Mountaineer
January, 2010
Volume 104, No. 1
The monthly publication of The Mountaineers
M4 Upper Teanaway
future depends
on county plan
M5 Conservation
volunteer
recognized
M6 Auction raises
funds for outdoor-
oriented youths
M4 Summit Savvy
M4 Conservation Currents
M6 Branches & Limbs
M7 Off the Shelf
Service Award recipient—see M6
Discover The Mountaineers
If you are thinking of joining -
or have joined and aren’t sure
where to start - why not attend
an information meeting?
Check the Go Guide branch
sections for times and locations.
Are you ready to jump right in?
Visit www.mountaineers.org.
Need to call? 206-521-6000.
POSTAGE PAID AT
SEATTLE, WA
PERIODICAL
7700 Sand Point Way N.E.
Seattle, WA 98115
The Mountaineers
The
James Martin, whose lens tells the story of ice across the globe in his book, “Planet Ice,” will appear at Mountaineers
headquarters on Thu., Jan. 21, at 7 p.m. (see ad on M5) Above, his lens finds the Perito Moreno Glacier in Argentina’s Andes.
Team Angus travels the olive ‘rowed’
Couple explore their heritage via canal, trail and sea
K
By Brad Stracener
eeping maps out of the
hands of Colin and Julie
Angus might be one way
to make them stay home, but don’t
underrate the determination of
an addict. To wit: In the past five
years, the Canadian couple have
spent more than half of that time
either paddling, biking or walking
across the spheres of the world.
Many of the months in between
were spent on the road talking
about their travels.
Later this month, they will again
be on the road to present a talk
to Mountaineers and their guests
about their last self-propelled trip—
a 7,400-kilometer pedal, portage
Climate project
2009 tough on North
Cascades glaciers
Editor’s note: In our September 2009
Mountaineer we featured a report from
the North Cascades Glacier Climate
Project team on the attrition of ice at
Columbia Glacier on the Monte Cristo
peaks. Following is a report on the re-
maining eight glaciers of the study from
July 30-Aug. 10.
T
By Tom Hammond
he northern sector of the
North Cascades received
about 75 percent of the his-
toric mean average of snowfall last
winter. This deficit was followed by
a hot, dry summer that resulted in
Continued on M3
w w w. m o u n t a i n e e r s . o r g
Rowed Trip
Martina Cross photo
Thu., Jan. 28, 7 pm
Club Headquarters
‘Part film, part drama;
all humor’
Upcoming
Aquarius is rising in January at
The Mountaineers when water is
the theme for two Thursdays in a
row. Did we say “row?” That is what
Colin and Julie Angus did from
Scotland to Syria. They will visit
headquaters to talk about it on Jan.
28. But first James Martin points
his lens toward the ethereal side of
water in his “Planet Ice” presenta-
tion on Jan. 21. See the ad on pg.
M5.
✔ nounce that its Winter Trails Day
Do you find yourself climbing
the walls on Friday nights? Climb
some different ones at Mountain-
and paddle from northern Scotland
to Syria. Like all addicts, they were
ready with an excuse: to trace each
of their heritages, including Julie’s
roots in ancient olive farming.
Unlike other addicts, though, Colin
does not deny his fetish for travers-
ing thousands of miles at a time by
nothing but leg or limb, nor is he
too proud to talk about motorized
travel.
After touring much of Canada and
the Lower 48 on a book tour, he
said he was “amazed at the various
and distinct” geographical zones
of the United States. That doesn’t
sound like the most exotic tour
Continued on M7
eers headquarters and mix with a
hearty bunch of fellow wall climb-
ers. See the Seattle Branch climb-
ing section on pg. 10 of the Go
Guide for more details.
✔
Holly, jolly holidays in the snow!
Our lodges are buzzing the entire
week following Christmas. See pg.
18 of the Go Guide.
Winter Trails event cancelled
The Mountaineers regrets to an-
event, usually held at Snoqaul-
mie Pass each year, will not be
held in 2010.
January 2010 The Mountaineer
The

Mountaineer
Purposes and mission
The club’s mission:
Also see us on the web at www.mountaineers.org
To enrich the community by helping people explore, conserve, learn about and
The Mountaineers is a nonprofit Managing Editor
enjoy the lands and waters of the Pacific Northwest.
organization, founded in 1906 Brad Stracener
and dedicated to the responsible Contributors, proofreaders: The club’s charter lists its purposes as follows:
enjoyment and protection of natural Barb Butler, John Edwards, Brian
areas. —To explore and study the mountains, forests and other water courses of
Futch, Jim Harvey, Suzan Reiley
Board of Trustees the Northwest and beyond.
Photographers & Illustrators:
Officers Martina Cross, Tom Hammond, Greg —To gather into permanent form the history and traditions of these regions
President Eric Linxweiler, 08-10 Marsh, Jim Martin, Dane Williams and explorations.
President Elect Tab Wilkins, 08-10 THE MOUNTAINEER is published
Past President Bill Deters, 08-09 monthly by: —To preserve by example, teaching and the encouragement of protective
VP Properties Dave Claar, 08-10 The Mountaineers, legislation or otherwise the natural beauty of the natural environment.
VP Publishing Don Heck, 08-10 7700 Sand Point Way N.E.
Treasurer Mike Dean, 08-10 Seattle, WA 98115 —To make expeditions and provide educational opportunities in fulfillment
Secretary Steve Sears, 08-10 206-521-6000; 206-523-6763 fax of the above purposes.
Trustees at large Volume 104, No. 1
Kirk Alm, 07-10 —To encourage a spirit of good fellowship among all lovers of outdoor life.
The Mountaineer (ISSN 0027-2620)
Rich Draves, 08-11 is published monthly by The Moun- ­—To hold real estate and personal property and to receive, hire, purchase,
Dale Flynn, 07-10 taineers, 7700 Sand Point Way N.E., occupy, and maintain and manage suitable buildings and quarters for
Ed Henderson, 08-11 Seattle, WA 98115.
Lynn Hyde, 08-11 Members receive a subscription as part the furtherance of the purposes of the association, and to hold in trust or
John Ohlson, 09-12 of their annual dues. Approximately otherwise funds, received by bequest or gift or otherwise, to be devoted to
Mark Scheffer, 09-12 $12.42 of each member’s annual the purposes of said association.
Dave Shema, 07-10 membership dues is spent to print and
Mona West, 09-12 mail this publication. Non-member
Branch Trustees subscriptions to The Mountaineer are
Bellingham, Steven Glenn
Everett, Rob Simonsen
$32. Periodicals postage paid at Seat-
tle WA.
Who ya gonna call? Your mentor, of course
Foothills, Gerry Haugen Postmaster: send address changes Are you a new member wondering about the how-to, where-to and what-to-do
Kitsap, Jimmy James to The Mountaineer, 7700 Sand Point with your club? There are a number of resources available to you, not the least
Olympia, John Flanagan Way N.E., Seattle, WA 98115. our websites. Now there is also a real, live person. If you want to know about
Seattle, Mike Maude Opinions expressed in articles are expected conditioning for a hike, what not to wear, how to sign up for events or
Tacoma, Tom Shimko those of the authors and do not nec-
whatever call or e-mail the “mentor of the month.” Mona West is this month’s
Executive Director essarily represent the views of The
mentor. Feel free to contact her at west_mona@yahoo.com with your questions
Martinique Grigg Mountaineers.
or comments.

View from the Top

Members’ gifts vital to club’s successes
N
By Eric Linxweiler, president
ew years are so exciting!
They are filled with hope
about adventures we are
about to take, as well as plenty
of awesome memories from the
previous year. Personally, I can’t
be more
excited about
the future of
our Moun-
taineers. We
are in great
shape, with
a leader like
Martinique and a volunteer board
that fully supports her and our com-
bined vision of a thriving future.
Recently, you’ve seen a bit of a
push from The Mountaineers to de-
velop a fundraising culture. You’ve
The Mountaineers in your annual
giving and estate planning. As part
of your board’s commitment, I am
proud to have given to The Moun-
taineers general fund this year,
as well as think about the club in
Pam’s and my estate planning.
Like you, I pay dues to be a mem-
ber of our club, but additional giving
ensures that many of our outreach
efforts will continue to thrive (and
lower the cost of being a member).
I fondly recall the grand opening
of our new club headquarters last
spring and seeing nearly 150 kids
under 12 climb our walls. Nothing
could be more inspiring than to see
our future leaders tie into a rope for
the first time.
All said, this really isn’t a departure
from our past—it’s actually a return
Our first century saw so many give
so much so that we could thrive
today. They gave time, money,
lands and more. We wouldn’t have
Meany Lodge, for example, if it
wasn’t for a philanthropic culture
that led to a beautiful gift—and the
countless gifts given to that prop-
erty for its growth. Our Tacoma
Clubhouse, the Kitsap campus,
program development, Braided
River and countless other exam-
ples can be cited as beneficiaries
of our members’ philanthropy and
love for their club.
How far will you go this year?
We grew from the generosity of
those giving what they could and
developed a Mountaineers culture
rich with assets and opportuni-
ties that could inspire and support
future generations (that means you
and I). It’s as humbling as it is in-
spiring. This history, and our return
to it, is permanent.
So, as this year gets started, con-
sider not only the present—think
about the future and what influence
you want to have on it.
See you on the slopes.
The

seen a few requests to consider Mountaineers

to it. www.mountaineers.org

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M
The Mountaineer
Glaciers show various signs of incursion by warm summers
In the mid-1970s, Lynch Glacier completely covered Pea Soup Lake.
Continued from M1
big losses for the usually snowy Mt.
Baker area. Indeed, between May
19 and Aug. 10 in Seattle, there
was nary a measurable amount of
precipitation.
Consequently, Mt. Baker’s Easton
Glacier recorded a mass-balance
of minus .9 meters. Mass-balance
is the difference between accumu-
lation and ablation (melting and
sublimation—essentially the gain
during winter compared to the loss
during summer).
Sholes Glacier on Mt. Baker
consisted entirely of exposed blue
ice—hardly any snow covering the
glacier, which recorded a mass-
balance of minus 1.75 meters. On
the wildlife front, the team counted
three groups of 119 mountain goats
around the glacier. The Sholes and
surrounding terrain is the favorite
summer-time habitat and location
for mountain goats, but these num-
bers were by far the largest seen
by the team in the past decade or
more. We counted 50 only a few
years ago. However, overgrazing
does not appear to be occurring,
despite the larger number of goats.
O
n a disturbing note, the proj-
ect team witnessed multiple
incursions of aircraft (two fixed
wing, one helicopter) into the wil-
derness area, apparently to count
the goats. The aircraft caused the
goat herds to scatter and run in
distress. At least one goat was vis-
ibly injured (hind leg), but the team
cannot say if the injury was a direct
result of the fly-overs.
Ben Pelto reported the inability of
his team to reach the terminus of
Baker’s Rainbow Glacier due to its
breakup. He cited a “Grand Can-
yon” feature, carved by super-gla-
cial streams, that has turned into a
“Grand Depression.” The Rainbow
Glacier is visibly moving off rock
cliffs and revealing more rock. It
recorded a mass-balance of minus
1.15 meters.
Tom Hammond photo
The Lower Curtis Glacier on Shuk-
san has experienced a huge loss of
mass, recording a mass-balance of
minus 1.23 meters.
The Big Four Glacier experienced
a huge avalanche in the spring
of 2008 that snapped trees up to
20 feet above the ground and just
a half-mile from the base of Big
Four Mountain. There were also
substantial avalanches in early
2009, which made for wonderful ice
caves. The largest featured sev-
eral openings to a common gallery
where we walked in one side and
out another. Other hikers gathered
around to ask us what it was like.
“The Lower Curtis Glacier
on Shuksan has experienced
a huge loss of mass”
I am scheduled to go back in Oc-
tober to measure recession of the
snow. There is no mass-balance to
gather at Big Four, where I usually
only visit in winter while cross-
country skiing in the same area
where the avalanche stretched.
Aug. 7-10: Mt. Daniels area
The Mt. Daniel area received 100
percent of its average snowfall, so
we hoped this might translate into
better mass-balance numbers than
glaciers in the northern sector of
the North Cascades.
The hike in to Peggy’s Pond was
one of the best I’ve ever done on
the east side. We were on the trail
by 7:30 a.m. to beat the heat, but
the temps were perfect for hiking.
Shaded, cool, old-growth forest
helped matters, and we arrived at
high camp in good shape. Heck,
there weren’t many bugs until the
last day, and even then they were
bearable.
After a visit with a U.S. Forest
Service ranger who reminded us
about not camping on heather and
other vegetation, we set out for
the Ice Worm (aka Hyas Creek)
Glacier on Mt. Daniel. This gla-
cier was virtually gone—the new
lakes at the terminus were covered
with snow, but the entire top of
the glacier consisted of snow-free
blue ice that featured many small
running streams. Project director
Mauri Pelto noted that the glacier is
melting at the top as fast or faster
than at the bottom, mainly because
avalanche flows scrub off snow at
the top and deposit it at the bottom.
An interesting note: while ava-
lanche fans on the west side of the
range are lumpy and contain huge
blocks and chunks, the avalanche
fans on the east side of the Cas-
cades are much more uniform and
smooth—so much so that I specu-
lated the snowpack on the Ice
Worm was a result of wind deposi-
tion. Mauri pointed out that eastern
snow is a dry, continental snow that
gives avalanches a different quality
than west-side snow.
It took us less than three hours
to complete the entire Ice Worm
survey, even with some significant
snow coverage, so small is the gla-
cier. I estimate that this glacier will
completely disappear by mid-cen-
tury under the current conditions.
The wind really came up while on
the Ice Worm, with gusts to 30
mph. The summits of Daniel were
engulfed in cloud--a harbinger of
weather to come. Still, the forecast
called for a fair day on Sunday, so
we prepped for the Daniels and
Lynch glacier surveys.
I
should note that the Daniels and
Lynch made for one of longest,
hardest days of the entire field sea-
son. We worked for 10.5 hours one
Sunday. The Daniels is very steep,
up to 37 degrees, and the Lynch is
reached by crossing the Daniels.
To reach the Daniels requires a
long traverse around the northeast
arm of Mt. Daniel—a very unpleas-
ant combination of steep gullies,
loose unstable rock and gravel,
and snowfields.
Just as we arrived at the crest to
descend to the Lynch, the clouds
rolled in to obscure all views. After
expending many miles and many
hours of hard work, it appeared our
opportunities for awesome photos
had all but disappeared. Certainly,
however, the clouds caused us no
January 2010
discomfort nor did they impede our
data collection.
As we descended the glacier, we
could make out the rim of Pea Soup
Lake, but the clouds were pretty
tenacious. During lunch, we were
fortunate enough to have the clouds
lift just enough to see around us,
and gaze at the amazing lake.
In the mid-1970s, the glacier
covered this lake, and as recently
as the mid-1980s, Mauri walked
across the lake on glacier ice and
then hopped to ice chunks covered
by snow.
The climb out of the bottom of the
Lynch and up to the true summit
was a laborious process, but the
clouds and cool temps helped make
it a rather pleasant experience while
we took precise mass-balance read-
ings all along the way in a series of
mapped transects (basically zig-
zagging up the glacier).
At the summit, there is a tremen-
dous bergschrund, a feature of
large mountains and glaciers
where wind deposition and the
acceleration of the ice off the steep
summit section pull the glacier
apart, creating an often impassable
barrier.
We spent just a few minutes at
the summit before descending the
Daniels Glacier, taking the final
measurements and data gather-
ing of the 2009 season. Mauri is
still cranking the numbers, but I
fully expect all three glaciers on
Mt. Daniel to be in the minus .5 to
minus 1.25 meters range for mass-
balance.
I would be remiss if I didn’t note
how extreme the experiences
were for the whole team, keeping
in mind this is through my eyes.
The core team (Maurie Pelto, his
son, Ben Pelto, daughter Jill Pelto,
and Shannon Skinner) covered
more than 98 miles and 33,000
vertical feet in 16 days. I did about
half of that while participating about
half of the season.
The final hours of the field sea-
son ended in fun fashion. As we
descended the Daniels Glacier, we
had some amazing boot skiing. Not
the best I’ve ever had, but pretty
doggone good. Within an hour of
the fun, I was screaming (literally)
in pain and frustration at my failing
foot on that horrible slag-rubble-
gully traverse. I recognized that my
days of doing that were numbered,
at least with current medical tech-
nology.
Tom Hammond is a technology
manager at the University of Wash-
ington and a volunteer field scien-
tist for the North Cascades Glacier
Climate Project.
M
January 2010 The Mountaineer

Can you identify the summit in
the foreground here? Send your answer
(by Dec. 10) via e-mail—brads@
mountaineers.org—or mail to: Summit
Savvy, The Mountaineer, 7700 Sand
Point Way N.E., Seattle, WA 98115. If
you guess correctly, you’ll receive $10
of Mountaineers Money, good for Moun-
taineers Bookstore merchandise, and
we’ll publish your name in next month’s
column. (In case of a tie, one winner will
be chosen at random.) Club employees
or persons shown in the photograph are
not eligible. Each month we’ll publish a
new mystery summit and identification
of the previous one.
Summit Savvy
■ Send your photographs (or slides)
for possible publication as a mystery
summit (include identification for our
benefit). If we use your photo, you
will get $10 of Mountaineers Money
as well.
■ At the end of each year, all correct
respondents’ names are placed in a
hat and the winner of that drawing will
receive $50 of Mountaineers Money
good for purchases at The Moun-
taineers Bookstore.
■ Seattle member John Ligon
guessed last month’s mystery sum-
mit, American Border Peak, as photo-
graphed by Dan Lauren.

conservation
berland, AFLC says the local tim- cal and location characteristics of
ber industry is dead. It is seeking smaller areas to be incorporated
county land-use changes to enable into the county’s larger comprehen-

CURRENTS
Upper Teanaway Valley threatened
by corporate development plan
By Leesa Wright
Mountaineers Public Policy Associate
it to build an unspecified number
of homes and businesses. Numer-
ous local residents and others
oppose changing Kittitas County’s
long-term plan to allow another
Suncadia—a resort development
just north of Cle Elum—on what is
currently forest-zoned land.
This large parcel of timberland,
Lying on the east slope of Wash-
purchased by AFLC in 1999, is
sive plan. The first public meeting
on the Upper Teanaway Subarea
Plan was held in August and at-
tracted over 250 members of the
public.
Many people at the first meeting
expressed concerns about sprawl
and loss of historic forest lands.
A common public sentiment was

N orth of Cle Elum, on the east ington’s Cascade Mountains, Kitti-
surrounded on three sides by
slope of the Cascades, lies tas County stretches from Vantage
Wenatchee National Forest—a
the 132,500-acre Teanaway water- on the east to Snoqualmie Summit
virtual donut hole in an otherwise
shed, which serves as a gateway on the west. Ellensburg, the county
publicly-managed forest that plays
to the Alpine Lakes Wilderness seat, is 110 miles east of Seattle on
host to bird watching, camping,
Area and the Stuart Range. Most Interstate 90; every year thousands
cross-country skiing, fishing, hiking,
of the 53,000 acres that constitute of Mountaineers access the area’s
horseback riding, hunting, camp-
the middle valley of the Teanaway foothills and mountains for hiking,
ing, snowmobiling, snowshoeing,
watershed are owned by a private climbing, skiing and related activi-
and wildlife viewing.
interest, the American Forest Land ties. Land use decisions now being
Co. (AFLC). Ten years into ownership of its tim- made will decide whether Kittitas
County will continue to serve recre-
ation and the hundreds of busi-
nesses dependent on it, or benefit
one large corporation and a few
hundred luxury home owners.
Eighty-five percent of the land
in the Upper Teanaway is desig-
nated as forest land of long-term
commercial significance. These
lands were designated this way
when AFLC’s affiliated company
purchased the land 10 years ago.
Other lands in the study area
(including other privately-owned
parcels and DNR land) are also
designated as forest land of long-
term commercial significance.
John Edwards during a trip to the Galapagos Islands. AFLC is asking Kittitas County to
New conservation chair announced change the forest land designation
to a residential use designation that
An entomologist, teacher and “collector of ecosystems,” John Edwards has
will allow the land to be subdivided
accepted the role of chair for The Mountaineers Conservation Division’s Ex-
ecutive Committee. into smaller plots that will make up
Edwards joined the public policy wing of the club last spring and has worked a “self-contained community.” Many
specifically with the American Alps Legacy Project in the North Cascades. are wondering if AFLC is thus pur-
He possesses a doctorate in zoology from Cambridge, was a faculty member suing a “buy, sell and pave policy.”
at Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio for five years, and a faculty
In order to address this request
member at the University of Washington for 35 years where he is still active as
and meet other long-term planning
professor emeritus.
goals, Kittitas County has begun
He serves on the board of the North Cascades Conservation Council, as well
as the Washington Environmental Coalition and President Gallery Concerts. work on The Upper Teanaway Sub-
Besides nerve regeneration, his interests include alpine, volcano, Arctic and area Plan. A subarea plan seeks to
Antarctic ecologies. And, besides collecting ecosystems, the New Zealand recognize special planning consid-
native said his other fancies are early music, gardening, hiking and skiing. erations for unique physical, histori-
that the Upper Teanaway—rich in
scenic and recreation value—could
be spoiled if allowed to be re-des-
ignated for residential and com-
mercial development. Many people
noted the plethora of recreational
opportunities and called for these
opportunities to be maintained and
enhanced.
According to the Kittitas County
website, the goal of the Upper
Teanaway Subarea Plan is “…to
create a long-term strategy that
identifies and protects important
characteristics of the Upper Tean-
away and indentifies future land
uses within the subarea planning
boundaries (to) promote:
• Open space, the natural land-
scape and vegetation predomi-
nating over the built environment;
• Traditional rural lifestyles, rural-
based economies and opportuni-
ties to both live and work in rural
areas;
• Visual landscapes that are tra-
ditionally found in rural areas and
communities;
• Compatibility with the use of
the land by wildlife for fish and
wildlife habitat;
• Reduction in the inappropriate
conversion of underdeveloped
land into sprawling, low-density
development.”
It is hoped that the county will
remember to incorporate the rec-
reational values espoused by the
public when creating the final plan.
It also might behoove the county to
look at Suncadia near Roslyn for
Continued on M5

M
The Mountaineer January 2010
Recreation value due respect Leonard Back,
devoted skipper and
sailing instructor,
died Sun., Nov. 22,

Passages at the age of 90.

A memorial celebra-
tion for Back, a 28-year member of The Mountaineers who skippered many
club-sponsored sails, will be held at 2:30 p.m. on Sat., Jan. 9 at Emmanuel
Bible Church, 503 N. 50th, Seattle.

Leonard built his boat, a Cascade 29, and sailed it many times to the San
Juans with Mountaineers crews and sailing students. He knew the islands
very well and shared this knowledge with his crew. The San Juan cruises
are documented in a photographic logbook available in The Mountaineers

Greg Marsh photo

Library.

Memorial donations may be made to Nature Conservancy, 1917 1St. Ave.,

Mountaineers enjoy the summit of Bean Peak in the Upper Teanaway. Seattle 98101.

Continued from M4
lessons learned about placing large developments in remote areas where
sufficient water and basic public services are lacking.
Honored for conservation work
The Upper Teanaway is served by a single, narrow county road. Most of
the study area is not even in a fire district, so the most basic emergency
services are not available outside the lower valleys.
Currently a lot of land is designated for urban growth and development in
Kittitas County. A “self-contained city” between the West and Middle Forks
of the Teanaway River may not be a great idea.
Forest products and farming are two of the mainstays of the Kittitas County
economy. Protecting the Upper Teanaway forest and farmland from a new
city will help maintain the county’s economy and environment.
The planning process is currently on hold due to a criminal investigation
following the illegal return of document binders to the AFLC by a county
employee. In the meantime, check out the Kittitas County website for more
information on the Upper Teanaway Subarea Plan: www.co.kittitas.wa.us/
cds/teanaway-meetings.asp. Tom O’Keefe doesn't only keep an oar in the legislative stream.
Mountaineers Recreation Resources Division Chair Tom O’Keefe
recently testified before Congress on the Alpine Lakes Additions and
Middle Fork Snoqualmie and Pratt Rivers Protection Act. In recogni-

ountaineers Productions tion of his work on this legislation, his invitation to testify and other
efforts to develop complementary proposals for wilderness and wild

Planet ICE
The Photography of James Martin
rivers protection, O’Keefe recently received the New Conservation
Voices Award from Washington Wilderness Coalition.

Thursday, January 21 at 7 pm
The Mountaineers, 7700 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle
Tickets: $8 Mountaineers, $12 General. Available
through the Mountaineers Bookstore.
Enroll in a school as big as all
What the ice tells us about the past may help us
understand the future of ice, and us, on Earth. It
can also help gauge the health of the planet. In
the outdoors—and then some
the book Planet Ice, photographer James Martin When you join The Mountaineers you not
examines the characteristics of polar, mountain, and
tropical ice. He explores human concepts of ice only tap into year-round outdoor acitvi-
and wilderness; the far-reaching effects of climate
change on people and iconic wildlife including
ties. You acquire the skills to introduce
penguins and polar bears; and our responsibilities as hundreds of others to nature’s splendor.
stewards of the natural world. Planet Ice illuminates
the profound connection between ice - a substance
that is at once mutable and forceful - and the well-
being of our global community.

ROWED TRIP
From Scotland to Syria by Oar
Thursday, January 28
Show at 7 pm
The Mountaineers
7700 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle
Tickets: $5 Mountaineers, $10 General.
Available through the Mountaineers Book-
store or by calling 206-521-6001.
Using two rowboats, Colin and Julie Angus
voyaged 7,200 km from the northern tip of
Scotland to Aleppo, Syria via an interconnect-
ed route of rivers, canals, ancient transporta-
tion corridors, oceans and coastlines. Each
vessel was specially designed for the trip, and
was fitted with a bicycle and trailer that al-
lowed it to travel not only on water but also
on land. Over the course of seven months,
the couple rowed through thirteen countries
and explored their ancestral homelands.

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January 2010 The Mountaineer

Volunteer ‘doubly’ cherished by club & limbs

Branches
During his chairmanship Ron
launched a major upgrade of the
branch policy manual.
He’s been a volunteer instructor, a
scramble and climb leader, a mem-
ber of and advisor to the Olympia
Climbing Committee continuously
since the early 1990s. Perhaps
most important—he’s been a
friend, mentor and great example Give us your sleeping bags!
to his students. Donate your surplus and gen-
tly-used sleeping bags, fleece,
Ron has reached the summits of
gloves and other outdoor gear to
dozens of major Cascade peaks.
the homeless this winter through
He’s earned numerous Mountain-
The Mountaineers. We’re gather-
eer Peak Pins and awards, includ-
ing as much gear as we can, and
ing the Cascade Classics, 5 Peaks,
we need your help! We collect the
Tahoma first and second, the
used items, and then work with
Snoqualmie first and second, and
Acts of Kindess to distribute them.
the Irish Cabin pins.
The weather’s not going to get any
Ron’s climbing habit has taken him warmer for a while now - please
far outside of the Pacific North- consider donating to help out those
west to climb world-class peaks less fortunate. Donations may be
Ron Raff (left) accepts the Service Award from President-Elect Tab Wilkins. in Mexico, Bolivia, Ecuador and

I
n a rare double, Ron Raff has
been presented a Mountaineers
Service Award for 2006 and
2009. One of Olympia’s most in-
spiring leaders, these awards were
based on Ron’s exemplary record
of activity and motivation over
the past two decades, with many
testimonials by Olympia branch
members.
To clarify the rare double, Ron was
presented a club-wide Service
Award at The Mountaineers Annual
Meeting in September—one of six
dedicated Mountaineers to receive
the honor at the meeting after a six-
year hiatus of granting the award.
His club-wide award was granted
for the year 2006. The Olympia
Branch also announced Ron as the
recipient of its 2009 branch-wide
Service Award in November at an
Olympia Branch meeting.
Ron joined the Olympia Branch in
1991. He graduated from the Basic
Climbing Course that same year
and graduated from the Tacoma
Intermediate Climbing Course in
1994. He was Olympia chair-elect
in 2001 and Olympia chair in 2002.
dropped off at The Mountaineers
Africa, including Aconcagua and Building during business hours. To
Kilimanjaro. make other arrangements, please
Always popular with his students, contact Member Services at 206-
Ron has promoted the spirit of 521-6001.
The Mountaineers. One student
Event aids purchase of wall
remarked, “Ron is an excellent
BoeAlps (Boeing Employees Alpine
teacher. He’s patient, competent,
Society) has announced that a re-
knowledgeable, and flexible to
cent fundraiser brings the purchase
accommodate circumstances and
of the Lower Index Town Wall
individuals.”
$5,500 closer to fruition.
No one could be more deserving
Francois Godcharles, BoeAlps
to be recognized twice in the same
treasurer, said BoeAlps raised
year for his outstanding contribu-
$4,000 from ticket proceeds at a
tion to the Olympia Branch and the
November event held at Moun-
club as a whole.
taineers headquarters. Hosted by

Everett auction helps empower youths in the outdoors

Live Love Laugh FOR YOUTH, a
non-profit foundation dedicated to
“empowering outdoor youth” raised
over $2,000 at its second annual
silent auction held in conjunction
with the Everett Mountaineers Ban-
quet last fall.
This year the program featured
renowned National Geographic
speaker Peter ‘Mr. Everest’ Athans,
who presented a preview of the
“Secrets of Shangri-la,” which aired
on PBS in November.
Funds raised will provide financial
support to increase opportunities
for youths to participate in outdoor
activities. The foundation serves in
memory of the late Larry Ingalls,
who was a mentor, leader and
friend to many, giving them the
opportunity to reap the benefits of
being outdoors. An Everett Branch
member, his legacy continues
through foundation-funded tuitions
for outdoor training, funding for
youth group activities, as well as
helping to obtain the necessary
clothing and equipment.
The foundation expresses its grati-
tude and thanks for the gracious
donations from the following com-
munity businesses and individuals
that made the Nov. 14 auction a
great success: Overland Traveler,
Berg’s Landscaping, Rick Steve’s
Europe Through the Back Door,
Singles Committee, Vertical World,
Banquet Committee, Trader Joe’s,
How far will you go this year?
Andre Pomeroy, Gourmet Latte,
Denny’s Pet World, Hiking Com-
mittee, Jan Steves, Marla Olson,
Nelson Chisarik, Nordic Ski Com-
mittee, Neil Bresheare, Sharon
Sternoff, Pam and Geir Dalan,
Gary Yonika and Agnus O’Connor,
Kayak Committee, Ken and Teresa
Cherf, Lawrence Dolan, Cathy
Reineke and Jansport.
During the banquet, Live Love
Laugh FOR YOUTH also awarded
three scholarships to youths who
demonstrated a great passion
and enthusiasm for the outdoors
through activity, leadership and
community volunteer accomplish-
ments. This year’s receipients are
Dan Romenelli of Snohomish, Leah
Werkhoven of Monroe and Josh
Lewis of Lynnwood.
For more information, visit www.
livelovelaugh4youth.org, or call
Sandra Ingalls, 425-418-3587.
The
Mountaineers
www.mountaineers.org
renowned rock climber and humor-
ist Timmy O’Neill, the event drew
an additional $1,500 in donations
from guests.
The money goes toward the effort
by the Washington Climbers Coali-
tion (WCC) to raise $300,000 to
purchase the wall and land around
it, thus ensuring continued access
to the wall for local climbers.
The landowner has agreed to sell
the 20 acres to WCC if it can raise
the purchase money by the end of
next summer. For more about the
effort, visit www.washingtonclimb-
ers.org/IndexFund.
Park seeks docents
Discovery Park in Seattle is look-
ing for volunteers who love the
outdoors and want to serve the
community.
Park docents receive extensive
training in Northwest natural his-
tory and interpretive techniques in
exchange for one year of service
to the park. Training for the class
of 2010 begins in February and the
deadline for applications is Jan.
31. Find more information at www.
discoverypark.org or contact the
docent coordinator at 206-386-
4236.

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The Mountaineer
Colin Angus:
“When the water
is freezing cold
with big, icy
waves crashing
all around, you
want to be sure
your workman-
ship will hold
up.”
Julie and Colin Angus start their 4,400-mile expedition near Duncansby Head, Scotland.
Continued from M1
for someone who has circumnavigated the world, run some of the longest
untamed rivers and trekked some of the world’s most forbidding terrain, but
Colin said he enjoyed the view.
“Our drive along the West Coast was magnificent, with the nice weather
nice and the big swells in the ocean.” It was the first time the global traveler
had seen the Grand Canyon, which equally amazed him, he said.
The book tour will pick up when Colin comes to Mountaineers headquar-
ters on Thu., Jan. 28. He will talk about the book, “Rowed Trip,” and how it
is leading to yet another venture for the couple.
Colin said the idea of traveling from northern Scotland to Syria came about
“one day while we were examining a road atlas, in particular the labyrinth
of European waterways it revealed.” Julie traced a route of interconnected
canals, rivers and coastlines that led from Colin’s parents’ homeland, Ger-
many, and on to her father’s, Syria. She suggested the two row their way,
given the occasional portages, along the entire route. “A reckless sort of
joke to make,” Colin, the travel addict, noted.
The two then proceeded to make their Vancouver, British Columbia, home
into a miniature boat factory—one 18-foot boat for each of them that could
buoy the paddler, a bicycle and collapsible boat trailer over the ocean. The
designing and building of the boats fell only two months shy of the seven-
month trip itself in duration. “We found a person in Vancouver to build the
boat trailers for us,” Colin added.
“We had to design them for a sliding seat and rigging,” the first-time boat
builder noted. “We also had to make sure that the rowing would be a
smooth and even mode of propulsion. When the water is freezing cold with
big, icy waves crashing all around, you want to be sure your workmanship
will hold up.”
He said he wasn’t exactly sure how much of the trip would be on land ver-
sus water, “but it ended up about 50/50.” He added, “Europe is wonderfully
suited to boats because so many bike paths and country roads run along-
side the waterways,” but admitted to some “scary” moments when having
to drag the trailers and boats behind the bikes on highways.
Colin said the main motivation behind the trip was “to learn more about
ourselves” in the way of ancestry. But, the journey to their heritage
spawned yet another adventure for the two: an examination of the history
of olive farming in Syria.
What can $73 a year get you?
Sometimes a wilderness area
When you join The Mountaineers you join
a partner in the lobby for wilderness pres-
ervation, including our most recent col-
laboration: the Wild Sky Wilderness Area.
January 2010
Martina Cross photo
A publisher wants Julie to write about olives. The research would include a
trek through the Syrian desert on an ancient trading route. “Sort of a history
of olives tied into expedition,” Colin explained. Julie’s family has grown and
sold olives for generations. The book will examine both the historical and
botanical sides of the olive.
“The idea started to form when were actually in Syria and visiting her fam-
ily,” said Colin. One of her family’s olive oils was rated best in the world, he
added. However, he said the industry boasts a corrupt side with mislabel-
ing and misrepresentation. “You have to really know what you are looking
at when you buy your olive oil from the shelf,” he cautioned.
Between rowing and chronicling olives, it will probably be back to the do-
mestic boat-building factory for the Anguses.
“I’m working with a fellow in Vancouver who wants to make and sell a kit
(modeled from) our exact same boat,” he said.
Brad Stracener is managing editor of The Mountaineer.
Off the shelf
The latest from your Mountaineers Library
By Kathleen McCluskey, librarian
T
he Mountaineers Library is a rich resource that would not have been able to
continue operating in the last several years without the support of The Moun-
taineers Foundation and the willingness of club members to give of their time on
the Alternative Funding Committee.
The details make for dry reading, not to mention cataloging, and fiscal details are
not the matter that keeps one awake all night devouring seemingly endless equa-
tions. But the results are what brings the story of funding alive.
The ongoing process of indexing the club’s publications has uncovered fascinat-
ing bits of club history, such as when the Japanese government requested the
club’s help in the development of the Mount Fujiyama National Park and the time
when a committee was formed to rename The Mountaineers since the name was
considered too general. What would they have chosen for our club’s name? Check
back with us later. As the indexing proceeds, history is unearthed and details of
past Mountaineers’ contributions to mountaineering are cataloged in the index—a
project enabled by The Mountaineers Foundation and the willingness of donors to
give to The Friends of the Mountaineers Library.
Indexing may be one of the dullest words in existence, but it is the most crucial
activity in regard to access. It is not enough to have a resource; it needs to be
indexed. The monthly newsletter, which dates back to 1911, hosts thousands of
stories that are lost and inaccessible without indexing. A treasure chest of moun-
taineering history lies within the thousands of pages, 96 years and 1,152 monthly
issues of the club’s monthly publication.
It takes a lot of time to complete projects such as this, but it is a project that is
already paying off for patrons researching their relative’s climbs, hikes and moun-
taineering adventures. When you donate to The Friends of The Mountaineers
Library, you help fund labor-intensive projects such as this, ensuring that our club’s
ancestors are remembered for all time.
When the project is completed, anyone can sit down and take notes about the past
from an index funded by generous donations.
To view open hours at the library, log on to www.mountaineeers.org and click on
“Library” in the top banner of the front page.
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January 2010
Kathy Biever photo
Dialing up the sun
The Mountaineers Midweek Hikers
found their “Timely Treks” not so
timely when they set out to hike to
the city’s sundials. Someone forgot
to dial up the sun and tell it to shine
on their way to Burke Gilman Park.
Hike leader Kathy Biever hopes
Timely Treks II (see pg. 12 of the
Go Guide) will not be so untimely.
Our beautiful Northwest
gardens provide food,
shade, privacy and
enjoyment for you
and your family.
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Photo: R. Shuping
M
The Mountaineer
Calling on Eagle Scouts
A new web group, 600 Eagle
Scouts strong so far, has been
formed to socially and profession-
ally link fellow Eagles.
The LinkedIn site, www.linkedin.
com, gives Eagle Scouts an op-
portunity to share their outdoor ex-
pertise, conservation ethics or give
back to the Scouting community.
To connect with the Eagle Scout
community, search “Eagle Scouts
of Western Washington” at Linke-
Escape
dIn or contact your fellow Moun-
taineer, Gavin Woody, gavin-
with The Mountaineers
woody@gmail.com. Pass along
this information to any other Eagles
Mt. Baker Lodge
you may know.
only steps from hiking trails
and chairlifts
www.mountaineers.org/lodge/baker
To schedule a free site visit,
please call
Michael Lockman
Kitsap Cabin
enchanting old-growth preserve,
206-459-7022 forest theater, salmon safaris
or visit us online at www.kitsapcabin.org
www.we-design.net
Meany Lodge
winter sport lessons, learn, explore
www.meanylodge.org
Snoqualmie Campus
Our services include design camp, picnic, snowshoe
and installation of: only an hour from seattle
www.snoqualmiecampus.org
Drought tolerant and native plantings
Rockeries and stone patios
Edible landscapes &
Backyard wildlife habitat
Stevens Lodge
ENVIROSTARS RATING ski in, ski out, relax
LICENSED, BONDED & INSURED #WEDESDI938K9 www.stevenslodge.org
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74;?0=3BC0<8=09>8=02;8<1C>5867C1A40BC20=24AC40<
0=374;?A08B45D=3BC>BD??>AC>DA<8BB8>=C>58=302DA4
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