Rowell’s last expedition, which traversed the Chang Tang plateau in Tibet in 2002. His work there assisted in the protection of the rare chiru antelope. For more info on the program, visit www.rowellaward.com.

NOW THAT’S SETTING THE BAR LOW
A Northwest climber has received big press in Seattle for his epic peakbagging quest. No, not that Northwest climber. Ed Viesturs may have finally completed his 16-year effort to climb all of the world’s 8,000-meter peaks, but the Seattle Post-Intelligencer recently brought attention to John Roper, who is steadily ticking the 101 “lowest peaks” in Washington state.

Roper is a physician and prolific peakbagger—he also has climbed Washington’s 100 highest summits—and he started his new quest when a friend joked that the 101 lowest would make an interesting target. Using USGS data, Roper created a tick list of “peaks” from 2 to 410 feet high. These are no shining mountains—some are located on golf courses. Maybe that’s why, as of mid-May, Roper had bagged only 21 on his list. But at least there’s never a porter strike.

For the complete Post-Intelligencer story, click here. Get the latest on Roper’s 101 Lowest quest at www.rhinoclimbs.com.

YOUTH EXPEDITION TO UKRAINE
The Ukrainian Mountaineering and Climbing Federation has invited American climbers age 25 and under to a low-cost expedition to 18,530-foot Mt. Elbrus, Europe’s highest peak. The expedition will be July 10-19 and costs only 250 euros (excluding transportation to the Caucasus). Contact Alexander Zaidler at a_zaidler@yahoo.com to apply.

LOU DAWSON ELECTED TO SKIING HALL OF FAME
Lou Dawson, author of the AAC-published Wild Snow historical guide to North American ski mountaineering, has been elected to the Colorado Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame. Dawson is the only person to ski all 54 of Colorado’s 14,000-foot peaks and will be the first ski mountaineer in the state’s skiing Hall of Fame. Dawson, 53, lives in Carbondale, Colo., and operates an entertaining and informative backcountry-skiing web site: www.wildsnow.com. For more information on Wild Snow (the book), see www.americanalpineclub.org/knowledge/publications.asp.

DIABETES AND CLIMBING
Are you diabetic? Guiding diabetics? Curious about the medicine of diabetes and mountain sports? On Sept. 23–28, the third annual MADiDEA symposium on diabetes and mountains will take place at the Bison Peak Lodge, next to the Lost Creek Wilderness in Colorado. Three evenings of inspiring lectures plus the opportunity to meet active diabetics and share information on managing diabetes in remote mountain settings. For more information, see www.idea2000.org or email madidea2005@mountain-mad.org.

COMING EVENTS
May 27-30
Colorado
The 27th Mountainfilm brings films, symposia and distinguished guests to the beautiful mountain town of Telluride. Visit www.mountainfilm.org.

June 1-5
Colorado
The Teva Mountain Games in Vail will feature professional and amateur competitions in kayaking, bouldering, speed climbing, a dyno contest, mountain biking, trail racing, a sprint adventure race and something called “paddlecross,” plus a mountain photo contest, live music and parties. For more info see www.tevamountaingames.com.

June 18
New Hampshire
The AAC’s New England Section hosts its Summer Barbecue at Nancy Savickas’ “Refuge Alpiniste” in Albany. Bring some slides, a fly rod and something for the grill. Festivities begin at 5 p.m. See www.atkinsopht.com/mtn/aacnesct.htm for driving directions.

June 24-26
British Columbia
The Petzl-Arc’teryx RocTrip brings some of the world’s best climbers and a host of Average Joes to the granite cliffs and boulders of Squamish for climbing, competitions, clinics, movies, trail work and more. See www.petzl.com/roctripbc for details.

 

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