Iowa Mountaineers. The club completed another active year in 1983, with membership remaining about 700. Nearly 300 members participated in one of the courses, the mountain camps, or the foreign expeditions, which were from one to four weeks long. The courses and the mountain camps were offered for University of Iowa credit if desired. Under the instruction of John and Jim Ebert, 44 members completed the concentrated one-week basic rock-climbing courses held at Devils Lake State Park, Wisconsin, with an average attendance of 60 members.

In January, 55 members joined a seven-day cross-country skiing and winter-survival camp near Leadville, Colorado. Over 80 miles of cross-country skiing trails were enjoyed. Jim Ebert led a group of 10 climbers to Mexico in January and early February for ascents of Popocatépetl and Orizaba. A winter and spring backpacking trip to the Grand Canyon in Arizona, led by Jim and Margie Ebert, brought out 71 members.

The club sponsored its ninth foreign expedition to Peru in July and a mountaineering camp in the Beartooth Mountains of Montana in August. Jim Ebert led a group of 46 to the Cordillera Blanca in Peru, where the Base Camp was located in the Quebrada Rajucolta. Members spent 11 days acclimatizing in the Rajucolta by climbing five peaks above 18,000 feet. Two high camps were used during the encampment: one located at the base of Yawarraju (18,606 feet) next to a beautiful high alpine glacial lake, and the other about 1600 feet above Lake Tambillo to the north. A group of 22 attempted Nevado Huascarán, Peru’s highest peak, with 17 reaching the lower of the two summits, Huascarán Norte (21,834 feet). Part of the group remained in the Rajucolta to ascend Huantsân Norte (20,056 feet). The expedition enjoyed over 20 days of perfect weather, and over 86-man ascents were made on six peaks over 18,000 feet.

Seventy-four members joined the Beartooth mountaineering camp from August 2 to 12. Several high camps were used to disperse the group throughout the range. Over 430-man ascents were made on 10 peaks, including 40 people to the top of Granite Peak (12,799 feet), Montana’s highest peak, by three different routes.

In July 1984 the club will take a group of 45 to the Alps in Europe with plans to climb nine of the highest peaks in six alpine countries. In August a mountaineering camp will be sponsored in the Sawtooth Mountains of Idaho.

Jim Ebert, Vice President