JasonG

Matt beat me to the bump. Should be a fantastic show... Don't Miss It!

Thanks for the added info! I'm sure many (including myself) weren't aware of this excellent guide to Darrington . . . Come up this next week and hear all about it!

“Darrington rock climbing, and other out of the way crags” - Matt Perkins and David Whitelaw Skagit Alpine Club. March 12, 2008 - 7:30 p.m. Skagit Valley College. Darrington climbs are located in or near the edge of the Boulder River Wilderness in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. The area is not only beautiful, but rugged and remote. Cell phone coverage is poor; emergency help is far away. There is often brush to deal with, and the area is rainy, even for Western Washington. But, there are many fine routes . . . Please join veteran climbers Matt Perkins and David Whitelaw as they explain the allure of Darrington climbing and some of its rich history at the March meeting of the Skagit Alpine Club. They will also be speaking about a few other poorly known climbing areas tucked into corners of the Cascades. Both have spent many years documenting and climbing new routes on Washington’s many crags, especially Darrington. David has put up more than 250 new routes in North America, and is the author of nine climbing guidebooks, including “Weekend Rock”. Matt is the force behind the online Darrington Rock climbing guide: http://www.seanet.com/~mattp/Darr/about.htm, and is an avid connoisseur of all things alpine. The presentation will follow the monthly business meeting of the Club at 7 pm. We will meet at the Skagit Valley College, Ford Hall, Room 120. http://www.skagit.edu/images/color_mvCampus.pdf. Don’t miss it!

I've tried the usual channels and get no answer. Is he out of town? I'm trying to finalize details for his SAC slideshow . . . Thanks!! Jason

Now THAT is dedication. Eastside Folks, you better not miss the show tonight! - jason

I wonder who will be the lucky door prize winner? Mmmmmmmmm.....Zoom! JG

Lowell, as usual, put on a fantastic show tonight. Many thanks!!! For those that weren't able to come to our show tonight, I strongly recommend that you go and see it tomorrow night at Feathered Friends. Make sure to fill up on "Zoom" before the show . . . -Jason

Hey all- Just a quick reminder that this is tomorrow up here in Mount Vernon. Hope to see you there!

Lowell Skoog- "Skiing the Cascade Crest" 7:30 pm Wednesday, February 6th, 2008- Skagit Alpine Club In 1982, Lowell Skoog began what would become a twenty-five year project to ski the Cascade Crest from the summit of Mount Baker to the summit of Mount Rainier. In 2000, Lowell launched a parallel effort to uncover and document the 100-year history of backcountry skiing in Washington. This presentation is a personal look at how these two journeys have become interwoven over time. The one-hour program includes a mix of modern and historical photographs as well as rare movie footage of Cascade skiing between the 1930s and 1950s. Lowell Skoog has been backcountry skiing and climbing in the Cascades since the 1970s. He is founder of the Northwest Mountaineering Journal (http://www.nwmj.org/) and chairman of the Mountaineers History Committee in Seattle. His research into Northwest skiing history and the full story of his quest to ski the Cascade Crest can be found on his website, The Alpenglow Gallery (http://www.alpenglow.org/). Lowell works as a software development consultant in the Seattle area, where he lives with his wife and son. The presentation will be in Ford Hall (Room 101), Skagit Valley College ( http://www.skagit.edu/images/color_mvCampus.pdf). The club will have a business meeting before the presentation (7:00-7:30); all are welcome to attend and admission is free. Those who have seen Lowell before know that this presentation is not to be missed!

Mr. Scurlock put on quite a show tonight- many thanks! Seeing his photos on the big screen really is amazing, a glimpse of winter in all of its savagery. If you ever have a chance to see John give a presentation, don't miss it! You might even get a pithy quote or two to round out your evening . . . Thanks also to many who came from afar to see the presentation, it is always good to see some new faces at our small club. Cheers, Jason

Just a quick reminder to everyone that this is TOMORROW. Should be a great show!

Thanks for the warning everyone. Due to the rumors of a big turnout, I've gotten us into an auditorium that will seat a lot more people. Please take note that we are now meeting in Ford Hall, Room 101; date and time remain unchanged. Thanks for the interest, and I hope to see you all there next week! -Jason

Fixed, thanks much!

"Snow & Spire: Flight Beyond The Edge of Winter" John Scurlock - January 2, 2008 7 p.m., Skagit Alpine Club In summer, the remote ranges of the Western U.S. and Canada hold plenty of adventure for climbers, hikers, and skiers. In winter, however, access issues and weather conspire to keep most much closer to the comforts of civilization. Most of us who make brief forays to the edge of winter wilderness, get just a taste of what lies beyond. But by building his own airplane, and battling winds and shifting weather, John Scurlock has found a way to travel beyond the edge of winter and bring back riveting images to share with those who have only looked in from the fringe. These images have spurred climbers and skiers to take to the hills; John has been the catalyst behind numerous first ascents and descents in recent years, and has written feature articles for Alpinist and the Northwest Mountaineering Journal. Please join us at the January meeting of the Skagit Alpine Club, as John shares tales and images of what it is like to pilot winter flights into the heart of some seriously remote terrain- solo. For a taste of what is sure to be a great presentation, please visit his website: http://www.pbase.com/nolock. . . .and read John's articles: http://www.mountaineers.org/nwmj/05/051_Scurlock.html http://www.alpinist.com/doc/ALP21 The meeting will be at Skagit valley College, Ford Hall Room 101, 7pm. http://www.skagit.edu/images/color_mvCampus.pdf

Maybe your four-stroke bike is, but two-strokes are quite loud in anyone's book. Especially if you happen to be wildlife. There are several studies linking motorized use (logging trucks, ATV's, etc.) to impacts on nesting murrelets and owls (mainly causing the moms to abandon the young prematurely). You're suggesting that the track will only allow 4-stroke machines? jg

Well, although this is a pretty silly debate, I think I will try and wade in a bit to try and move things in a more productive direction. As a fish biologist who works on the Stillaguamish every day (for the Tribe), one of the main threats facing South Fork salmon RIGHT NOW is fine sediment from roads, landslides, ag fields, 4X4 wallers, etc. Seems to me that most dirt bike tracks have the potential to erode a good bit of dirt into streams if not engineered just so . . . Especially in an area that is as wet as Mount Pilchuck. So, the whole environmental impact side to things is something I think most folks could agree is something that should be watched closely. Give the whole global warming thing a rest, and focus on the actual impacts on the landscape. There are also endangered (protected under ESA) murrelets and owls that call Pilchuck home, so noise pollution is more than just a human nuisance. Anyway, these are avenues that I think folks could pursue to make sure this track is put under the scrutiny it deserves. I am not sure if the Tribe is aware of this proposal, but they soon will be and I'm sure will have some comments. Spray away . . . JG

Well, although it is completely obvious, be prepared for very cold conditions. On a trip up Gib Ledges in winter a couple years ago, I was surprised at the cold - Climbing in a baffled down jacket just to stave off hypothermia (-5F with 30mph winds above 12K). This was with about as good a forecast as one could hope for- you could have had a candle lit at Muir. As was said earlier, the Ledges is probably the best way to go up in winter, although it is fairly steep to descend. We opted to go down the Ingraham and through Cadaver gap (watch for avi danger- it didn't get its name for nothing). We got boxed in in an icefall and ended up rapping over a serac off of an ice bollard we chopped. Very deep powder made the Ingraham a bit on the nerve racking side, as I never knew if I was falling in a crevasse or sinking into another powder pocket (sometimes waist deep). Solo would have been frightening to say the least. This is why the Ingraham might not be the best to descend- I think it gets loaded often from southerly winds. But I guess you have to take your pick of which is worse. . . Soloing Rainier in winter is a tall order, as the many posts attest, but since you seem determined- Good Luck!

If you hike or climb a bunch, the Trango S will most likely wear out FAST. I burned through a pair in 11 months - not acceptable in my book. La Sportiva didn't stand behind their product either when contacted. They were the most comfortable thing I've ever owned though. I usually use a pair of Kayland Multi-Traction's right now (4 years old) and they are holding up pretty well considering. Anyway, my two cents . . .

Thanks to Sky for a great presentation tonight, I think one and all were impressed by the beauty of the lines and scenery. Also, a big thanks to others (Scurlock, Hummels, Ross, etc.) for providing photos to round out the show! Let it snow . . . Cheers, Jason

Hey Folks - this is TOMORROW night! Yeehaaaaaawwwwwwwwwww!!!!!

Yup, this is free to one and all. Should be a great time- Thanks Sky! -Jason

"Wet and Scrappy, Wild and Steep: Skiing Skagit and Whatcom Counties" - Sky Sjue at the November 7th meeting of the Skagit Alpine Club As one of a small group pushing the limits of ski mountaineering in the North Cascades, Sky Sjue has logged many impressive (often first) descents. He has a knack for skiing routes that most would be proud to just have climbed: West Ridge of West McMillan Spire, NW Face of Formidable (pictured above), Degenhardt Glacier, and the North Face of Spider among many others. With so much spectacular terrain to choose from, the mountains in our backyard are home to what Sky calls "some of the best year-round skiing in the world". Although it has not been well studied, visiting such terrain can cause a severe case of "skisickness" in those who venture too close. At the November Alpine Club meeting, Sky will come and share a bit about this illness that compels him to return time and time again to the challenges of skiing steep lines in the North Cascades. Sky's presentation is going to be a great way to get psyched for the upcoming ski season, don't miss it! Be sure to check out Sky's website for many fine tales and photos: http://skisickness.com/ The meeting will be at Skagit valley College, Nelson Hall Room 120, 7pm. http://www.skagit.edu/images/color_mvCampus.pdf

Indeed, the presentation took our monthly meeting to a new level! Thanks to Wayne for bringing in quite a crowd. It's always fun to meet some new folks, so I hope ya'll will come back now and again. Skagit Valley isn't always as hick as it looks. Don't forget that Sky is up next month! Cheers, Jason

Have you ever wondered what if would be like to traverse this ridgeline? If you live anywhere within a two-day drive of Mount Vernon, WA, then you'd better plan on coming in to town on Wednesday, October 3rd and find out! At this month's meeting of the Skagit Alpine Club, Wayne will be telling tales of four new routes in the Pickets including Mongo Ridge and the Southern (photo above) and Northern Picket Traverses. With many FAs to his name, Wayne has been climbing for decades in the Cascades and greater ranges. The first ever recipient of the Fred Beckey Award from the American Alpine Club, Wayne has authored feature pieces for both the American Alpine and Northwest Mountain Journals. This show is not to be missed! The meeting will be at Skagit valley College, Nelson Hall Room 120, 7pm. http://www.skagit.edu/images/color_mvCampus.pdf There will be refreshments, but not of the alcoholic kind. We'll remedy that after the show at the Porterhouse . . . Cheers, Jason Griffith

Trip: Cutthroat - North Ridge Date: 8/24/2007 Trip Report: With the weather forecast to crap out yet again on the weekend, dR and I snuck away on a Friday to check out the North Ridge of Cutthroat, a climb that I have not heard a lot about. Fred says the rock is "superb" so we had to at least give it a try. It is basically the right skyline in the picture below: We opted for the approach branching from the normal South Buttress trail and climbed a loose 5.7ish pitch to gain the sharp notch in the north ridge. Bail slings midway up signaled that this was not a high quality pitch and the next one out of the notch didn't look a lot better (loose rock, poor pro, 5.7ish?). So we opted to drop into the basin to the NW and find the original route that Fred took to gain the North Ridge: This was more like it! Solid, easy, and fun climbing got us onto the ridge proper and from there the climbing was generally good. Scrambly sections followed by short mid-fifth class bits, sometimes you had to look a bit to find the easy way: other times it was obvious: I think it took us around 2 hours to the base of the climb and maybe three hours on route. The last few rope lengths had some fun climbing on the airy ridge: [ Soon we were enjoying the views on the summit: We descended the South Buttress via a bunch of single rappels and enjoyed a nice hike out as the light turned golden: All together this is a recommended climb. I think the original start is better than the variation we took, but the approach is certainly quicker via the south side of Cutthroat. So I guess it probably is a wash . . . Anyway, if you are looking for a less crowded route in the WA pass area, it is worth checking out. Cheers, Jason Griffith