Harvard Mountaineering Club

Publication Year: 1988.

Harvard Mountaineering Club. The year saw an upswing in climbing activity as well as increased social gatherings. Furthermore, we expect to publish Issue 23 of the Harvard Mountaineering Club Journal next year.

In January, members Lou Derry, Alex Green and Peter Green were joined by Charlie Mace for a climb of Aconcagua. They all made an ascent of the standard route. Lou and Charlie then went to the south side of the mountain and climbed the south face via the French Route with the Messner finish. Alex and Peter returned to South America in June to climb Nevados Pisco and Huascarán in Peru’s Cordillera Blanca.

In North America three members, Carl Gable, Bryan Kriens and Steve Perlman, were joined by Pat Gallagher, Dick McDougald and Alasdair Street for a traverse of the northern Picket Range in the North Cascades. The area lived up to its reputation for rugged terrain.

Local activities included climbing at local crags, with instruction for beginning climbers. Trips to the Gunks in New York and to Cannon and the North Conway area in New Hampshire were common weekend excursions. The club sponsored three slide shows: Fred Beckey drawing on his vast background talked about mountaineering in North America; Pat Clark described his trip to Baffin Island; and Sam Streibert reviewed his experiences over 25 years of climbing.

The H.M.C. cabin in Huntington Ravine, New Hampshire, which is open to the public, continues to serve as a base of ice climbing on Mount Washington. There have been some improvements such as propane lights and burners to reduce the fire hazard and to increase comfort. The cabin and its caretaker also serve to increase the safety of climbing by providing initial response to accidents. Last year when two climbers fell out of the Pinnacle Gully in -20° F weather, the presence of caretaker John Jackson in Huntington Ravine was critical to a rapid evacuation of the injured climbers. There is discussion this year of improving the first-aid and rescue cache at the cabin.

We encourage climbers visiting the Cambridge area to look us up and drop by our Thursday night meetings, if not to talk shop, then to join us for happy hour or to try our workout area.

This year’s officers include President Nathan Faulkner; Secretary Alex Green; and Treasurer Carl Gable. Our address is H.M.C., 4 University Hall, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138.

Carl Gable, Treasurer