Are we a teaching club or are we a climbing club? No one has expressed doubt that we are a teaching club, but some feel we have fallen short of the sense of climbing community for which we should strive.

Climbing instruction together with "experience" climbs has been fundamental to our program. The vitality of our program has been measured in part by the number of climbs offered. For several years, this total had been in slow decline. But this year we bucked the trend, big time. 430 total climbs were offered to date (all types) up 35% from last year. The number of Intermediate Grads, Crag Grads, and Water Ice Grads all showed significant growth, as did applications to the Leader's List. The number of Basic Grads held steady. We saw the largest increases where the participants had the most invested in the program. Put another way, the significance lies not in growth for its own sake but in the measure of the commitment of individuals it represents. And the promise it holds for the future.

Vitality has another aspect: growth of ideas. Take a look at our past and current "niche" courses or seminars:

• Climbing Denali Seminar Series
• Waterfall Ice Course
• Crag Course

• A new Aid & Big Wall course will pilot this spring.
• A proposed Small Party Self Rescue Course, is in initial planning for next fall.

Common to these initiatives is their source. The idea behind them percolated up from within. Committed individuals from the program conceived and established these programs. Others followed in their footsteps to continue these programs and provide inspiration for new ones. Keeping these courses going will require a dependable supply of skilled instructors. A key reason behind the Waterfall Ice success is that past participants return and instruct. This concept was fundamental in the Water Ice course design and evolution. Small size was also important for resource reasons as well as quality of participant experience.

The Alpinists is another concept with which we are experimenting with hope. Regular gatherings allow us to share slides and stories from active climb leaders within the program and from notable climbers and others from elsewhere. We desire to make this a networking opportunity to anyone in our program and eventually to many outside our program.

Along with the growth in climbs has come a growth of ideas and the energy to pursue them. What motivates those who do this? The motivation and reward will vary among us but must be strong and fortunately is spreading. Our common link is our enjoyment of climbing and teaching it to others.

On a climb, we may use elevation gain as a measure of progress. In our program we may use the number of climbs and graduates as a measure against the past. Both are quantitative, not qualitative measures. How do you measure sense of community? It varies with each person, and is the result of the experience of each. But based on the feedback I hear from within our program, the continued hard work by many volunteers will continue to pay dividends in both qualitative and quantitative ways.