Sunshine, Smiles and Transformation Overlooked and Underestimated
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WWW.MOUNTAINEERS.ORG SEP/OCT 2015 • VOLUME 109 • NO. 5 MountaineerEXPLORE • LEARN • CONSERVE Sunshine, Smiles and Transformation a week at The Mountaineers summer camp PAGE 15 Overlooked and Underestimated empowering connections to the outdoors PAGE 18 tableofcontents Sept/Oct 2015 » Volume 109 » Number 5 Features The Mountaineers enriches lives and communities by helping people explore, conserve, learn about and enjoy the lands and waters of the Pacific Northwest and beyond. 15 Sunshine, Smiles and Transformation a week at The Mountaineers summer camp 18 Overlooked and Underestimated empowering connections to the outdoors 21 On the West Ridge golden Mount Stuart 24 Connections in the Sky mountain-top ham radio 15 Columns 9 MEMBER HIGHLIGHT Arin Sharkey 10 IMPACT GIVING four generations of outdoor enthusiasts 12 OUTDOOR EDUCATION the founding teens of MAC 14 PEAK FITNESS strength prioritization 26 BOOKMARKS an interview with Greg Johnston 28 CONSERVATION CURRENTS protecting the outdoor experience 30 SAFETY FIRST 24 signaling for help by satellite 43 LAST WORD ambition Discover The Mountaineers Mountaineer magazine would like to thank The Mountaineers If you are thinking of joining — or have joined and aren’t sure where Foundation for its financial assistance. The Foundation operates to start — why not set a date to Meet The Mountaineers? Check the as a separate organization from The Mountaineers, which has received about one-third of the Foundation’s gifts to various Branching Out section of the magazine for times and locations of nonprofit organizations. informational meetings at each of our seven branches. Mountaineer uses: CLEAR on the cover: Sarah Draves and summer camper Amelia enjoying water week. Story on page 15. photographer: Scott Hess, Mountaineers Summer Camp coordinator, 2015 AREA 2 the mountaineer » sept/oct 2015 tyingin The Ripple Effect The Mountaineers is a non- profit organization, founded We’ve seen it countless times, whether hiking along a in 1906 and dedicated to the serene mountain lake, strolling along a river bank or responsible enjoyment and kayaking in Puget Sound. Drop a pebble into a body of protection of natural areas. water and watch the ripples expand outwards, growing larger and larger. BOARD OF DIRECTORS OFFICERS This phenomenon came to mind recently as I thought President Dan Lauren, 2014-16 about Martinique Grigg and her departure last month President-Elect Leah Schulz, 2014-16 as executive director of The Mountaineers. Martinique’s VP Outdoor Centers Geoff Lawrence, 2014-16 influence on our organization is the embodiment of the VP Publishing Eric Linxweiler, 2014-16 Treasurer Steve McClure, 2014-16 ripple effect. Thanks to her energy, commitment and Secretary Evy Dudey, 2014-16 many hours of hard work, the ripples she put in motion are paying back monumentally. DIRECTORS AT LARGE Lorna Corrigan, 2014-17 I was fortunate enough to be board president in 2009 Chloe Harford, 2012-15 when we searched for and found Martinique. At the John Ohlson, 2013-16 time, our organization had been losing both members Eric, on the summit of Mt. Rainier Kara Stone, 2014-2015 and money. We needed a dynamic leader who could understand our potential and grow with Matt Sullivan, 2013-16 Steve Swenson, 2014-2015 us, someone who could help us achieve our goal of getting more people outside doing more Tom Varga, 2012-15 activities. Gene Yore, 2014-17 Martinique accomplished all this and more. She provided us with the springboard into Brian Young, 2014-17 our second century and her accomplishments are many: A youth program that provides BRANCH DIRECTORS over 5,500 outdoor experiences annually, a shiny new nonprofit status that allows us to Ken Small, Bellingham raise more than $500,000 a year, and a leading voice in the national conversation on Harlan Brown, Everett outdoor recreation, public land policy and conservation. With a renewed sense of mission, Cheryl Talbert, Foothills Vern Brown, Kitsap corporate, foundation and individual donor support, and events such as EVEREST50 and Henry Romer, Olympia BREAKTHROUGH, Martinique led the way for The Mountaineers to support our mission in Patrick Mullaney, Seattle new and exciting ways. Jim Feltus, Tacoma Martinique is a prime example of the spirit and enthusiasm upon which our organization was INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR founded, and she will be sorely missed. But her achievements, from financial sustainability to Elizabeth Lunney community engagement to programmatic advancements, leave behind an organization that EXECUTIVE PUBLISHER is strong, dynamic and poised for future growth. Helen Cherullo DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT What’s next AND COMMUNICATIONS In early September, we will welcome an interim executive director — Elizabeth Lunney. Some Mary Hsue of you may know Elizabeth. She’s currently on the board of directors of Braided River and PUBLICATIONS MANAGER recently served as interim executive director of Mountains to Sound Greenway. AND EDITOR Suzanne Gerber For more than a decade, Elizabeth was executive director of the Washington Trails Association. She helped WTA become a trusted and vital partner to land managers PROOFREADERS Evelyn Dudey throughout the state, an effective voice for the hiking community, and an essential resource Kristina Ciari for all of us who want to explore Washington’s beautiful wild places. We are grateful to PHOTOGRAPHERS have her services during this transition period and I know her wealth of experience will be listed by photos extremely valuable. Our search committee is hard at work to identify our next executive director. We’ve engaged The Mountaineer (ISSN 0027-2620) is a national search firm that specializes in outdoor recreation, The Forest Group. This is the published bimonthly by The Mountaineers, same firm we used to find Martinique out of nearly 100 qualified and passionate candidates. 7700 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115. 206-521-6000; 206-523-6763 fax. With their assistance, we defined our leadership needs and we are spreading the word Postmaster: Send address changes to through a variety of communication channels. We hope to have a short list of highly qualified the Mountaineer, 7700 Sand Point candidates later this fall. If all goes well, we will welcome our new leader sometime this Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115. winter. I know our next leader will benefit greatly from the rock-solid foundation of programs, Opinions expressed in articles are those people and passions that Martinique built. So, Martinique, thank you and see you on the trail! of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of The Mountaineers. Eric Linxweiler, VP Publishing P.S. Look for Martinque’s upcoming family hikes. She is one of our newest hike leaders and a recent basic climbing grad! www.mountaineers.org 3 editorsnote The honor of working with youth The summer months are always lively here Sharing passion for the outdoors with kids has in the program center, with summer camp always been important to The Mountaineers. kids running around between activities. It Our official youth programs are relatively reminds those of us with desk jobs that there is new in our 110-year history. For example, our sunshine out there to enjoy — and gives us the Mountaineers Adventure Club (MAC) — a year- opportunity to belay the campers for an hour round program for teenagers — just originated or two. in 2010. And like most things Mountaineers, It seemed a bit more quiet than usual this it started with dedicated volunteers. You can summer though, with the departure of our read about its young founding members on p. Outdoor Education executive director, Martinique Grigg. She has 12 in our column. Darcy Kiefel a bright smile and liveness about her that In this issue, we have two articles on ways to Suzanne Gerber keeps the office energized, even in the winter communicate in the mountains. In Connections Publications Manager months. She started in 2009, before I joined in the Sky (p. 24), Tim Nair gives the low-down The Mountaineers, so I’ve never known the [email protected] on amateur radio. He adds a new element to organization without her. peakbagging — tuning in once you’re up top. Mountaineer Magazine We have a great interim executive director The second article is actually part of our new Advisory Board lined up though — Elizabeth Lunney. For those Safety First column (p. 30). It’s about how SPOT Rena Chinn of you who don’t know her, she used to be the locater beacons can be the difference between Monica Gussow ED at Washington Trails Association. life and death when there’s an emergency. Peter Hendrickson This summer, I shared my afternoons with a article, and also Craig Romano The most picturesque wonderful high school intern named Sarah. the centerfold, is one by my favorite climb Lowell Skoog She’s the daughter of long-time volunteer Cheryl Talbert leader, Ida Vincent. She recalls a trip to Mount and Peak Society chair Richard Draves, and a Stuart with her group last summer. I included Emily White passionate volunteer herself. With diligence Gavin Woody it this issue because autumn is the best time and quiet enthusiasm, she worked on of year to visit places known for their golden conservation, writing, and design projects that Mountaineer July/August 2015 larches — like Ingalls Lake, at the base of Mount corrections and comments: are core to our mission. She even spent a week Stuart. They usually peak mid-October, but I Centerfold, page 22-23: Due to a printing as a volunteer camp counselor. After all, youth wouldn’t be surprised if they were early this error, some issues did not have a photo is a relative term — to those younger kids, she’s year, with the dry winter and summer drought. credit on this page. The photo was taken by the adult. You can read about her experience world-famous photographer, Jimmy Chin.