ALPINE CLIMBING: PROGRAMMING AND PRACTICAL APPLICATION - DEADLINE EXTENDED

The deadline for Mazamas' most advanced alpine training course has been extended to September 13.

For a full description of the course and registration materials, please follow this link.

UPCOMING SKILLBUILDER: ALPINE PHOTOGRAPHY

Do you want to improve the quality of the pictures you take while on a Mazama trip? Interested in taking off the training wheels and opening up the semi-automatic and manual modes on your camera? This skill builder will give you the tools to use your camera more often and more efficiently, with a mountain-centered focus. Topics will include: camera gear management, lens selection/philosophy, low-light photography, strategies for optimal settings, composition techniques, random tips and tricks, raw workflow, and post processing using Adobe Lightroom.

Lecture: Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2013, 7 to 9 p.m. at the Mazama Mountaineering Center
Field Session: Saturday, Sept. 21, 2013 on Mt. Hood (with an optional, informal night photography meetup at 9 p.m.)
Taught by: Andrew Holman
Cost: $41 members, $52 non members

For details and to register, please follow this link.

VOLUNTEER REQUEST - HELP PROCESS MEMBERSHIP DUES

Mazamas Membership Services will be processing dues starting in mid September and we are looking for extra office volunteers to help between then and the end of October. A long-term commitment is not necessary: if you could work one or more 3-4 hour shifts, call Jamie at the Mazamas office or email her at Jamie@mazamas.org.  Thanks!

MAZAMA ANNUAL: CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

Publications Committee Asks You to Think Ahead for Next Year’s Annual! 

We're already in the planning stage for the 2013 Annual. We would love to hear about your adventures this winter, spring, summer and fall, especially any climbing-related stories you would like to share with fellow Mazamas.

We will help you edit any submissions you make. Please submit materials to mazama.annual@mazamas.org.

We'’d also like to encourage you to submit high-resolution photos of climbing, hiking or backpacking, even if they are not attached to an article. We would like to print a number of stand-alone photos from members in upcoming Annuals and we especially need vertically-oriented (portrait mode) pictures. Photos must be 300 dpi. Please give your photographs a descriptive file name and submit with a photo caption and credit. You can submit your photos to the email address above.

Deadlines:

• All reports are due Oct. 15: committee, outings (except fall), administrative 
• Feature articles are due Nov. 15 
• Photos are due Nov. 15 
• Climbs and hikes (spreadsheets) are due by Dec. 15 

Many thanks!­
—Mazama Publications Committee.

TWO ROAD CLOSURES

Road to Cloud Cap

A section of Lolo Pass Road (RD18) will be closed until 9/2 for repair damage done from the 2011 flood. You can take a detour on RD 1828 (Muddy Fork Road). 

Cloud Cap Road is now closed due to standing-dead hazards from the Gnarl Ridge fire. For details about this closure, you can follow this link.

VIDEO OF THE MONTH FOR AUGUST

City of Rocks RAW from Andrew Holman on Vimeo.

Another video from Andrew Holman.  Andrew says:

My second video using the outstanding RAW video functionality enabled by Magic Lantern. This one contains some assorted footage from a Memorial Day climbing trip to City of Rocks National Reserve in Southern Idaho.

Music: Bag Raiders - Shooting Stars 

Locations: Elephant Rock, Morning Glory Spire, Flaming Rock

WANTED: Your adventure video for "Mazamas Video of the Month!" 

Every month, the Mazama Blog features a "Mazamas Video of the Month," And we want to showcase YOUR video! The intent is for Mazamas members to share their mountain experiences with friends and fellow Mazamas. We want to view your trips, trips that remind us of trips we have done or dream of doing, and we certainly don't need a reckless Red Bull adrenaline-fueled video. The aim is to celebrate the Mazamas lifestyle. Please submit your videos to: mazamasonline@gmail.com

COUNCIL ELECTIONS - Monday, October 7, 2013

The Mazama Annual Election will be held this year on Monday Oct. 7, 2013.

The Mazama Executive Council is a nine member “Board of Directors” for the organization. Three members are elected to three year terms annually on the first Monday in October.

The six Executive Council nominees for the term beginning October 2013 are:

• Larry Beck 
• Heather Campbell 
• Kate Evans 
• Walter Keutel 
• Amy Mendenhall 
• John Rettig 

All members will receive a printed ballot and Voter Guide in the mail the first week of September, 2013. You can also view the Mazamas Voter Guide online as a pdf file.

The Mazama Executive Council has, among other duties, three obligations to fulfill: 1) To efficiently govern and manage the organization’s activities to responsibly meet our mission. 2) To maintain the highest standards of fiscal integrity and accountability. 3) To ensure stewardship of funds which are granted to outside organizations and individuals.

VIDEO OF THE MONTH: JULY

The video of the month for July is from Mazamas ICS 2011 coordinator Darrell Weston -- it's how to escape the belay!  Look for more ICS instructional videos in coming months . . .





Every month, the Mazamas features a "Mazamas Video of the Month".
And we want to showcase YOUR video!
The intent is for Mazamas members to share their mountain experiences with friends and fellow Mazamas. We want to view your trips, trips that remind us of trips we have done or dream of doing, and we certainly don't need a reckless Red Bull adrenaline-fueled video.

Please submit your videos to: mazamasonline@gmail.com

NEW MINI-COURSE: INTERMEDIATE SNOW CLIMBING

This class covers intermediate level alpine snow climbing skills (the level of skill taught in the Mazamas ICS program), including proper crampon and ice axe technique for high angle snow conditions, roped team travel and negotiating glacial terrain, protection techniques, including running belays, fixed line travel, belayed pitch climbing, and snow anchor building. Two evening lectures are followed by two days in the field on either the Eliot Glacier, the White River Glacier, or the Ried Glacier on Mt. Hood. 

For details and to register for the course, please follow this link.

BOULDERERS: WANT TO ROPE UP?

Do you know any boulderers who would like to learn about sport climbing?

Let them know about Sport Climbing Essentials - a new Mazamas Mini-Course designed especially for people who boulder at V2 or better.

Topics covered: 

• What gear to buy 
• Safety techniques 
• Knots 
• Proper communication 
• Toprope belaying and climbing 
• Following a sport route 
• Cleaning and converting sport anchors to rappels 
• Safe rappelling 
• Techniques for lead climbing 
• Lead belay practice 
• Lead climbing practice 
• Lead belay/climb and falling clinic at Source Climbing Center 

When: 

Classes run Monday, Wednesday, Friday, July 22 - August 2; 6:30 - 9 p.m.
Course ends with a field session - sport climb at French’s Dome Sunday, August 4

Where:
Mazama Mountaineering Center 527 SE 43rd Ave, Portland OR 97215 503-227-2345
email: adventure@mazamas.org

Cost:

$125 Mazama members $150 nonmembers

To register, follow this link.

MT. HOOD TRAVEL: ODOT WANTS YOUR INPUT

Do you have any opinions about the handling of travel between Mt. Hood and the Portland metro area? We thought you did!

The Mt Hood Multimodal Transportation Plan (MHMTP) partners have created an online survey. The purpose of this survey is to gather information about concerns and preferences related to transportation safety and transportation alternatives for those traveling to or across Mt. Hood. The result of the MHMTP will be a list of prioritized, affordable projects to be implemented along the Mt. Hood corridor.

Take the three-page online survey.

Read more from ODOT.

INTRODUCING e-BCEP 2013!

It's the exciting, excellent, extraordinary extension of the Mazamas Basic Climbing Education Program (BCEP).  Like BCEP, e-BCEP is designed to prepare those with little to no outdoor rock or snow experience for mountaineering.

The course covers the needed skills for Mazamas “A” or “B” level climb:

• Roped outdoor rock climbing (as a second) including: basic climbing knots, belaying skills, team communication, climbing and rappel techniques. 
• Snow techniques including snow travel, glissading, ice axe arrest, roped glacier travel and expectations for an alpine climb.
• Gear selection
• How to pack efficiently
• Nutrition 
• Map & compass navigation
• Weather assessment 

Field sessions are held in both alpine and rock terrain. Sessions may include overnight camping and "alpine" starts (that is, very early). The class will be conducted on exposed terrain and/or climbing routes as conditions and skills warrant.

The tentative schedule for this nine-week course begins June 19.

The tuition fee covers the course fee and graduation certificate, as well as one Mazamas climb application:

$335 for Mazamas Members

$395 for Non-Mazamas Members

You can register for e-BCEP and find lots more details --including a complete course schedule-- by following this link.

WANTED: Your Adventure Video for Mazamas Video of the Month!

Every month, the Mazamas features a "Mazamas Video of the Month".
And we want to showcase YOUR video!
The intent is for Mazamas members to share their mountain experiences with friends and fellow Mazamas. We want to view your trips, trips that remind us of trips we have done or dream of doing, and we certainly don't need a reckless Red Bull adrenaline-fueled video.

The aim is to celebrate the Mazamas lifestyle. Please submit your videos to: mazamasonline@gmail.com

EXPEDITION DENALI: INSPIRING DIVERSITY IN THE OUTDOORS

A Kickstarter Project
In June of this year, nine mountaineers will attempt to become the first all-African-American expedition to climb Denali (a.k.a. Mount McKinley) in Alaska.

As NOLS' Bruce Palmer has said, "This expedition is more than simply making history. It is an effort to build an outdoor legacy for people of color, particularly African-Americans."
Our purpose in creating this documentary film is to tell the amazing story of Expedition Denali, but in order to do that we need your help.

By 2019, some estimates predict that minority children will become the majority in the U.S. These kids will become the leaders of this country and the world, and a staggering majority of them don't feel the outdoors is a place for them.

For more information and to back the project, follow this link to the Kickstarter page.

APRIL VIDEO OF THE MONTH -- MOUNTAINEER TOSSING

IT'S NEW! IT'S EXCITING! IT'S MOUNTAINEER TOSSING! And BCEP Team (22) Badger Hunters invented it! Just one of the shenanigans you might get up to in Mazamas' Basic Climbing Education Program.

Submitted by Doug Brumfield Assistant Leader, Team 22