Oregon Section. Bob McGown, Section chair, was on four continents this year, so Richard Bence took over some of his duties. Bence also maintains the Oregon Section and Madrone Wall Web sites, www.ors.alpine.org and www.savemadrone.org. The Oregon Section sponsors the Madrone Wall Web site. In a public study session, Clackamas County unanimously accepted the Parks Advisory Board recommendation not to sell the site for a private quarry or housing development and to move forward to establish a public park. Letters of support were written by over 500 citizens and by organizations including the Oregon Section. AAC member Keith Daellenbach is the founder and long time director of the Friends of Madrone Wall Preservation Committee.

In late fall 2005 the Section sent $2,500 to Pakistan and collected tents and clothing that were shipped by the AAC. In January at the Hollywood Theater, Jeff Alzner organized the Cascade Mountain Film Festival, which raised an additional $6,000 for Pakistani relief efforts. Other contributions came from the Banff Film Festival participants who donated use of their films: Sandra Wroten and Gary Beck. There were also significant donations from Jill Kellogg, Jeff Alzner, Richard Bence, Richard Humphrey, Bob McGown, and others. Mazama president Wendy Carlton acted as MC in making the Pakistan Earthquake Village evening a success. We had over a dozen volunteers from the AAC and the Mazamas, and an estimated 350 people attended. The chair of Mercy Corps, headquartered in Portland, introduced the program.

Bob Speik organized a fundraiser featuring Royal Robbins’ program, “40 Years of Adventure,” on March 22 at the Tower Theater in Bend. The proceeds were donated to the Deschutes Basin Land Trust. Jeff Alzner, who climbed Mt. Stuart and several peaks in the Canadian Rockies in 2005, presented us with a large number of excellent photographs soon to appear on the Section’s website, along with his descriptions of the climbs. Jeff continues to work on a memorial video honoring Mike Bearzi, who was one of the first people to develop the M grading system for mixed ice and rock.

Wayne Wallace gave two fine talks about his adventures in the Picket Range for the Oregon Section at the Old Market Pub. Wayne, who has completed difficult traverses in the Pickets with his Seattle climbing partners, recently earned the Fred Beckey Award. The Fred Beckey Award is given by the Oregon Section to members who have done outstanding routes in the Cascades. Mike Layton gave a benefit slide show with Wayne Wallace for Madrone Wall. Layton completed the first ascent of Mox Peak’s southeast face and the Washington Pass traverse (See Climbs and Expeditions in this Journal).

On behalf of the Section, Bob Speik placed a geo-cache in the vicinity of one of the AAC-donated rescue caches at Smith Rock.

In September, Neale Creamer, Jim Onstott, Bob Moshier, and Mark Roddy together with the Friends of Silcox Hut and Timberline Lodge joined to perform the difficult annual maintenance tasks at the Silcox Hut. The Friends also provide hut hosting at Silcox in May to give climbers access to this 1933 WPA structure at 7,000’ on Mt. Hood. It serves as an excellent base camp for south side rescues.

In November, Kellie Rice, Access Fund coordinator, put on a Rocky Butte cleanup assisted by AAC members. The cleanup drew 40 volunteers and was a great success in keeping the Butte in good condition.

Bob McGown and Matt Brewster climbed a new route called the Pioneer Anomaly on Newton Pinnacle on the north face ridge of Mt. Hood with three 5.9 pitches. They also ascended an overhanging face climb named Gravity’s Rainbow, developing a new 5.10 route on Newton Pinnacle’s south face.

Keith Daellenbach was the leader of an expedition to make the first ascent of Mt. Blachnitzky in southeastern Alaska. Dr Maynard Miller’s glaciological research program is conducted in this glacial region of the Coast Range.

Our members Bob Lockerby, Tom Bennett, Clint Veilbig, Keith Campbell, Gary Beck, Bob McGown, and many others continued to volunteer for the construction of the new Mazama headquarters building, which is an old classic church and Masons’ Hall in Portland. The Mazamas, with 50 active volunteers, construction manager Jay Levins, and climber-contractor Jim Brewer have completed their headquarters building for the grand opening in January 2007.

Bob McGown, Chair