Winter climb of Mt. Constance Volume , Issue Having grown up in Edmonds, the skyline of Mt. Constance across the Puget Sound is embedded in my brain. I especially love the Washington view of its snow-cloaked ridgeline on a crisp winter day, just beck- Alpine Club oning to be climbed. P O B o x 3 5 2 Seattle, WA 98111 My last climb in the Olympics was a winter solo of the South Brother in 2006 so I was long overdue. My longtime friend and climbing partner Kyle "Engine" Story was in town from Chicago and had 3 days to climb, looking to train for an upcoming AK trip. On his last visit to Washington in 2008, we lucked out with a week of perfect summer weather, climbing Colchuck Balanced Rock, Mt. Stuart's infamous Girth Pillar, and Thin Red Line on Liberty Bell (aid). Inside this issue:
Contact Info 2 I recruited fellow WACer Laurel "Machine" Fan, who is always up for an alpine adventure. Maybe it was the forecast, but we had no other takers. I, for one, take my alpine suffering medicine in smaller doses these days, pre- Looking Ahead 2 ferring clean granite lines at Index, Washington Pass, or the Enchantments. President’s Corner 3 I warned Kyle that favorable winter alpine conditions in the Northwest are a complicated concoction of ingredients, requiring the right timing and pro- Classes 4 portions to get it right. (The rest of the epic tale continues on Page 5.) Mt. Constance 5
New Website 6
Winter Hikes 7
New Members 8
We have a new website! www.washingtonalpineclub.org
Page 2
WASHINGTON ALPINE CLUB Incorporated 1916 Looking Ahead! MEMBER OF: Federation of Western Outdoor Clubs, WAC Calendar Washington Trails Assn. Washington Environmental Council. Washington Wilderness Coalition. MidFORC Coalition Now > Time to renew your membership
The primary objective of this club is to encourage the healthful Now > Telemark/Randonee Class registration is open enjoyment of the great outdoors, to preserve its natural beauty Now > Winter Backcountry Class registration is open and to promote good fellowship among all lovers of nature.
PO Box 352 Seattle, WA 98111
www.washingtonalpineclub.org January 31/Feb 01 > Backcountry Class at Cabin Board Of Trustees February 7/8 > Backcountry Class at Cabin President Mike Mahanay 1st VP Pat O’Brien February 08 > Snoqualmie Loppet Nordic Ski 2nd VP Susan Ashlock April 3/5 > Wilderness First Responder Class Treasurer Dave Wilson Secretary Elden Altizer April 11/12 > Wilderness First Responder Class Ex-Officio Pres vacant April 18 > Olympic Beach Cleanup
Directors March - June > Basic Climbing Class Eli Holmes Ira Rushwald Jiri Pertold Joanna Hingle Pat Beurskens
Alpine Division
Climbing Class Pat O’Brien Join the WACLIST on Yahoo! Co-chairs Jennifer Louie, Kyle Zinter
Chelsea Sweetin, Tim Dardis If you want to get mail on the WAC email list, join the yahoo Winter Division group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/waclist/ Telemark Ski Randy Oakley Post message: [email protected] Back Country Susan Ashlock, Alex Ford Subscribe: [email protected]
Property & Membership Cabin Chair Mike Mahanay Important: You must be a current member! We have to approve Work Party Mike Mahanay you before you can join. All we see is your email address unless Membership Dave Wilson you tell us more. Please put your name in the comment sec- tion. As much as we love you all, we haven't memorized your Publicity Kay Ishi email addresses, and if we can't figure out who you are from Cabin Supply Tami Sargent your email address alone, then we'll deny your request.
Public Relations If this happens to you just apply to join the group again and in Bulletin Editor Amber Casali the comment section, tell us your name.
Conservation Mike Mahanay Does the WAC have your good email address? Circulation Dave Mitchell By Laws Ira Rushwald You can check these things on the WAC website. Please go to www.washingtonalpineclub.org
MOVING? If your address changes please let us know! Please update your info on the website: www.washingtonalpineclub.org
Page 3
President’s Corner February 2015
Just like last year, and even worse- it is a sad snow year. Two years ago our base was over 70 inches; last year it was a skimpy; and this year in the WAC basin it is only 18 inches. The long-range weather forecast is warm, and a little on the dry side. Hopefully the skiing will hang on into March. People are spending time outdoors but the spring mindset is taking over. The good news is that it should be an early hiking season.
We are now a 501(c)(3)! The ballots are in and counted. We had 61% of our members submit ballots and 100% voted for the changes to the Constitution. Very little will change in the way our Club oper- ates. The biggest benefit is for our members who can now take a tax deduction of our annual dues and any other donation to the Club.
Cabin and class fees are not deductible. Thanks and gratitude to Cynthia Hickey and Dave Mitchell for their work early on, and to Dave Wilson and Ira Rushwald for helping me bring it to the end zone! This will help ensure that the WAC can remain a vibrant or- ganization for another 100 years!
Have you renewed your membership for 2015? If not, please do so today. You have received numerous emails and reminders. Please help us out and renew online via the WAC website or send your check in today. (It is tax deductible!) Our awesome Treasurer Dave Wilson says there are over 100 people who have not renewed as of Feb. 1st! Are you one? The renewal period is really October thru December. Membership is based on the calen- dar year. Not sure if you are paid up? Just go to the website and look your name up. The WAC is a wonderful organization that provides opportunities for people of all ages to experience and enjoy the outdoors. To do this we need your help each year.
Both the Backcountry Class and the Climbing Class are getting ready to start. Susan Ashlock, Alex Ford, and Denny Trimble’s Backcountry Class will be at the Cabin the first two weekends in February. If you are planning on a Cabin trip please wait a couple of weeks if you can. The Climbing Class instructors will be up February 28. Our classes are a great way to make some new friends and learn new skills and experience. The WAC has some of the smartest, most experienced and helpful instructors in all the outdoors! Helping instruct a class each year is a wonderful way to give a little back to our Club!
This is a quiet year at Guye Cabin. We have an ever-growing awesome group of wonderful people keeping the Cabin in good order. The Cabin is organized and extra clean. Please be sure to help us out by keeping the kitch- en & dining room clean, doing some chores, hauling the trash and recycles home, and shoveling snow. It very important this year to keep the path to the Cabin open and the snow off both the front and back steps. Everyone should allow 30 minutes to help out. Don’t know, or unsure what to do? Ask someone! The Cabin is open from Friday evening until about 3:00 pm Sunday afternoon.
Guye Cabin is a true mountain lodge, and it is evident that the WAC has a very strong winter division. Always watch the kids and be careful outdoors. (There is ice, as well as tree wells and cornices.) Be sure to be respect- ful of the other folks, and follow the Cabin rules to ensure everyone has a good time. Be responsible and educate your guests and they will have an even better time. Yes, all guests and kids need to do a chore too!
All of this is what makes the Washington Alpine Club special! Our little club started in 1893 advocating for the creation of a National Park at Mount Rainier and is getting even better now. There are many folks who know al- most everyone in the Club. It is made up of a lot of different little parts that come together as a exceptional out- door club. Our mission is to encourage the healthful enjoyment of the great outdoors, preserve its natural beauty, and to promote good fellowship among all lovers of nature. We do this through our communities, classes, activi- ties, and fellowship.
Page 4
Wilderness First Responder Class
This class has proven to be very valuable and enjoyable to many WACers over the last few years.
DLP WFR – Snoqualmie Pass, WA – 4/3-5 & 11-12, 2015
More information about the class at Cascade Outdoor Education
Winter Backcountry Class Schedule
More info at https://sites.google.com/site/wacbcclass/
Tues, Feb 3 6-8 p.m. Lecture: Trip Plan- Outdoor Research Avalanche Book, pages 61-69. Volken, ning and Decision- "Tour planning" and "Human Fac- Making (Pro Guiding) tors and Group Dynamics", pp 106- 120
Sat & Sun, 8 a.m. - 5 Day trips: Meet at the WAC For skiers: Backcountry skiing (see Feb 7 & 8 p.m. Teamwork, terrain Cabin, Snoqualmie below). Packing List choice, trip planning, Pass navigation, observa- tions. Tues, Feb 6-8 p.m. Lectures: winter Outdoor Research Backcountry skiing, Chapter 8. 17 camping, trip plan- "Taking care of yourself and the ning and navigation, mountains." and post-graduation ideas Sat-Sun, 8 a.m. Sat - Snow camping and Smith Brook Road Packing List Feb 21-22 5 p.m. Sun tours. Area (near Stevens (overnight Pass) camping)
Sat & Sun, Backup weekend (in Feb 28 & case of severe weath- March 1 er or high avalanche danger for weekend #2 or #3).
The Bulletin is produced by members of the WAC Do you have a story or photo you would like to share? Please send it in to us.
Climbing Hiking Biking Skiing Partners Many folks are looking for skiing, hiking, biking, and climbing partners. The Yahoo Waclist is a very effective way of looking for someone on short notice. Participating in Club events is also an excellent way of making new friends and finding long term partners.
December 2007 Page 5
Winter Climb of Mt. Constance
(Continued from page 1) Sadly for our skiing and snowpack, recent snow was followed by skyrocketing freezing levels and rain up high Sunday, January 4th. Avalanches released throughout the Cascades and Olympics, but then settled down as the snow firmed up with freezing level down to 4,000 ft by Saturday, January 10th. But we didn't have a clear weather window with light snow forecasted.
Regardless, we decided to give Mt. Constance a go on Sunday. Earlier on Friday, we climbed Wildest Dreams on the Upper Town Wall, where Kyle gave a solid go on the 5.12a fingers crux. Of course, I couldn't miss the Hawks game so we relaxed and hung out with wife Arundhati and my sister's family on Saturday. The three of us left Seattle at 3:00AM and pulled up to the Dosewalips Road washout around 5:30AM. We started the long 5-mile march down the road, only to accidentally pass the unmarked trailhead in the dark by a mile. I marked the Lake Constance trailhead on my Inreach satellite messenger/GPS, a new toy from Santa, but the tree cover prevented a clear signal.
7 miles later, we started up the actual trail, which was strung with downed trees for nearly a mile. We were sure glad we weren't carrying skis! The old growth giants, house-sized boulders, and silent morning made the area feel like a true Wilderness. We didn't see a speck of snow until the lake at 4,700 ft. It felt more like summer, hopping boulders in the scree. We finally reached more consistent snow at 5,500 ft. While Kyle and Laurel started cruising up the North Chute (1A/Mountaineer Route) in perfect neve snow, I felt my legs burning. Apparently two days of backcountry skiing and hangboarding in my home the last month didn't cut it...not sure why. Originally thinking a turn around time between 2:00 and 3:00PM, we decided to toss that in the garbage bin, giving the amount of effort it took to get back this far in the win- ter. Two days would make a more reasonable slot of time for Constance. At the top of the chute, we wandered our way around buttresses and snow gullies in rolling clouds of snow across the "Terrible Traverse". We climbed a short ice step only to realize we started up to the skyline too early. The clock ticked down towards sunset.
With the sight of the final summit block finally in view, my legs forgot their state of exhaustion. And what an incredible mini-corkscrew ridge! Nearby mountains and foothills peaked through the clouds and I could even see crevasses on the north side of Crystal Pass between Constance and Warrior Peak, adding a greater sense of remoteness as we climbed the last couple steps to the 7,743 ft tall summit. 4:15PM. After a short stay, we down-traversed back to the notch just before dark. The chute proved easy enough to downclimb backwards, yet slow. The path down was straightforward enough with headlamps. Once back to the road, we started our delirious trudge back to the car, relieving our barking feet and knees at 12:45AM. 20+ miles and 8,000 ft of gain was more then enough for a day trip.
We carried a rope and small rack, but they stayed in our packs. While the exposure wasn't negligible, the climbing stayed third class. We did encounter some snow, we never got rained on. Best of all, the Olympics were silent with very little to no wind on the climb.
Its unfortunate that the Dosewallips Road washed out in 2002, as fewer and fewer people experience this part of the Olympics. The lack of federal funding, continuously meandering wild river, and surrounding stands of old growth trees means its unlikely we will see the road repaired and re-opened any time soon. Regardless, Mt. Constance is just across the Sound and a worthy endeavor for those of us used to frequenting the Cascades more. Whether its winter, spring, summer, or fall, the Olympics are calling!
~Joe Sambataro, WACer since 2005, Access Fund NW Regional Director
December 2007 Page 6
WAC has a new website!
Have your visited our new website? We are very excited to show it off!
Please!
1. Go to www.washingtonalpineclub.org
2. Reset your password
3. Update your profile
4. Add a photo and your Facebook profile (if you want)
5. In the upper right corner it will tell you if you need to pay
your dues
6. If you are paid thru December 2014 click on "Renew your membership"
7. It might ask you review and sign the waiver
8. Browse the new website, and provide feedback, comments, or suggestions
Thank you!
If you have done this already, thank you for your support and being ahead of the game!
December 2007 Page 7 Winter Hikes Winter (and summer) hikes off I-90
Mailbox Peak: Take the wonderful new trail 4+ miles to the summit if snow free. In the winter you might need yaktraks, microspikes or even crampons. (or possibly an ice axe). Fantastic views from treeline.
Take exit 34 from I-90. Head north on 468th Ave SE for approximately half a mile until the intersection with the SE Middle Fork Road. Turn right onto the Middle Fork Road. Follow SE Middle Fork Road 2.2 miles to the stop sign at the junction with SE Dorothy Lake Road. Head left onto SE Middle Fork Road and drive .3 miles. Take the turnoff to the trailhead on the right and continue a short distance to the parking lot.
Mount Si: This is a harder winter hike, one that often features a slick path up high. We definitely bring traction devices. It has nice views in all directions, including of Mount Rainier. This hike is eight miles round trip with 3,200 feet of elevation gain. We perk up this hike by going up and down the Old Mount Si Trail, from the Little Si parking lot, a route that has far less traffic. It also gives you a better workout (six to seven miles and 3,400 feet of elevation).
Drive I-90 to exit 32. Turn left onto 436th Ave SE. Follow 436th to its end at SE North Bend Way. Turn left. In three-tenths of a mile, turn right onto SE Mt. Si Road. Follow it 2.4 miles. Entrance to the trail- head will be on the left. A Discover Pass is required at trailhead.
Little Si: This hike is a four-mile round trip with about 1,200 feet of elevation gain. We perk it up by going first up the Boulder Garden Loop and then down to join the Little Si trail, for about six miles and 1,700 feet of elevation gain, putting us atop Little Si and its great views of Mount Si. A nice lunch spot.
Drive I-90 to exit 32. Turn left onto 436th Ave SE. Follow 436th to its end at SE North Bend Way. Turn left. In three-tenths of a mile, turn right onto SE Mt. Si Road. Follow it 2.2 miles. Entrance to the trail- head will be on the left. A Discover Pass is required at trailhead
Mount Teneriffe: Begin your hike on an old logging road and climb through young forest and mead- ows for two miles. Four miles in, the views become amazing, including the Cedar River Watershed, Rat- tlesnake Ledge and Ridge, as well as Mailbox Peak, and other peaks in the Middle Fork Snoqualmie Val- ley. Cross a creek, and a side trail angles off toward Mount Si. Stick to the road. 2 miles past the view- point, hikers stand below the summit in a broad saddle. Either stop here to enjoy the views, or leave the road for a half-mile trek along a bootpath leading up the ridge to the summit knoll.
The trailhead is located a mile past the Mount Si trailhead. Take I-90 to exit 32, head north, then left on North Bend Way. In less than half a mile you’ll see the turnoff for Mount Si Road on the right. Follow the road for about 3 miles, you’ll see the school bus turnaround on your left around 480th Ave SE. Park your car and head up the logging road.
West Rattlesnake trail, from Snoqualmie Point: You can hike all the way to Grand Prospect (round trip of 8.4 miles, with 2,200 feet of elevation gain). This hike can also be a snowline explorer on which your party goes only as high as snow and ice conditions allow. You get magnificent views of Mount Si and other peaks to the north and east and at Grand Prospect, plus views up the Middle Fork Snoqualmie River. At the trailhead, there are two bathrooms and a paved lot with plenty of parking spaces. Exit 27 off I-90.
December 2007 Page 8 Welcome New Members!
Abby Goss, Adam Pearson, Alan Corrao, Alessandra Allen, Alex Wipf, Alexis Vergalla, Alison Roberts, Anna Stef- anska, Annie Saunders, April Hogue, Audrey Jacks, Brannely Turpen, Brian Cowan, Brian Lenihan, Brianne King, Bryce La Course, Chad Siefert, Chris Edmonds, Christoph Huber, Christopher Bahl, David Albano, David Griffin, David Lucas, David Amiton, Denovan Rory, Derek Tymkowicz, Dirk Heniges, Douglas Aaron Nation, Eric Molnar, Eric Waldstein, Erik Carlson, Gary Yee, Grant Abernathey, Gregory Dalton, Guy Saltmarsh, Hans Lund, Heather Metz, Ian Sutton, Irwin Liu, Jakub Martisovits, Jan Barnsley, Jan Kroupa, Jason Breaker, Jason Hughes, Jennifer Burdette, Jennifer Kaltunas, Jeremy Osguthorpe, Jesper Lind, Jessica St. Laurent, John Wal- ters, Josh Jubb, Joshua Turner, Juan Carlos Vanegas, Justin Stevens, Kaitlyn Kelley, Karma Norman, Kathy Lundy, Kelly Andersen, Kevin Beaulaurier, Kjel Larsen, Kristofer Eberle, Kyle Johnson, Larry Myers, Laura Adam, Laura Pershern, Laura Silverton, Marcus Rudd, Marcy Grossman, Margaret Rubens-Ellis, Martin Ben- ning, Matthew Ryan, Max Leitner, Meredith Crafton, Michael Durham, Michael Root, Michael Willig, Michal Antolik, Michelle Najera, Millan Alonso, Molly Barker, Nicholas Boerner, Nici Bissonnette, Nick Parker, Patrick Taylor, Paula DeLand, Pradeep Narayanashetty, Pruitt Chamness, Robert Bufe, Robert Dooley, Samantha Ains- ley, Sara Borowski, Sara Sanford, Sarah Heniges, Sarah Ward, Stephanie King, Stephen Brown, Steve Terrell, Suhyun Kim, Susan Horst, Tad Hirsch, Teri Foehl, Tessa McGee, Thomas Oates, TJ Brunette, TJ Phillips, Todd Karin, Valeria Gonzalez Cavazos, Vinay Suryanarayana, Wes Tooley, Yonina DeKeyser
The Washington Alpine Club PO Box 352 First Class Seattle WA 98111
Address Correction Requested Do not forward
To: