Upcoming events and highlights from around The Mountaineers

July 2005


Welcome to Routefinder, our monthly guide to the best offerings from around The Mountaineers.

While it may not seem like it just yet, the summer season is full upon us. And when the sun finally begins its ascendency, the trails will lose the last of their snow and open to throngs of outdoor enthusiasts. Count among that throng The Mountaineers. Beginning in July, you'll notice fewer administrative meetings and more backpacks, hikes, climbs, kayak tours and scrambles. Traditionally the summer months are when we, as a club, retreat to the pure pursuit of outdoor happiness.

We want you to share our happiness that the trails are open again, the sun is (or will be) shining, and in general, life is good in the Northwest. If you haven't already, join a hiking trip, pick up a paddle, strap on your climbing harness, and lace up your boots.

Get out there and have fun!

Rich Barringer
Webmaster

We'd like to hear your comments about Routefinder, so use the e-mail addresses located in the Contact Us section to tell us what you think.

August 6-7: Meany Annual Family Peaks and Lakes Weekend
Meany Lodge becomes "adventure central" on August 6 and 7, offering a wealth of hikes, climbs, scrambles in the nearby mountains, as well as activities geared just for families. Bring the family out for a weekend of outdoor fun, good food and great company.

Reservations are open now for this special weekend, and can be made by contacting Member Services at 206-284-8484. For more information about the family weekend or the lodge, visit their website at www.obatik.com/meany/

Backpack
July 29-31, Fri.-Sun. - Stuart Lake (M) (GT: Enchantments) 15 mi., 3,500' gain. Alpine lake on the N. side of Mt. Stuart. Side trip to Horseshoe Lake and Jack Ridge 5-6 mi. 2000' gain. Leader: George Chambers, mtnhiker49@aol.com. Registration closes:7/25/05.

Family Activities
July 16, Sat. - Iron Goat Trail. (E)USGS: Skykomish; GT: Skykomish) 6 mi., very little elevation gain. This trail is located on the old Stevens railroad bed. Lots of historical artifacts to view. We will start at the Wellington trailhead and head out towards Windy Point. (possible to do a one way hike to W. side trailhead.) Sign up with leader. Meeting time and place will be determined the week preceding the trip. Leader: Sherri Chisarik, sherric4u@yahoo.com.

Hike
July 10, Sun. - Lime Kiln Trail (E) (GT: Granite Falls) 7 mi., 300' gain. Trail drops to Stilliguamish River, then follows the former Everett and Monte Cristo railroad grade past historic stone lime kiln to river crossing. Meet 9 a.m. at Red Apple parking lot in Granite Falls. Please provide emergency contact and ph. no. Leader: Tom Wolfe, tometa@earthlink.net.



Monthly meeting
No monthly meeting in July for the Kitsap Mountaineers - too busy have fun outside!

Late NTD event will be July 16
The Kitsap Branch has taken as its special project the trail leading to Big Tree on The Mountaineers Foundation's Rhododendron Preserve, which adjoins the Kitsap Cabin/Forest Theatre Property. Due to the fact that the property was in use by The Mountaineers Players on the official National Trails Day, Kitsap Branch has rescheduled their trails day work party for Sat., July 16. Aside from ongoing efforts such as trail grooming, the main task still remaining is the completion of a new bridge across the creek and building the trail to connect this bridge to the existing trail. To avoid the heat of the day, we'll start work about 4 p.m. and will begin the barbecue about 7 p.m. Bring something to put on the grill and a side dish to share and join us for a good time. We have official Trail's Day t-shirts for participants.

Hikes
July15, Fri. - Dungeness Spit (M) 11.0 mi. RT, 0 gain or loss. A beautiful beach walk to a historic lighthouse (built in 1857) with a stop at the Lavender Festival and u-pick strawberry fields in Sequim on the return trip, time permitting. Meet 8 a.m. at the Poulsbo Church of the Nazarene. Christine Grenier: cgrenier@ci.bremerton.wa.us.

July 16, Sat. - Cape Alava (E) (USGS Ozette Lake) 6 mi. RT, 0' gain or loss. A pleasant walk down a cedar plank boardwalk to the ocean. Meet at Ozette trailhead at 11 a.m. (negotiable). Charlie Morgan: redcharliem@yahoo.com.



Conservation/stewardship
Help the Tumwater Stream Team
July 16, Sat. - Tumwater Stream Team. Join the Tumwater Stream Team from 10 a.m. to noon to help protect our streams by pulling tansy ragwort, scotch broom and other noxious weeds from along the banks of the Deschutes River at the Tumwater Valley Golf Course. Summer is the easiest time to spot the poisonous weed, tansy ragwort, and pull it out before it goes to seed. Like many other invasive, non-native species, tansy ragwort replaces beneficial native species of plants. Meet outside the Tumwater Golf Course pro shop. Tools, gloves, snacks and beverages provided. No registration is necessary. For additional information, call Debbie Smith, Tumwater Stream Team Coordinator, 360-754-4148.

Hikes
July 7, Thu. - Skyline Trail (E/M) (Mt. Rainier E) 5 mi. Gain, 1500' Walk through meadows above the Nisqually Glacier to a high overlook of Paradise Valley with views of Mt. Adams, Mt. St. Helens, and Mt. Hood (on a clear day). Meet at Martin Way P&R at 8:30 a.m. Sign up with Vera Sutton, vsutton@hctc.com. Be sure to include your phone number and your hiking experience.

July 23, Sat. - Crystal Lakes (M) (GT Mt. Rainier E./Bumping Lake) Hike #32, "50 Hikes in Mt. Rainier Nat. Park." 6 mi. RT. Gain 2300'; highest point, 5828' Social pace. Steady climb through forest with many switchbacks, especially during the first 1.5 mi. Sign up with leader, Jack Williams, samnjack@comcast.net.

Backpack
July 15-17, Fri.-Sun. - Killen Meadows, north side of Mt. Adams (M) (USGS Mt. Adams Wilderness) 8 mi. Gain, 2300' Flower-covered meadows, views of Rainier from the base of Mt. Adams, waterfalls and lakes. We will camp at the climber's high camp. Camera and binoculars are recommended. For details and to sign up, contact Edythe Hulet, peakbagger@highstream.net.



Backpack
July 23-24 Sat-Sun. - Foss River (EM) (GT175 Skykomish & GT176 Stevens Pass) 9 mi. RT, 600' gain. Beginners encouraged for this easy, instructor led, moderately paced backpack along the east fork of the Foss River. Possible day hike or river swim after setting up camp. Meet 9 a.m. at Skykomish Ranger Station. Limit 12. Sign up online. Leader: Rich Lawrence, richlawrence@comcast.net.

Beginner Hiking Seminar
July 28, Thu. - 6:30-9 p.m. Where: Seattle club headquarters. No registration and there is no charge for this seminar. Learn what to put in your pack, how to dress for comfort and safety, and what to expect on hikes. We will discuss clothing, boots and packs, the ten essentials, seasonal trail hazards, how to shop for equipment (and save money), and how to research your trips. This seminar is designed to answer questions you, as a beginning hiker, may have about how to get started. We will show samples of our equipment and talk about some of our favorite places to hike. Informational handouts are included. You do not need to be a Mountaineers member to attend. Contact Kelly Cleman, masterhiker@hotmail.com, for more information.

UTHRs Backpack
Note: The Under-the-Hill-Rovers (UTHRs for short) are a new group within the Seattle Branch, offering activities for the 20- and 30-somethings in the club. They have both outdoor (rock climbing, hikes, backpacks) and social (pub nights, barbeques) activities. Check out more of their events online or in the Go Guide.
July 30-31, Sat.-Sun. - Lake Lillian (M) (GT Snoqualmie Pass-207), 10 mi., 1750' gain. Meet 9:15 a.m., at the N. side of Exit 54 off I-90. Backpacking trip in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. Lakes, trees, mountains and flowers galore. Good times. 1-1/4 hrs from Seattle. Leader: Mark Knoke, marksk@alumni.rice.edu.

Photo Outing
July 16-17, Sat. p.m.-Sun. a.m. - Naches Loop. Wildflowers and great views of Mt. Rainier. Slow-paced, easy hike, 3.5 miles, 500' gain. Car camp Sat. night at Lodgepole Campground on Hwy. 410 to get early start on Sun. morning. For info and sign-up, contact leader Bill Byron, eosbyron@comcast.net.

Beginner Hiking Seminar
June 30, Thu., 6:30-9 p.m. at club headquarters. No registration and there is no charge for this seminar. Learn what to put in your pack, how to dress for comfort and safety, and what to expect on hikes. We will discuss clothing, boots and packs, the ten essentials, seasonal trail hazards, how to shop for equipment (and save money), and how to research your trips. This seminar is designed to answer questions you, as a beginning hiker, may have about how to get started. We will show samples of our equipment and talk about some of our favorite places to hike. Informational handouts are included. You do not need to be a Mountaineers member to attend. Contact Kelly Cleman, masterhiker@hotmail.com




Intro to Whitewater Kayaking Course
A beginning introduction to whitewater kayaking will serve as a "sampler" to introduce the potential kayaker to the skills that are taught in a standard whitewater course. Before investing in a six-session course and gear, try out our weekend sampler. See if whitewater kayaking is a recreation you would enjoy. Rental gear can be arranged but students are encouraged to borrow from a friend before investing in the equipment needed for this sport. The class will be held the weekend of July 9-10, all day both days. Enroll via instructor: Diane Troje, snoqualmiefoothills@yahoo.com.



Monthly Meeting
The Tacoma Branch foregoes it's July meeting for outdoor playtime!

Hike
July 17, Sun. - Spray Park (EM) 6 mi. RT, 1200' gain. Moderate pace. This hike starts out in a cool forest, makes a short side trip to beautiful Spray Falls and ends up in an alpine area with miles of wildflowers and glorious views of Mt. Rainier. Leader permission required. Leader: Nancy German, 253-761-0487.

Mountain Bike
July 9, Sat. - "Little Bald Mtn." Often compared to the Porcupine Trail at Moab, Utah, this trail is best done with a car shuttle up the forest service road of 11 mi. (if there was a mass sentiment to pedal up, I'd do it. Roughly 23 mi. east of Chinook Pass, this trail has spectacular veiws of Mt. Aix and Mt. Rainier to the west. This single track parallels a cliff band for 4 mi. of its 14 mi. downhill run and then runs along the American River for a mile or two. Leader: Robie Pruden, prudenrl@earthlink.net.

Leave No Trace Trainer Course
The place to go for quality outdoor activities and training is now the place to go for quality Leave No Trace training!
The Leave No Trace Trainer Course is designed for anyone who leads backcountry trips, or for anyone who wants to sharpen their Leave No Trace skills. Upon successful completion, course participants will be qualified to teach Leave No Trace to others!

Each course provides four hours of classroom instruction at The Mountaineers clubhouse in either Seattle or Tacoma, followed by an overnight backpack trip where participants will learn by doing.

The Mountaineers are offering three Leave No Trace Trainer courses at three destinations this summer - Packwood Lake in the Goat Rocks Wilderness in June, the North Cascades in July, and Lower Tuskohatchi! Lake in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness in August.

The course fee is $85.00 for non-members, and $75.00 for all Mountaineers. The fee includes the course text, syllabus and handouts. Group gear will be provided. Participants will supply their own pack, boots and sleeping gear.

For the July 20 course, register here.
For the August 10 course, register here
You may also call The Mountaineers at (206) 284-8484 to register over the phone.

Be sure to check out the individual branch sections of the Go Guide for more conservation, recreation resource and stewardship opportunities in your area.

Mountaineers Foreign Outings leader Craig Miller recently returned from a trek through China to K2. Rick Rocheleau was on the trip and took some stunning photos. With his permission, we've posted a couple here for your pleasure. For more of Rick's photos of the trip (more images will be added in the first part of July), visit his website at http://home.earthlink.net/~k2_rick/

Submit your photo! To see your photo here, send your image in jpg format to webmaster@mountaineers.org with "routefinder photo" in the subject line. Please include a short description of the image, as well as your full name, and a website URL if you have one.





Those good folks at Mountaineers Books have published some great new guides recently. To help spread the word, they're sending the authors "out and about" to talk. Here's a list of author presentations for May.

Jeff Renner
Mountain Weather
Date: Saturday, July 16
Time: 1:00 p.m.
Place: Cedar River Watershed Education Center, Rattlesnake Lake
Event: Trailsfest
Slideshow discussion of weather patterns and .
Admission: FREE!
Note: The Mountaineers will be attending Trailsfest with a truckload of books in tow! Our bookstore sale takes place July 13-15 and continues at Trailsfest! See the July issue of The Mountaineer for details. For more information on Trailsfest programming, see www.wta.org


Yvonne Prater and Kerry Smith
Beyond Gorp: Favorite Foods from Outdoor Experts
Date: Saturday, July 16
Time: 12:00 p.m.
Place: Cedar River Watershed Education Center, Rattlesnake Lake
Event: Trailsfest
Talk with cooking demonstration (Quick & Easy Indian Dinner) and samples for the crowd (Eric's Ugly but Good Choco Chip Cookies)
Admission: FREE!
Note: The Mountaineers will be attending Trailsfest with a truckload of books in tow! Our bookstore sale takes place July 13-15 and continues at Trailsfest! See the July issue of The Mountaineer for details. For more information on Trailsfest programming, see www.wta.org






Waivers and dues payments
Members of The Mountaineers know that once a year they can expect a notice from the club letting them know that their membership is up for renewal. But when you have 12,000 members, this can add up to quite a hefty postage bill and generate a great deal of potential paper waste. Taking dues payments into the next century, The Mountaineers have made it possible for you to renew your membership online.

Starting two months before your membership expiration date, a message will appear on your profile page. The message will tell you which type of membership you have (individual, family, etc), when it's due and how much you'll pay to renew. A link is included that takes you to the payment processing screen, allowing you to pay with a debit/credit Visa or Mastercard. No paper, no lost payments, no postage. What could be simpler?

An essential element of the dues process is the signing of the Annual Indemnity and Liability Agreement. This is essentially a liability waiver for participating in club activities. A few years back, we began to ask members to sign this waiver each year when they renewed their membership. As you can imagine, this added even more paper to an already overtaxed filing system! To reduce the amount of paper and keep the waiver process easy and simple for members, we've also made this available online.

When you pay your dues online, you will first be taken to a page with the text of the liability waiver. It takes just one click on the "I Agree" link to sign the waiver and continue the dues payment process. Through a number of circumstances, some members who participate regularly in club activities do not have current waivers. To remedy this situation we have now placed text on the Profile page that provides the waiver expiration date and a link to the online form. Also, if a member attempts to sign up online for an activity and does not have a current waiver, an alert message is given along with a link to the online waiver. After completing the waiver, the member is then returned to the activity registration page.

Keeping your membership and waiver current helps us continue to do our best at bringing you courses and activities, supports conservation and recreation resources advocacy, and ensures that The Mountaineers will be around for another hundred years!





We would like to hear from you! Tell us what you like and don't like, what types of programs you would like to see and let us know what types of interesting adventures you're having out there.

General inquiries, program suggestions, rants and raves can be sent to clubmail@mountaineers.org

Questions about the website, this newsletter, photo submissions and news items can be sent to webmaster@mountaineers.org