Mountaineer

June, 2010 The

Volume 104, No. 6
The monthly publication of The Mountain-
eers: Enriching the community by helping
people explore, conserve, learn about, and
enjoy the lands and waters of the Pacific
Northwest.
w w w. m o u n t a i n e e r s . o r g
M5 UPDATE: The latest
on changes to web,
NW hikes
that top
publications

M7 Families receive
‘Star Party’ invite
the charts
M2 View from the Top
Leaders list their
M4 Summit Savvy favorite places

T
M4 Conservation Currents here is only one resource
better than a Mountaineers
M5 Passages guidebook to introduce
new hikers to the best the Pacific
M7 In Support Northwest has to offer: Mountain-
eers hike leaders. The Mountaineer
asked a few who have led more
Trails and hawk tails! than their fair share of hikers into
The Ever- the verdant hills of our state to
ett Branch name some of their favorite hikes.
will treat
volunteer
trail work-
Guidebook author
ers with to visit – M3
a raptor
Following is a blend of their insight
show on
and guidebook grist that should
National

Mountaineers Books photo

Trails
Day, June 5. See M4 and
trail maintenance sections
for each branch in the Go
Guide to learn about Trails
Day projects near you.
Discover The Mountaineers
If you are thinking of joining -
or have joined and aren’t sure
where to start - why not attend
an information meeting?
Check the Go Guide branch
sections for times and locations.
Are you ready to jump right in?
Visit www.mountaineers.org.
Need to call? 206-521-6000.
POSTAGE PAID AT
give any hiker—whether experi-
enced or new—some destinations
to put on their to-hike list this sum-
mer.
Amy Mann, Tacoma Branch
“That’s a hard one,” confesses
Amy, who has few rivals among
Mountaineers leaders for most
hikes led year to year. “But I’ll try,”
she said. Following are a few of her
favorites.
Rachel Lake — This is one of
the few ‘I-90 hikes’ I really like.
You work your way up that trail
(not an easy one) and then arrive
at this gorgeous little lake. The
counterpoint of the hard work to
Upcoming
Hiker basks above Lake Ingalls, a favorite of leader Carly Waterman’s (see pg. 3).
get there and the beauty and se-
renity of the lake (especially dur-
ing the week) is marvelous. You
also get far enough away from the
highway to not hear the vehicular
traffic. Reference: “Day Hiking
Snoqualmie Region,” Hike 70.
Hikes out of Sunrise, Mt.
Rainier National Park: Fre-
mont Lookout, Second Bur-
roughs, Dege Peak — The
Mountaineers pick up the
views are magnificent and very
different from the southern part of
MRNP. And, the season is short
there. Berkeley Park has wonder-
ful wildflowers and a lovely creek
running through it. Grand Park
from Lake Eleanor is magnificent
as you work your way up through
the forest and come out at the
north end of Grand Park with Mt.
Continued on M3

Rock climbing for newbies—Nev-

SEATTLE, WA
PERIODICAL

pieces for today’s research

er explored the spider inside you?
A seminar in June and July should
give you a decent chance. See pg.
By Brad Stracener For 104 years, The Mountain-
9 of the Go Guide for this intro to
the fun sport of rock climbing.
✔ W hen the local public
television station, KCTS,
needed a film clip to augment a
eers has been making history
in more than one sense of the
word. From photos by Asahel
Barbecue, AAC style—The Ameri-
broadcast about climbing icon Curtis during The Mountaineers’
can Alpine Club welcomes Moun-
Fred Beckey, it knew whom to infancy, to images by Bob and
taineers to its Spring BBQ on Fri.,
ask. Ira Spring, to a film that caught
June 4. See the ad on pg. 16 of
When the Mountain Rescue Beckey and Pete Schoening
the Go Guide for details about the
Association needed a film for its in action on Lighthouse Tower,
event, which will include live dance
50th anniversary, it had a good Mountaineers were not only
music.
idea of whose door on which making history on ascents and
Sprin
g 2010 June May
5, 6 30, 31
12, to knock. And when New York first routes, but also via film and
2:00 13 19, 2
photos.
pm 0

Times reporters needed some

7700 Sand Point Way N.E.

film clips to finish a video produc- “History is not just old, dried-out
tion on Beckey last year, they stuff; it has tremendous value,”
KITSAP FOREST THEATER were literally standing in the stated Lowell Skoog, who is
Seattle, WA 98115
The Mountaineers

shadow of their source for part at the center of The Mountain-

of the film: The Mountaineers eers’ efforts to preserve historic
‘The Sound of Music’ fills Forest
Theater in June. See pgs. 2 and 20 Program Center. Continued on M6
of the Go Guide for details.
,
July 31
1
August
7, 8 Sum
14, 15 m er 20
21, 22 10
June 2010
The
Mountaineer
Also see us on the web at www.mountaineers.org
The Mountaineers is a nonprofit
organization, founded in 1906
and dedicated to the responsible
enjoyment and protection of natural
areas.
Board of Trustees
Officers
President Tab Wilkins, 10-12
President Elect Mona West, 10-12
Past President Eric Linxweiler 10-12
VP Properties Dave Claar, 10-12
VP Publishing Don Heck, 10-12
Treasurer Gavin Woody, 10-12
Secretary Lorna Corrigan, 10-12
Trustees at large
Kirk Alm, 07-10
Rich Draves, 08-11
Dale Flynn, 07-10
Ed Henderson, 08-11
Lynn Hyde, 08-11
John Ohlson, 09-12
Mark Scheffer, 09-12
Dave Shema, 07-10
Matt Sullivan, 09-12
Mona West, 09-12
Branch Trustees
Bellingham, Steven Glenn
Everett, Rob Simonsen
Foothills, Gerry Haugen
Kitsap, Jimmy James
Olympia, John Flanagan
Seattle, Mike Maude
Tacoma, Tom Shimko
Executive Director
Martinique Grigg
View from the Top
Connecting the community to the outdoors
F
By Tab Wilkins, president
irst, thanks to all who have
volunteered (I estimate it’s
close to 100,000 volunteer
hours since January) as our winter
and spring classes finish. Best of
luck on a safe summer season!
Looking
beyond sum-
mer, I am of-
ten asked for
my view of
our organiza-
tion’s future.
The Mountaineers is the second
largest community of our kind in the
country with 9,800 members. Our
doors are open to all, we operate
a highly regarded publishing arm,
and we wield an ability to influence
public policy. That said, we have
a responsibility to our community
to provide leadership in saving our
natural world.
As wild areas that we enjoy grow
smaller, continue to lack for care
and suffer climate change, we are
in a unique position to help save
national treasures in our backyard.
Good news: most of what The
Mountaineers does as a community
already drives toward this outcome.
Academic studies, research reports
and experts agree that it’s a simple
equation—the more people get out
M
The Mountaineer
Mission and purposes
To enrich the community by helping people
Managing Editor
Brad Stracener
explore, conserve, learn about, and enjoy the
Contributors, proofreaders: lands and waters of the Pacific Northwest.
Chris Austin, Christine Compton, Jack
Edwards, Brian Futch, Jim Harvey, “To explore and study the mountains, forests and other water
Suzan Reiley courses of the Northwest and beyond;
Photographers & Illustrators:
O.P. Dickert, Mick Etchoe, Tom Ham- “To preserve by example, teaching and encouragement of
mond protective legislation our special places;
THE MOUNTAINEER is published
“Add value to our member’s and our community by providing
monthly by:
The Mountaineers, youth and adult outdoor education opportunities.”
7700 Sand Point Way N.E.
Seattle, WA 98115
206-521-6000; 206-523-6763 fax
Volume 104, No. 6 Who ya gonna call? Your mentor, of course
The Mountaineer (ISSN 0027-2620) Are you a new member wondering about the how-to, where-to and what-
is published monthly by The Moun- to-do with your club? There are a number of resources available to you,
taineers, 7700 Sand Point Way N.E.,
not the least our websites. Now there is also a real, live person. If you want
Seattle, WA 98115.
Members receive a subscription as part to know about expected conditioning for a hike, what not to wear, how to
of their annual dues. Approximately sign up for events or whatever call or e-mail the “mentor of the month.”
$12.42 of each member’s annual
Mona West is this month’s mentor. Feel free to contact her at west_mona@
membership dues is spent to print and
mail this publication. Non-member yahoo.com with your questions or comments.
subscriptions to The Mountaineer are
$32. Periodicals postage paid at Seat-
tle WA. Read The Mountaineer/Go Guide online, too!
Postmaster: send address changes
to The Mountaineer, 7700 Sand Point Did you know you can find The Mountaineer and
Way N.E., Seattle, WA 98115.
Opinions expressed in articles are the Go Guide online? Visit www.mountaineers.org
those of the authors and do not nec-
essarily represent the views of The and go to “Monthly Magazine” in the top menu bar
Mountaineers.
to view current and past issues.
and experience the outdoors, the to reach these goals. Recently we simple as helping one person have
more they value the outdoors. The hired a director of development and a great time on a hike or a climb,
more they value the outdoors, the marketing, Laurie Ward, to help us or helping a family enjoy one of our
more interest they have in caring grow our financial support. We are lodges, which then translates into
for natural and wild areas. also considering a change of our more people interested in preserv-
Our niche, our passion and our tax status to 501(c)3, which would ing our natural treasures in the
expertise is in helping others truly
experience nature through informa- See M5 for an update on changes
tion, education and all the activities
we currently pursue. I don’t see
to our web and publications
that changing.
make most contributions (and Pacific Northwest.
I see the desire to modernize our potentially part of your dues) tax Thanks for being a member and let
properties and facilities, to make deductible. me know your thoughts at tab-
our programs more accessible and
I do believe we have a higher call- mountaineers@hotmail.com. See
to use a multi-media approach
ing as we look forward to a club for you out there.
to publishing, educating, training
future generations. And it can be as
and conserving—not just to have
a great time ourselves, but also
to share with others (families and
youths in particular) our passion
and excitement for the outdoors.
This will surely lead to more inter-
est in protecting the very areas
where we recreate. As a climber
I see similar legacies in action,
such as the Himalayan Trust, Greg
Mortenson’s Central Asia Institute
(“Three Cups of Tea”) and the
American Alpine Club.
Financially, not all of this can be
achieved by membership dues,
course fees and volunteer hours.
We will need your additional finan-
cial support as well as support from
grants, foundations and partners
The Mountaineer
Hikes on the must-do
No shortage of destinations — once the snow melts
Umtanum Ridge provides one of the
finest views of the Stuart Range.
Continued from M1
Rainier looming to the south—
breathtaking! Paradise mead-
ows, when the meadows are in
full-flower, and any other hike
around MRNP when the wild-
flowers are in bloom provide a
veritable carpet of flowers which
I don’t believe is as readily found
in other parts of this country.
Reference: “Day Hiking Mount
Rainier,” Hikes 25, 28, 31.
Poo Poo Point — On a good
day you can sit at lunch for hours
just watching the paragliders
taking off, sitting on the thermals
and wandering around up there
in the sky. The gliders leave the
landing zone at about noon or
12:30 and ride up in a truck to
the launch site. Plan your day
to arrive at about noon and give
yourself plenty of time to enjoy
the spectacle. They are gliding
on weekdays as well—a good
thermal day means a lot of out-
sick calls for gliders, apparently.
A special presentation of the award-
winning adventure drama in
support of Big City Mountaineers,
providing wilderness experiences to
under-resourced urban teens.
7:PM, Thursday June 17th
Egyptian Theater
805 East Pine
Seattle, WA 98122
Tickets are $15 – Available at
Brownpapertickets.com or (800) 838-3006
list
The only problem with this hike
is for folks who want to get a
workout but end up sitting for two
hours or more at lunch. Refer-
ence: “Day Hiking Snoqualmie
Region,” Hike 8.
Lower Lena Lake — This is a
wonderful hike through the forest
to a lovely lake. Best done during
the week and/or on the shoul-
der seasons. It is very popular
and busy during the summer.
Reference: “Day Hiking Olympic
Peninsula,” Hike 42.
Doug Terry, Olympia Branch
“Tough question,” says Doug, who
leads more backpacks than hikes,
but notes that other leaders do
hikes on some of the routes he
backpacks.
Marmot Pass from the Up-
per Dungeness Trail — Start-
ing out on a gently rising trail
under the canopy of old-growth
trees, you head deeper into the
Olympics alongside a bubbling
river. After crossing the river, you
begin to traverse out of the valley
to the backside of Warrior Peak
and Mt. Constance. The flora
changes regularly as you gain
altitude. Just as you break out at
the alpine level you get a first-
hand view of nature’s fury—huge
Above Rachel Lake.
trees, broken off at the base,
lie downhill after a decade-old
avalanche. Switching back up
towards the pass, an over-the-
shoulder look reveals The Broth-
ers sticking out from Constance
Pass. Finally, you make Marmot
Pass, under the shadow of Buck-
horn Peak, and get your first view
of the entire Olympic interior.
Reference: “Day Hiking Olympic
Peninsula,” Hike 58. of the award-
A special presentation
winning adventure drama in
Mt. support
Townsend in spring—
of Big City Mountaineers,
Shortly afterwilderness
providing hitting the trail, youto
experiences
under-resourced urban teens.
are flanked by rhodies to start
the floral display. You gradually
switch your way up, and after
a wee bit, break out into open
meadows of blooming flowers,
swarming with butterflies and
bees—a virtual potpourri of plant
life and color. Arriving at the alpine
level, you are ushered into a quiet
area below the summit trail, sur-
rounded by hardy pines nestled
around Camp Windy. And finally
your reward for all this work—a
series of switches up dust-cov-
ered rock to the twin summits
that stand guard over the Olym-
pics from the northeast corner
and provide endless vistas
7:PM, Thursday June in all
17th
directions. Reference: “Day
Egyptian Theater Hiking
Olympic Peninsula,” Hike 59.
805 East Pine
Seattle, WA 98122
Carly Waterman, Seattle Branch
Skyscraper Mountain — Big
bang forTickets
yourare
hiking buck. Wild-
$15 – Available at
Brownpapertickets.com or (800) 838-3006
June 2010
flowers, vistas, marmots and an Bare Mountain — Great
airy summit are all found in just fall colors, wonderful views of
an eight-mile round trip and a Glacier Peak from the ridgeline
little more than 1,000 ft. elevation up to the summit. For a hike so
gain. I like to include a side trip to close to town this summit truly
Burroughs Mountain or Berke- feels wild. Note: This hike is cur-
ley Park to round out the day. rently not accessible by car due
Reference: “Day Hiking Mount to a bridge closure. I recommend
Rainier,” Hike 27. parking at the closed bridge
Poe Mountain via Irving and then mountain biking to the
Pass — Excellent fall colors hike trailhead. Reference: “Day Hiking
to the former site of a fire lookout Snoqualmie Region,” Hike 19.
boasting incredible views of Gla- Mt. Baldy — Not in the books!
cier Peak. Reference: “Day Hiking
I’m not telling you how to get
Mount Rainier,” Hikes 75, 78.
there unless you take me with
Iron Peak — The El Dorado you. If you do attempt this hike,
Creek trail to Iron Peak is full of be careful. The junctions are
biodiversity. This is a great trip for
not all easy to see and only
one of them is marked. Really,
you should just take me with
you. Hint: Go in June when the
calypso orchids bloom. I love this
hike and have led it annually for
the last five years.
Mt. Defiance — Follow the
masses to Mason Lake and then
continue along the less-beaten
path to Defiance. On a clear day
Mountaineers Books photo
you can see Seattle. Go during
the peak of wildflower season.
Reference: “Day Hiking Sno-
qualmie Region.”
Guidebook author
naturalists of all levels. Refer-
Romano to visit
ence: “100 Hikes in Washington’s
Alpine Lakes,” Hike 52.
The man behind the lines of print
Lake Ingalls — Go in sum- that lead you to new hiking destina-
mer for wildflowers, go in fall for tions will step out from behind the
larches. Hold onto that sandwich! pages of his guidebooks to speak
A colony of hungry mountain
to Mountaineers on Thu., June 17.
goats inhabits this area. Refer-
ence: “Day Hiking Snoqualmie The Mountaineers Program Center
Region,” Hikepresentation
A special 93. of the award- will feature a night with Romano,
winning adventure drama in
including books signings and
Umtanum
supportRidge and
of Big City Creek
Mountaineers,
—This is where a lot of us lead- to
providing wilderness experiences a question-answer period that
under-resourced urban teens.
ers go in April and May when the promises some insight not only on
lingering snow just won’t melt. destinations but also on the critical
Reference: “Desert Hikes.” issues surrounding trails and ac-
cess to them. The event will begin
Surprise and Glacier Lakes
— Glacier Lake is quite possibly at 7 p.m.
the best lake in which to swim in Romano, who has hiked more than
the entire Alpine Lakes Wilder- 13,000 miles of Washington ter-
ness. Swim out to the center of rain—from corner to corner, north
the lake and look in the distance and south—is currently working on
northward to see why they
his latest guidebooks, “Day Hiking
named it Glacier Lake. Refer-
Columbia Gorge” and “Backpack-
ence: “Day Hiking Cental Cas-
ing Washington.” Both are due for
cades,” Hike 32 (note: the book
release in spring of 2011.
incorrectly calls Glacier Lake
“Granite Lake”). Growing up in rural New Hamp-
Blanca Lake —This forest shire, Romano says he fell in love
hike does not seem special until with the natural world as a child,
you get7:PM,
to theThursday June 17th
lake, opalescent eventually becoming a Boy Scout
Egyptian Theater
and glowing with 805its aquama- and backcountry ranger in the
East Pine
rine color, unlike any
Seattle, WAother
98122lake White Mountain National Forest.
I’ve seen. It looks otherworldly. In the meantime he has held down
Reference: “Day Hiking Central the positions of ski bum in Vermont
Cascades,”
Tickets are $15 – Available at
Hike 36. or (800) 838-3006
Brownpapertickets.com Continued on M7
M
June 2010
Can you identify the summit in
the foreground here? Send your answer
(by June 10) by post or e-mail: brads@
mountaineers.org; Summit Savvy, The
Mountaineer, 7700 Sand Point Way
N.E., Seattle, WA 98115. If you guess
correctly, you’ll receive $10 of Moun-
taineers Money, good for Mountaineers
Bookstore merchandise, and we’ll
publish your name in next month’s
column. (In case of a tie, one winner will
be chosen at random.) Club employees
or persons shown in the photograph are
not eligible. Each month we’ll publish a
new mystery summit and identification
of the previous one.
conservation
CURRENTS
Completing the Vision: North
Cascades National Park
T
he North Cascades is an area
of great beauty where many
of our members frequently
recreate. The creation of the park in
1968 was the culmination of years of
effort—vividly recounted in “Wilder-
ness Alps; Conservation and Conflict
in Washington’s North Cascades,” by
Harvey Manning (2007), and on sale in
The Mountaineers Bookstore. But even
in triumph the park was incomplete.
Concessions were made to short-term
political interests. As Manning wrote,
projecting the voice of future genera-
tions who would look back at the effort
to create North Cascades National
Park:
“You were too timid. You compromised
too much. You should have been more
farsighted and daring. I hereby place
on record my apologies to the year
2000.”
Here we are now, in 2010, taking up
the campaign to complete the park.
Why? Our population continues to
grow and pressures from development
are increasing; scenic and recreational
landscapes remain unprotected; an
important, functional ecosystem is be-
ing dissected; and headwaters of rivers
and streams that reach Puget Sound
are unprotected.
Further, while the park has stupendous
backcountry opportunities, it has little
front-country access to offer day-hik-
ing, picnicking, bird-watching and other
opportunities to people of all fitness
levels. In fact, most who drive the
North Cascades Highway (Washington
SR-20) do not realize that they never
actually enter North Cascades National
Park.
There are several initiatives working to
raise awareness and increase protec-
tion for the North Cascades, including
Spend a volunteer summer in the wild. See ‘Go
Volunteer’ on pg. 20 of the Go Guide
M
The Mountaineer
Summit Savvy
■ Send your photographs for pos-
sible publication as a mystery summit
(include identification for our benefit).
See e-mail and mailing address at
right. If we use your photo, you will
receive $10 in Mountaineers Money.
■ At the end of each year, all correct
respondents’ names are placed in a
hat and the winner of that drawing will
receive $50 of Mountaineers Money
good for purchases at The Moun-
taineers Bookstore.
■ No one correctly guessed last
month’s mystery summit, Monte
Cristo, as photographed by Sara
Woody.
raising public awareness and begin- publicize and promulgate the case for
ning the political processes that will managing our public lands—not merely
lead to protection and completion of for the short-term interests of extrac-
the park. As part of this venture, The tive industries—but for the continued
Mountaineers, in partnership with the value and benefit of all citizens living
Braided River imprint of Mountaineers now, as well as for future generations
Books, will publish a book celebrating in perpetuity.
the glories of the North Cascades. The
book’s ultimate goal will be to provide a
It is time for a new volume, a new
chapter in the North Cascades story
broad-based advocacy tool to increase
that will tie in the potential for discovery
support for the North Cascades. Each
of the North Cascades front-country
North Cascades coalition group will be
with the splendors which are currently
able to use the book as an education
only available to those who can venture
tool in their outreach efforts.
into the backcountry.
The Mountaineers was instrumental in
What can you do to help? Make a
securing designation of North Cas-
tax-deductible donation to Braided
cades National Park back in 1968.
River online at www.braidedriver.org,
The publications of Braided River are
or by mailing your check, made out to
“committed to inspiring support for criti-
Braided River, to: The Mountaineers,
cal conservation efforts.” Braided River
7700 Sand Point Way N.E., Seattle,
has a proven track record of publishing
WA 98115. Please be sure to write
beautiful and informative books that
“North Cascades Book” in the memo
serve as powerful tools to illustrate
line of the check. The Mountaineers will
the significance of these areas from
match your donation dollar for dollar up
an environmental as well as a cultural
to $25,000!
perspective.
Johanesberg Peak from the air. John Edwards, Mountaineers conser-
In past successful advocacy cam-
the American Alps Legacy Project, The vation chair, and Martinique Grigg,
paigns, books were effectively used
North Cascades Initiative and Cas- Mountaineers executive director, con-
as tools to raise awareness and to
cades Wild. tributed to this article.
Mountaineers volunteers have long
been involved with The American See birds of prey on National Trails Day
Alps Legacy Project, a bold initiative Trail volunteers may want to hold on tight to their burgers and other treats when
to complete the original vision for the they finish work at Lord Hill Regional Park on National Trails Day. About a half-
North Cascades National Park. The dozen raptors will be cruising the park’s airspace just after the volunteers’ much
American Alps group currently includes deserved barbecue dinner is served on Sat., June 5.
The Mountaineers, the North Cascades Actually, the birds should be quite behaved around the table, thanks to their
Conservation Council, Republicans trainer and the Snohomish County Park Rangers. As part of the post-work-party
for Environmental Protection, Seattle festivities, the county has scheduled an air show of the feathered kind for those
Audubon and the University of Wash- who sign up for work on one of three trails in the park: Chapel Pond Loop, River
ington Climbing Club as partners, with Trail or Devil’s Butte Trail.
Pilchuck Audubon, Skagit Audubon,
Volunteers will be working on trails from 8 a.m. to about 2:30 p.m., and then
Federation of Western Outdoor Clubs
head to the barbecue potluck site around 3 p.m. to enjoy burgers and bever-
and Issaquah Trails Club as supporting
ages. The raptor show will start at 4 p.m. and run about an hour.
organizations.
As far as eating goes, all volunteers are asked to bring a lunch or snack and a
Both King and Snohomish counties
dessert for the barbecue. The rest—beverages, burgers and condiments—will
have passed resolutions of support for
be provided by the trail maintenance committee.
the Legacy Project. Other groups are
Lord Hill Regional Park, located at 12921 150th St. S.E., south of Snohomish,
being actively courted with the goal of
covers about 1,500 acres.
aggregating a broad-based coalition
of non-profit organizations, business Those interested in volunteering for the Everett Branch work parties should sign
owners and community members to up by June 3 at 6 p.m. Volunteers should bring water, a long-sleeved work shirt,
advocate for the completion of North long pants and gloves. To sign up, contact Clark at woodmanfor@aol.com.
Cascades National Park. Other Mountaineers work parties
How will North Cascades National The Olympia Branch will be leading volunteers to the Church Creek Trail in the
Park be completed and protected? By Olympic National Forest on National Trails Day. Tacoma also plans to enlist in
Trail Days activities by helping at Mt. Rainier National Park. Foothills Moun-
taineers will be heading to the Ira Spring Trail to roll up their sleeves. See each
branch’s section in the Go Guide for more details.
The Mountaineer
Web and publication update: input on changes continues
For the past two months, I have been visiting branches and receiving
input via e-mails about our plan to enhance our website and our print
publication, The Mountaineer. So far, the feedback has proven informa-
tive and beneficial as we determine how the faces of the website and
magazine may look. Though the input process continues, following is a
synopsis of the input thus far:
Web
—There needs to be myriad ways to access trips online based on vari-
ous criteria (i.e., type, date, destination, similar offerings).
—It needs to enable downloading of trips and events in a way that can
either be sent out to others via a .pdf or on a template with the option of
printing the file—in essence an amenity that allows someone to share a
document with other Mountaineers who endeavor in a common activity
or course.
—There should be faster, more fluid browsing capability that precludes
what some have called “the labyrinth” on the way to searching and regis-
tering for a trip, course or event.
—The website needs to allow users the opportunity to “stumble upon” an
activity or event that might appeal to them.
—The site must be proactive about making members aware of upcom-
ing courses, banquets and all the other events that do not fall under the
category of trips—events without precise registration dates.
—It is generally understood at this point that the face of the website is as
yet indiscernible. However, we have begun to strategize and conjecture
on how to facilitate some of the aforementioned needs. Further input will
determine what the new site will look like.
Print
—At this early juncture of the process, members are ambivalent about
whether a template is needed to essentially print out a branch-specific
Go Guide. Some think it would be counterproductive to the objective of
Editor’s note: Much of the
following obituary about
Duke Watson, who first
joined The Mountaineers
Passages
in 1940, comes from an
interview conducted by
Mountaineers History Committee Chair Lowell Skoog when Watson was
91 years of age. Much more detail about Watson’s life can be found in
Skoog’s 2006 article in the Northwest Mountaineering Journal web-zine,
www.mountaineers.org/NWMJ/06/061_Watson1.html.
Duke Watson: On a transcontinental paddle across Canada and
Alaska via canoe, Duke Watson finished by paddling out into the Bering
Sea as if he were headed for Japan. His wife, Marillyn, who accompanied
him on the last leg of the trip, asked, “Duke, will you ever stop?”
Watson proved to be unstoppable up to the time of his death on April 22,
2010, at the age of 94. His zest for the mountains and waterways, his forti-
tude for accomplishing his quest or task and his duty to his country forged
a life story that can arguably be called unequaled.
Born in Illinois, Watson was 18 months old when his father died, leaving
Watson, his six-week old brother and their mother.
During his childhood, his mother took Watson and his brother, Edward,
on many travels, such as winter stays in Florida that included trips to the
Caribbean, summer retreats in the ‘North Woods,’ and visits to U.S. and
Canadian national parks throughout the West, including Yellowstone, Banff,
and Jasper. Several of these trips terminated in Vancouver or Seattle
before the journey home by train, prompting Duke to decide at a young age
that he would spend his adult life in the Pacific Northwest.
Duke studied forestry at the University of Michigan, hoping this field would
offer him the best chance of employment in the Northwest. After gradu-
ation, he moved to Washington in the fall of 1937. He found work in the
Skagit Valley in the waning days of railroad logging. He witnessed the
transition from hand saws to power saws and from steam power to truck
logging. He began climbing in the summer with Everett members of The
Mountaineers. In winter he took up skiing at Mt. Baker and Mt. Rainier. In
March 1941, while he was working for Sound View Pulp Company in Ever-
ett, he was drafted into the army.
June 2010
encouraging members to use the web and also consider us latent in our
duty to reduce the amount of paper we use. Others think the option of an
easily compiled print-out from the web would lessen the blow at first to
those who are not connected to the internet at home. Some simply pre-
fer a document that can be carried along in their vehicle or spread out on
the counter as they eat.
—All seem to concur that some type of trip list needs to be included in
the new magazine. Some questions came up about the best market-
ing tool for us: Is it something like the Go Guide that illustrates the wide
array of our activities? Or a more appealing Mountaineer magazine?
Do we want to produce a magazine that looks too slick and prevents
non-Mountaineers members from picking it up because they don’t want
to eventually throw out something that looks like it was expensive to pro-
duce? As for our members, some believe that they would be more likely
to endorse a publication that doesn’t have the appearance of using high-
end resources. All input points to the need of a magazine that represents
the spirit and face of The Mountaineers.
There will be an announcement in the next Mountaineer
about our timeline. Please note that when the current
format of our Go Guide is set to disappear, all will be no-
tified well in advance.
As input continues we are still determining the exact schedule for
eliminating the monthly production of the publication and enhancing the
website. Tentatively, the slower period of registration activity—August
and September—has been targeted to enact most of this transition. This
could mean that as of the September issue, the printed Go Guide as it
exists right now would be eliminated, incorporated into an enhanced web
site, and referenced in a more condensed form via our new magazine,
which would be printed by the end of September.
—Brad Stracener, managing editor
In the course of events, he became one of the first members of the new
regiment that would develop into the Army’s Tenth Mountain Division.
Watson’s military career included a vital taking of German strongholds in
the Appennine Mountains of Italy just prior to Germany’s surrender. Howev-
er, Watson took mortar-shell shards in the gut during a heroic approach on
Mount Della Torracia that ended his combat career. He was taken off the
mountain en route to a hospital via an assist from his fighting companion
and good friend, Ralph Bromaghin, a member of Seattle’s Ptarmigan Club.
Two days later, Bromaghin died from a German mortar shell.
Watson’s career in the army’s mountain divisions intersected with another
climbing friend, Fred Beckey, who was later to gain much mountaineering
fame and reunite with Watson on some North Cascade climbs after the war.
After nearly six years of service Watson retired as a major. Second only to
marrying Marillyn Black of Seattle in 1948, his proudest moment was lead-
ing his battalion to the summit of Della Torracia.
After his marriage, Watson became involved in the lumber wholesale trade,
eventually establishing his own business and later creating the Crystal
Mountain ski area.
Though steeped in skiing and mountain climbing during the first half of his
life, Watson endeavored in wilderness canoeing for much of the remainder
of his time in the wild.
He traveled well over 20,000 miles by canoe, including a transcontinental
journey from the Labrador Sea on the Atlantic Coast to the Bering Sea on
the Pacific, as well as a branch connection through Canada’s Northwest
Territories to the Arctic Ocean.
His input to lawmakers as the founder of the Crystal Mountain ski area was
significant in the decision to create the North Cascades National Park in
1968 and relegate future ski resort expansion to ample areas outside of the
park.
How far will you go this year?
The
Mountaineers
www.mountaineers.org
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June 2010
Partnerships prove crucial to mission of preservation
Continued from M1
mountaineering chronicles that
serve to educate the curious back-
country travelers of today. How-
ever, as the Mountaineers History
Committee chair can personally at-
test, the effort can be painstaking.
For one, the list of History Commit-
tee projects is not short, nor is its
investment of volunteer time. Sec-
ondly, the committee itself usually
numbers around a half-dozen to 10
members at best—a collection of
longtime Mountaineers who have
actually witnessed some of their
organization’s rich history unfold
and those like Skoog who simply
gravitate by nature to mountain-
eering history. He co-founded a
website, Northwest Mountaineering
Journal, and, in between his own
impressive itinerary of backcountry
ski achievements, manages to re-
search his predecessors’ achieve-
ments on some of the same terrain
he traverses today.
S koog’s proclivity is film pres-
ervation, but he acquired it
en route to a different medium:
the written word. “All my work with
the History Committee grew from
my original desire to write a book
about the history of backcountry
skiing in the Northwest.” He had
clipped out a 1996 feature article in
the Seattle Times about Northwest
skiing pioneer Dwight Watson, who
had died that year. “I had seen his
name in the Beckey guidebooks,”
Skoog said. The article indicated
that Watson had given movie films
to The Mountaineers. Skoog called
The Mountaineers and was advised
“The ability to tell a
story is valuable, to
tell why things are
the way they are is
very powerful”
to contact the History Committee
about viewing Watson’s archives.
“So I spoke with Jim Kurtz, who
was then the committee chair,
and he told me that the films were
in his attic.” Most of the histori-
cal archives maintained by The
Mountaineers back then were kept
in what was called “the dungeon”
of The Mountaineers Building
when it was located in the lower
Queen Anne neighborhood. When
the committee ran out of space or
climate-appropriate quarters for
preservation of archives, it often
had to keep those items off-site,
such as the homes of committee
members.
M
Helmy Beckey in the Olympics.
The Mountaineers had received
Watson’s films from his estate with
the goal of preserving and transfer-
ring them to video, according to
Skoog, but the History Committee
had not yet started the project. “So
I became a member of the commit-
tee in order to help document those
films.”
He added, “Jim gave me the okay
to have some transfers done and
we put Watson’s films on a digital
videotape.” The budget limited the
committee’s means of documenting
films then, according to Skoog.
“The Dwight Watson collection was
my initial focus, but I’m working
with many other films now,” noted
Skoog, who, in the 9-to-5 world, is
a developer of software for con-
sumer and medical devices.
During his research of ski history
he became aware of other films,
notably some from the late Moun-
taineers guidebook photographer
and author Ira Spring, as well as
a collection donated by Marion
Hessey, who died in 2007. “These
were people who in the 1950s
were making a case for what could
be lost if we didn’t act to protect
wilderness,” said Skoog. Chuck
and Marion Hessey were particu-
larly instrumental in campaigns to
preserve wilderness in the North
Cascades.
Skoog’s rummaging for ski history
led him to projects such as the one
regarding Beckey and KCTS, as
well as “Mountains Don’t Care, But
We Do,” for the mountain rescue
anniversary event. He has also
preserved movies and photos for
families of climbing greats, such as
Pete Schoening and Phil Dickert.
Most recently, he used images from
Dickert collection for a presentation
on the life of Wolf Bauer, celebrat-
ed during a special “Evening of
Legends” banquet in April.
T hough the budget for archiving
and preservation has been
challenging, the History Commit-
tee has found some relief through
the grant process, according to its
chair. In 2004, Skoog received a
grant from The Mountaineers Foun-
The Mountaineer
film, photos and artifacts. He lauds
the Mazamas’ climate-controlled
storage areas and confesses that
The Mountaineers needs to find
another accommodation for its
many archives that are temporarily
stored upstairs at the new program
center—some of the materials
stored in acid-free boxes but some
O.P. Dickert Collection photo
of it not.
He cites the University of Washing-
ton’s Special Collections Library as
an example of how a partnership
can work when it comes to archival
dation for the History Committee’s preservation. The UW maintains
Northwest Wilderness Heritage a vast collection of Mountaineers-
Film Preservation Project, which donated photos and, in turn, allows
completed digital video transfers of members of The Mountaineers
films by the Hesseys, the Springs easy access to the archives.
and famed conservationist David A prime example of need for either
Brower. a partnership or more grant money
Skoog counts among his gems the is the History Committee’s latest
discovery of one film of Beckey on project, preservation of some old
The Tooth and another of Beckey summer outings films. A fundrais-
and Schoening on Lighthouse Tow- ing “History Grab” held a year
er in the Cashmere Crags, filmed ago helped garner $1,000 for the
by Burge Bickford and Ira Spring. cause, according to Skoog. Some
of the films have been transferred
Are you a history buff? to digital tape for viewing by re-
searchers, but more transfers are
The Mountaineers History Com-
needed, said Skoog, and all the
mittee seeks volunteers to help it
films require better physical stor-
preserve archives of film, photos
age, as well as more aids to make
and publications. If you have in-
them truly accessible. “These ef-
terest or skills in this regard and
forts all cost money,” Skoog noted.
would like to help, contact the
committee chair, Lowell Skoog, In the past, The Mountaineers has
lowell.skoog@alpenglow.org. also collaborated with the Wash-
ington State Historical Society to
“Ira was mostly known for his al- archive some of its items. Skoog
pine travel but this showed that he said the History Committee is
was getting into some pretty cool currently exploring other partner-
rock climbing areas in order to get ships, “but these efforts are limited
these shots,” noted Skoog. by the amount of volunteer help
available.” Indeed, Skoog himself
T
he facilitation and preserva-
tion of film archives is only
may have to increase his hours in
consulting as a software engineer,
part of the History Committee’s
charge. It is also working on long-
thus reducing his volunteer hours
noticeably.
term preservation of Mountaineers
publications, such as the Annuals,
Bulletins and Mountaineers. In this A s for now, Skoog sees the
need to “just raise awareness
of all these little irons we have
vein, it collects extra copies for
sale as a fund-raising mechanism. in the fire.” He noted, “We have
holdings. There is a desire among
The committee is working on a
long-term project to create a digital the mountaineering community for
them and we have partners like the
version of the Annual editions from
UW to help us.”
1907 through 1995, when it was
last produced. He believes the work to preserve
historical archives is imperative
Further, the committee organizes
to sustaining The Mountaineers’
and manages papers in its archive,
vitality. “The ability to tell a story is
digitizes oral history videos, and
valuable, to tell why things are the
manages donations of papers, pho-
way they are is very powerful—the
tos and artifacts. Most importantly
ability to connect what is going on
it is involved with strengthening its
today to the past.”
relationship with the University of
Washington and the Washington More importantly, he noted, such
State Historical Society, as well as ability continues to provide The
other outdoor organizations, such Mountaineers leverage to pursue
as the Mazamas. its mission and contribute to the
Skoog sees such relationships as broader community.
critical in order to effectively pre- Brad Stracener is managing editor
serve mountaineering archives of of The Mountaineer.
The Mountaineer June 2010
Mountaineers Foundation V. S. Raines Elizabeth L. Tesh
The Mountaineers Foundation desires Merv M. Rasmussen Joan K. Thomas
to acknowledge and thank all its Mike Rees Bill Thorness
Betty V. Renkor Brown Paper Tickets
donors.  Unless individuals request
Dianne Roberts Frances F. Troje
their names not be published, all
Kathleen A. Robertson Barbara E. Tubb

In support
donors will be acknowledged in The Paul A. Robisch Paula R. VanHaagen
Mountaineer on a quarterly basis Grace D. Roop Walter Voll
(usually June, September, December, Rodney Rowen Roger Carl VonDoenhoff
March). If you have donated during the period of February through April 2010 and Kathy Rule Joanne Warsinske
your name is not on this list, please notify Paul Robisch, Mountaineers Founda- I. B. Sakamoto Mona West
tion, 206-363-1989, parobisch@earthlink.net, and your name will be added to the Jerry P. Scott Gail T. Weyerhaeuser
next published list of acknowledgments. Donations received after April 30 will be Victoria Sellers Karl H. Weyler
acknowledged in the September issue of The Mountaineer. David B. Shema Jerry Wheeler
Thomas M. Shimko John Wick
Christine Acarregui David Hartley Lloyd A. Skinner Bruce T. Wilkins
Thomas E. Allen William E. Hauser Lowell D. Skoog Timothy W. Williams
Kirk A. Alm James W. Hawkins, Jr Nedra G. Slauson Norman L. Winn
Steven E. Anderson Peter D. Heinz Eric Smith Paul W. Wittrock
Conny I. Anderton Peter J. Hemmen Jay W. Snodderly Sally C. Wolf
Edward M. Andrews Edward M. Henderson Jean E. Spohn Sara Woody
John R. Angulo Linda M. Hill Helen B. St. John Patricia F. Zeisler
Anonymous Douglas A. Hirsch Margaret Steed Sal Ziz
Andrew F. Anschell Samara K. Hoag Robert Scheiler Stephenson
In tribute to:
Dale G. Baskin Bill Holm Jon G. Stutz
Stephanie Subak Polly Dyer
Robert Becker Ted Houk
Michael S. Bialos Noel C. Howe
Anne S. Biglow Charles Hyde

No corner of the state unexplored

Luther F. Black Ruth Ittner
Graeme A. Blake Sally Jewell
Aaron B. Boone Janet Kavadas
Kathleen A. Brammer Robert W. King Continued from M3
Gwynne F. Briggs Jack Kinney
Gregory E. Brown Richard L. Lambe and world traveler to such far corners as Ar-
Mary Brucker Howard T. Langeveld gentina, Alaska, Sicily and South Korea.
Julius D. Budos Robert N. Latz
Constance Buhl Barbara LaViolette He ranks the state of Washington, his home
Clementine Bullitt Ralph T. Leber
Ellen M. Cafferty Dave LeBlanc
since 1989, “among the most beautiful places
Peter Canon Judi L. Lemp on the planet.” He notes, “I have thoroughly
Beth A. Carlyle Evelyn Lester
Donn Charnley Alan Lincoln
hiked it . . . from Cape Flattery in the northwest
Joanne M. Chase Eric Linxweiler to Puffer Butte in the southeast; Cape Disap-
Peter A. Clitherow Hillary P. Lipe
Merrilee G. Conway Donna M. Lipsky
pointment in the southwest to the Salmo-Priest
Larry H. Corbin Patricia M. Loveland Craig Romano Wilderness in the northeast.”
Lorna S. Corrigan Cynthia M. Luksus
Janet H. Curran Anne A. Mack An avid hiker, runner, kayaker, and cyclist, Romano has written about these
Karen Daubert Dennis Madsen
passions for over a dozen publications. He is co-creator of Hikeoftheweek.
Mike Dean Julia Majkrzak
Bruce and Virginia Dees Dean Margell com, author of six books and co-author of two others. In addition to his two
Edith Delzell Daniel L. Mazur
new releases set for next year, he is also working in tandem with Spokane
Rex Derr Bernie R. McKinney
Marilyn T. Dexter George J. Mehler outdoors writer Rich Landers on a “Day Hiking Eastern Washington” guide-
Gary G. Dobbs David L. Messerschmidt
book.
James D. Dubuar Microsoft Matching Gifts–Vol. Hours
Scott Eby Robert T. Milhous Romano lives with his wife, Heather, and cats, Giuseppe and Scruffy
William Lee Eichenberger Norman D. Miller
Mickey S. Eisenberg Kira M. Misura Gray, in Skagit County, near the North Cascades and the San Juan Is-
Washington Mutual Employee Giving Program John L. Moen lands. 
Neil R. Ericsson Colleen Molenaar
Frank Fickeisen William W. Montgomery, III
Katherine L. Fong
Ueland Foundation
Dennis T. Mooney
Sally Murdoch Braided River receives two book awards
Jim Freeburg Royce L. Natoli
Jiayi Geng Howard E. Nebeck The Mountaineers Books imprint, Braided River, has received two Indepen-
J. Chris Gibson Robert N. Nelson dent Publisher Book Awards.
Peter Giese Paul M. Ness
Boeing Company Gift Matching Program Alice L. North “Planet Ice,” a photographic compilation by James Martin, won a special
Thelma T. Gilmur Thomas C. O'Keefe
Robert P. Goldsmith Robert E. Ordal gold medal award as one of the 12 outstanding books of the year in the
Carolyn L. Graham Grace E. Parker category “most likely to save the planet.” This special award recognizes
John Griffith Patricia S. Parrent
Martinique Grigg Carrie M. Parris “the daring spirit of independent authors and publishers,” chosen from over
Paul Gustie Ruth Pelz 4,000 entries.
Mary Jane Haemig Leslie Edith Phillips
David M. Hall Richard M. Pirret “Salmon in the Trees,” by Amy Gulick, won a silver medal in the Environ-
Jeffrey M. Hancock Russell T. Pogemiller
Joan E. Hansen Alexander Polsky ment/Ecology/Nature category.
Ellen Hanson Scott Price
Clifford N. Harby Ray L. Puddicombe The Independent Publisher awards recognize gold, silver and gold medal
winners in 67 categories to recognize and encourage the work of publish-
ers who exhibit the courage and creativity necessary to take chances,
break new ground, and bring about change, not only to the world of pub-
lishing, but to our society. Over 2,000 independent authors and publishers
submitted more than 4,000 entries for 2010.

Mountaineers plan Star Party outing

CRAIG ROMANO Step aside, Copernicus and Galileo. A cadre of young astronomers will be
examining the dynamics of the heavens in August, courtesy of the Annual
Day Hiking in the Olympic Peninsula Table Mountain Star Party and a Mountaineers leader who has stepped
Thursday, June 17 at 7 pm forth to coordinate the young stargazers’ trip.
Mountaineers Program Center The Star Party, to be held Thu.-Sat., Aug. 12-14, allows families a chance
7700 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle
to learn more about astronomy from a perch of 6,357 ft., approximately four
Tickets: $5 members, $10 non-members. Available through The Mountaineers.
miles east of Liberty and 20 miles north-northwest of Ellensburg.
Discover the Olympic Peninsula with Mountaineers Books author Craig Romano,
who will take us on a tour to both popular and ‘hidden’ destinations. The Olym- This is not a Mountaineers-operated activity, according to Marc Kramer,
pics offer a range of day hikes, from easy strolls to all out grunts, and cover who took his 8- and 9-year-old children last year, but he seeks to inform
wilderness areas, state parks, county parks, tribal land, national wildlife refuges
and greenbelts. There’s something for everyone in the family, and Craig knows and coordinate attendance for those Mountaineers families who are
the best places to hike! interested in rendezvousing at the event. For more details, contact him at
mekramer001@mac.com or 425-205-7300. For more about the event, visit
o u n t a i n eers Pr o d u ct i o ns
www.tmspa.com. Watch for more details in next month’s Mountaineer.

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June 2010 The Mountaineer

STONES INTO SCHOOLS

and
THREE CUPS OF TEA
Two bestselling books that are changing the way
people think about changing the world.

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Greg Mortenson Twitter:

on Facebook gregmortenson

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Available in www.penguin.com • Also available on Penguin Audio and as an eBook
paperback from Penguin Books photo © Greg Mortenson, south face of K2 (8,611 meters)

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