The American Alpine Club E-News: February 2002

Dear AAC Member,

Close to 400 AAC members and guests helped us kick off our Centennial year at Snowbird on February 1-2 with the 100th Anniversary Annual Meeting, a weekend of slide shows, talks, dinners, and camaraderie, as well as some good Wasatch skiing.

Thanks go out to our impressive speakers who donated their time and talents to make it a memorable weekend for all attendees: Michael Brown, Barry Blanchard, Nazir Sabir, Mark Wilford, Lou Dawson, Andrew McLean, George Band, and Tomaz Humar. We also want to thank AAC member/Snowbird owner Dick Bass for his generous hospitality (including providing a birthday cake to celebrate the occasion!) and an anonymous donor who helped defray lodging costs to make the meeting more affordable.

Congratulations are also extended to this year's award recipients:

- The AAC Literary Award to Rick Ridgeway for excellence in alpine literature

- Angelo Heilprin Citation to Louis Reichardt for his exemplary service to the AAC

- The David A. Sowles Memorial Award to Simone Moro, Tap Richards, Jason Tanguay, Dave Hahn, Andy Politz, Loppasang Temba Sherpa and Phurba Tashi Sherpa for distinguishing themselves, with unselfish devotion at personal risk or sacrifice of a major objective, in going to the assistance of fellow climbers imperiled in the mountains

- The Robert and Miriam Underhill Award to Conrad Anker and Nancy Feagin for outstanding mountaineering achievement

The AAC's official Centennial Celebration will be held on September 28 in the Golden, Colorado area, so be sure to mark your calendars now. The event will be devoted to the Club's first century and will feature talks by:

- James H. Powell on "The Unclimbed Places"

- John Spencer on "Mountains out of This World"

- Tami Knight on "Taking Ourselves Seriously," and

- Betsy White on "Club Controversies."

Further details will be forthcoming in the E-News and the American Alpine News.

I hope you are enjoying your winter and are finding time to get out and climb.

Regards,
Lloyd Athearn
Managing Editor
mailto:aan@americanalpineclub.org

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In this issue:

- JOHN HARLIN, III APPOINTED AS AMERICAN ALPINE JOURNAL EDITOR

- NEPAL AND PAKISTAN CHANGE POLICIES TO BOOST CLIMBING

- AAC PROVIDES CONSERVATION GRANTS FOR CASTLETON TOWER, DENALI NATIONAL PARK

- AIRLINE REGULATIONS PROHIBIT TRANSPORTING STOVES AND FUEL

- COVER PHOTO SOUGHT FOR ACCIDENTS IN NORTH AMERICAN MOUNTAINEERING

- SECTION NEWS AND EVENTS

- NEW AAC JACKETS ON SALE

- THE PIOLET SOCIETY WANTS YOU

- E-NEWS POLICIES

JOHN HARLIN, III APPOINTED AS AMERICAN ALPINE JOURNAL EDITOR

AAC President Jim Frush recently announced the hiring of John Harlin, III, a climber, author and editor of worldwide renown, as editor of The American Alpine Journal, the Club's premiere annual publication documenting significant ascents worldwide. Harlin has served since 1996 as the northwest editor of Backpacker magazine and since 1998 as a member of the AAC's Publications Committee.

"Apart from a distinguished climbing career," said Frush, "John has the most impressive credentials as a writer, editor, and publisher. His worldwide respect and numerous contacts will combine with his hard work and positive attitude to continue and expand the fine reputation of the Journal."

For almost 30 years Harlin has woven together climbing and journalism, including editorial positions at major outdoor magazines such as Backpacker and Summit, writing climbing guidebooks and how-to outdoor guides, and working as a lecturer and on-air talent for Anyplace Wild, a nationally broadcast television show on PBS. Harlin has climbed throughout the world ticking off alpine routes in North America, South America and Europe. His extensive outdoor resume also includes first ascents in Colorado, British Columbia and Oregon, first ski descents in Peru, Bolivia, Alaska, and Colorado, as well as kayak descents and lengthy backpacking trips around the globe.

Harlin's contacts within the climbing and outdoor industry are lengthy, including eight years as chair of the Polartec Challenge grant program and as a member of the Crag Rats, a Hood River, Oregon-based mountain rescue team.

John requests that you send reports on new routes and comments on the AAJ to him at mailto:aaj@americanalpineclub.org or call him at 541.354.6142. His mailing address is 2912 Dee Highway, Hood River, OR 97031. The fax is 541.354.6143.

NEPAL AND PAKISTAN CHANGE POLICIES TO BOOST CLIMBING

The governments of Nepal and Pakistan have made dramatic changes to their peak fees and climbing regulations in an effort to lure back climbers who have abandoned the Himalayan nations following domestic unrest and the war against terrorism.

In late December, Nepalese tourism officials announced that 103 previously closed peaks will be opened up to climbing and trekking in the spring of 2002. Additionally, liaison officers will no longer be required to accompany climbing expeditions on peaks under 21,325 feet. The measures are designed to boost climbing and trekking visits to the Himalayan kingdom, which were down by 50 percent as of November due to skirmishes between the Maoist rebels and the Nepalese government.

Nearby Pakistan announced in late January that fees to climb peaks above 6000 meters will be cut in half for 2002, the International Year of the Mountains, as a means of addressing a 93 percent decrease in mountaineering permits issued when compared to 2001. The permit fee for a full team of seven members attempting K2 will be cut from $12,000 to $6,000. Similarly, the group fee for attempting peaks between 8001 and 8500 meters will be $4,500, peaks between 7501 and 8000 meters will be $2,000, peaks between 7001 and 7500 meters will be $1,250 and peaks between 6001 and 7000 meters will be $750.

The US State Department continues to warn travelers to both countries about the potential for violence. Full details of the travel advisories can be found at http://www.travel.state.gov/ 

AAC PROVIDES CONSERVATION GRANTS FOR CASTLETON TOWER, DENALI NATIONAL PARK

Domestic Conservation Committee Chair Mike Lewis recently approved financial grants to help preserve Castleton Tower in Utah and to help the National Park Service develop a second generation of Clean Mountain Cans for use on Denali.

The AAC provided a $1,400 grant to the Castleton Tower Preservation Initiative, a project of the Utah Open Lands/Castle Rock Collaboration, which hopes to purchase land at the base of the Tower and prevent it from being developed. The land in question is owned by the Utah School Trust Lands and may be sold off to developers to help fund Utah schools. In addition to the cash grant, the AAC has written a letter of support for the project. A more detailed status report will be included in the Spring 2002 issue of American Alpine News.

After providing seed money to Denali National Park and Preserve last year to develop prototypes of the Clean Mountain Can (CMC) and purchase biodegradable waste bags, the AAC Domestic Conservation Committee provided a further $3,958 to help the Park develop a lighter CMC that also remedied problems with the prototype model. Lead Climbing Ranger Roger Robinson has worked with the CMC manufacturer on design modifications that will reduce overall weight by 30 percent, include a removable cardboard seat, and facilitate cleaning and eventual reuse. As was mentioned in the Winter 2002 AAN issue, all climbers going above the 14,200-foot camp during a three-week test period this spring will be required to use CMCs for transporting their human waste off the mountain.

AIRLINE REGULATIONS PROHIBIT TRANSPORTING STOVES AND FUEL

In light of the heightened security procedures at American airports, climbers should be aware that the FAA has prohibited the transport of stoves, stove fuel (both liquid and canister), lighters and some types of matches. The enforcement of this rule was spotty before September 11th, but we have received reports of more vigorous enforcement since then.

COVER PHOTO SOUGHT FOR ACCIDENTS IN NORTH AMERICAN MOUNTAINEERING

Accidents in North American Mountaineering Editor Jed Williamson is seeking a photo to use for the cover of the 2002 issue, which will be published this summer. Full credit is given to the photographer for photographs used. If you have spent any time looking at past issues, you know that the cover photo often shows popular climbing areas or potential climbing hazards. Contact Jed by email at mailto:jedwmsn@sover.net.

SECTION NEWS AND EVENTS

Midwest Section Dinner

The AAC’s Midwest Section and the Chicago Mountaineering Club have joined forces to present a joint Annual Dinner on Saturday, March 2 at the Chicago Yacht Club in Belmont Harbor. The featured speaker for the event is climbing legend Jim Donini. Activities will include membership drives for the AAC and Access Fund, a silent auction, and a well-stocked raffle. Drinks start at 5:30 p.m. and dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m. Registration is $30 per person for the dinner, and a registration form can be downloaded from the CMC’s website: http://www.cmcwebsite.org/. Any other inquiries may be directed to Midwest Section Chair Ben Kweton at 847.367.4423 or mailto:ben_kweton@yahoo.com.

New England Section Dinner

The New England Section will host its Seventh Annual Section Dinner on Saturday, March 16 in the Boston area. This year’s special guest will be Andy Tuthill of Hanover, New Hampshire who will regale us “From the Pawtuckoways to the Karakoram; Thirty Years of Climbing.” We will exhibit the artwork of climber and Teton guide Gardner Heaton whose incredibly detailed and embellished route and expedition topos are a regular feature of The American Alpine Journal. For more information contact Section Chair Bill Atkinson at 781.891.7366 or mailto:watkinson@compuserve.com.

South Central Section Chair Wanted

Do you live in the south central region (Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, or Mississippi) and have some great ideas on running an AAC Section? Do you like to organize events and bring people together? Are you detail-oriented and committed to climbing? If so, the AAC needs you. We sadly report that Andy Jones, South Central Section Chair, is stepping down and the AAC needs to fill his very capable shoes. If you are ready to lead an AAC Section, call the AAC office at 303.384.0110.

Blue Ridge Section Information

In the December E-News contact information for the Blue Ridge Section was omitted. You can reach Section Chair Jeanette Helfrich at 301.434.1964 or mailto:john.jeanette@erols.com.

NEW AAC JACKETS ON SALE

Looking for a nice, technical piece of apparel that works as well in the backcountry as it looks good on Main Street? Then you need an AAC Cold Mountain jacket. These Jagged Edge jackets are perfect for cool weather aerobic activities (see a sample at: https://web450.propellerinc.com/html/ibeCCtpSctDspRte.jsp?section=10095).

Windbloc fleece covers the chest, shoulders and sleeves while Power Stretch on the back provides breathability and movement. Best of all, "The American Alpine Club" is embroidered on the front. Retail price is $120 but, for a limited time, the AAC is offering them to members at only $95! Call the AAC office at 303.384.0110 and order yours today. Quantities are limited.

THE PIOLET SOCIETY WANTS YOU

Much of the AAC’s ongoing work to promote climbing knowledge, conserve climbing environments, and serve the American climbing community is made possible by bequests from AAC members. To recognize this special level of support, the AAC created The Piolet Society. Anyone leaving a planned gift to the AAC becomes a member of this prestigious group and is recognized (if they prefer to be) in a variety of ways.

It is easy for you to join The Piolet Society. Your own bequest, no matter how large or small, allows you entrance into the Society while providing crucial support for Club initiatives, leaving your own personal legacy, and helping preserve the climbing experience in perpetuity. Call the AAC development office at 303.384.0110 x19, or email mailto:cchesak@americanalpineclub.org, to learn how you can leave a legacy as timeless as the mountains themselves.

E-News Policies

In order to protect the interests of our subscribers the E-News established the following policies:

-The AAC office in Golden is the only source of outgoing messages to subscribers; recipients cannot respond to or initiate messages to the list.

-The AAC will not sell member e-mail addresses to anyone for any purpose and will have no commercial advertising of any kind in E-News.

-E-News focuses on timely and important news of interest to members nationwide.

Send comments, suggestions, or news items to mailto:aan@americanalpineclub.org