tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67964513262341970582024-03-05T04:34:22.691-07:00The Blog of the Bradford Washburn American Mountaineering MuseumMountainWorldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06329495994105473192noreply@blogger.comBlogger104125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6796451326234197058.post-55139826343623572602011-06-03T14:01:00.006-06:002011-06-03T14:23:13.856-06:00Museum features artwork by plein air artist Joe Arnold<div style="text-align: left;">Through July 15th, the American Mountaineering Museum will exhibit five breathtaking mountaintop paintings by Wyoming artist Joe Arnold.</div><div><br /></div>Spanning over 6 feet wide, these large-scale pastel and oil panoramas portray the grandeur of each scene, several of which were inspired by Wyoming’s Teton Range. Arnold’s “Upper Saddle View, the Grand Teton” (pictured below) and “Above Middle Teton Glacier” paintings, both measuring 4.5 feet by 6 feet, will frame the Museum’s mezzanine entrance.<div><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 292px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3_GJtfaa99Q/Tek-CrrEWuI/AAAAAAAAAA8/lDuwWEK7J_U/s400/IMG_4094.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5614086626298059490" /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>As an avid rock and mountain climber, Arnold has used his passion for heights to capture some of the most unique and dramatic landscapes. His many high altitude paintings have earned him a reputation as the "plein air artist of thin air." Arnold uses pastel studies and photographs from his trips as a reference for the larger oils, which are completed in his studio.<br /><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SycNVKQARFk/TelBMACTe4I/AAAAAAAAABE/wDg3gPs5WzE/s400/IMG_4099.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5614090084917934978" /><br /></div><div>The artwork will be on display six days a week during regular <a href="http://www.mountaineeringmuseum.org/visit.php?id=Hours">Museum hours</a>. Admission is $5 for adults, $1 for children under 12 and $3 for all <a href="http://www.americanalpineclub.org/">American Alpine Club</a> and <a href="http://www.cmc.org/">Colorado Mountain Club</a> members.<br /><br />The Bradford Washburn American Mountaineering Museum is located at 710 10th Street in downtown Golden.<br /><br />If you would like to be considered for an upcoming art, photography or informational exhibit, send an email to <a href="mailto: info@mountaineeringmuseum.org">info@mountaineeringmuseum.org</a>.<br /><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6796451326234197058.post-43412853034487918602011-04-13T10:34:00.003-06:002011-06-02T10:41:00.679-06:002011 Hall of Mountaineering Excellence Gala<div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold;">The 2011 Hall of Mountaineering Excellence Gala on April 9, 2011 was a sold out success! We raised over $15,000 for the Museum's programs, exhibits and educational outreach.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Visit our online album to see pictures from the event:<br /><a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.123996987674466.24891.110659965674835">2011 Gala Photo Album</a><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aUffssP38PE/Tee79rkqpBI/AAAAAAAAAA0/1uRtEQEdVEI/s1600/207974_123997047674460_110659965674835_170029_7903100_n.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aUffssP38PE/Tee79rkqpBI/AAAAAAAAAA0/1uRtEQEdVEI/s400/207974_123997047674460_110659965674835_170029_7903100_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5613662128883541010" border="0" /></a><br />Five American mountaineers were inducted and more than $15,000 was raised at the the 2011 Hall of Mountaineering Excellence Gala on April 9, 2011. This annual event, hosted by the American Mountaineering Museum, honors individuals who have excelled both on and off the mountain.<br /><br />This year's Gala celebrated the lives and achievements of Tom Hornbein & Willi Unsoeld of the legendary West Ridge ascent of Everest in 1963; rock climbing pioneer and prolific author, Royal Robbins; leader of "manless climbing," Miriam Underhill; and the unofficial world-record holder for first ascents, Fred Beckey. These five mountaineers joined the 2010 inductees -- Yvon Chouinard, Robert Craig, Robert Bates and Dr. Charles Houston -- in the Hall of Mountaineering Excellence.<br /><br />Thank you to our title sponsor, <a href="http://www.eddiebauer.com/home.jsp?siteId=2">Eddie Bauer's First Ascent</a>, and the following organizations who lent their support: Silver Oak Cellars, MillerCoors, Gourmet Fine Catering, Colorado Party Rentals, Alphagraphics, The Golden Hotel, Applejack, the Josh Filley Trio, and Haertlingawards.com.<br /><br />The 2012 Gala date will be announced late summer. To add your name to our Early Invite list, please send an email to <a href="mailto:%20info@mountaineeringmuseum.org">info@mountaineeringmuseum.com</a> with your name and mailing address.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6796451326234197058.post-83736281119299554272011-02-08T22:25:00.024-07:002011-02-09T15:08:04.274-07:00Jesse Crock & Thirsty 3rd Thursday<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BUxxP38MXQI/TVK-ewl6PUI/AAAAAAAAAAk/RRbFah93gXk/s1600/JesseCrockFlyerSmall.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 262px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BUxxP38MXQI/TVK-ewl6PUI/AAAAAAAAAAk/RRbFah93gXk/s400/JesseCrockFlyerSmall.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571725124659985730" border="0" /></a>We are thrilled to announce a new art exhibit at the American Mountaineering Museum, featuring artist <a href="http://www.jessecrockart.com/" target="_blank">Jesse Crock.</a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BUxxP38MXQI/TVIoebHOBHI/AAAAAAAAAAM/Wwlm0kik_KY/s1600/Jesse_Crock_BWAMM6.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 172px; height: 229px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BUxxP38MXQI/TVIoebHOBHI/AAAAAAAAAAM/Wwlm0kik_KY/s320/Jesse_Crock_BWAMM6.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571560192149947506" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Jesse is a Colorado based artist with a love for climbing and the outdoors. His acrylic paintings encompass the lifestyles of the outdoor community with the use of strong, vibrant colors and bold lines. Jesse is an art teacher and finds that he often connects his work with the playfulness of his students and is inspired by the energy they bring to the classroom.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">As an outdoor enthusiast, he loves to bring the viewer's eye to places that are not often painted. He attempts to abstract the subject and background so that they become interwoven together and reflect the bond the subject and environment share.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">His work has been commissioned for the Ouray Ice Climbing Festival and for the Moonlight Classic Bike Festival in Denver. You can also find his art featured in Rock and Ice Magazine for the Festival, Mountain Flyer Magazine, and Climbing Magazine for their 2009 Gear Guide.</span> (<a href="http://www.jessecrockart.com/" target="_blank">www.jessecrockart.com</a>)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_BUxxP38MXQI/TVLCBv-413I/AAAAAAAAAAs/nhDoGP0dKbc/s1600/Jesse_Crock_BWAMM0.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 298px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_BUxxP38MXQI/TVLCBv-413I/AAAAAAAAAAs/nhDoGP0dKbc/s400/Jesse_Crock_BWAMM0.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571729024326621042" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;">Check out Jesse's art at this month's </span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);font-size:100%;" >Thirsty 3rd Thursday, February 17th at 5:30pm</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">. </span>Enjoy $2 brews, live music and giveaways, along with free admission to the museum. This Thirsty 3rd Thursday will also celebrate the 3rd Anniversary of the American Mountaineering Museum, which opened on February 16th, 2008.</span><br /><br />We are thrilled to have Jesse's eye-catching work on display. Drop by and check it out for yourself. And if you fall in love with a piece (which you probably will), all pieces are for sale and a portion of the proceeds go to benefit the Museum.<br /><br />Visit <a href="http://www.mountaineeringmuseum.org/">www.mountaineeringmuseum.org </a>for up-to-date information on hours, events, and exhibits.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6796451326234197058.post-9089551043655914672010-11-11T18:52:00.002-07:002010-11-11T18:58:54.268-07:00The Categorical Ten<em>Another peak experience by <a href="http://www.marthaperantoni.com">Martha Perantoni</a></em><br /><br />I read with dismay another rescue of another ill-prepared hiker on another 14er last week. A party of hikers headed up Quandary, beginning at 11 AM, and while the majority of the party decided not to continue beyond a certain point, one young man went on ahead to the summit. Descending into nighttime, his headlamp ran out of battery power. When he didn’t make a timely trailhead return to meet his friends, they dialed 911 and a rescue was called out.<br /><br />Okay, what glaring mistake did this fellow make that would have prevented the need for a night rescue?<br /><br />a) Forgot the marshmallows to roast over the campfire<br />b) Didn’t chill the PBR long enough<br />c) Neglected to bring spare batteries<br />d) Left his campfire songbook back at the truck<br /><br />Anyone answer anything other than <em><strong>C</strong></em>? D’oh! Do you think this fellow was carrying his Ten Essentials? Not likely.<br /><br />The Ten Essentials are part of the hiker’s bible. They provide safety gear suggestions from the experienced to the inexperienced and are meant to be taken seriously, particularly here in our Colorado extremes. There are as many compilations of the Ten Essentials as there are compilers. In my experience as a year-round solo backcountry enthusiast, I’ve come up with the following categories to flesh out the list’s intentions and I call them the Categorical Ten in order to expand the list. Trust me: it’ll take the worry out of human-powered travel.<br /><br />1. <em>Map & compass</em> <br />Bring a GPS if you want but never leave home without a quad and Suunto. <br />2. <em>Sunglasses, sunscreen, and hat</em> <br />Avoid snow blindness, a Rudolph red nose, and keep all the heat from escaping out of the top of your head. Hats also keep you cooler in the blazing alpine sun.<br />3. <em>Extra food and water and a water purification system</em> <br />Focus on lightweight carbs and those packable gooey maltodextrin squeeze jobs. Ask Mark Twight – one of those an hour will keep your energy level going. Dehydration is a huge factor in alpine hiking and a little filter, SteriPEN, or Potable Aqua iodine tablets could keep you fleshed out.<br />4. <em>Extra clothes and a bivy sack</em> <br />We’re not talking Texas Gore-Tex, here – at least one extra wicking base layer, a waterproof shell if you’re not already wearing one, extra dry socks, gloves, and hat. Toss in a space blanket or pick up one of Adventure Medical Kit’s drawstring bivy’s. Extremities are the first to succumb to frostbite – keep your feet warm and at least you’re able to walk yourself out.<br />5. <em>Headlamp and EXTRA BATTERIES!</em> <br />Get a lamp with strobe capabilities and it’ll help rescuers locate you more easily. Toss in an extra bulb or two as well. Leave the handheld flashlight at home. If you’re in a position where you need both hands and one of them is engaged hanging on to a flashlight, that’s not stacking the odds in your favor.<br />6. <em>First aid kit</em> <br />You decide how elaborate it needs to be. Mine is pared down to assorted bandages and gauze pads, alcohol swabs, an ace bandage, surgical tape, NSAIDs, a multi-tool, insect repellant, blister packs and a tube of Body Rub. I can use one of my trekking poles if I need a splint. If an injury needs more than this or I can’t crawl my way of a situation I’m probably going to need a rescue anyway.<br />7. <em>Fire starter</em><br />Make it a stove. I carry an Esbit solid fuel stove – lightweight, compact, and it’ll melt water as effortlessly as any of the small canister stoves. Once that’s lit it will also help light a wood fire. Might not roast the rabbit as well…<br />8. <em>Matches and lighter</em> <br />Bring both. In fact, bring two lighters and a bunch of matches in a waterproof container. Lighters don’t always work at altitude and in sub-zero conditions.<br />9. <em>Signaling device</em> <br />No, your cell phone isn’t always going to get a signal – besides, that’s cheating. Bring several options – a whistle, a mirror, and a flare. <br />10. <em>Toilet paper and trowel and Ziploc bag</em><br />This has been left off the Ten Essentials for too long and backcountry waste management has become a huge problem. Dig your poo deep, don’t do anything within 100 feet of a water source, and if you need the TP to start a fire, you’ve got it handy in your Ziploc. That nauseates you? Try building a campsite on someone else’s toilet. Ladies, you know those signs in public bathrooms about not flushing your personals? Why would you leave them in the backcountry?<br /><br />And I have a personal #11 that’s a must – that thing between your ears? <br /><br />Don’t leave home without it.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6796451326234197058.post-84621678052265464342010-11-04T14:29:00.005-06:002010-11-04T14:54:02.555-06:00Love Your Mother<em>Another peak experience by <a href="http://www.marthaperantoni.com">Martha Perantoni</a></em><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRxEg00lKm5WIJ6ZS-UMj1urYK1ArpT9YHs6U5x9AekBjcGAQZmks3mM5fWM5tRLIJesh6IFeaNZreBXalBHo5pqY4lLQCDT8fXpDhs3a6j8byjkdMdEPVndVxNRXcUBteeG_FewcdbGY/s1600/mother-earth.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 142px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRxEg00lKm5WIJ6ZS-UMj1urYK1ArpT9YHs6U5x9AekBjcGAQZmks3mM5fWM5tRLIJesh6IFeaNZreBXalBHo5pqY4lLQCDT8fXpDhs3a6j8byjkdMdEPVndVxNRXcUBteeG_FewcdbGY/s200/mother-earth.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535797340019949474" /></a><em>Painting "The Earth is My Mother" by Bev Doolittle</em> <br /><br />Right before the mid-term election, the Denver Post ran a straw poll on their online daily front page. The question posed was “how important to you feel environmental issues are in the upcoming election?”<br /><br />The majority of respondents said “not important at all.”<br /><br />I was shocked at the response. We live in one of the most beautiful states in North America, yet apparently residents either take it for granted, or don’t take it at all. <br /><br />I know the economy, unemployment, foreclosures, health care issues run at the forefront of everyone’s mind. I understand – it affects me the same as every other working stiff out there. But without clean air, clean water, proper toxic waste disposal, reduce/reuse/recycle sustainability, and just a beautiful place to clear our brains and souls, all those other issues will be moot. We won’t be around to complain.<br /><br />The <a href="http://www.ceff.net">Colorado Environmental Film Festival</a>, running today, November 4th, through November 6th, is a great source of inspiration for viewers and environmentalists. Featuring <em>Play Again</em>, a film about the consequences of a childhood removed from nature, and joined by more than 40 other green-driven films, the Festival brings to our doorstep the saddening truths of the current environmental malaise and issues at hand.<br /><br />In addition enjoy celebrations, networking, openings, après-film, workshops, and the juried photography show at the American Mountaineering Center and environs. And on Saturday, clean out all those old electronics to enjoy mostly free recycling Saturday from 11 AM – 2 PM in the parking lot behind the AMC. <br /><br />It all starts tonight with an opening party at the <a href="http://www.mountaineeringmuseum.org">American Mountaineering Museum </a>from 5-6 PM and the first films showing in the Foss beginning at 7 PM. Friday screenings run from 11AM – 11 PM and Saturday from 11 AM – 9 PM.<br /><br />Love your mother – live and play wisely. It all starts right here, right now, with you.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6796451326234197058.post-61183308114203414492010-09-30T15:54:00.004-06:002010-09-30T15:58:49.213-06:00Christmas is Come Early This Year<em>Another peak experience by <a href="http://www.marthaperantoni.com">Martha Perantoni</a></em> <br /><br />I’d heard the fall color in Grand County had exploded last weekend, so I grabbed a friend and her son and his fiancé and we headed up to Tabernash and on to Junco Lake Trailhead, intent on reaching Columbine Lake.<br /><br />True, the aspen trees were luminous yellow and some were even tipped with an unusual bittersweet orange. True, there were significant colorful groves that warranted making the journey from the Front Range.<br /><br />True, also, the pine beetle has ravaged the remainder of the forests, each tree a sad addition to the brown citadel. At least that which remains – clear-cutting has left the rolling hills looking like a bald man’s hair on a bad day.<br /><br />We grew silent as we turned onto Meadow Creek Road and found ourselves in an alleyway of devastation. We couldn’t hit the trail soon enough and began to wind our way closer and closer to timberline.<br /><br />Something looked strange along the trail, though. In spite of the towering dead trees, there were countless young pine, some only a foot or two high, some over six feet, that were green, healthy, and pushing their way up through the quietus. Closer in by the waterfall and before heading up the moraine, the branch tips on the trees revealed the bluish-green of new growth. Every tree had it, looking as if to explode with enthusiasm.<br /><br />Instead, I felt to explode with arbor ardor. Here I’ve been bemoaning the death of Colorado’s forests when all this time, underneath the canopy, they’ve been silently restoring and repairing themselves. I had no idea.<br /><br />I paused in front of one particularly beautiful young pine. My friend saw my face and stopped. “Christmas Tree?” she asked. I smiled and shook my head “yes. Not to cut, but to celebrate.” <br /><br />It’s comforting to know that the forests will abide – they’ll repair, regrow, have their literal rebirth. I’m hopeful that this turnabout will be permanent, that the new trees will be a strain resistant to the pine beetle, and that our forests will rejuvenate to the lush, wind-in-the-pines life they had less than a decade ago.<br /><br />So, before the snow flies, revel in our new growth. Go celebrate Christmas.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6796451326234197058.post-46206596838432017602010-09-24T10:40:00.006-06:002010-09-24T12:33:46.138-06:00Il Neige!<em>Another peak experience by <a href="http://www.marthaperantoni.com/">Martha Perantoni</a></em> <br /><br />A couple of nights ago I was driving west on 72 as it approaches 93. The clouds were louring and it rained sporadically from Westminster on down. Then something changed – the sounds on the windshield turned to a patter and, as I looked more closely, it was clear I was watching snow fall. Not much, no accumulation, but it was definitely snow.<br /><br />The precipitation was confirmed next morning when I awoke to see a fairy dusting of the stuff on the Continental Divide. Further spelunking through <a href="http://www.dickgilbert.com/coloradocams.htm">Dick Gilbert’s</a> webcams proved it.<br /><br />It snowed in them thar hills.<br /><br />For people like me who prefer their water frozen, this is the news we wait for all season long. Time to start getting ready – wax the skis and skins, sharpen the crampons and axes, put fresh Lithium batteries in the beacon.<br /><br />And time to share the love. The annual <a href="http://www.bentgate.com/sskp.html">Bent Gate Ski Season Kickoff Party 2010</a> is prepared to do just that on Thursday, September 30th starting at 6 PM at the American Mountaineering Museum. Silent auction, raffle, backcountry clinics, vendor booths, fashion show, and world premier of <em>The Freeheel Life 2</em> are all included in admission price. <br /><br />Okay, so the movie is a production of <em>Telemark Skier Magazine</em> and features the tele timeline but Randonée enthusiasts, like me, are invited, too. Hey, it’s still freeheelin’.<br /><br />Proceeds from the event benefit the <a href="http://www.mountaineeringmuseum.org/">American Mountaineering Museum</a>, <a href="http://berthoudpass.org/">Friends of Berthoud Pass</a>, and the <a href="http://avalanche.state.co.us/index.php">Colorado Avalanche Information Center</a>. Rack up your backcountry karma points before heading out, eh?<br /><br />Bien alors, faire le neige!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6796451326234197058.post-61798747290612102432010-09-17T10:47:00.008-06:002010-09-18T09:54:26.639-06:00Fall...Forward<em>Another peak experience by <a href="http://www.marthaperantoni.com">Martha Perantoni</a></em><br /><br />By now you’re aware there’s a crispness in the evening air, the sun sets earlier and earlier, and the aspen are beginning to change color in the high country. The elk are bugling wildly and bear fattening up for a long winter sleep. This is one of my favorite times of year because it’s a chance to introspect, hibernate, and dream...forward.<br /><br />As a kid growing up in Vermont, the autumn season was glorious. We viewed every hue of maple from yellow to bittersweet to Mars red and when the leaves began to fall, we diligently raked them into huge piles on the front lawn just so we could jump in them. <br /><br />It may seem the impending winter is a time to shut down when, in fact, it’s always been a superb opportunity for learning. There’s little better than snuggling down in the rocking chair with a good book, a fuzzy lap throw and cat, and glass of chewy Shiraz, or listening to the crisp creak of snow underfoot heading for an inspiring presentation. <br /><br />In preparation for this seasonal glory, the American Mountaineering Museum and AAC Library are setting a wonderful tone. September 21st, <a href="http://aaclibrary.wordpress.com/">Jean Mollicone</a>, first woman to summit Mt. Vinson, Antarctica, will recount her historic summit with Mugs Stump, one of the most beloved of American mountaineers. September 30th, get ready for ski season with <a href="http://www.bentgate.com/sskp.html">Bent Gate’s Ski Season Kick-Off Party</a> through a silent auction, fashion show, raffle, <em>The Freeheel Life</em> film in the Foss, avy and beacon clinics and camaraderie all to benefit <a href="http://avalanche.state.co.us/index.php">CAIC</a>, <a href="http://berthoudpass.org/">Friends of Berthoud Pass</a>, and the <a href="http://www.mountaineeringmuseum.org/">AMM</a>. October 6th <a href="http://www.mountaineeringmuseum.org/events.php?id=Lectures">Gyatso</a> will help us understand Tibetan lifestyle, culture and environment and the Westernization changes it faces. And on October 28th, continue to challenge the theory that the Yeti don’t exist with Yeti night at the Museum – prizes for best costume and Yeti crafts for the kids.<br /><br />Not your style? Consider a good book. The <a href="http://www.americanalpineclub.org/pt/americanalpineclublibrary">American Alpine Club Library</a> is full of them. Historic, factual, inspirational, or just durned good reading. Check ‘em out, grab the cat, pour the wine, and revel in the possibility next summer will offer you.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxzlY064bd-iLHyzQ3xqRCnVdrzESzJqreRzLo-iMoRml67ZHXoPh6bM_47eyDjb6oVkLWIRCCTcMLgtywAp9WzM-joioSKyN4rPt-g5EsrDzgqtNvBB5joUWNFS_I8_FF3rKVwAn5_Zs/s1600/Misty+Bear+Lake.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 159px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxzlY064bd-iLHyzQ3xqRCnVdrzESzJqreRzLo-iMoRml67ZHXoPh6bM_47eyDjb6oVkLWIRCCTcMLgtywAp9WzM-joioSKyN4rPt-g5EsrDzgqtNvBB5joUWNFS_I8_FF3rKVwAn5_Zs/s200/Misty+Bear+Lake.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517928182536002722" /></a> PS Like this photo? <a href="http://www.hanselmannphotography.com/">Fred Hanselmann</a> has the best eye for Colorado color and composition of anyone I’ve ever known. His photos are available for purchase in Base Camp Adventure Store. What better way to preserve the memories!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6796451326234197058.post-26561129510119816622010-08-27T12:47:00.003-06:002010-08-27T12:53:43.544-06:00KechuWhen Thomas Montgomerie triangulated two new peaks in the Karakoram, he had no idea he’d discovered not only the second highest peak on earth, but also the second most dangerous. And while Karakorum 1 was known locally as Masherbrum, no one seemed to know of a local name for K2. As Fosco Maraini quipped “...just the bare bones of a name, all rock and ice and storm and abyss…it makes no attempt to sound human… it is atoms and stars…has the nakedness of the world before the first man - or of the cindered planet after the last…” so calling the mountain K2 seemed more than appropriate and it stuck.<br /><br />Superseded only by Annapurna as the most dangerous 8000m peak to climb, 25% of those who attempt the savage mountain perish. Not only is it technically one of the most challenging and committing, its extreme weather patterns can cause deadly delays. Only 302 have successfully summited and at least 77 others have died trying. <br /><br />The challenges of the mountain make for great story-telling as well. Fatal attempts in 1939 and 1953, a troublesome first summit by the Italians in 1954, and finally the 13 deaths in 1986 and 11 more within hours of each other in 2008 give real-time chronicles of the epics these mountaineers face.<br /><br />Enter <a href="http://www.thenamelesscreature.com/">Freddie Wilkinson</a> whose alpinist wisdom and media savvy combined with knowledge of Sherpa culture brings to light what happened during the most recent multiple-fatality day. None of the surviving Western climbers could explain what happened, their memories fogged by hypoxia, exhaustion, and hallucinations. The truth of what transpired lies with four Sherpa guides who were largely ignored by the mainstream media in the aftermath of the tragedy and whose heroic efforts saved the lives of at least four climbers.<br /><br />Wilkinson’s narrative voice is biting and witty and, while trying not to be too critical of the media’s push for speed over accuracy, he manages to pull the truth of what really occured when a collapsing serac over the Bottleneck severed fixed lines and dragged more than a dozen alpinists down the mountainside.<br /><br />We’re excited to have the author present these findings <a href="http://aaclibrary.wordpress.com/2010/08/26/freddie-wilkinson-slideshow-and-booksigning-september-13th-6pm/">in person</a> on Monday, September 13th, beginning at 6 PM in the Foss Auditorium at the AMC in Golden. Reviews are non-stop positive and there’s much buzz not just about Freddie, but about his ability to weave a compelling tale. As one reviewer stated, a lot of climbers write (and not very well) but not a lot of writers climb.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6796451326234197058.post-36082910580991726232010-08-24T14:31:00.003-06:002010-08-24T14:37:31.285-06:00Leave No Trace has Entered the BuildingThe Exit Strategies has come and gone but the message is beginning to rebound and the subsequent concentric ripples are rolling through a larger and larger realm.<br /><br />This blogger won’t go through the details and reports from the conference. There are plenty of those on the <a href="http://inclined.americanalpineclub.org/2010/08/13/aac-presents-a-rousing-exit-strategies-conference/">AAC website</a>.<br /><br />This blogger also acknowledges that the problem isn’t restricted to alpine environments. And it’s not limited to simply hikers. It is a much bigger global problem than one conference of 140 conservationists and scientists can address.<br /><br />I hiked out to Chicago Lakes from Echo Lake a few days ago. While I’ve snowshoed in during winter months, I’d not had the simple luxury of a summer hike and made it my choice for a perfect Rocky Mountain day. To those unfamiliar with the hike, the first mile drops from Echo Lake into Chicago Creek canyon. Four more miles up past the Idaho Springs Reservoir and you’re atop the moraine enjoying a spectacular Mt Evans cirque view. <br /><br />On a summer Sunday, Echo Lake becomes a water park for Front Range folk escaping the heat and the trail to the Chicago Creek crossing busy as a fish peddler during Lent. It’s a favorite spot for families with small children and pets and, as we know, neither can control their personal functions very well.<br /><br />As I hiked back across the Creek, a family with four small children was preparing to leave the area. I heard the father ask if anyone needed to go to the bathroom. On reflex I shouted to them “not in the creek you don’t!” I stepped back and quickly explained to my startled company the ramifications of urinating in a stream that flowed into a city water supply and the 100-foot rule of backcountry waterways.<br /><br />Hiking back around the north side of the Lake, I sidled up to a woman whose dog had “assumed the position” and was leaving its trace in the lake. She was as stunned as the previous party when I pointed out the children dangling their feet in the water alongside the parties fishing for trout to toss in the fry pan. <br /><br />These were seven people out of the hundreds at Echo Lake Park on one Sunday. It’s a miniscule start but I’ve added to my wish list that concentric ripples of wisdom, ownership and <em>Leave No Trace</em> turn tsunami.<br /><br />All it takes is a little nudge from each of us.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6796451326234197058.post-64624023750283811952010-07-27T13:49:00.006-06:002010-07-27T14:01:11.388-06:00Exit, Stage OneThere’s a fair bit of buzz about what this blogger refers to as The Poop Group. Not to be irreverent, but it’s a little more to the point than calling this weekend’s international conference at the American Alpine Club <a href="http://www.americanalpineclub.org/exitstrategies">Exit Strategies</a>.<br /><br />I’ve lifted the following description from the AAC website: <em>included are top land managers, scientists, entrepreneurs, and wilderness participants from around the globe to discuss and formulate strategies for managing human waste in remote areas. The Exit Strategies conference will include general/plenary sessions, poster presentations, field-proven techniques and opportunities for focused problem solving.</em><br /><br />There’s nothing new in this conversation. Those of us who regularly hike global trails continue to see the effects of poop, wandering off-trail, erosion, selfishness, you name it. It’s disconcerting at best, given how finite this natural resource is in the face of an exploding population and interest level.<br /><br />Let me be direct and maybe a little preachy. How do YOU manage your waste? Do you urinate on wildflowers thinking it’ll hydrate them? Do you leave toilet paper on the ground convinced it will biodegrade? And what about the dog? Just this weekend I was hiking on South Boulder Creek trail to find that someone had dutifully scooped the pooch’s poop in a red plastic bag – then left it tied to a tree branch overhanging the trail. <strong>BLECH!</strong><br /><br />It’s not so tough to clean up after ourselves. Pee on a rock instead of wildflowers and the mountain goats will lick the urine off the rock instead of destroying the plant. Bring a plastic container with a tablespoon of baking soda, a shovel and scoop your poop and TP into it for the trip out. Notice I didn’t say Ziploc bag – they’re not biodegradable and the chance you’ll empty the bag and clean it is a big goose egg. A container works just as well and d’oh! it’s reusable, just like a pee bottle! No need to buy those fancy expensive kits – K.I.S.S.! Leave no trace is not a big deal, either – pack it in, pack it out, done deal. It ain’t feces science and it’ll still be lighter out than on the inbound trip. <br /><br />Before climbing down off my soap box, I admonish you to take a stand or, rather, a squat with <a href="http://www.whps.org/schools/hall/departments/science/images/EARTH%20PIC.jpg">Your Mother</a> in mind. Do some research and some reading and do your part. And keep an ear to the ground for the results of the Poop Group convention. Just think how icky it would be if the ground was covered in something…oh, never mind.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6796451326234197058.post-28192476157804681912010-07-15T17:08:00.002-06:002010-07-15T17:14:36.599-06:00Der Letzte Mensch oder Übermensch?The Last Man. In his philosophical novel, <em>Also Sprach Zarathustra</em>, Friedrich Nietzsche saw that nothing great was possible for the Last Man. It was Nietzsche's contention that Western civilization would continue to move in the direction of The Last Man, an apathetic creature, who had no great passion or commitment, who was unable to dream, who merely earned his living and kept warm.<br /><br />Not so the last man on the mountain. In 1939, Boston aristocrat Dudley Wolfe set out to become the first person to summit K2. Inexperienced at high altitude, overweight, middle-aged, and unfulfilled in a life of leisure, Wolfe traveled thousands of miles to try and impress his ex-wife, only to be abandoned by his German-American expedition mates at 7000 meters. After almost two weeks languishing in his tent in the Death Zone he perished from acute AMS. A huge international scandal subsequently developed: it was Wolfe’s friend and expedition leader, alpinist Fritz Wiessner, and his deputy Jack Durrance who came under close scrutiny for inviting him solely on the strength of his bank account. His body remained in the clutches of the savage summit for 63 years.<br /><br />Until Wolfe reappeared after K2’s unusually high snowmelt in 2002 exposed the remains to author and film-maker Jennifer Jordan. Walking along a remote stretch of the Godwin-Austin glacier near Base Camp, pieces of human bone, canvas tent, cook pots, and finally an old mitten with “Wolfe” written near the cuff appeared strewn about the glacier as if waiting for Jordan’s keen eye to discover them. And so the story began.<br /><br />The Last Man or Superman? You decide after hearing Jennifer Jordan’s presentation at the <a href="http://www.mountaineeringmuseum.org/events.php?id=Events">American Mountaineering Museum</a> on August 11th. Her novel, <em>The Last Man on the Mountain</em>, is fresh off the press and she’s touring the country helping unravel the mystery that’s prevailed around this controversial expedition. Whether Wolfe had aspirations driven by spiritual apathy or rampant ego, Jennifer will offer well-researched and compelling facts with photos and discussion beginning at 7 PM.<br /><br />K2 is Übermensch territory, more foreboding than almost any other 8000 meter peak. It bears the second highest fatality rate among the eight-thousanders. Italian climber Fosco Maraini concluded that K2 was “all rock and ice and storm and abyss. It makes no attempt to sound human. It is atoms and stars. It has the nakedness of the world before the first man - or of the cindered planet after the last." <br /><br />I’m sure Dudley Wolfe would agree.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHaoifLRr_7ovIj4awqCw1U8jSVEFyDaPj1f0zr0qmlA2vNP4TV23cgJmQo-ukWFuxxkCZRuE1ObUcPMFncZFnz7gnspp_I4JQU_cj0YTTfFDXqQWTWx8MK1dYoVYjnDi-MdQ2Be-OQc0/s1600/Last+Man+on+the+Mountain.bmp"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 132px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHaoifLRr_7ovIj4awqCw1U8jSVEFyDaPj1f0zr0qmlA2vNP4TV23cgJmQo-ukWFuxxkCZRuE1ObUcPMFncZFnz7gnspp_I4JQU_cj0YTTfFDXqQWTWx8MK1dYoVYjnDi-MdQ2Be-OQc0/s200/Last+Man+on+the+Mountain.bmp" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494274421931768754" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6796451326234197058.post-75734327192639687782010-06-16T11:36:00.004-06:002010-06-16T11:42:11.115-06:00The Vigorous Volunteer<em>Volunteering is the practice of people working on behalf of others or a particular cause without payment for their time and services. Volunteering is generally considered an altruistic activity, intended to promote good or improve human quality of life, but people also volunteer for their own skill development, to meet others, to make contacts for possible employment, to have fun, and a variety of other reasons that could be considered self-serving.</em><br /><br />Now there’s a mouthful. And a mindful. <br /><br />Let's get right to the pitch - the best part about volunteering for the <a href="http://www.mountaineeringmuseum.org/">American Mountaineering Museum</a> or the <a href="http://www.cmc.org/">Colorado Mountain Club</a> or the <a href="http://www.americanalpineclub.org/americanalpineclublibrary">American Alpine Club Library</a> is that ALL of the elements above are inclusive. On top of accumulating extra good Karma points (maybe even scrubbing your Karma if it needs it), it’s fun, educational, social, and a superb way to network. Note: that’s how this blogger got The Job, so it DOES work.<br /><br />This is still a scratch-each-other’s-back economy and for non-profits it’s the way of the future. You help me, I help you. Donate some time and skill to the 501(c)3s you most cherish (hint, hint) to keep them viable and I’ll get you in to programs and events, maybe get you a little shwag, some discounts, heck perhaps even a membership here or there. <br /><br />It’s a win-win dealio. And incredibly easy to join in the fun. Contact <a href="http://www.cmc.org/about/about_staff.aspx">Martha Perantoni</a>, CMC Volunteer Manager and all-around kewl gal, at marthaperantoni@mountaineeringmuseum.org or at 303-996-2755 and you’ll end up having more fun than you can shake a hickory hiking stick at.<br /><br />Or something like that.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6796451326234197058.post-28975756217906536562010-06-04T10:59:00.006-06:002010-06-04T11:08:37.765-06:00Johnny Appleseed and the Real Hidden GemsLast night nearing the home turf, this blogger was treated to one of those rare glimpses of the natural order many only read about – crossing the road in front of me were two elk and their three spotted calves. I sat and soaked in the image thankful I’d been in the right place at the right time.<br /><br />It’s a moment similar to those Johnny Chapman might have seen time and time again on his wanderings throughout the Ohio Valley. <br /><br />Johnny Appleseed was less legendary and more authentic in his deeds of generosity and conservation. He planted nurseries, built fences around them, arranged for their care and returned them to the locals for profit-sharing. Conservationist to the core, he paid to rescue animals meant for slaughter, wore no shoes (to save leather), ate no meat, and would accept a floor and meal at a stranger’s home in exchange for the chance to share stories about his meanderings. And a humanitarian to the core he never missed an opportunity to help someone in need.<br /><br />By today’s standards, Chapman would be profiled a vagabond, a hobo, homeless. By today’s standards, we romanticize his life rather than recognizing that something as simple as walking in nature is not only possible but necessary for ourselves and for the greater good.<br /><br />So we come to the <a href="http://www.whiteriverwild.org/">Hidden Gems Wilderness Campaign</a>. Appleseed would likely be one of its biggest proponents. John Muir, too – walking quietly along paths untrammeled by wheels, hooves, motorized sounds. No voices shouting “to your left” (if you’re lucky), no side-stepping things moving faster than you to avoid being run over, no vroom of two-stroke engines to scare wildlife and bury the sounds of birds, the wind, the cold crackle of boots on snow.<br /><br />The difference now is that we needn’t romanticize it – the <a href="http://www.whiteriverwild.org/">Hidden Gems Campaign</a> sits at our fingertips ready to preserve more of the last-remaining pristine wilderness in Colorado. It’s not a lot of land but sensible in how it manages and connects other already protected areas. Surely there are ample opportunities for mountain bikers (and this blogger is one), dirt-bikers, equestrians, and snowmobilers to enjoy their sport that supporting these gems isn’t going to break the Trail Bank. <br /><br />Who knows – this might be the year to rediscover your own two-footed human-powered adventure. With or without apple trees. And a couple of elk calves for the photo album.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6796451326234197058.post-14218540538807648492010-05-27T12:21:00.002-06:002010-05-27T12:25:30.568-06:00Kongeriket Norge (The Kingdom of Norway)Many years ago this blogger, on one of her various Europe trips, found herself in the middle of a Norwegian fjord crossing from a large ferry to a small boat via a shaky gangplank. Our group was intent on reaching a remote town at the back of a fjord to celebrate <em>Sankthansaften</em>, or Midsummer’s Eve, as only the locals were able. We reached our diminutive destination, threw wood on the big bonfire invoking Baldr to remain, drank local brew and polka’d through the long twilit night. I chuckle even now as I recount the memories – and I never told anyone I couldn’t swim. <br /><br />Norway is one of those countries that often goes unnoticed in European trip planning. It’s most recent claim to fame was the 1994 Winter Olympics held in Lillehammer. Yet it’s one of the most strikingly beautiful countries in northern Europe from mountainous fjordlands down to the genetic makeup of a very handsome race of Scandinavians. We can thank Norway for Edward Grieg, Henrik Ibsen, Edvard Munch’s <em>The Scream</em>, Leif Ericson, stave churches, lutefisk, Telemark skiing, and thousands of untouched waterfall ice climbs. <br /><br />We may not be able to invoke Baldr yet, but we are invoking you to join the Mountaineering Museum for the next <a href="http://www.mountaineeringmuseum.org/events.php?id=Lectures">sPEAKer series</a> event, <em>Hiking in Norway</em>. On Wednesday, June 2nd, Lori Russell plans to offer a visual feast of slides designed to tempt hikers of all ages and abilities. Granitic mountains rise sometimes almost a mile from North Atlantic shores, and Noregr hospitality and traditions are as strong as ever. <br /><br />As usual, the program begins at 7 PM in the Foss Auditorium. Admission to the Museum is included in the ticket price and will be open from 5:30. CMC/AAC members pay $3, non-members $5, and it’s all free to members of the Museum or the AAC Library.<br /><br />Glad Stier!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6796451326234197058.post-1709335470991508742010-05-21T10:29:00.001-06:002010-05-21T10:31:44.578-06:00The Flattery of ImitationIn the weeks since Bradford the Cat made his way into the Museum family, we’ve been constantly delighted by his antics. He’s doing everything kittens are supposed to do, including chewing hands and fingers, puffing up and prancing like the tuff guy he is, and chowing down as toddlers in growth mode do. Every day brings out a new development in his personality and skills. He now leaps onto chairs and tables, hurls himself at his toys with great alacrity, and purrs with a volume more consistent with an animal much larger than he.<br /><br />At home, Bradford has two older half-siblings. Diablo, the female, doesn’t like anyone so there’s no expectation she’ll ever do anything but growl at the tyke. Mr. Bill, though, is increasingly curious and is modifying his hisses down to nose touches and random reaches from behind the scratching post. Billy Boy is a big brown polydactyl tabby, all 16 lean pounds of him, and a friend refers to him as The Throw Rug. <br /><br />When the two boys are in proximity Little B becomes still, almost reverential, as he watches Big B. It’s as if he’s studying the elder cat’s movements and style and unconsciously letting Alpha male mentor him. When he does become too rambunctious, Mr. Bill delivers a quick hiss and a swat to remind his little ward his manners. It is Feline Flattery at its best.<br /><br />In April we inducted four giants of mountaineering into the Hall of Mountaineering Excellence. We are surrounded in this mountaineering family by such modern greats and are constantly reminded of the skills, motivation, and philosophies that make people like Edurne Pasaban, Arlene Blum, Oh Eun-Sun, Conrad Anker, Ed Viesturs, and Reinhold Messner great. And while we may feel our accomplishments miniscule by comparison, we maintain the vision of possibility in our own minds by imitating the best qualities of those we admire.<br /><br />It’s good to have someone good to look up to, in this the Year of Making Dreams Come True, someone who inspires us not only with their mountaineering accomplishments but their sensibility. If we do something careless we imagine an appropriate smack-down. On the contrary, if we make a smart choice or exceed our personal best, we can revel in the mentoring we are humble enough to accept and the behaviors we wisely copy. <br /><br />It is apparently so, that imitation is the sincerest form of cattery.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6796451326234197058.post-70285715655104692092010-05-14T08:58:00.005-06:002010-05-14T09:13:58.582-06:00Golden Bike Shop Rocks!Huge thank you to the <a href="http://goldenbikeshop.com/">Golden Bike Shop</a> for their fundraiser last night benefiting the <a href="http://www.comba.org/">Co Mountain Bike Association</a>, <a href="http://www.coloradotrail.org/">Co Trail Foundation</a> and the <a href="http://www.mountaineeringmuseum.org">Mountaineering Museum</a>. They packed the house with great gear, bikes, frames and an awesome crowd! <a href="http://upslopebrewing.wordpress.com/">UpSlope</a> Beer provided some great brew along with New Belgium! After the expo in the museum we all went up to Foss Auditorium for giveaways and to watch Ant Hill Film's <a href="http://www.anthillfilms.com/content/2009/05/anthill-films-announces-new-movie-follow-me/">FOLLOW ME</a>. An action packed film showing great mountain biking and terrain. Here are some pictures from last night!<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhA9pLEwA6oujPo7JXe1ocJM7mdR7rPPQxNUWZxqPlixEPv3QLsybyIm14xe7kisbRYJMG0-hkumj4UCIQ9kl1-S0vcZL9Rrv8QKiuAx2xG6_v886xJE0qI9Xa5wEzQAHC-kHdZy_ZBMo/s1600/IMG_1600.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhA9pLEwA6oujPo7JXe1ocJM7mdR7rPPQxNUWZxqPlixEPv3QLsybyIm14xe7kisbRYJMG0-hkumj4UCIQ9kl1-S0vcZL9Rrv8QKiuAx2xG6_v886xJE0qI9Xa5wEzQAHC-kHdZy_ZBMo/s200/IMG_1600.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471143811507219986" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCwpcD-T3jMDAaDxMd7fOoKWP5vUlZNogrRtUnSdr-dZaEiQS0_Su9UOIoPuv0Zk_93R_ESJGfASlvspkrgQ2USJSGKMZ3kwKSmmScs1PCuVgY_EUta7H6CGJ1TrEOqlJBPHYdYjx3VVo/s1600/IMG_1597.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCwpcD-T3jMDAaDxMd7fOoKWP5vUlZNogrRtUnSdr-dZaEiQS0_Su9UOIoPuv0Zk_93R_ESJGfASlvspkrgQ2USJSGKMZ3kwKSmmScs1PCuVgY_EUta7H6CGJ1TrEOqlJBPHYdYjx3VVo/s200/IMG_1597.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471143809095927922" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIQ4CU5QHfuq3k9QqN9igGvdA-alx44FmLufqQ3DqxXDm7X0QQSFCt5dpfpD961nNFlGOeQAH7bGMdqWRkITwzxDKM0APrLNGixDyVW1ck1F9WYAbnvuZ9JCDj5jsHNXXvwNKnLd_mkvY/s1600/IMG_1595.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIQ4CU5QHfuq3k9QqN9igGvdA-alx44FmLufqQ3DqxXDm7X0QQSFCt5dpfpD961nNFlGOeQAH7bGMdqWRkITwzxDKM0APrLNGixDyVW1ck1F9WYAbnvuZ9JCDj5jsHNXXvwNKnLd_mkvY/s200/IMG_1595.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471143803587344754" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz85LN6gsDd0T8L9146UY2VKMRw04E23AuP6kVej4Ak_AR4fZ_2kOcaA6h9pxwXUla6DyKArfz9XIJy64iRUmKas49TIjRQyiKl1ocpNczZkGgJPE5tsHDXdhz1KK6DFKoJS-ZNaPRtZw/s1600/IMG_1584.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz85LN6gsDd0T8L9146UY2VKMRw04E23AuP6kVej4Ak_AR4fZ_2kOcaA6h9pxwXUla6DyKArfz9XIJy64iRUmKas49TIjRQyiKl1ocpNczZkGgJPE5tsHDXdhz1KK6DFKoJS-ZNaPRtZw/s200/IMG_1584.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471143798950363042" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT4SJRx5DaZB4Rbom0gFTXOC1J2m0Xb6bYeaeXtKHpfHWU0RbCoa7vuLdcvSD-X_gyI3xqfkyT1Pn_IHi78LHUhmxhHxRgMRm9BuKkM3iVRPCAS1CKp-bJoEch-bJop8dB4E2aBUGlX_4/s1600/IMG_1590.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT4SJRx5DaZB4Rbom0gFTXOC1J2m0Xb6bYeaeXtKHpfHWU0RbCoa7vuLdcvSD-X_gyI3xqfkyT1Pn_IHi78LHUhmxhHxRgMRm9BuKkM3iVRPCAS1CKp-bJoEch-bJop8dB4E2aBUGlX_4/s200/IMG_1590.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471143794498799298" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6796451326234197058.post-85471280680111403042010-05-10T10:50:00.002-06:002010-05-10T10:53:24.707-06:0020th Anniversary of 1990 Everest-Lhotse ExpeditionToday marks the 20th Anniversary of the American Everest-Lhotse expedition led by Glenn Porzak. This was Glenn’s 3rd attempt at summiting having been shut down by weather in 1981 and 1989. Glenn and members from the team assembled at the American Mountaineering Museum last night to celebrate the 20th anniversary of this expedition. Team members include Glenn Porzak, Dana Coffield, Brent Manning, Wally Berg, Scott Fischer, Michael Browning, Peter Athens, Andrew Lapkass, Ron Crotzer, Dr. Charles Jones, Ang Jangbu Sherpa, Nima Tashi Sherpa and Dawa Nuru Sherpa. Berg and Fischer successfully summited Lhotse on May 13th being the first Americans to summit and securing the team as the first to climb two 8,000 peaks in the same expedition. Below is an interview with Glenn Porzak recounting his summit day on Everest.<br /><br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/LHYWfx24czk&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/LHYWfx24czk&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6796451326234197058.post-57709821193097843952010-05-01T10:34:00.008-06:002010-05-01T10:46:32.812-06:00Sistuhs, Gal Pals, and the Whole Gender ThingThe mountains are an equal opportunity environment. They don’t care if you’re chocolate or vanilla, travel on foot or with wheels, have an innie or an outie. <br /><br />Sometimes, though, the mountaineering community needs a little nudge of a reminder. Not so long ago women were refused a place on expeditions and even denied endorsements simply because they were women. Then there were those who thought a woman’s place was in the sleeping bag of every male expeditioner…<br /><br />There were and are heroic women out there who blazed through all the challenges and defined a prominent place and equal opportunity for the gentler sex. Wanda Rutkiewicz, Ines Papert, Anna Dickinson, Junko Tabei, Arlene Blum…the list is growing every day.<br /><br />Given the <a href="http://www.mountaineeringmuseum.org/">American Mountaineering Museum</a> is also an equal opportunity environment, we’ve declared May Women’s Month at the Museum and Base Camp Store. So, sistuhs, grab a gal-pal and head to 710 10th St to enjoy two-fer prices on Museum admission and events. The entire month of May is a chance to celebrate the accomplishments of female mountaineers, past, present, and future. <br /><br />One of this blogger’s personal heroines is <a href="http://www.arleneblum.com/">Arlene Blum</a>. In 1978 Arlene gathered the first all-woman’s expedition not only to successfully summit Annapurna, but also the first American expedition to do so. To cover expedition costs, her designer came up with the t-shirt that rocked the establishment. <a href="http://www.cmc.org/store/goodsdetails.aspx?id=449&categoryID=5">A Woman’s Place is on Top</a> sold 15,000 tops and raised $80,000. Arlene, being the gracious woman she is, has allowed Base Camp store the unique opportunity to sell her t-shirt. In turn, we are donating a portion of the proceeds back to Arlene’s <a href="http://greensciencepolicy.org/">Green Science Policy Institute</a> in Berkeley, CA. When you’re done in the Museum, help Arlene continue her research to protect our kids and our health.<br /><br />And while we’re on the subject of accomplishments, Mother’s Day is just around the bend. Moms of the World, the Museum admission is free to you on May 9th. We celebrate your summits of a different kind and certainly no less significant.<br /><br />Finally, we want to thank <a href="http://www.outdoordivas.com/outdoordiv/">Outdoor Divas</a> for their support and encouragement of our thematic month. They’re about the finest bunch of gals to promote women’s outdoor activities: Teal Tini May 4th in support of ovarian cancer awareness, B-Fit Vitality workout May 12th, Women’s Road Ride clinic May 26th, Women’s Rock-out events…it’s all there.<br /><br />Boys, you’re still welcome at the Museum and events throughout May. But please, no cussin’ or spittin’. Remember, you’ll be outnumbered.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6796451326234197058.post-85094045387454970312010-04-14T11:20:00.000-06:002010-04-14T11:22:01.152-06:00Travels with BradfordLife has a funny way of shaking up agendas. There’s nothing like something fuzzy and warm to set priorities straight.<br /><br />Sarah Wood, my boss and Museum Operations Guru Manager, found a little feline fuzzball stumbling around the front of the American Mountain Center yesterday morning. Knowing I’m the Mother Teresa of the animal kingdom, she brought him in to Base Camp and said…”I hate to do this to you….”<br /><br />Requests like this should be so imposing! This little brown tabby, weighing just a pound, is the little adventurer. He hand feeds formula voraciously, pees a lot, sleeps in a sling close to his new mama, and plays with leonine courage.<br /><br />But mostly he sleeps. Kittens do that. At three weeks old he’s entitled.<br /><br />All-day searches yielded no evidence of a litter or family or owner. And so we introduce a new character into this museum family – Bradford. <br /><br />We’ll keep you posted of Bradford’s development alongside the Museum’s. There’s something wonderful about watching things grow from infancy to maturity. And I have a feeling Bradford’s development is going to be inspirational.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6796451326234197058.post-37769135118337180452010-04-11T12:41:00.002-06:002010-04-11T12:43:45.854-06:00The Best Things in Life ARE Free!The party’s over. It’s time to call it a day. The First Annual Hall of Mountaineering Excellence is run, cleaned up, and put to bed. (And this blogger now remembers why she doesn’t wear heels.)<br /><br />It was an amazing success. All the months of planning, researching, negotiating, promoting, structuring, and evaluating paid off. Bates, Chouinard, Craig and Houston now have their names etched permanently in our mountaineering history. They will always be our heroes.<br /><br />My personal heroes, though, are the folks who volunteered their time to do the grunt work last night. You know, pouring drinks, serving food, providing information and (my favorite thing) cleaning up. As the production schedule and needs were mounted, we drew in more and more bodies to help in advance of the event. Not having met many of them, either, lent a bit of worry prior to the start of the night. <br /><br />Employers should have such a diligent, responsible, hard-working crew as we had for the Gala. Each one assumed assigned tasks like a pro, assisting one another, communicating needs to the coordinator, keeping a close eye on guest needs, staying upbeat as the evening wore on, going above and beyond what someone earning wages for the same work would even do. <br /><br />So, helmets off to you, Dan, Bob, Larke, Sparky, Steve, Camille, Ian, Micah, Aaron, Dave, George, and Lee. My apologies if I’ve forgotten anyone, but I’m still trying to figure out what possessed me to wear heels.<br /><br />Oh, and I still owe you all pizza.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6796451326234197058.post-46509903315753880802010-04-01T11:21:00.002-06:002010-04-01T11:25:35.184-06:00The Family of Mountaineering ExcellenceA call came through to the Museum yesterday from a woman whom I’ll call Lana (to protect her privacy) asking if so-and-so would be presenting at the April 10th Hall of Mountaineering Excellence Gala and accepting the award for one of the inductees already in Valhalla. As it turns out, yes.<br /><br />As it really turns out, Lana had been on an expedition to Mt. Robson in August of 1951 with five fellows and our presenter was one of them. She was invited to proceed to the top of the glacier then was politely asked to descend while the boys continued on to the summit. Interestingly enough, Mother Nature had her usual way and the summit team was stuck mountainside through several days of winter storms, so no one topped out that trip.<br /><br />Lana went on to marry one of her expedition mates. Almost 50 years later and her husband now deceased she called to see if she might reconnect with so-and-so since they are the only two surviving members of that August, 1951 expedition.<br /><br />Come on. How cool is that?! <br /><br />It is such a privilege to be at the hub of stories, reunions, and history. The mountains are our common ground and they draw us together. And even though the Gala on April 10th is devoted to the Hall of Mountaineering Excellence, we’re really celebrating a unique and wonderful family bonded by the excellence we find in our mountain experiences. Maybe we can call it Six Peaks of Separation since we’re all so obviously connected.<br /><br />It’ll be interesting to see what transpires with Lana and if she has the chance to reunite with her mountaineering partner. In the meantime, we’ll keep on keepin’ on with the <a href="http://www.mountaineeringmuseum.org/events.php?id=Hall_of_Mountaineering_Excellence">Gala</a> (ticket sales will be cut off on Monday) and with the family that gets closer, bigger and more interesting with each passing day. All because of the Little Museum that Could.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6796451326234197058.post-62780605159714110962010-03-16T11:20:00.003-06:002010-03-16T11:30:24.183-06:00The Not-So-Shameless PlugYou’re probably aware that some big changes have been avalanching down the couloir at both the Museum and the Base Camp Museum Store. Nothing like change to freshen things up. And if you’re not aware of the huge leaps made these past few months then time to jump on the yak cart and come in from Outer Mongolia.<br /><br />Base Camp Museum Store has been carefully chronicling feedback from guests and customers. It’s clear we’ve been offering some great merchandise, but our little space is just that – a little space – and it’s been challenging to display it all effectively. Kinda reminds us of having 85 liters of stuff and only a 40 liter pack. We’ve all been there….<br /><br />As much as we’d like to hang on to some of this great merchandise, it’s essential to offer what the space can hold and display it attractively. So we’re trimming down the inventory and having a huge sale. A “we’re on FIRE!” sale as it’s been quipped. Books, CMC and AMM logo clothing, great gift items for birthdays and Mother’s Days, global crafts and local crafts to boot, lots of items up to 60% off. <br /><br />Even better than just offering a sale, it starts this Thursday, March 18th, at 4 PM right before Thirsty 3rd Thursday so you can shop, see the <a href="http://www.mountaineeringmuseum.org/">museum</a>, and join in the happy hour beginning at 5:30. Nothing like a ‘brew-and-do’ to make the shopping more fun and we’ll keep it going ‘til the Yeti come home. Not to be outdone, the sale continues Saturday, March 20th, beginning at 10 AM and through the entire <a href="http://www.cmc.org/events/eventdetails.aspx?EventID=1979">Mountainfest</a> celebration at the Mountaineering Center. Shoot, if you happen to wander in on Friday, we’re not going to say “no” to a sale.<br /><br />And since we’re all conservationists we’ve made it easy on everyone by combining events to save time, cut down on mileage and carbon footprints and save everyone a good chunk of change. We won’t quote the “Shop! Shop! Till you Drop!” parody of the Def Leppard song but hold that thought.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6796451326234197058.post-66648301855176239272010-03-10T15:17:00.003-07:002010-03-10T15:24:28.298-07:00The Goose Poop Two-StepWe’re conservationists at the American Mountaineering Center – All Creatures Great and Small types. If we don’t own pets, we support animal rescue leagues and endangered species protection. We’re also very fond of the flock of Canadian geese that call Parfet Park across the way their home.<br /><br />Now Canada may have us in Men’s Ice Hockey, but I’ll dare say the little hamlet of Golden, British Columbia has nothing on Golden, Colorado regarding number of Canadian Geese per square foot. They can take away our Gold, but not our geese.<br /><br />These <em>Branta canadensis</em> waddle and squawk and eat. A lot. They’re docile and occasionally need a crossing guard as they travel from the Park across 10th Street to the front lawn of the AMC. Then they waddle and squawk and eat (a lot) on our grassy slopes. And we know the end result of gooses and ganders that eat. A lot.<br /><br />Then we, being All Creatures Great and Small types, take the humane road to, uh, cleaning up after them. Our facilities staff dutifully hoses down the entryway then sprays it with a non-toxic liquid that, between rain and snow storms, works to keep these fine feathered friends off the cement and their organic by-product from underfoot.<br /><br />So now that it’s almost Spring and the goslings will be appearing in the next few weeks, we invite you to stop by and Zen out with our Own Private Gaggle. Come by before <a href="http://www.mountaineeringmuseum.org/events.php?id=Events">Thirsty 3rd Thursday</a> on the 18th or during <a href="http://www.cmc.org/events/eventdetails.aspx?EventID=1979">Mountainfest</a> on Saturday the 20th. Or anytime you’d like to pop in and see the <a href="http://www.mountaineeringmuseum.org/events.php?id=Exhibits">Museum</a> or even renew your CMC membership. But, as the blog title suggests, you might have to dodge a poo or two. It’s worth every two-step.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6796451326234197058.post-17835038946156142362010-03-02T11:57:00.003-07:002010-03-02T12:02:43.007-07:00It's All in Your HeadI’ll bet you didn’t know this, but March 15 – 21 is <a href="http://www.dana.org/brainweek/">Brain Awareness Week</a>. It’s a global campaign to increase public awareness about the progress and benefits of brain research. This is the 15th anniversary of the campaign that involves universities, hospitals, schools, research centers, and museum exhibits. That’s where we come in.<br /><br />I’m reminded of <em>Defending Your Life</em>, the 1991 Albert Brooks film, in which Rip Torn portrays Bob Diamond, the Purgatorial Prosecutor. Touting he’s able to use 48% of his brain, he reminds Brooks that the “little brains” (as we humans are called behind our backs) use only 3%. While that’s a little low by current standards of research, it’s now suggested that humans use 10% of their cranial potential. <br /><br />There’s obviously a lot we don’t know about the brain and its complexities, particularly when it comes to hypoxia and its long-term effects on the old gray matter. Dr. Robert Roach, Senior Scientist at the Altitude Research Center in Denver, has made this study his life. His list of <a href="http://www.altituderesearch.org/research/staff/roach/publications-roach">publications</a> includes an impressive array of subject matter. And that’s why the American Mountaineering Museum is hosting the next <a href="http://www.mountaineeringmuseum.org/events.php?id=Lectures">sPEAKer series</a> event on this very subject and led by Dr. Roach. Beginning at 7 PM in the Foss Auditorium, Roach will share his studies combining slide presentations, lecture, and discussion.<br /><br />The Rocky Mountain Chapter of the American College of Sports Medicine met at the Mountaineering Center last weekend. It led to some interesting conversations, one with a physician who, through personal experience, doesn’t doubt the correlation between sustained high altitude hypoxia and reduced brain function. His instruction? “Take good care of your brain.” Wherever you are, whatever you do, that’s sound advice.<br /><br />Stop by, then, tomorrow night after work to hear Roach’s timely take on the subject. Remember, the Museum will be open and free to attendees after 5:30 PM. It’ll be a great chance to see the current “Thin Air – an exhibit on altitude and oxygen” before it closes in a few weeks.<br /><br />Now, what was it I was supposed to remember? ;->Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0