The Mazamas

Publication Year: 2002.

The Mazamas. The Climbing Committee guides comprehensive mountaineering education from beginning through advanced levels; organizes summer, winter, and rock climbing schedules; selects and trains new climb leaders; and promotes safety in all Mazama mountaineering. In 2001 the 12-person committee, chaired by John Youngman, scheduled 292 climbs led by 72 different leaders.

The Basic Climbing Education Program enlisted 211 students. These included 36 percent women and 72 percent non-Mazama members. In addition to rock and snow training, the groups made several day hikes into difficult terrain and attended indoor lectures and knots and belay practice. The BCEP is a fine-tuned evolution of instruction programs instituted before World War II. It introduces many new members into the Mazamas each year and allows instructors to bond with beginning climbers.

The Intermediate Climbing Program enlisted 37 students under Doug Couch. It instructs seasoned beginners in higher levels of rock and snow climbing and develops and screens future climb leaders. Tight rules by the U.S. Forest Service prevented the ICP from using the Eliot Glacier on Mt. Hood, the best and most convenient site for glacier rescue practice. White River Glacier is being considered for the 2002 season. The Advanced Rock Program, under Matt Carter, enrolled 20 students. The Rock Review Program involved 45 students on the basalt walls of Rocky Butte in Portland, bolstering knowledge of knots, belaying, rappelling, and fixed line travel. The program maintained a two-to-one ratio of instructors to students. This instruction takes some of the load off the ICP and Advanced Rock Program.

The Advanced Snow and Ice Program, under Steve Heim, began with a week of ice climbing at Ouray, Colorado. The group of eight enjoyed an excellent trip despite ugly weather. Four other sessions were held on Mt. Hood and Mt. Rainier.

The Leadership Training Program enlisted 23 applicants and resulted in the addition of eight new leaders. This included a day seminar at Mount Hood under outside instructors. Plans were made for John Graham, author of Outdoor Leadership, to conduct a leadership skills seminar in 2002. John Gooding, Mazama Administrative Assistant, continued to work with the committee on its leadership Web site.

Recipients of Mazama Climbing Awards were: 10 members received the Guardian Peaks Award (Hood, St. Helens, Adams); two the Oregon Cascades Award (Jefferson, Three-Fingered Jack, Washington, Three Sisters); and five the 16 Major Peaks Award (all of the above peaks plus Olympus, Baker, Shuksan, Rainier, Glacier, Stuart, Shasta). Brad French was the sole recipient of the 15-point Leadership Award.

The Outing Committee, chaired by Marty Wilson, fielded a wide variety of trips that included Alpine Lakes Wilderness in the Wenatchee National Forest, Cape Perpetua, Grand Canyon, Hart Mountain Refuge, Maui, Ranch Outing near Bly, Rogue River Trail, Timberline Trail, Tillamook National Forest, Wallowa Ski Outing, and Panama.

The Trail Trips Committee, chaired by Dean Kokko, sponsors the increasingly popular Street Rambles on Tuesday and Thursday evenings in Portland parks and streets. Participants pay a fee of $2 for hikes and $1 for Street Rambles. As in the outing and climbing programs, leaders are required to have first-aid certification.

The Expedition Committee, chaired by Steven A. Warner, granted funds to six expeditions: to Monte Smith and Jerry Eline to support the 2001 Polish Glacier Expedition; Andrew Lewis and Steven A. Warner for attempts on Artesonraju and Huascaran in Peru; Carl Degner, James Brewer, David Byrne, and Ron Fridel for the West Buttress of Mount McKinley; Keith and Charles Daellenbach, John Parsons, and Allen Throop for a ski touring expedition on the Juneau Icefield; Bob Wilson and Eric Hoem for a climbing survey in the Cordillera Blanca in Peru; James Armstrong, Michael DeLaune, Marty Scott, and Shirley Welch for climbing and trekking to Mera Peak and Imje Tse (Island Peak) in Nepal. The Committee hosted Kurt Diemberger with his showing of Summits and Secrets, which proved to be a profitable fundraiser for expedition grants.

At the Mazama Lodge, Todd and Wendy Koebke ended a year as lodge managers, and Lisa Davis moved into the lodge to assume duties in registration, maintenance, and light cooking. Todd Koebke serves as weekend chef.

Doug Wilson succeeded Dr. Christine Mackert as President of The Mazamas. Josh Lockerby was elected vice president; Mary Stadler, membership secretary; David Sauerbrey, recording secretary; Susan Pyle Ericksen, treasurer.

Jack Grauer, Historian