Construction, Day 36 : Fireworks

We've been anxiously awaiting this day for quite a while here at the BWAMM. The beam--the really big beam that seems to be holding up part of the ceiling, and the floor of the auditorium above--has begun to come down, in pieces.

The previous post illustrates the work that went into crafting a new steel structure meant to take the place of this old, riveted beam. But at 150 pounds a linear foot, we knew the removal of this big beam would serve as a distraction for days. And distract it did. From the cascading sparks of the oxyacetylene torches, to the wobbling scaffolding that shivered under the weight of these hefty pieces of metal, the past two days have been entertaining to say the least.

But what a view we will have once it is finally gone and the mezzanine is put into place.

Check out these images and let us know how we're doing. Comments are always welcome. Just click the link below.

Construction, Day 31 : Heavy Metal

It's getting serious here at the BWAMM; men with dark helmets and bright fire have arrived. They are playing with steel, erecting the supports and installing the new beam which will replace the old brick and steel structure that would otherwise impede the view from the mezzanine. They are cutting, lifting, welding, grunting--doing everything it takes to install these beams. They are, in fact, 33 pounds per foot and no less than 20 feet long.

Here we give you some of our favorite images from their play with fire and light.

Upcoming Event: Brotherhood of the Rope

The Event: This free event will see the launch of Bernadette McDonald's biography of Charles Houston entitled "Brotherhood of the Rope." Charles Houston was the leader of the heroic K2 expedition of 1953 and a pioneer researcher in the field of high-altitude medicine. The evening will include a reading and presentation by the author, a conversation with Dr. Houston, and a reception and book-signing.
Where: American Mountaineering Center, Foss Auditorium
When: May 24, 2007 7-9 pm
For more information: contact Barbara Lommen at 303.724.1670 or barbara.lommen@uchsc.edu

The BWAMM, along with the American Alpine Club, Colorado Mountain Club, The Mountaineers Books, and Altitude Research Center at the University of Colorado are sponsoring this event at the American Mountaineering Center on May 24th. Please join us for a very entertaining evening--and check out the progress on the new museum in person.

Construction, Day 27: From the Ground Up

The new concrete floor is now in place, smooth as can be. In less than a day we went from a wire mesh base to an inches-thick slab, courtesy of ABS Concrete. And for those who missed it, I'll now walk you through the process.

(1) Thick concrete was brought in by hose to the floor. I didn't bring my rubber boots so I left the trudging to the experts. Notice the wire mesh that was put down before pouring began. (2) Everything from two-by-fours to shovels were used to smooth out the thick stuff. (3) Then the "super-long smoothing device" (ed.) was used to bring a smoothness to the surface layer. (4) Finally, it came down to working on hands and knees, literally sliding across the surface of the already hardening concrete, to put the finishing touches on the floor.

Too bad it will all get covered up.

Fab Pics!

We've got fab pics! As in pictures of fabrication, courtesy of the production team at Quatrefoil.

Kristy Judd, executive director of the Colorado Mountain Club, has said "If you love something long enough, it becomes real." Well, the construction is well under way and fabrication has begun. Soon, the two elements will converge and--Voila!--we'll have ourselves a museum. A real, honest-to-goodness museum. See here: