Mazamas. The Mazamas of Portland, Oregon, enjoyed the same miserable weather that other climbers experienced in 1971. The Climbing Committee laid out a schedule of 235 climbs for the year. Bad weather kept 46 of them from leaving town and spoiled the success for another 26 that started. Problems in route and road blockage stopped another 17. Even so, Mazama climbs placed 2165 successful individual summit climbs out of 2656 starts. We mention these numbers not because they are significant for their size, but rather to point out the tremendous increase over the past few years in the use of mountain terrain by climbers.

Backpacking as well as climbing has mushroomed in popularity. An extremely good illustration is the 18-mile beach trip along the roadless Olympic coastline between LaPush and Cape Alava. In 1966 we hiked this lonely beach, meeting only two small parties en route and finding one other camped at Sand Point. In 1971 we met so many groups walking or camped en route that all the wilderness aspect was gone. Sand Point camp ground had overflowed its boundaries with wall-to-wall people spread over a mile. There were perhaps over a hundred camping groups, representing every spectrum of outdooring ability.

The basic climbing school was limited again in 1971 to an enrollment of 354. This meant turning a large number away at the door. For the second year the group system of instruction was used. Each group consisted of one head instructor and his assistant plus six other instructors. Twenty-four students filled a group and stayed with their instruction team throughout the school. This prevented overloading the snow and rock practice areas. Students had the opportunity to get to knowinstructors better as individuals. The intermediate school had 82 enrolled, with 16 graduated, which is about the usual percentage.

Carmie Dafoe led an interesting traveling outing to the Selkirks and the Rockies in Canada. The first stop was at Rogers Pass for several ascents. The outing next moved to Lake Louise and Lake O’Hara in a schizophrenic scramble of personnel. Mount Victoria was climbed from the O’Hara side. The group then packed in the long trip to Mount Assiniboine, with climbs made of that peak in addition to many of the surrounding summits.

Lyman Dye led an outstanding outing of climbers into the Sawtooth Range in Idaho. They did Warbonnet plus nine other summits in the more remote area. Harold Deery led another exploratory outing into the center of the Olympic Peninsula. Jack Grauer took a party into the Royal Basin in the northeast corner of the Olympics, an area the club had not previously visited.

Many of our members were greatly pleased with the opportunity to attend the 1971 annual banquet of the American Alpine Club in Portland on December 4.

JACK GRAUER