By Adam Baylor
With the climbing season well-underway, it’s easy to remain stoked about exploring the mountains and beyond. But maybe you need a few more reasons to celebrate mountaineering in the Pacific Northwest! Here are three unique milestones in our history that you’ll definitely want to commemorate:
First, we can look back 120 years to the summit of Mt. Hood where our mission was set in motion on July 19, 1894. Multiple generations of mountaineers have bravely ventured into the nearby Cascades and beyond because of Mazama training, fellowship and a shared spirit of adventure. As we reminisce on our early beginnings, we may ask what sort of challenges do we as modern mountaineers face today? Certainly the summits of Hood, Rainer, North Sister and the like remain just as difficult but more than a century ago there were major concerns with the protection of our public lands. Did you know that the Mazamas helped form Crater Lake National Park? It was through the vision of our first president, William Gladstone Steel, and other Mazama members that grassroots support in Oregon rallied to preserve Crater Lake for future generations. So what about today? Is it safe to say that the founder’s vision for protection of public lands remains the same? Or should we collectively look at yet another challenge that Mazamas can support such as expanding the Crater Lake Wilderness.
The second key milestone in 2014 for the Mazamas is a bit closer to home. We celebrate the centennial official Mazama climb of Beacon Rock in the Columbia River Gorge which took place on October 11, 1914. Published in the Mazama: A Record of Mountaineering in the Pacific Northwest (C.W. Howard, 1914, pg. 93-94) a party of 47 Mazamas reached the summit of the 858-foot andesite monolith. Today, evidence of that historic ascent can be found in the form of iron spikes on Beacon’s Northwest Face. Where else can modern climbers use 100-year old protection? Truly, this was an important climb for the Mazamas and to commemorate this nationally significant climbing area we are producing a documentary film about Beacon Rock climbing. Get inspired and become part of the project by donating to the Beacon Rock climbing legacy!
Our third milestone in 2014 is the 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act. Yes, in 1964 Congress actually did something to protect our wild places! So what does the future hold for our favorite places to play? The answer to that question and many more can be found at an upcoming Wilderness Act 50th celebration event at the Mazama Mountaineering Center. Our Conservation Committee is planning the celebration with a list of guest speakers that range from former Sierra Club director, Michael McCloskey, to Portland-based CRAG Law Center environmental experts. Join us for the event on September 27 and become part of the inspiring new movement to protect the Pacific Northwest’s wilderness.
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