WWW.MOUNTAINEERS.ORG JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 • VOLUME 109 • NO. 1 MountaineerEXPLORE • LEARN • CONSERVE Capturing Stars photographing the night sky PAGE 22 Pretty Faces an interview with Lynsey Dyer, PAGE 28 tableofcontents Jan/Feb 2015 » Volume 109 » Number 1 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. Features 10 A Climber’s Best Friends an interview with John Porter 22 Capturing Stars photographing the wild sky 28 Pretty Faces 22 an interview with Lynsey Dyer Columns 7 MEMBER highLight Loni Uchytil 8 Impact giViNg John Wick 12 OUR SECREt RAiNiER Tum Tum and Cowlitz Rocks 14 OUtdOOR EducatiON A Salmon Safari 16 conservatiON currentS Exploring Washington’s Wilderness 18 TraiL Talk Grizzlies in the North Cascades 28 32 Nature’S WAY Plate Tectonics and The Return of the Fisher 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: John Porter on Copper Peak. Story on page 10. photographer: John Porter AREA 2 the mountaineer » jan/feb 2015 tyingin The Mountaineers is a non- Community. Lifelong friendships. Involvement. profit organization, founded in 1906 and dedicated to the These are some of the words that describe my journey responsible enjoyment and with The Mountaineers over the past 16 years. I am protection of natural areas. discovering, learning from, and subsequently giving Board OF directORS back to a vibrant community of like-minded people, OFFICERS developing lifelong friendships with the people I “tie-in” President Dan Lauren, 2014-16 with, and continuing to be involved in the community President-Elect Leah Schulz, 2014-16 by mentoring climb leaders, serving on the board, and Retiring President Gavin Woody, 2014-16 VP Outdoor Centers Geoff Lawrence, 2014-16 making financial contributions. VP Publishing Eric Linxweiler, 2014-16 No other friendships rival those developed through a Treasurer Steve McClure, 2014-16 Secretary Evy Dudey, 2014-16 shared love of outdoor recreation. Climbing, paddling, backpacking — whatever it may be, the sheer number of directors at large Lorna Corrigan, 2014-17 hours you spend together, the challenges and risks you Chloe Harford, 2012-15 often face together, and the reality that you will only go John Ohlson, 2013-16 out continually with someone you would trust with your Kara Stone, 2014-2015 Dan Lauren on Mox Peak SE Spire life, creates kinship like no other. Matt Sullivan, 2013-16 Steve Swenson, 2014-2015 It’s with great sadness that I say goodbye to one of those friends, Lisa Berntsen, who died Tom Varga, 2012-15 Gene Yore, 2014-17 Off from a sudden medical event while on a high altitude Himalayan trek (see details in Brian Young, 2014-17 Belay on page 44). Lisa was part of my community — a lifelong friend I met through The Branch directors Mountaineers. She was one of a handful of people willing to join me on grand multi-day Ken Small, Bellingham strenuous adventures in the Olympics. I was on a mission to climb the peaks required to Harlan Brown, Everett achieve a five-peak pin The Mountaineers offers for major summits in the Olympics. And Cheryl Talbert, Foothills some of those peaks are just plain hard to get to! Lisa and I did several epic four and five-day Vern Brown, Kitsap Henry Romer, Olympia trips. Summiting Diamond Mountain at sunset and arriving back at camp at 11pm, bicycling Patrick Mullaney, Seattle the Graves Creek road at midnight after a strenuous two-day trip to Muncaster, and a 17-hour Jim Feltus, Tacoma day to climb Queets from Low Divide were some of the most memorable. EXecutive Director We shared not only the love of the outdoors, but life experiences. We both had teenagers Martinique Grigg when we started climbing together. On our climbs, we often wondered and discussed “Where EXecutive PUBLISHER had we gone wrong?” Swapping stories and understanding that we were not alone in our Helen Cherullo struggles helped both of us get through tough times as parents. We became excited to share director OF development AND communications the latest developments with each other. Just this year, we talked about how proud we were Mary Hsue to count our kids as our closest friends. There are many lifelong friendships I would not have Publications Manager today without the community fostered by The Mountaineers. Suzanne Gerber Think of your experience with The Mountaineers, the friends you’ve made and the proofreaders communities you’ve been involved with and treasure. We are a great collective of smaller Evy Dudey, Richard Gerber, Craig Miller communities of members bound by connections to branches, lodges or activities or even photographers iconic landscapes, but certainly bound by shared values, traditions and a respect for the listed by photos natural world. Whatever branch, activity or landscape you identify with, The Mountaineers is The Mountaineer (ISSN 0027-2620) is strong because of what you bring to the community – your knowledge of and relationship to published bimonthly by The Mountaineers, an iconic landscape, love of a specific activity or personality of a region. 7700 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115. 206-521-6000; 206-523-6763 fax. As a member, you also play an important role in enhancing our community by taking courses, Postmaster: Send address changes to leading adventures, mentoring leaders, giving time and making donations. The glue that’s the Mountaineer, 7700 Sand Point kept us together for over 100 years is that we are more than the sum of our parts. Our shared Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115. interests, along with our great diversity provide the streng and sustainability needed for a long-lasting community. Opinions expressed in articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of The Mountaineers. Dan Lauren, Board President www.mountaineers.org 3 editorsnote Snow and Celebrations Living in Seattle, people sometimes ask me if I work has been featured in many of our recent mind all the rain. I don’t. Sure it makes the days issues. In his article, Andy gives us a few tips on a bit darker - but it’s hard to mind the rain, when how to take great photography of the night sky. you know it means snow in the mountains. In his column, Trail Talk, guidebook author, With the start of the ski and snowshoe season, outdoor enthusiast, and now, new father, our Meany, Baker and Stevens lodges have Craig Romano talks about the fears and warmed up their fires for the bustle of weekend misconceptions of the idea of reintroducing activities that comes with the winter. It’s been a grizzly bears into the North Cascades. number of years since I put on skis myself — but We also have a special editorial, called “Trail I was one of those lucky kids with a cool mom, Talkback,” written by two members of the who would call my sister and me in “sick” on Darcy Kiefel North Cascades Conservation Council in fresh powder days during the week, to miss the Suzanne Gerber response to Craig’s article in the previous issue Publications Manager weekend crowds. We didn’t have Mountaineer on overcrowded trails. lodges back in Pennsylvania, where we could [email protected] ski crowd-free on the weekends. And if you missed our event held at REI, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Mountaineer Magazine Of course, I didn’t realize how lucky I was to Wilderness Act back in November, you can read Advisory Board have such cool parents when I was little - we a re-cap in Conservation Currents. never do. But I know one kid who just entered Rena Chinn this world, whose dad has a unique job of hiking I’m always impressed with how much can still Monica Gussow be accomplished in the world of conservation. Peter Hendrickson and writing trail guidebooks. I have a feeling With the pass of recent Washington Land bills, Craig Romano he’ll figure out pretty soon how special his an additional 22,000 acres in the Alpine Lakes Lowell Skoog parents are. I’d like to wish a warm welcome to Wilderness will now be protected. Successful Cheryl Talbert Giovanni Francis Romano - born on December Emily White 14th. I can’t wait to see how soon he hits the advocacy comes down to passionate people Gavin Woody trails with his parents, Heather and Craig. willing to do a lot of hard work to make a little progress at a time: something Mountaineers In this issue, we have a great interview are very familiar with. So keep speaking up for on Lynsey Dyer — a professional skier who the the beliefs you cherish — whether it’s land advocates for women to get out into the conservation, the adventure gap or anything mountains, and recently went on tour with her else. It makes all the difference. film, Pretty Faces. We also have an interview with someone many of you may have climbed with: fellow member and Mountaineer, John Porter. Our centerfold is by Andy Porter (no relation Suzanne Gerber, Publications Manager to John), a professional photographer whose There’s nothing like a warm lodge to come back to after a great day on the slopes.