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National Volunteer Week

This week (April 12-18) is National Volunteer Week, when organizations and institutions across the country celebrate their volunteers and the spirit of service. As a volunteer-run organization, every week is volunteer week at the Mazamas, but we’re taking some extra time this week to share some extra love with our volunteers. We love Mazama volunteers because they …

Go the extra mile – Literally! Just this week,
our volunteers are logging 1,100 foot-miles leading hikes for BCEP, Trail Trips
and the 20s&30s Mazamas group.



20s&30s Mazamas hike at Silver Falls State Park, Photo by Sándor Lau

Have a great sense of adventure – Recently, our
newest climb leader, Leora Gregory, tied the knot with her sweetie, Jay
Avery, on the summit of Mt. Hood.

 

Summit kiss, Photo by Candi Cook

Are kind and nurturing – From helping new
climbers ease off a belay ledge for their first rappel; to tenderly planting
baby trees to re-establish habitat, Mazama volunteers put a ton of love and
caring into their work.

BCEP Student Rappels at Horsethief, Photo by Steve Heikkila

Volunteers planting saplings along the Sandy River, Photo by Corinne Handelman

Love to have fun – What keeps volunteers coming
back year after year is all the fun they have while volunteering. There’s plain
silly fun,

Honey Badgers on Mt. Hood, Photo by Benjamin Grandy

and then there’s “Type II” fun

Blustery day on Table Mountain, Photo by Craig Karls

Provide an important community service – Our volunteers support Mazama classes, programs and activities; they also do important work to preserve and protect the places we play.

Rebolting at Broughton Bluff, Photo by Adam Baylor


Don’t mind getting dirty – Let’s face it, we all became mountaineers because we like to play in the mud!

Trail Tending is dirty business, Photo by Kati Mayfield

Thanks to over 600 volunteers each year giving 110%, the Mazamas is able to provide high quality, low-cost mountaineering education, activities and community events. Thank you, thank you, a million times thank you to our volunteers.
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RTM: The Magic of a Journey around Mt. Hood

As of April 13, 2015 there are spaces available for the 2015 RTM trip. Link to register: http://mazamas.org/activities-events/round-the-mountain/

The author, Michele, had carried her water shoes 3/4 of the way around this
mountain and was determined to use them on at least one stream crossing!

RTM: One Woman’s Journey

by Michele Crim

Every year my husband Glenn and I plan at least one mystery vacation for each other.

We plan a special outing and the other person doesn’t know what it is until it happens. I stole this idea from a co-worker who does this with his partner and I thought it was brilliant!
This past Labor Day weekend was our 14-year wedding anniversary so I decided to plan a mystery vacation for Glenn in celebration. I heard about this event hosted by the Mazamas called “Round the Mountain” where you hike all the way around Mt. Hood from a friend that had done it a year or two before.

The route around the mountain is broken up into three sections. Each day you hike one of the ~15 mile sections and return to the Mazama lodge in the evening for a hot meal, shower and a bed. The next morning you get a hot breakfast and then you return to the trailhead so you can hike the next section. Wash, rinse, repeat. It sounded like a perfect mystery vacation, so I signed us up!
Soon thereafter, I walked out of the orientation for the event with my heart in my throat.

Working my way across our first Sandy River crossing.
I got a little dizzy until I figured out to focus on
the log and my feet, not the rushing water below!
They spent much of the orientation focused on the amount of physical conditioning one needed to do in order to survive the adventure—or at the very least have it be an enjoyable experience. The leaders said it was the equivalent of hiking Dog Mountain … twice a day … three days in a row. Ugh! Hiking Dog Mountain just once a year is a significant accomplishment in my book.

To be fair to Glenn I knew I couldn’t wait until the last moment to unveil my mystery vacation.
I had to spill my secret sooner rather than later, as Glenn and I were going to need to get some significant hikes at altitude under our belts in preparation. And we did! We hiked to Tom Dick and Harry Mountain and up Dog Mountain. We did the Lost Lake Chuck Wagon (also with the Mazamas), got lost on the way to Larch Mountain, and spent a week hiking in the Olympic National Park/Forest.

By the time the event arrived I felt like we had done a great job of preparing our feet, legs and lungs to carry us long distances high up on a mountain.

On Friday I arrived at the Mazamas lodge (near Government Camp and Timberline Lodge) with great trepidation. Not only was I anxious about the hikes (Will I be able to do it three days in a row? Will I be so slow that everyone will have to wait for me?), but my social anxiety was in high gear and I was worried about meeting the strangers I would be spending the next three days with. 
 The participants were divided into six groups of 12 people consisting of 10 hikers and two team leaders that serve as guides. Each group has a different pace from a more gentle “scenic” pace to a blistering “I’m walking so fast it’s all a blur” pace, and everything in between.

We ended up in a great group with a nice moderate pace that we could sustain over the 45-mile loop. Our group was made up of funny, interesting people who were very supportive of each other. We were also thrilled to find that my idol and inspiration, Gwen, was there for the event (I so want to be like her when I grow up!). We met Gwen on Lost Lake Chuckwagon Weekend a couple of months ago. She had gifted herself a 25-mile hiking adventure for her 70th birthday (although she hadn’t been hiking in over a decade), and was now out burning through 45 miles of trails all the way around the mountain. She rocks.

Our hiking group—one of six similar teams working
their way around the mountain over the weekend.
All of our physical conditioning paid off and not only were we able to accomplish something that I never would have dreamed possible, but we had a blast doing it! 
Although the Mazamas hiking route doesn’t make a continuous circuit around the mountain (there are some sections, such as the Eliot Glacier landslide area, that aren’t safe to cross with such a group) it covers most of it.

Before this hike, my experience with Mt. Hood was as the mountain I drove past to get to Bend or that I could occasionally see in the distance out my window at work. After this hike, I feel like I know the mountain in a much more intimate way.
Each side of the mountain has its own distinct personality varying greatly by terrain, vegetation and weather. 
Day One: Timberline Lodge to Cloud Cap
To put it mildly, the weather on our first day was miserable! It was cold, rainy and windy. Glenn and I spent most of the day dressed head to toe in rain gear and by the end we were soaking wet and cold. This was also the day we were on the east side of the mountain at the highest elevations of the weekend, crossing slippery snowfields and exposed ridges with no vegetation. We were battered by freezing rain and ~50 mph wind gusts on top of Gnarl Ridge (gnarly ridge, more like it) that were strong enough to actually blow you off the trail. Although it was cold and miserable and clouds obscured the views, this was actually one of my favorite days of hiking. It was exciting to be out there battling the elements and making the most out of the crazy expedition.

Day Two: Timberline Lodge to Ramona Falls
The weather improved slightly the second day. It wasn’t as cold or windy, but we still spent much of the day in our rain gear walking through sporadic rains and misty clouds. In many ways this day’s hiking was the hardest for me. We started high on the mountain and ended at a much lower elevation. My knees and ankles were very sore and tired from the miles and miles of downhill.
I spent much of the day stressed about the Sandy River crossings. The Sandy River is a deceptively fast moving river that can be quite dangerous to cross at times. A couple of weeks ago there were some flash floods that took out the foot bridge over the river on the Ramona Falls trail. Sadly, a man was killed there when the bridge washed out while he was on it. We knew the bridge was gone, which meant we’d have to make it across the river some other way (twice). I spent many miles on the trail envisioning falling into the river! In the end we used logs and were able to make it across safely.

Day Three: Top Spur to Elk Cove
The weather was beautiful on our third day. As such, this hike was the most spectacular in terms of views of the mountain peak as well as the surrounding countryside. The wildflowers were amazing and sections of the hike went through areas burned by the Dollar Lake Fire (2011). I was mesmerized by the beauty and eeriness of walking through stands of silver-white dead trees with a green carpet of new plants at their feet and bright blue skies above their tops.

We had a ton of fun and I would highly recommend the Round the Mountain event hosted by the Mazamas. Both Glenn and I want to thank Robyn our friend who originally suggested the trip, as well as our other team members and especially our group leaders Aaron and Chris for such an amazing time. It’s an experience we’ll never forget and one that we hope to do again next year!

To read more about Michele’s adventures including the Mazama Lost Lake Chuckwagon Weekend see her blog A Life More Extraordinary, www.alifemoreextraordinary.net
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CISM Team in Nepal: What Does it take to Build a Climbing Center?

by Mike Pajunas
The Khumbu region of Nepal is well known as the location of many beautiful Himalayan mountains: Ama Dablam, Mt. Everest and Lhotse to name a few. The Sherpa people, native to the Khumbu Region have been risking their lives for many years working for high altitude expeditions as guides and porters. Death in the Himalayas and especially Mt. Everest is a too common occurrence, particularly for the Sherpa men who do the dangerous icefall routing up the Khumbu Icefall.
 Mike with Lhakpa Dorji, Lodge Owner.
Photo: Marina Wynton
The idea for the Khumbu Climbing Center was conceived in 2003 by Jennie Lowe Anker and her husband Conrad Anker, a well known mountain climber. The Ankers, founders of The Alex Lowe Charitable Fund (ALCF), wanted to create the climbing school in the village of Phortse as more Sherpa wanted to work on Mt.Everest, but needed mountaineering training to do it safely. A two week course was set up using Western climbers to teach climbing skills, mountain safety, rescue and English language. The school has been very successful, more than 1000 students, men and women, have attended the course.
In 2007 the KCC Board began work on design of a building for the climbing school so it could operate year round. The building would have indoor and outdoor climbing walls, meeting space for the school and community, office, library, kitchen, and showers.
Two families who own lodges in Phortse donated the land for the building. Over three years a group of graduate architecture students at Montana State University under the instruction of Professor Mike Everts went through a design process considering siting, design aspects and cultural considerations. Priorities were to create the first earthquake resistant structure in the Khumbu and to use a passive solar system. Gabion wire cages would be used to strengthen dry stack stone walls. Local building materials would be quarried stone from the village hillside. In 2009 the first team of MSU graduate students went to Phortse to begin construction. The team was lead by architect, Dean Soderberg, who also worked on the design as a grad student. Dean has gone back each fall season since to oversee construction. Dean has given a year and a half of his time to building the KCC over the last 6 years. Tim Harrington, a building contractor from Boulder, CO, is the spring season construction leader.
Phortse. Photo: Marina Wynton
The Mazamas became involved in 2013 when Conrad Anker visited Portland and spoke at the annual Porltand Alpine Fest. Mazamas held a fundraising event for the KCC and successfully raised money for the project. In April 2014 an avalanche struck a group of Sherpa establishing the route through the Khumbu Icefall and 16 Sherpa were killed. The Mazamas Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) team was asked by the Ankers to provide grief support to the families of the killed workers. The KCC could also use more construction help as the building was still only about 30 percent complete. I was able to accompany the CISM team to Nepal with the help of Jennie Lowe Anker and the ALCF. 
Departing Oct. 25, 2014, it took two long days to get to Katmandu. It took three days for me to get there with passport problems. But that’s another story. It was a great adventure, made better as we went to help the Nepali people in ways we each could. There is a wonderful feeling in the beginning of a journey, the excitement of the unknown and living in the moment. 
The entrance to the Khumbu is a narrow mountainous gateway accessible by a small prop plane. Symbolically a small prop plane fights its way for more elevation to gain access to a high mountain pass before fast moving clouds close the gateway in. Lukla Airport at an elevation of 8,500 feet is (roll of the dice) a tilted landing strip perched on a high mountain side. A rock wall located at the end of the landing strip forces planes to break hard and turn right quickly. Very exciting!
Yak Train. Photo: Marina Wynton.
The trek into the Humbug began from Lukla. The trek is a blur of time and a moment clear as the mountain high sky. Walking down stone paths, stairs up and down, stone houses made by hand, everything made by hand, many trekkers from many countries: German, French, Japanese, American, and Canadian. Yak trains of goods heading up valley. Porters carrying everything … six sheets of plywood, mattresses 7 feet high, a kitchen counter and sink (one load), a man-sized bundle of bamboo shoots for dinner, cases of beer and boxes of noodles, the trail is the main highway for all people and goods traveling the Khumbu. This trekking trail follows the beautiful Duh Kosi River (translated it means “milky river”) through forests of Himalayan pine, hemlock, beech and rhododendron. Village tea houses, lodges and homes nestle closely to the trail, made of hand quarried basalt; dry stacked with corrugated metal roofs and brightly painted wood frame windows. A door or curtain is often open with children peaking out shyly. Chickens and dogs freely roam the stone path. Suspension bridges provide some excitement as the trail eventually leaves the river. Climbing breathlessly out of the river valley for 2,700 feet to Namche Bazaar, the largest village in the Khumbu, at an elevation of 11, 300 feet The trekking day is very long and strenuous: seven miles up in seven hours over very rugged terrain. Everyone is very tired. 
Mike heading to Namche.
Namche at night reminds me of Christmas. This beautiful village is nestled in a hillside high above a dark forested valley. The glacier-covered mountain Kongle Ri 20,000 feet shines in the background under the moonlight sky. The lights of lodges twinkle in the crisp, clean, cold mountain air: it’s stunningly beautifully. It’s a gift to be here.
We stay at The Panorama Lodge. Sherep Jangbu and Lhapka Sherpa, the lodge owners, greet us as we drop our packs and enter the tea house. It is an amazing feeling to be here and to be expected as guests. As soon as we are seated on benches along the windows overlooking the village, large thermoses of tea are brought out. I find on this trip that you hardly need water as you have so many cups of tea with lunch and dinner. It is a pleasure to hike then sit in a tea house, relax with tea and begin again. I believe Marina my wife, said it well when she mentioned a meditative walking, like a daily practice and a necessity, as this is how you travel here. So embrace the walk and be happy in the morning sunshine. Everyone takes a day off from the trek in Namche to rest up and acclimatize. We wander the bazaar, the shops, visit the local monastery and the park devoted to natural history and Tensing Norgay.
The next day I departed for Phortse with a porter. The CISM team is traveling in a different direction, so I am on my own now. The trail above Namche traverses a broad hillside where you begin to feel the size of nature here. The pine trees are stunted and soon disappear. Azaleas and grass cover the sub alpine ground on the way to Mong La at 13,000 feet. This small village pass (La means pass) is very scenic, overlooking the Duh Koshi River thousands of feet below and the peaks of 20,700 foot Thamserku and 20,857 foot Kantega 20,857 rising above. Turn the corner at this pass and drop down through spectacular giant fir trees and into a rhododendron forest and all the way down to a gorgeous river valley. Then it’s back up the hillside through beech forests and you pop out of the woods to be greeted by stacks on mani stones and a white stupa. This is Phortse. Blue pheasants and crows hop along in the tree tops and yaks graze at the edge of the trail on the steep hillside. 
Road to Namch – Mani Stones & Prayer
Wheel.
The lower end of the village just above the fields is where the two lodges, the Namaste and Phortse Guest house are located. The KCC building is between the lodges on land given by the owners of both lodges.
I entered the tea house at Namaste Lodge and was met by Lhakpa Dorji, the gracious lodge owner and former Mt. Everest guide and his wife Nawang. I was welcomed with tea by his daughter, Fu Doma, and shown a sunny, warm room to stash my gear. 
Khumbu Climbing Center Construction.
After settling in at the lodge I found Dean working on site. Dean gave me the tour of the building in construction: including gabion wrapped rock footings; an immense back wall of the building standing about 18 foot high and 3 feet thick for the first 8 feet in height. Wooden posts support steel floor joists for the second floor. On the second floor there will be library and class room space. There is an engineered truss connecting the front and back walls that will shorten the roof span. This is critical as available steel must be considered for length and weight when building by hand. The building is about 30 percent complete. Floors, roof, exterior walls, windows are yet to be built. The interior walls will have foam insulation board with a plywood finish panel. One-eighth or one-quarter inch plywood is typical wall finish material for teahouses or lodge rooms in the Khumbu. Since there will be no stud wall framing against the gabion walls the plywood finish material will be three-quarter inch plywood. How the plywood will attach to the gabion walls is yet to be determined. The floor material on the ground floor will be cement pavers (made in Katmandu and transported by plane and yak) or slate. Once all houses in the Khumbu had slate roofs. Slowly slate is being replaced by corrugated steel painted red or green. Slate is locally quarried and a historic building material, so I think slate is the right choice for flooring of the KCC. Sand and gravel are sifted from the river below the village and hand carried up to the site. The flooring concrete pavers or slate flooring will be dry set with sand. Cement mortar is very expensive ($90) for an 80 pound bag

and would be transported by plane and yak from Katmandu, adding to the cost. The building has

gabion wire cages filled with rocks for exterior walls since cement for dry stacking is very costly and stone without cement would not withstand earthquake movement. Gabion wire cages take the place of cement. The traditional stone building method in the Khumbu is mortar joints or tight fitting perfectly chiseled granite blocks for strength and concrete pillars for corners in multi-story buildings. This type of construction for the KCC was ruled out as too expensive.
We toured the village quarry located on an adjacent hillside behind a beech forest. It was quiet as the
Khumbu Climbing Center Construction.

stone masons hadn’t arrived yet and the quarry had not opened yet for the season. The quarried rock is split by pounding sharpened and case-hardened pipe into buried boulders, creating a series of holes until something gives way.

For the next seven days Dean and I worked on finalizing wall elevations, erecting steel wall supports and re-building the top of a 35 foot long gabion wall for the final cement cap. The Nepali stone masons arrived part way through the week and began chipping quarried rock into useable building blocks. Each day the workers case-hardened their tools with a small wood coal fire and a bellows. Now and then I would look up at the mountains around Phortse while I was working, pause and think wow, I’m in Nepal!
We began each day with a family style breakfast made by Fu Dome and Nawang. Omelets, french toast, Sherpa toast with cherry jam from China. A note from my journal says “honey is good, butter is sparse, jam is from China.” One morning we had warm goat milk with a grain. I asked Dean, “what’s this?” He said, “cornflakes.” He got me there. 
Khumbu Climbing Center Construction.
I went for early morning walks around the village as the sun came up to experience the ‘being there’ moments. The frosted grass, the silence, the ancient stupas of the lower fields and the monastery always on the highest sacred ground. I didn’t get to experience the Everest Trek like so many we met on the trail. But for me, this time in Phortse was very special since I was here to begin each day, see the sun rise, the smoke rising from the houses at dawn, to encounter the one-horned bull (and stand aside!) and to be with the friendly Sherpa people who make their lives here. I felt very at home in Phortse. 
Marina and her guide Karki arrived in Phortse several days later. The CISM team had been trekking from village to village visiting with families. The other members of the team had already begun the return trek. I was very happy to see my wife’s smiling face again in this marvelous place. While I worked, Marina had time to wander the village and fields in the sunshine, visit the local monastery and the children’s library, read, do our laundry (in a big bowl of hot water outside) and rest up for the return trek. 
Khumbu Climbing Center Construction.
At the Namaste Lodge, Lhapka and Nawang work very hard to feed everyone and make sure we are comfortable. The walls of the dining room are solid with family photos, photos of Lhakpa and Nawang as a young couple with their children and photos of Lhakpa as an Everest guide. Lhapka has a great, hearty laugh and a big smile for everyone. At night we sit on benches at tables, drinking tea, beer, and having dinner. Dinner may be Sherpa Stew, Dal Bhat, fried macaroni, chicken chow mein. The room is filled with German and Norwegian trekkers, Nepali porters, village neighbors and us. 
We pass the time playing a new card game called Kings Corner and wait for the yak dung-fired wood stove to heat the room. But the night is longer than the day and we were usually very tired after a long day of construction and would go to bed early. Rooms are very small and very cold at night as the rooms are uninsulated and unheated. Before entering the room, one quickly uses the bathroom and get into the sleeping bag pronto to read a while with a headlamp. I didn’t have enough warm clothes to stay outside for very long at night and often a cloud layer or fog would move in to obstruct the night sky.

It was a great experience to go to a place where Shangri-la could be found. Nepal is an amazing place with wonderful, gracious people. I’m hoping to return in the fall, meet up with Dean and get back to work continuing the construction of the KCC. 

Thank you!

The CISM Committee and the Mazamas would like to thank the many wonderful sponsors and donors that help make this trip possible. Thanks go to:
  • Alex Lowe Charitable Foundation
  • Lhakpa Gelu Foundation
  • CAMP
  • Cassin
  • Mountain Hardwear
  • Base Camp Brewing Company
  • Columbia Sportswear
  • The Mountain Shop
  • Mazama Members
  • Petzl
  • Sterling Rope
  • Karma Cafe & Coffee Shop
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Where Should I Climb Indoors?

In the Portland/Metro area we are lucky to have six gyms to choose from where we can hone our climbing skills. We reached out to all of the gyms to provide you with this brief guide on where to climb. Each gym provided their stats as well as a brief write-up about why you should climb at their gym. 

ClubSport Ascent Climbing Center

Stats
  • Wall square footage: 11,500 sq. feet textured climbing surface.
  • Height: 25–45 feet.
  • Bouldering, top roping, lead climbing—wide variety of terrain, cracks and overhangs.
  • Host of four national youth competitions and local competitions.
  • Other amenities: full service restaurant and bar; childcare available at a small additional charge.
  • Hours: M-F 6 a.m.–11 p.m., Sat 8 a.m.–8 p.m., Sun 8 a.m.–6 p.m.

Location/Info
18120 SW Lower Boones Ferry Road,
Tigard, OR.
clubsports.com/oregon/climbing-center

Rates
Day: $16

Punch pass: $99 (11-punch pass; no expiration)

Featuring a new name, ClubSport has been offering a state of the art climbing facility since the mid 1990s when it took over a space that was a former Costco store. During its long history, it has managed to create a consistent tradition of great route setting and programming. One common misconception about ClubSport is that you have to have a membership to climb there. The climbing center has an affordable day pass and a multi-punch card option which now features no expiration. Check out the rock gym’s new 360 cam tour on the website. 

The Circuit

Stats


  • Wall square footage: 10,000 sq. feet (SW), 14,000 sq. feet (NE), 19,000 sq. feet (Tigard).
  • Height: 14 feet (SW), 8–17 feet (NE), 14 feet (Tigard).
  • Bouldering.
  • Other amenities (varies by location): Training & fitness areas, slacklines, dedicated kids area, yoga.
  • Hours: varies by location.

Location/Info
NE: 410 NE 17th Ave., Portland, OR.
SW: 6050 SW Macadam, Ave., Portland, OR.
Tigard: 16255 SW Upper Boones Ferry Road, Tigard, OR.
thecircuitgym.com

Rates
  • Day: $14/$12 student
  • Month: $67/$57 student/$137 family of three; with EFT contract (11-month minimum) $57/$47 student/$117 family of three
  • Punch pass: $112/$96 student (10 punch pass, no expiration)
  • Annual prepaid: $579/$479 student

Planet Granite


Stats


  • Wall square footage: 30,500 sq. feet; 18,000 holds
  • 150+ routes, 200+ boulder problems
  • 18 cracks (4 adjustable)
  • Height: 55-foot roped walls; 18-foot ball boulder.
  • Other amenities: Two yoga and fitness studios, two comprehensive training areas, one bouldering ramp, showers/towels, lockers, dry sauna.
  • Hours: M-F 6 a.m.–11 p.m., Sat 8 a.m.–8 p.m., Sun 8 a.m.–6 p.m.

Location/Info
1405 NW 14th Ave., Portland, OR.
planetgranite.com/locations/portland/pdx_faq.php

Rates
  • Day: $18/$14 student/$12 child
  • Morning pass: $14
  • Month: $77/$62 student/$120 family of two
  • Punch pass: $165, 10-punch
  • Annual: $847/$682 student/$1,320 family of two

Planet Granite was founded in the Bay Area in 1994 as an elite training facility for climbers at a time when few other such businesses existed. It started simply as an idea that climbers, this small fringe group of athletes, deserved a world-class facility with sport specific training including climbing, yoga and fitness. Our founder, Micky Lloyd, was among the first to design and build climbing specific training tools like hydraulically operable walls and adjustable cracks. 

In the 20 years since we opened, Planet Granite has grown to become a place not only used by some of the best climbers in the world to train, but also a place to introduce beginners to a sport we love. 

The new Portland facility features 20,000 square feet of custom Walltopia designs for roped climbing up to 55 feet high, including 18 cracks, four of which are hydraulically adjustable. The bouldering area includes 10,000 square feet of Walltopia’s signature 3D walls and 18-foot high ball bouldering. 

Two yoga and fitness studios in the facility will host a suite of studio-quality classes. Furthermore, a comprehensive training area, for both climbers and functional fitness enthusiasts alike, offers everything from Olympic weight lifting equipment to a variety of climbing specific tools such as an adjustable systems board and the Atomik Bombs.

Portland Rock Gym (PRG)


Stats

  • Wall square footage: 15,000 sq. feet; 
  • Up to 120 routes (60 lead, 60 top-rope)
  • Height: 40-foot top rope and lead walls
  • 150–180 boulder problems
  • Other amenities: Five True Blue auto-belay systems, Finger and System Boards, Pro Shop, Weight Room, Cardio Machines, Yoga Classes
  • Hours: M/W/F 11 a.m.–11 p.m., T/TH 7 a.m.-11 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m.–9 p.m., Sun. 9 a.m.–6 p.m.

Location/Info
21 NE 12th Ave., Portland, OR. 
portlandrockgym.com

Rates
  • Day: $15/$13 student/military
  • Day Pre-3 p.m. (M–F only): $10
  • Month: $63/$52 w/ annual contract or for students/$43 student w/ annual contract/$150 family of three
  • Punch pass: $135 (10-punch pass; 1–year expiration)
  • Annual prepaid: $572/$1276 families of three/$473 student/military


Founded by owner Gary Rall in 1988, the Portland Rock Gym is the second oldest indoor rock climbing gym in the country. With its mixture of rope climbing and bouldering, top-rope routes, and towering, overhanging lead walls, PRG offers a realistic climbing experience for beginning and experienced climbers alike. 

PRG continues to offer a world-class indoor climbing experience for beginning and experienced climbers alike. At any given time, you’ll find 150–180 boulder problems throughout the gym. There are approximately 60 lead and 60 top-rope lines allowing up to 120 routes at a given time.

Routes at PRG run the full gamut of grades. Currently, you’ll find most boulder problems in the V0-V6 range, and the majority of top-rope routes falling between 5.8 and 5.11-. Lead routes tend to average slightly higher. The variety of course setters and two month route rotation guarantee a positive experience no matter what your training goals. In addition, you’ll find a weight room, cardio machines, yoga classes, and various finger and system boards to round out your workout.

PRG has been a part of the Portland climbing community since it’s humble beginning back in 1988. Much of this success is due to the accessibility of PRG and the beginner-friendly atmosphere. We love being a part of Portland and sharing the positive benefits and fun of climbing with everyone. PRG has been locally owned and operated throughout its existence and plans to remain in Portland for many years to come. 




The Source



Stats

  • Wall Square footage: 6,200 sq feet
  • 68 routes, 34 top rope and lead lanes, 60+ boulder problems
  • Height: 36-foot top rope and lead, 20-foot youth wall, 14-foot bouldering, 10-foot youth bouldering
  • Other amenities: Autobelays, fully air-conditioned, warm-up mezzanine, student and family discounts, classes for every age and ability. 
  • Hours: M-F 11 a.m.–10 p.m., Sat 9 a.m.–9 p.m., Sun 9 a.m.–6 p.m.

Location/Info
1118 Main Street, Vancouver, WA.
sourceclimbing.com

Rates
  • Day: $12 
  • Month: $55/$46 EFT with $27 start up fee (no contract or cancellation fees; option to freeze)
  • Punch Pass: $96, 10-punch
  • Annual Prep-Paid: $472


Climbers go to the Source for great route-setting and friendly staff with flexible membership options in a clean, well-lit facility. The routes are set by active local climbers with as much as 30 years of outdoor climbing experience. The rates are affordable, and there are no cancellation fees or expiration dates. The community welcomes every climber, so don’t be surprised if they remember your name on your second visit. The Source is a sleek, modern facility you will enjoy climbing in. Consider a membership if you live/work in Vancouver, Camas, or north Portland. Otherwise, take advantage of the affordable 10-punch pass with no expiration date or sign up for one of our classes and clinics. The Source is located on Main Street in Vancouver only 15 minutes from downtown Portland, making it a great option for those needing a change of scene from their regular gym. 

Stoneworks

Stats
  • Height: 20–34 feet
  • Top route options include five auto belays, and eight manual belay.

Location/Info
6775 SW 111th Ave., Beaverton, OR.
belay.com

Rates
  • Day: $11/$10 college student
  • Month: $46/$40 college student
  • Punch pass: $40 5-punch; $68 10–punch (exp. 90 days)


An all-in-one climbing gym, Stoneworks has been open for climbers since 1993. We boast amazing lead terrain on our 34-foot walls that includes a 25-foot lead arch and a free hanging stalactite. Our top rope walls range in height from 34 feet to 20 feet and include five auto-belays and eight manual top roping stations, allowing everyone to try our naturally textured walls, hand cracks, and chimneys. 

The bouldering landscape incorporates a cave, an expansive roof section, a top-out boulder, and three high-ball areas, the newest of which takes boulderers 20 feet above our customized, three-foot padded flooring. 

We offer introductory belay, sport, and trad-climbing classes that will allow all climbers to make the shift from indoors to outdoors safely. Our newest additions, a café and Anti-Gravity Climbing Gear Store, will open in late fall. Come join the great community of friends and family who promote a fun and helping atmosphere. Enjoy, climb, and make new friends!




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CISM Team in Nepal: Thame

by Marina Wynton
The village of Thame.
Thame is a small Sherpa village in Namche VDC of the Solukhumbu District in Nepal. Thame is one of  the last year-round villages on the salt trading route that existed between Tibet, Nepal and India. It is the home to many famous Sherpa mountaineers, including Apa Sherpa, who holds the world record for summiting Everest 21 times. It was also a childhood home of Tenzing Norgay, who was (with Sir Edmund Hillary) one of the first men to climb Mt. Everest. The Thame monastery is one of the oldest in the Khumbu region, and is famous for the annual Mani Rimdu festival.
On the second day of our visit to Thame a woman arrived in the morning to see us as we were getting ready to depart.  Dave Morton with the Juniper Fund had visited her recently and told her we would be visiting.  She traveled an hour and a half on foot from Tarnaga – a small remote village beyond Thame.  Drew and I met with her for about an hour, sitting in the sun on a stone bench, with a glorious view of the mountains shown in the photo.  Her husband, Dorje Sherpa had been a guide for Alpine Ascents International and died on Everest in the avalanche April 2014.  They had four children together, ages 6, 8, 10, 15.  By the time we had met with her, she had received the first of five annual payments from the Juniper Fund, via Dave Morton.  The payments are meant as replacement for lost salary. Her children’s education is covered by the Sherpa Education Fund which finances education for Sherpa students who come from the rural, mountainous areas that surround Mt. Everest in Nepal. “It is the hope of the Sherpa Education Fund and its sponsors that through education, these students will enhance their communities by sharing knowledge and generating resources in the future.” -quoted from Alpine Ascent web page.  Since her children are all in school in Katmandu, she lives alone now.  She spends her days tending the communal garden with neighbors and her yak herd.  She makes extra money renting yaks out to spring mountaineering expeditions. 
Thame in the snow.

It had been several months since the death of her husband by the time of our meeting. She reported feeling very sad and lonely after the death of her husband.  She is able to be with her neighbors during the day, but spends nights alone. This woman is in better financial shape than most Everest Sherpa widows since she is the beneficiary of her husband’s will.  In addition to the Juniper Fund support, she and her children are supported by Alpine Ascents through an insurance policy and the education fund.  Our main concern for her is that she is alone a lot of the time in a remote village. We were able to offer her information about self care when suffering trauma.  Unfortunately she has no access to mental health care and very limited access to health care in general, so monitoring her progress, ongoing support or follow up is next to impossible.  We encouraged her to spend time with friends, neighbors and family as much as possible and seek care at the medical clinic if her depression didn’t lift fairly soon. We hope to have a visit with her again next year to check in to see how she’s doing.  She expressed much gratitude for our visit.  Thankful that we had traveled so far to see her and provide support.

Thank you!

The CISM Committee and the Mazamas would like to thank the many wonderful sponsors and donors that help make this trip possible. Thanks go to:

  • Alex Lowe Charitable Foundation
  • Lhakpa Gelu Foundation
  • CAMP
  • Cassin
  • Mountain Hardwear
  • Base Camp Brewing Company
  • Columbia Sportswear
  • The Mountain Shop
  • Mazama Members
  • Petzl
  • Sterling Rope
  • Karma Cafe & Coffee Shop
  • Individual donations from Mazama members
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CISM Team in Nepal

Dudh Koshi River – Ama Dablam in view.

Mazamas Travel to the Khumbu Region to Provide Support to Sherpas Affected by the Everest Tragedy 

Marina Wynton Sat down for an interview after the Critical Incident Stress Management trip to Nepal to share her story.

Note: The CISM team decided to regard all “debriefings” in Nepal with the same ethics as any other.  All meetings are strictly confidential and no notes are taken. This report mentions several names, but not details of each case.

How did this trip come together? 

Last spring Conrad Anker and Lee Davis were talking by phone about the tragic deaths of 16 Sherpa guides in the April avalanche on Mt. Everest. Conrad talked about how the families of those who died were affected: grieving from the loss of husbands, future husbands, fathers, uncles, brothers, cousins, friends. Lee mentioned that when traumatic events occur in outdoor activities Mazama members can work with the Critical Incident Stress Management team to sort through the incident and trauma that may have occurred. Conrad wondered if the Mazamas could send someone to Nepal to offer emotional support to the families.

 An elderly Sherpa woman in Lukla.

What was the purpose/goal of this trip?

The purpose of the trip was to provide emotional support to families of the deceased. We were very aware that Nepalese people experience and manage grief and the loss of a loved one in a very different way than we do. In preparation we met with many local (Portland) Sherpa people several times who were invaluable in working with us to help us understand the Sherpa culture, what issues people were facing and the state of mountaineering in Nepal from the Sherpa perspective. We went to Nepal with the intent to provide an opportunity for people to tell us their stories, and to listen well and offer support in ways that would work for them. Bob Peirce, a former trekking guide in Nepal, was also very helpful to us and supportive of our efforts.

Who was a part of the CISM Team? 

Mazama CISM team members were Katie Foehl, Drew Prochniak (licensed psychologist) and Marina Wynton. Mike Pajunas, invited by Jenni Anker to work on the Khumbu Climbing Center under construction in Phortse, also accompanied the team. Jiban Ghimire, owner of Shangri-La Nepal
developed our itinerary in Nepal and was an essential component in the success of the trip and helping us through logistics. We traveled with two Nepali guides, Karki and Kami, and two porters, Depok and Lhakpha. Our guides really made the trip happen for us, taking care of all kinds of logistics, medical problems, arranging lodging, locating families, and translating. Chhongba Sherpa, a good friend of Jenni’s, acted as a translator and also helped to spread the word in the Khumbu region of our arrival and nature of our visit. Dave Morton, Alpine Ascents guide and Juniper Fund founder, also helped with preparing the families for our visits.

Phortse – Khumbu Climbing Center in construction.

When did this trip take place? 

We arrived in Katmandu on Oct. 25 and spent a few days there before flying on to Lukla to begin trekking on Oct 27. Mike and I returned to Katmandu on Nov. 13 and were back in Portland on Nov. 18.

What route did you take? 

From Katmandu we flew to Lukla, and from there we began trekking. Our route was: Lukla to Phakding to Namche Bazar to Thamo to Thame to Thamo to Khumjung to Phortse to Dingboche (Tengboche Monestary) to Pangboche to Namche Bazar to Phadking to Lukla to Katmandu.

Our first meeting was in Katmandu with several family members. Chhongba Sherpa translated. We started the trek in the Khumbu from Lukla, arriving in Phakding the first day and Namche Bazar the second day. There Drew and I met with four women whose husbands died on Everest. Sherap Jangbu Sherpa, owner of the Panorama Lodge translated. The day after Mike departed for Phortse while Katie, Drew and I went in the opposite direction to Thamo. In Thamo we met with Ang Riku the wife of the cook who died on Everest. Ang Riku runs a teahouse in Thamo and gave us a delicious meal of Sherpa stew and lemon tea. Our next stop that day was Thame.

Namche Bazar, Drew & guide Karki.

Two women traveled some miles to meet us in Thame to share their stories. We also visited the school in Thame and left crayons and toothbrushes with the teachers, and children’s books in the Magic Yeti Library.

Up to this point Katie had been struggling with a cold and in Thame become so ill that we made the decision to send her back to Katmandu. Drew and I went on with one guide and one porter back through Thamo.

When we arrived in Thamo, Ang Riku was holding a puja ceremony in her tea house to honor her husband. Llamas perform the all day ceremony chanting, praying, meditating, drumming and blowing horns. After lunch there, we traveled on to Khumjung, the location of an airport, hospital and a private high school.

So far the weather in the Khumbu had been brilliant—sunshine, very clear and cold—with gorgeous mountain, river and valley views, and beautiful sunsets. As we descended into Khumjung the weather changed quickly to very foggy and cold.

We left early the next morning for Phortse. Phortse is a very, small remote farming village with especially beautiful views of Cho Oyu, and Khumbi Yul Lha Mts. The Khumbu Climbing School is held here every year with the support of two lodges adjacent to the building site. The lodges have donated the land for the climbing school in construction. Drew left the next day to return to Katmandu and then travel to Iceland. Mike had a few more days of work on the building to complete, so I busied myself with walks around the village to the monestary, the school library, and through the yak grazing fields; doing laundry, catching up on reading and writing.

Suspension bridge.

The group was now down to Mike and I and our guide, Karki and porter, Depok. Our next destination was to attend the Mani Rimdu festival at Tengboche Monastary.

We spent two nights in Dingboche, a small village along a river a short walk away from the monastary. We then moved on to Pangboche where Karki, acting as translator, and I, met with two women on the back porch of our teahouse. Ama Dablam base camp is a three-hour walk from Pangboche, so we saw many trekkers coming and going. The view of Ama Dablam from Pangboche is spectacular, especially in the evening alpenglow.

From Pangboche we started our return trek with stops in Namche Bazar, Phadking, Lukla and back to Katmandu.

What was the reality of the trip vs. the intended purpose?

By the time we arrived to visit with most people, Dave Morton from The Juniper Fund had already visited. (See the Juniper Fund website for a detailed description of their work). The Juniper Fund provides monetary support to each family that will continue for the next four years. So when we arrived the families had received the first payment. We were able to work off that saying that we were friends of Dave’s and want to see how you are doing. Everyone was very thankful to have an opportunity to talk with us. And so grateful that we had traveled so far to support them. The intention was to see how we could help people and then try to do that.

Mike & Lhakpa Dorji, Phortse.

What did you take away from this experience?

It’s hard to adequately describe what we took away from this experience. A few thoughts:

  • The Sherpa are a strong and beautiful people. 
  • Tourism is quickly eroding the culture and the environment.
  • As a result of the exposure to western culture, people are giving up on an ancient way of life. 
  • Mountaineering in Nepal is devastating the male population and contributing to the erosion of the culture.
  • The Nepali government is in extreme disarray and is not advocating for the Nepali people. 

On the flip side of the equation: ethical tourism, ethical mountaineering could shine a light on the issues and that this create positive changes.

I think the more eyes on all these problems means more exposure of the problems and can contribute to positive changes.

One of the best ways we can support the Sherpa people in the Khumbu is to support their communities, schools, monasteries and medical facilities.

Mongla, 13,500 ft. Marina & Drew

Do you feel the Mazamas met the intended purpose of the trip?

Very much. We were able to provide direct support to the all the people we intended and more. Sherpa deaths will continue. We have begun an important effort that we hope to continue and evolve as we get to know them better.

One important thing to note is that many people and organizations came together to make this effort, this trip, happen. We all share a common goal to improve life for the Nepali people in the Khumbu. I’m hopeful that we will continue to work together.

Overall, do you feel as though this trip was valuable? To whom?

From my perspective everyone involved has benefited. We are so fortunate to be in a position to offer aide to the Sherpa. I would love to hear how each person involved would answer that question.

Personally, I am so honored that I was able to sit with people and hear their stories; it was very moving. What a simple and humane thing it is to sit and listen and be present for another person. This cuts across all cultural divisions. I arrived home with a deep sense of gratitude for my life, my family and friends and my freedom. And ready to get busy with figuring out what’s next.

Thank you!

The CISM Committee and the Mazamas would like to thank the many wonderful sponsors and donors that help make this trip possible. Thanks go to:

  • Alex Lowe Charitable Foundation
  • Lhakpa Gelu Foundation
  • CAMP
  • Cassin
  • Mountain Hardwear
  • Base Camp Brewing Company
  • Columbia Sportswear
  • The Mountain Shop
  • Mazama Members
  • Petzl
  • Sterling Rope
  • Karma Cafe & Coffee Shop
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Video of the Month – December

Passing a Knot on Rappel

Darrell Weston presents this useful video that provides instruction on passing a knot while rappelling.  If you have to rappel on a rope that contains a knot (could be that a cut rope has been tied back together), Darrell shows you how to safely bypass the knot while hanging free.  Please contribute your video to our Video of the Month feature, by emailing us the url.

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This Land is Your Land … Love It, Protect It

by Adam Baylor, Mazamas Stewardship and Communication Manager

Do the immortal words of Woody Guthrie resonant clearly with today’s mountaineers, rock climbers, paddlers, mountain bikers and backcountry skiers? The North Face’s latest ad stirs intense feelings about our recreation experiences and should pose some serious questions about our public lands.

As Mazamas, we have a mission to teach people the art of mountaineering and to help them protect the mountains. That’s been our way of life for 120 years! More than 40 years before Woody’s iconic anthem was even written. Of course, many things on the landscape have changed especially recreation access and the conservation movement. That’s why it’s important for Mazamas to continue to lead the way in getting more people outdoors and protecting the environment.

To make sure we are engaged in this bifurcated mission and considering federal law making that impacts a great swath of Oregon lands, Mazamas and the Outdoor Alliance sent a group of outdoor recreation leaders to Washington, D.C., for the 2014 Advocacy Summit. We met with members of Congress to talk about barriers to access and plans for conservation. We also spoke with federal agency officials at the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and the Department of Interior.

Oftentimes, I hear our members talk about how federal lawmakers do not hear enough about our interests for too many reasons such as lack of engagement on issues (outreach), public understanding of issues (education), and turnover in Congress coupled with general apathy toward government.

These reasons pose a real threat to our mission and we’re not alone. If we fail to engage in the federal process then our activities on federal lands will be impacted. Examples can be seen in the hundreds of outdoor programs in Oregon and Washington that cannot obtain recreation permits to run classes outdoors. Mazamas is in a good position because of our legacy on Mt. Hood but recreation permitting impacts us financially and will change as we continue to expand our membership.

Another example is through increased recreation fees on federal lands. We continue to experience this process of charging more for recreation access with little to no improvements of the national trail system. The burden keeps shifting to groups like the Mazamas to keep trails in shape. Federal recreation budgets need to be examined and scrutinized in order to create streamlined access to the outdoors especially for young, underserved citizens.

Last year was marked by very significant milestones for recreation and conservation. Not only did we celebrate the Wilderness Act’s 50th anniversary but our dysfunctional Congress actually passed the largest piece of public lands legislation since 2009. Check out NDAA and the public lands protection package for more info.

We also voted in the 2014 Midterm elections as a country in support of conservation efforts through various ballot measures. Here in Portland we approved a multi-million dollar bond measure to support our park system. It seems that the tide is slowly turning in favor of recreation and conservation but is that accurate?

Many people in Washington, D.C., think that any similar conservation action in the next few years is futile. I disagree and I hope Mazamas do too. We have some serious opportunities in Oregon to bring new people to the art of mountaineering, rock climbing and hiking as well as to protect the mountain environments.

How will we do that? We can look to the organizing efforts that the Mazamas have been involved with for decades. But most recently, we’ve worked with the Outdoor Alliance to unify the voices of climbers, hikers, paddlers, mountain bikers and backcountry skiers to promote and protect the human-powered recreation experience and the protection of public lands. This alliance brings together some of the nation’s top outdoor program leaders and conservationists to engage in the issues important to our members. Together we can keep a seat at the table and ensure our plans are successfully implemented.

Our latest strategic plan puts great importance on figuring out how our members can become more engaged in recreation and conservation public policy. We often talk about and take action on things like recreation permits and fees, lack of public participation in forest planning, threats to our ecosystems and watersheds. But we want to do more.

So as we hear those celebrated words of Woody Guthrie, we may realize that the crux has always been the same. To make things better for climbers and hikers, for example, we need to be engaged and organized around the issues. But that takes a great deal of time and resources which for many nonprofits are generally scarce. Streamlining that process through a partnership with the Outdoor Alliance is one way to achieve our goals. To learn more and to get involved in recreation access and conservation, email adam@mazamas.org.

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A Mazama Encounter … Pre-Wild

by Richard Getgen

Richard Getgen with Mt. McLoughlin & Devil’s Peak. 1995.
On December 12 the movie Wild will arrive in theaters in Portland, with Reese Witherspoon playing
a 26-year-old novice PCT hiker named Cheryl Strayed. My wife and I are
wondering, who, if anyone, will be playing us in the movie.  In the book,
Cheryl mentions “encountering a group of backpackers and hikers” as she enters
the Sky Lake Wilderness. That group was Billie Goodwin, Tom Cawi, John
Harmon, Judith Salter, and Richard & Carol Getgen.
John Harmon, Billie Goodwin, unknown, Judith Salter & Tom
Cawi at Crater Lake. 1995.
Billie
Goodwin and I were leading an eight-day Mazama Outing from the rim of Crater
Lake to the south end of Brown Mountain along the PCT.  A foot problem
kept Billie from walking most of the route, so she and Judith spent a week in
the Klamath Falls area while I led Tom and John through the wilderness. 
The five of us met-up on the trail at the south end of the wilderness. 
Billie convinced us to set up camp at Fourmile Lake.  While at Lake of
the Woods, enjoying a hamburger (fine cuisine after a week of freeze-dried
meals), Billie came across a solo backpacker looking for a place to pitch her
tent, and Billie invited her to join our group for the night.  This young
woman was Cheryl Strayed.
Like
many long-distance hikers, Cheryl was “writing a book” of her adventures, and I
had long-since forgotten her plans to capture her trek on paper. 
Seventeen years passed.  When I read Wild a couple of years ago, I got
goosebumps when I realized that her walk coincided with the 1995 outing Billie
and I had led. I immediately went to my hiking journal to see if Cheryl
Strayed was indeed the same woman who shared a campsite with us at Fourmile
Lake all those years ago.
From
my journal of August 1995:
Judith Salter & Tom Cawi at Brown Mountain. 1995.
“The
sun evaporated the clouds late in the afternoon.  This meant a cold
evening (twenty-six degrees).  We gather firewood in an effort to make it
through the evening in comfort.  Our five some was increased by one when a
PCT hiker named Cheryl joined us.  Cheryl had started in the Sierra-Nevada
Mountains and was hiking 1,300 miles to Portland by herself at an average of
twenty miles each day.  She had been cold for the last two weeks due to
the unseasonable ‘fall weather’.” 
I
had a habit of getting out of the tent at sunrise each morning, and on the
frosty morning which Cheryl mentions in her book as being 26 degrees is a quote
from Carol and me.  I promptly started a campfire to thaw-out my stiff
muscles, at which time Carol drove into the campground to join the group. 
(I had telephoned Carol the previous afternoon from Lake of the Woods , and she
drove through the night.)  Carol told me that the radio broadcast had said
it was 26 degrees, and later when Cheryl crept out of her tent she asked me if
I knew how cold it was.
Billie Goodwin in the Sky Lakes Wilderness. 1995.
My
chivalrous act of building a fire on this icy cold morning did not make the
book, but the conversation about the weather did.  It gives me a warm
feeling to know that I am mentioned (not by name) in a New York bestseller,
doing what I like doing most in life: hiking.
After
breakfast that morning, Cheryl continued north toward Woodpecker and Badger
Lakes , and our group walked south along the shoulder of Mt. McLoughlin and
across the lava-strewn mass of Brown Mountain.  That was the last we saw
or heard of her until reading the book.
At
the time, this was not a “meet someone famous” encounter for the group. Cheryl was just another hiker on the trail. The previous night, a
thru-hiker named Trapper camped with us, sharing our campfire. The next
year, when I walked with Billie through the section of trail she had missed in
1995, a woman named Curly camped with us at Red Lake. Billie met Curley
at Cascade Locks a few weeks later, and received a letter from Curly after she
reached Canada.  Cheryl was the only one of us to get published.
In
1995, Billie Goodwin and I were the most-active Mazama hike leaders. Billie and I are still the all-time most-active male and female Mazama hike
leaders.  Billie has led 632 hikes for the Mazamas and I have led 1,071
hikes.

Reese Witherspoon and Laura Dern will be in Portland on Dec. 8 at premiere of Wild (admission to this screening is by invitiation only). They will be joined by Cheryl Strayed. More info on Oregon Live.
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Beacon Rock & Mazamas: A Century Old Trip Report

by Adam Baylor


100 years ago, there was no paved trail to the top. No metal handrail to keep you from the edge. Highway 14 did not exist. Pioneers on horseback passed by the rock instead of logging trucks and tourists in electric cars. Beacon Rock State Park would not exist for another couple decades and only iron spikes and hemp rope protected what is today considered a technical route.


If we look back one century ago, we find a team of intrepid climbers looking up at the northwest face of Beacon Rock. They made the 2nd ascent of what is known as the Spike Route. This month on October 11th, we can celebrate the 3rd major ascent of Beacon Rock by the Mazamas. 47 of them to be exact.

Their adventure was recorded in the December 1914 edition of the Mazama: A Record of Mountaineering in the Pacific Northwest (Volume IV, Number 3, pages 93-94), by C. W. Howard. The story told is of the Spike Route but also of the first ascent of Beacon Rock as well as a fascinating Native American legend.

View showing east face. Photo: C.W. Howard.

We provide a selection of that record of mountaineering by Howard below. An original and complete version of this trip report can be found as always in the Mazama Library but also at the Beacon Rock State Park library as a donation by the Mazamas and the Beacon Rock Climbing Association.


The west side. Photo
C. W. Howard.

“Castle Rock” by C.W. Howard, 1914 (the name changed to Beacon Rock eventually):

Since 1901 a few small parties have succeeded in climbing to the summit of Castle Rock. A party of Mazamas, under Mr. Benefiel, made the climb in 1912, but on October 11th, 1914, the Mazamas made an official climb of the rock and 47 persons reached the summit, this being by far the largest party which has ever stood on its summit at one time. Mr. E. C. Sammons was the leader of the party and to make sure that everything would be in readiness for the main climb, he made a preliminary trip two weeks before. Mrs. C. E. Dillinger, better known to the Mazamas as “Auntie”; Miss Anne Dillinger, Sammons and the writer made up the party. We left Portland on October 3, arriving at Butler at 7:30 P. M. Here we left the train and with somewhat heavy packs hiked about two and one-half miles to our camping place on a small creek about a quarter of a mile from the base of the rock. This was a perfect location for a small camp we soon had a good fire burning and then “Auntie” toasted pumpernickel and prepared beef bouillon — a delicious repast before retiring.

After an early breakfast Miss Dillinger, Sammons and I started the climb, leaving “Auntie” to guard camp and to have dinner prepared for us when we returned. With little difficulty we found the dim trail up the west side of the rock, this being the only practical route to the top. When you stand near the base of Castle Rock and, looking upward, have the trail pointed out to you, you little wonder that was long thought to be an impossible climb. The rock overhangs in places and the rest of the way is just about perpendicular. It is only by working back and forth along the narrow ledges and occasionally pulling yourself up sheer faces of rock by means of the scant shrubbery or a tuft of grass (and sometimes with your nose and eyebrows) that your are able to reach the top.

Mazama Member John Meckel on the Spike Route.
Photo: Jeff Thomas
The most difficult part of the climb is met when about half way up the rock, or about 600 feet above the ground. Here the trail ends at the bottom of a chimney leading to the base of a bald face of rock about 60 feet high and entirely devoid of vegetation.  There are no crevices for hand or foot holds, and to negotiate this chimney and rock face the first climbers had drilled holes and set some iron spikes, by which one could pull himself up. A rope was afterward hung from above. On our reconnoitering trip we found that some of the spikes had become loose enough to become dangerous and that the permanent rope was badly rotted. We stopped here long enough to re-drill the old holes and set in a few additional pins. We also hung a new 70-foot 1-inch rope to replace the old one. Setting the pins on this place was adventuresome work. First Sammons and then myself took turns at it, being suspended in mid-air, as it were, by a painter’s noose made in the large rope. Hanging over the wall added zest to the sport, but I was glad that the rope was new and in perfect condition.
Photo: Jeff Thomas


This dangerous place once surmounted, the balance of the climb is made without especial difficulty, though one must constantly be on the alert for falling rocks and lest he made a misstep, any one of which might prove fatal. We remained on the summit long enough to take a few photographs and then retraced our steps. When we had dropped down off the rock face and through the narrow chimney Sammons, who was in the lead, threw his weight on a dead fir tree, about 6 inches in diameter, to let himself down to a lower ledge of rock. The tree, which had nearly rotted through at the base, snapped under the extra weight and went down with Sammons, while Miss Dillinger and I held our breaths in horror. It was only rare presence of mind and a skillful twist of his body that enabled him to throw himself inward, while falling, onto the first ledge of rock about 8 feet below. He landed in a heap with his feet hanging over a sheer precipice of about 200 feet.

View looking from the summit of Castle
Rock. Photo: H. J. Thorne

On the official climb two weeks later, because of the large number of women who were inexperienced in difficult rock climbing, our leader, Mr. Sammons, hung a number of ropes over the more dangerous places. This proved a wise precaution, for the rains of the week before had made the footing most unsatisfactory, especially where there was a scum of earth and decayed leaves on the sharply sloping basalt ledges. In the main climb one or two persons were struck by small rocks dislodged by the climbers above, but otherwise what is probably one of the most ambitious climbs on the “Local Walks” schedule of the Mazamas came off successfully and with credit to the organization. An official Mazama record box and register were left on the summit.


The owners of Castle Rock contemplate blasting a winding horse trail to the summit, that tourists may have the advantage of that most wonderful view of the Columbia River. The view from the rock is magnificent, one being able to see for miles up and down the Columbia River gorge.

Those who made the official Mazama climb were: R. W. Ayer, C. E. Blakney, H. G. Burco, L. F. Buck, T. R. Conway, William Clarke, Geraldine Coursen, A. M. Churchill, Lella L. Dean, L. P. Dellaire, Edith Ellis, Pearl Ellis, F. J. Glover, Charlotte M. Harris, Pearl Harnois, A. R. Hine, R. W. Heston, R. T. Johnstone, D. M. G. Kerr, Joseph Lind, P. C. Lind, D. G. Lebb, Dr. C. V. Luther, F. P. Luetters, Edith Moore, R. W. Montague, Caroline Montague, Martha Nilsson, Anna D. Nickell, P. G. Payton, E. F. Peterson, Arthur Peterson, Florence Prevost, John Pauer, George X. Riddell, Osmon Royal, C. W. Roblin, Rhoda Ross, Lena Searing, Georgia Smedly, George F. Scott, J. C. Sharp, C. J. Sieberts, H. J. Thorne, A. B. Williams, Louis Waldorf and E. C. Sammons, leader of the expedition.