Iowa Mountaineers

Publication Year: 1987.

Iowa Mountaineers. The club completed another active year in 1986, with membership at 1100. Nearly 840 members participated in one of the many instructional courses, the mountaineering camps, or the foreign expeditions that were one to four weeks long. The courses and mountain camps were again offered for University of Iowa credit, if desired. Under the instruction of Jim and John Ebert, 63 members finished the concentrated one-week basic rock- climbing courses at Devils Lake State Park, Wisconsin, and 521 members completed the weekend rock-climbing courses offered to University of Iowa students. Three general weekend outings were held at Devils Lake with an average attendance of 50.

In December, 20 members made a seven-day cross-country skiing trip to the Collegiate Range in Colorado. Here they built and lived in snow shelters and skied throughout the Tennessee Pass area. In January, a small group skied in the Jackson Hole area of Wyoming.

Twenty-three members hiked and climbed from January 18 to February 17 throughout New Zealand’s North and South Islands, including the Milford and Routebum Tracks. The weather generally was very good. John Ebert was leader.

The club sponsored a one-week hiking trip in March to the Grand Canyon and Havasupai in Arizona. Jim Ebert was the leader for this trip that attracted over 50 people.

The club’s annual banquet on May 1 featured the African film made by John and Jim Ebert showing the club ascents of Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya and climbing in the Ruwenzori of Uganda. Over 100 people attended.

In June the club again offered an intermediate rock climbing course on Devils Tower in Wyoming, during which 13 ascended by the Durrance route. Also in June 17 members journeyed to the volcanic peaks in the Northwest, where ascents were made of Mount Adams and Mount Rainier.

John and Jim Ebert led a group of 42 to the Peruvian Andes, where Base Camp was located in the Quebrada Quilcayhuanca from June 28 to July 26. During this period 33 members ascended Jatunmontepuncu (17,765 feet), 19 ascended Maparaju (17,475 feet), and 17 the north peak of Maparaju. Robert Wilson and Hans Steyskal ascended Chopiraju (18,087 feet) and Pucaranra (20,168 feet). Joe Burleson was in charge of an ascent of Nevado Huascarán (22,208 feet). Ten out of the group of 14 reached the summit. The weather was excellent throughout the trip except for two days when it snowed 10 to 14 inches. The club will return to Peru in 1989 to the Quebrada Shallap.

In August Jim Ebert led two outings in Wyoming. In the Wind Rivers 12 people climbed Gannett Peak, Wyoming’s highest, and 13 climbed Fremont Peak. Later in the month a five-day mountaineering outing was held in the Tetons. Seventeen people attempted the Grand Teton and Teewinot, but were unsuccessful because of the steady rain and wind during the ascent days.

In 1987 the club will again sponsor eight one-week basic rock-climbing courses at Devils Lake State Park, Wisconsin, during May, June and August. An ascent of Devils Tower is planned during the intermediate rock climbing course from June 8 to 11. The main trip will be to Alaska to climb and hike along the Alaska Highway. The mountaineering camps will start with 10 days in the Colorado Chimney Peak area from July 7 to 17, followed by a 10-day camp in the northern Wind Rivers from July 21 to 31. The main summer mountaineering camp will be in the Sawtooths of Idaho from August 4 to 14. The final outing will be held in the Tetons from August 17 to 21.

In coming years the main foreign expeditions will be to East Africa to climb Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya from June 25 to July 24, 1988; New Zealand from January 14 to February 20, 1989, to ascend peaks on both the North and South Islands and to hike the Milford and Routebum Tracks; the Peruvian Andes from June 24 to July 22, 1989 to climb in the Quebrada Shallap followed by climbs of Nevado Huantsán and Nevado Huascarán. Finally, in 1990 a European outing is planned for from June 29 to July 22 to climb the highest and most famous peaks in six Alpine countries.

Jim Ebert, Vice President