Home | Scree | Back Issues
Scree for February, 1996
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This is the EScree - the Electronic version of the Scree newsletter from
the Peak Climbing Section of the Loma Prieta Chapter of the Sierra Club.
It should be viewed or printed with a fixed-pitch font such as Courier.
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This publication may not be posted on any public news group.
February, 1996 Vol. 29, No. 2
Deadline for submissions to the next Scree is 2/26/96.
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Next meeting (PCS meetings are the second tuesday of each month)
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Program: Hult, Who Goes There?!
Date: Tuesday 13 Feb 1996
Time: 7:30 pm
Location: Pacific Mountaineer
200 Hamilton Avenue, Palo Alto
Climb Killimanjaro and go on an East African Safari with Tim Hult
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Trip Planning Meeting
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Another winter is upon us, which means its almost time to
apply for permits for this summers climbing season. There
will be a trip planning meeting one week after the next
PCS meeting to get organized for summer 1996 climbing
trips. Details below!
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Memories of Mountain Mishaps
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What has been your "closest shave" in the mountains? For
one PCS member, it started with the muffled crack of a
slab avalanche; for two others, it started with the sharp
crack of a loose rock bounding down from above; for
others, it's desperately arresting a fall at the brink of a
cliff-using either metal or vegetable assistance. And for
one it was failing to prevent such a fall-and surviving.
Their first-hand accounts follow.
I'm continuing my project to quiz list members for
interesting anecdotes that I can compile into good articles
for the Scree newsletter. The next topic is:
"Describe your most memorable wildlife encounter."
These could be funny or scary stories about bears, rodents
from hell, snakes-you name it. Please keep it to a
paragraph or two and e-mail your account to me:
- Butch Suits
--> MMM1: Dashing Through the Snow
Butch Suits: Despite obvious signs of instability, we ski
the slope anyway. My friend Tim and I had dumped our
backpacks after skiing all day through two feet of fresh
powder in the Tetons. It was glorious snow, but twice I
had heard the "whumpf" of a snow layer collapsing under
my skis.
Tim goes first and carves the first 150 feet of the slope,
then waits next to a tree. Intimidated by the steep bulge at
the top, I cut one turn. As I set my skis to stop, I hear a
muffled crack. Still in motion, I guess that I am caught in
a sluff. Wrong. I am not stopping. I glance up and watch
the snow moving away from a 2-foot crown face, the
unmistakable sign of a slab avalanche. "You idiot," I
thought, "you knew better than to be here." I slide on my
butt, loose snow boiling around my waist. The sensation is
no worse than if I were performing a sitting glissade, but I
let go of my ski poles in case I have to swim. After about
200 feet, the snow slows down as it hits a lower-angled
bench. I come to a stop on top of the debris. Beyond the
bulge, I watch the tongue of the avalanche still pouring
into the valley below. I am relieved by my good luck. But
where is Tim?
He is buried. But after a few moments, a dark figure
appears as if by magic from the debris about 100 yards
below me. "You maniac, you almost killed me!" the figure
yells. He's right. I'm glad to hear his voice. I walk down to
meet him, the debris under my feet creaking ominously as
it continues to settle.
Tim is unhurt, but had been "Maytagged" by the vortex of
snow. The sprung bails of his skis and his snowy clothing
are the only signs of the violence he has endured. He tells
me how he came to rest with his head near the snow level
and, incredibly, how he had been able to reach the shovel
on his backpack and dig himself out-it was definitely a
"soft slab" avalanche. Neither of us have ski poles; they're
buried under the snow. As we slog around the hill to our
tents-and the stunned response of our companions-I feel
embarrassed about the foolish thing I have done. Despite
my knowledge of avalanche safety, I had been in denial
about the unsafe conditions. I had wanted to ski. Next
time I will pay more attention when my intuition tells me:
"You shouldn't be here."
--> MMM2: When Mountains Move-Rogers Peak
Kelly Maas: We were coming off the lose middle slopes
and were getting onto the better lower slopes. The last
person, descending with reasonable care, dislodged a
piece of granite the size of a Maytag about 30 feet above
me. There was no need to yell "ROCK!" I immediately
sensed something happening and turned around to look. I
had to wait until the boulder had taken a couple of
bounces before I could know which way to jump. It then
took me a fraction of a second to cover the 10 feet of
unstable rock to get out of harms way. I even avoided
being hit by any of the smaller associated rocks, but I'll
never forget the distinct smell of pulverized granite.
Further down the slope was Jim Ramaker who also had to
make some quick moves to safety.
Jim Ramaker: I looked up and saw a boulder about the
size of a washing machine tumbling down the slope
straight toward me. The boulder was so big it started
dislodging many other smaller rocks. I had about three
seconds to save my life. I scampered a few yards to the
right over the rugged. loose slope, and dove behind a huge
boulder with an overhang on the downhill side. The
tumbling boulder and the rocks it had dislodged thundered
past a few yards away. Had that overhanging boulder not
been there, I almost certainly would have been hit by
something.
--> MMM3: Saved By the Scrax* on Mt. Abbott
*Scrax = Scree-Ax
Steve Eckert: We missed the green wall that Aaron so
well described in his more recent trip report, and went up
loose rock to a headwall. After turning around, we
realized the danger of climbing loose class 2-3 with a few
inches of early season snow on top. It was very slick, and
hard to judge how stable a rock was without being able to
see the small features around it.
I felt a foothold give way, and shifted weight to a
handhold. That gave out also. Then the other handhold
pulled loose. I was carrying an ice ax over my shoulder,
and while sliding managed to get into arrest position ON
SCREE. The pick grabbed and I stopped with my feet over
the edge. No kidding. I hung there a few minutes and
carefully scrambled back into the world of the living.
--> MMM4: It Pays to Hug a Tree
Peter Maxwell: My closest call came in Australia, while
climbing out of a canyon after having negotiated the river
at the bottom (not in a raft, but by swimming, boulder
hopping and rappelling where necessary). We were on a
use trail on fairly steeply sloping ground (around 35
degrees) and I was paying too much attention to talking
and not enough to where I put my feet.
My right foot stepped off the trail and the next I knew I
was sliding down the slope to a vertical cliff face about 20'
down the slope. Lucky for me I was able to lunge out and
wrap my arms around a small tree, after having torn up
my fingernails trying to dig my fingers in to slow me
down. A fall down the 100' cliff onto the rocks on the
floor of the canyon would probably have resulted in death,
or serious injury at best. That was definitely a close call.
--> MMM5: Kids Don't Try This at Home
(Faceplant off Mt. Lamarck)
David Ress: On Sunday, we hiked up to Lamarck Col and
thence to the summit. Here, an electrical storm began. Not
wanting to be exposed to lightning hazard during the long
flat walk back down the summit plateau, I chose to
descend the north face of the peak. Approximately 600'
down, we encountered steep cliffs broken by ledges. While
attempting to lower myself down on a rock horn, I slipped
on the slush-covered rock, falling approximately 45' and
landing on my head. I sustained an open skull fracture,
shattered my maxillofacial bones, and broke a small bone
in my hand. My friend also fell while descending, but
managed to catch himself was escaped serious harm.
Despite my injuries, I was able to descend for about half
an hour, gave my friend detailed instructions on how get
help, then settled down to the most uncomfortable night in
the mountains I have ever endured. It snowed
intermittently throughout the night and was unseasonably
frosty. At first light, I descended to the highest of the
unnamed lakes south of Mt. Goethe, where I was
evacuated by helicopter. An exhausting 8 hour surgery
was necessary reassemble my facial bones, but the skull
fracture required no treatment.
I have reflected a great deal on this accident as regards its
causes and lessons. As in Jack London's story, "To Build a
Fire", I made no one heinous error that led to my fall, but
rather put myself, and my friend, in increasingly
dangerous straits by making a sequence of small errors,
including: not getting enough sleep, not getting an early
enough start, not turning back when the weather
deteriorated, attempting to descend wet semi-technical
rock without a rope, and not wearing a helmet. Safety in
the mountains is not an absolute quantity, but rather exists
as a margin of prevention against errors and unpredictable
hazards. When the margin is reduced too far, some kind
of an accident becomes probable.
--> MMM6: Bivy on the Beach
Eugene N. Miya: Found this wonderful description of a
forced bivvy by Linus Pauling on a cliff above his ranch at
Big Sur. While not a climb, technically, it shows
improvising cover, [and] keeping awake. [Taken from]
Linus Pauling: A Life in Science and Politics, by Ted and
Ben Goertzel.
"Pauling scooped out a hollow on the narrow ledge and
covered himself with a big map he carried in his pocket.
He dared not sleep because of the cold. He counted in
French and German and Italian to keep himself awake; he
exercised as he lay in his narrow quarters. He told the
unheeding ocean about the nature of the chemical bond.
When the stars came out, he sighted the end of his
walking stick and tried to tell time by the constellations.
He recited the periodic table of the elements. He grew
more and more anxious, not for himself, since he knew he
would eventually be found, but for Ava Helen, whom he
could not tell that he was uncomfortable, but unharmed.
He was chagrined by his predicament...."
--> Ramaker's Rules for Reducing Rockfall
I think this [Rogers Peak] incident [from Butch's
Mountain Mishaps article] exemplifies the most common
and most dangerous hazard on PCS trips (rockfall caused
by others in the group). I've seen at least three other close
calls (albeit with smaller rocks), and seen one person get
hit on the head hard enough to draw blood. A few rules to
prevent this kind of rockfall (others can probably add to or
improve on these rules):
1. When climbing in a group, try if possible to either
spread out horizontally on the slope, or stay very close
together vertically (so falling rocks don't have time to
gather speed).
2. When climbing in a group, try not to climb directly
above or directly below anyone else.
3. If you see someone else knock a rock loose, yell
"ROCK!!" Don't wait for the perpetrator to yell_in my
case, he said nothing.
4. If you knock a rock loose yourself, don't stay silent in
an attempt to protect your reputation, and hope that
someone will call it out and be blamed instead of you. We
can't place our reputations above the safety of our
teammates.
5. On loose terrain (or always), climb carefully and
delicately. Try to climb so that you don't knock anything
loose, not even pebbles. If someone in the group is a
clumsy climber, ask them to ascend LAST and descend
FIRST.
6. If you know the rock is going to be loose, bring a
helmet.
- Jim Ramaker
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PCS Leader List
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NAME CLASS EXPIRATION
Benham, Debbie 2 Mar 98 ?
Bulger, Debbie 3 Feb 97 ?
Caldwell, Dave 3 + winter Nov 97
Crawley, Roger 3 Jun 96 ?
Dyall, Palmer 3 + winter Feb 98 ?
Eckert, Steve 3 + winter Mar 97
? Firth, Sheldon 2 Jun 97
Flinn, John 4 + winter Jul 95 EXP
? Ford, Noreen 2 Mar 97
Gaillard, Anne 2 Oct 97
Ingvolstad, John 3 May 96
? Ingvolstad, Kate 2 Sep 95
Isherwood, Bill 4 + winter Jun 95 EXP
Macintosh, Chris 3 + winter Aug 96 ?
Magliocco, Cecil 3 Mar 97 ?
Maas, Kelly 3 + winter Aug 97 ?
Maxwell, Peter 3 Dec 95 EXP
Ottenburg, Marj 2 Feb 98 ?
Ramaker, Jim 3 Apr 96
? Rau, Vreni 2 Jun 95 EXP
? Schuman, Aaron 3 Feb 97
Sefchik, Laura 2 Feb 98 ?
Simpson, Richard 2 + winter Mar 96 ?
? Stewart, Anita 1 Feb 97
Storkman, Warren 2 Mar 97
Suits, Butch 3 + winter Nov 97
Suzuki, Bob 3 Mar 98
? Van Gordon, George 3 Jan 96 EXP
Wallace, Bob 3 Feb 98
Wiedman, Kai 4 + winter Mar 98 ?
Wilsey, Tawna 2 Feb 95 EXP
? Yager, Chris 4 + winter Mar 97
The names with ? marks in front of them I have not
received current applications for. The names with ? marks
after the first aid card I have not received confirmation of
their training. If you fall into either of these categories,
please contact me.
- Tim Hult
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Trip Planning Meeting
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Another winter is upon us, which means its almost time to
apply for permits for this summers climbing season.
Permit applications must be postmarked March 1 for the
best chance of obtaining them.
There will be a trip planning meeting one week after the
next PCS meeting to get organized for summer 1996
climbing trips. All leaders and prospective leaders are
encouraged to come equipped with trips they would like to
lead. Maps and guide books are often useful to bring.
Dinner is not provided, so please eat before the meeting:
Tuesday, 2/20/96 at 7:30 PM. Map and directions follow.
See you there.
- Paul Magliocco
| Highway 280
---+----------------------------------------
|
| |
| | Bascom Ave.
| |
| | Highway 85
----+----------+-------------------------------->
| | to Morgan Hill
| |
| | Los Gatos Blvd./Bascom Ave.
| | exit from Highway 85
+-+ Lark |
| | Ave. |
--+------------|
| | Los Gatos Blvd.
| |
|Highway |
| 17 |<------- 0.4 miles ------->
| | Los Gatos-Almaden Road
| ---+---------------------------------
V | 35 |
To | |
Santa Longwood Drive |
Cruz |
/
__________/
x
The Maglioccos
15944 Longwood Drive
Los Gatos, CA 95032
(408) 358-1168
If heading south on Highway 17, exit at Lark Avenue and
cross back over the freeway to Los Gatos Blvd. If taking
Highway 85, exit at Los Gatos Blvd/Bascom Ave. After
passing Lark Ave. while on Los Gatos Blvd., Los Gatos-
Almaden Road is the third traffic signal. While on Los
Gatos-Almaden Road, there will be a black 35 mile-per-
hour sign with white numbers about 25 feet before you get
to Longwood Drive. When you see the sign, slow down
quickly. It is easy to drive right past the street. Go about
0.4 miles down Longwood Drive to get to the house.
There is usually a silver Ford Aerostar parked on the
street in front of the house.
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Request for Ice Partners
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For some time I've been looking for climbing partners to start
some technical (or semi-technical) snow/ice climbing in the
Sierra. I am in Colfax (on your way to Tahoe), but am certainly
willing to drive from Shasta to Olancha to meet partners. I'm a
class 3 climber now, but am tiring of "the slog" and ready to do
some rope work. If anyone who knows the score is interested in
hooking up with an eager belay slave, or if anyone wants to join
me on the learning curve, give me a call at (916) 346-7279, or
E-mail me. Would like to do some glacier work on Shasta in the
spring, and would also like to just go out for a weekend to
practice boot-ax belay, pro placement, etc. I have ice screws,
pickets, etc.
- Christian / firstcrow@aol.com
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Official (PCS) Trip
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PCS trips must be submitted through the Scheduler
(see back cover for details). Trips not submitted to the
Scheduler will be listed as PRIVATE, without recourse.
Another Peak Mission
Peak: Mission Peak Trail - 2,517'
Date: Feb 11 Sun
Contact: Bob Suzuki H: 408-259-0772
(after 8:00 PM)
Start your conditioning for summer early with an enjoyable
17 mile hike along the Ohlone Wilderness trail. We'll have
about 4,000' of elevation gain, with an option to climb
Mission Peak twice. Heavy rain cancels. No Host carpool
at Cubberly High (Middlefield & Montrose in Palo Alto) at
8:15 am, or meet at trailhead (Stanford Ave in Fremont) at
9:00 am. Co-listed with the Day Hiking Section.
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PCS Membership & EScree
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Hey, you - yes, YOU! If you're receiving the Peak Climbing
Section's newsletter (EScree) by email (either from the formal
broadcast or because someone is forwarding you a copy.... but
did you know that you can be a MEMBER of the PCS for free?
Lead great trips, vote in elections, spread the word, etc!
If you get the EScree, then all you have to do for membership is
send email to Jim Ramaker (the official PCS treasurer) at
saying that you want to be a PCS
member. (Of course, you should be a Sierra Club member also.)
Remember, that's , copy to
with the message "I receive the
EScree, and I want to be a PCS member". It's that easy. Send
it today!
NOTE: Since this notice was sent out by email last week,
we have picked up about 15 new PCS members. Spread
the word, and send in suggestions for other publicity!
- Editor
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Unofficial (Private) Trips
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Private trips may be submitted directly to the Scree Editor,
but are not insured, sponsored, or supervised by the Sierra
Club. They are listed here because they may be of interest
to PCS members, not because they are endorsed by the PCS.
Steps of San Francisco
Trip: San Francisco Conditioning Hike
Date: Jan 20 Sat
Contact: Judith Dean 415-854-9288
Judith.Dean@forsythe.Stanford.edu
Co-Contact: Debbie Benham 415-964-0558
DmBenham@aol.com
You won't need snow tires or diamox, just a willingness to
enjoy one of the world's most beautiful cities on foot. We'll
spend 4-6 hours [starting at 9AM] exploring the stairways
that provide the vertical links between the streets that
contour around Russian Hill, Telegraph Hill and Pacific
Heights. Then we'll descend to North Beach for a pasta feed
to finish the day. Bring sturdy shoes, water, and a hearty
snack (if you don't want to pick something up as we go).
Conditioning Bike
Peak: Mt Tamalpias Class 1 - 2,517'
Date: Jan 27 Sat
Raincheck: Feb 4 Sun
Contact: Phyllis Olrich 415-322-0323
phylliso@forsythe.stanford.edu
Co-Contact: Patt Baenen 415-494-3022
pattb27@aol.com
Join Patt and me for a killer mountain bike ride up Mt.
Tam. If off-road conditions are too muddy, we'll opt for a
40-mile road ride up to Skyline from Palo Alto. Rain
postpones to the Raincheck Date.
Right on La Mark
Peak: Mt. Lamark Snow - 13,417'
Dates: Feb 17-20 Sat-Tue
Contact: George Van Gorden 408-779-2320
(evenings before 9:00 PM)
Meet in Bishop Saturday morning and drive up to Apendell
at about 8,500 feet. Saturday afternoon and Sunday we
will move up the mountain on snowshoes to our high
camp. Monday we will climb the mountain and return to
camp. Back to the cars on Tuesday morning. Crampons
and axes. If the road is closed to Apendell or if the
weather is bad, we will explore alternatives.
It Hasta Be Shasta
Peak: Mt. Shasta class 3 ice - 14,162'
Dates: Feb 17-19 Sat-Mon
Contact: Kai Wiedman 415-347-5234
This time we'll tackle Sargents Ridge, an airy and
challenging route. We will attempt the complete ridge
starting at Panther Meadow. Our high camp will be high in
the sky at Shasta Rama, a large block of basalt. From
there, mixed climbing will lead us around rock towers and
steep traverses. Hideous exposure will tug at our feet.
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Just Me And Mr. Marmot
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"And then a hero comes along,
with the strength to carry on;
and you cast your fears aside,
and you know you can survive.
So when you feel like hope is gone,
look inside you and be strong,
and you'll finally see the truth,
that a hero lies in you."
- Mariah Carey
Was it by chance that this, one of my favorite pop tunes,
was playing on two radio stations at the same time as I left
Palo Alto on the afternoon of Friday, August 3 for my first
solo adventure in the Sierras? Perhaps, but I have a
penchant for the dramatic, and I preferred to see it as a
sign of great things ahead.
What propelled this middle-aged woman to go off into the
wilderness by herself? Most importantly, to begin to find
out just what my skill level is. I'm very confident in
certain areas of mountaineering (I know I'm a strong hiker
for instance, and there have been times when I've lead the
way), but there are other areas where I almost always
defer to others - navigation or hanging the food, for
example. So it was about a year ago that I got this idea
into my head to go out alone - with no one to rely on but
myself. This was the only way I would feel free enough to
try what I wanted to try, to make mistakes and not have to
worry about looking stupid or incompetent in front of
anyone else.
I am not so afraid of the bears, or the dark, or the weather,
or bad men out to hurt me; my greatest fear is of getting
lost. I have learned how taking one wrong turn, or going
off route by a few degrees can cause you to become lost,
resulting in at the very least minutes or hours of extra
time trying to find your way back; at worst, becoming so
lost that you can never find your way out and no one finds
you, until it's too late.
I can think of a couple of things that might have been
obstacles to taking such a trip in the past that I have
overcome in the last couple of years. First, I used to be
deathly afraid of bears. But over the years I became
convinced that they were not interested in hurting
humans; they just want your food.
Second, was my inability to drive long distances without
starting to fall asleep at the wheel. It always amazed me
how men especially could drive endless distances
seemingly without needing rest. Surely this must be some
kind of testosterone advantage. But last year I drove to the
East side and back successfully without help (my
passenger did not drive a stick shift). So I knew I could do
it if I had to. That was so liberating!
And so I began, full of excitement for the adventure
ahead. Friday night I crashed in the back of my car at the
Sunrise Lakes trailhead in Yosemite. There's a deluxe
portapotty there - a big draw for me, the toilet paper
queen. I got the idea to cover myself with my space
blanket, not only to keep warm, but to camouflage myself
from the rangers, who could ticket me if they found me.
As I lay there gazing out the back window at the stars, I
flashed back on my early days in California, over 20 years
ago. I had a big old hatchback Oldsmobile then, with
plenty of room for sleeping when you put the back seat
down. I used to go camping by myself, and have all kinds
of adventures around the state. I was young, full of
dreams, and lonely too. So much has happened since then
- I've been to hell and back - and I've tended to dismiss
that girl in her twenties as someone I don't know
anymore. But I got in touch with her again. Her
innocence. Her keen sense of adventure. She's still a part
of me and I'm striving to love and accept all the parts of
me.
At the permit booth by 7am, I endured a series of bear
stories told by a rather chatty ranger who was in love with
the big furry critters. Our mission was to save the bears,
she assured us. To that end, we should rent the bulky
nearly 3-lb. bear-proof canisters to keep our food and
other smelly goods in. Not being confident in my food-
hanging abilities, you remember, I consented, and after a
hearty breakfast at the Tuolumne grill, I picked up my
very own canister at the store. With all due respect, Ms.
Ranger, my main concern is me and my food, not the
welfare of the bears...
It was very refreshing to be able to pack up at the
trailhead with no time pressures from anyone but myself. I
could attend to all those little last-minute details to my
heart's content. Still, a 9:10am departure is not too bad I
think.
I had scaled down my original plan somewhat, due to the
snow conditions, and not wanting to bite off more than I
could chew on Sunday and not make it back to the store
by 7pm to return the canister. My goal now was to hike up
to Vogelsang Lake and see what the lay of the land was
and how I felt. This entailed about a 7.5 mile hike with
2,000' elevation gain, a very moderate day, by PCS
standards.
I began hiking up the trail, full of expectation, attending
to every sign and trail junction, knowing that I alone was
responsible for my journey this day. I traveled up the John
Muir "Highway" for awhile, then took the Rafferty Creek
turnoff, where, after a long uphill section you finally spill
out into a beautiful meadow below Tuolumne Pass, and
you catch your first glimpse of Fletcher and Vogelsang
peaks. I checked my maps often, not because of any
navigational challenge (the trail was clear, at least to the
Vogelsang High Sierra Camp), but to compare the map to
the features around me, to see if I could tell where I was
and if I could pick out various landmarks.
To my delight, I felt that it all came together for me. Yes,
that must be Rafferty Peak over there! I can tell by the
long gradual slope to the summit. And that's obviously
Fletcher. Look at the steep broad base and the vast flat
top. I was able to match the features I was seeing in nature
with what was drawn on the map. I've been frustrated so
many times by my seeming inability to know where I was
or what was what in the mountains. So I just follow along,
enjoying the scenery but not participating much in the
route finding. Thinking everyone knows more than me.
But I underestimate myself! Out here all alone, I have
permission to stop, examine, and guess. This makes me
very happy.
One interesting thing that happens when you travel alone
is that you tend to be much more outgoing and friendly to
strangers. Does this stem from man's inborn need to
connect to other human beings? So that when you don't
have a traveling companion, you naturally reach out more
to others? Whatever it is, I enjoyed that aspect of the trip
very much. Stopping to talk to other hikers and
backpackers, even the cowboys and girls leading
packtrains and their clients, God forbid. On the way out as
a matter of fact, I met a very nice family from
Massachusetts, my home state. We exchanged names and
I hope to call them next time I'm on the East Coast to ask
them how the rest of their trip went.
Another time, I stopped to talk to a couple that was out
dayhiking. The guy looked at my map and we discussed
possible peaks they could do that afternoon. I looked over
at his girlfriend, sitting passively, waiting. Gosh, that has
been me so many times, I thought. It felt strange and
wonderful to be playing the male role this time. Indeed a
great part of this trip was about releasing my male energy
- the part of us that makes decisions, takes risks, and takes
action.
On the way up to Vogelsang Lake (10,324'), you pass
right by the High Sierra Camp. It's a real ghost town this
year, as are all the High Sierra Camps. I thought about
how disappointed all those people must be who had
reservations only to find that the camps would never open
in 1995.
It was here that the trail started fading badly under the
snow. But it's just a short way up to the lake from there
and the way is pretty obvious. It was early afternoon when
I reached the lake, a welcome sight. It was partially frozen
with snow covering much of the landscape, but there were
plenty of sandy rocky places for campsites. I decided to
camp there and found a spot away from the lake facing
west, hidden from view. The snow makes for a rather
desolate ambiance, but it was blessing because it helped to
keep the people away - I was the lone camper there that
night.
The old battle raged within - should I go for the gusto and
try for a peak this afternoon or take a completely different
tack and rest, write, and reflect. I couldn't do both. Not
wanting to be too compulsive, I made a decision to go for
the latter. After lunch I really wanted to nap, so that's just
what I did. When I awoke, however, a wave of nausea hit
me so bad I thought I must be coming down with the flu
or food poisoning. What would I do? Ask for help from a
passerby? Hike out as soon as I was strong enough? Stay
put until I recovered (I didn't have that much food). But it
must have just been a touch of altitude sickness, because it
passed quickly. Then I was glad that I had stayed in camp
after all.
I spent a beautiful quiet afternoon. I studied the map and
read over the route descriptions I had copied from Roper
and Secor. I had already decided that to atone for my
slothful wimpy behavior of Saturday, I would climb both
Vogelsang (11,493') and Fletcher (11,410') Sunday
morning before hiking out. I wrote in my journal. I took
time to observe the colors of the fish, the birds, the clarity
of the lake. This is something I don't do enough. People
are always telling me to stop and smell the flowers. I
became quite friendly with one particular marmot. He
(she?) would have taken the food right from under me if I
had let him. He became my buddy.
I decided I had better cook my dinner, even though I
wasn't very hungry. I ate one serving of my gourmet
freeze-dried honey lemon chicken, but buried the rest. I
always have trouble with my appetite at altitude. At
7:30pm, I got ready for bed and crawled into my bivy bag
for the night. I had planted my canister about 20' away
from my camp on level ground as instructed. My camera
was ready to catch the bear if he came to bat the canister
around. I thought for sure he'd come kiss me goodnight
since I was so lathered up with various lotions and sprays.
But he stood me up.
The constant sound of a waterfall was my lullaby.
Watching the sunset I finally dozed off. I lost count of the
number of times I had to get up to go in the middle of the
night. Each time I would bang a pot, or call out "I'm
getting up Mr. Bear" just case he was lurking nearby. I
didn't want to surprise him. But I think if there were any
bears around, they saw the canister and left, knowing they
couldn't get in. When I couldn't sleep, I'd watch the
universe, one advantage of sleeping in a bivy bag and not
a tent. I was not afraid or lonely or cold. I was in the
"gentle wilderness" after all, and if you respect its power,
it will treat you to all its delights.
I arose about 6:30 to a very warm morning. Whereas
Saturday had been a day to rest, observe, write, and
acclimatize, Sunday was a day to KICK ASS. I cooked my
cup of gruel that masquerades as oatmeal and put together
my summit pack. I packed a space blanket JUST IN
CASE. When you're out alone you have to be a bit more
prepared than normally.
Going for the peak is what I love. That backpacking stuff
is just a necessary evil to get in to your basecamp as far as
I'm concerned. I decided to climb Vogelsang first, my
main objective. I hiked around the lake toward Vogelsang
Pass to get a head on view of the peak. I saw that there
were 3 or 4 parallel ramps on the east face that run
gradually along to the ridge to the left of the peak. This
looked like a good way to go to me so I started up the rock
to reach one of the ramps. At one point I used my ice ax to
cross a short steep snow patch. As I made my way up the
ramp, I became impatient and got a little too aggressive. I
thought I'd take a short cut by heading straight up the face
to the summit, rather than go all the way around to the
ridge. But when I ran into some 3rd class climbing, I got
scared and thought "this is not a smart thing to be doing
alone." So I backed off (VERY carefully) and continued
up the ramp till I hit that ridge. Once there, I could see it
was a very easy walk up to the summit! And when I got to
the top, there was a marmot stretched out on one of the
summit boulders!
I was so happy to see the register box. I got a lump in my
throat. Vogelsang is not a particularly difficult peak or
anything like that, but I had found it, I had picked the
route, I had made it all alone. Still no other people
around. After a snack, a hero shot by remote control, more
map reading and guessing about the other peaks around, I
started my descent. Turns out there were some moves that
I had done on the way up that I was not comfortable with
on the way down, so I came down a different way, ending
up on some steep snow. I was glad I had lugged up my ice
ax and crampons because I really needed them now.
I had already scouted out the route up Fletcher from the
top of Vogelsang. It was a "classic Sierra ramble" as
someone wrote in the peak register. Secor notes you
encounter "brush, scree, and talus...before reaching the
summit." Starting from a point just below Vogelsang Pass,
I followed my route, making sure to stop and look back
several times along the way (a wise practice - you'd be
surprised how different things look from the opposite
direction).
The summit of Fletcher consists of a very large sandy
plateau with several rock outcroppings sprouting up. I
headed for the most prominent outcropping, thinking that
must surely be the summit. But there was no register there
and it looked like the next outcropping over was a just a
little bit higher. So I climbed down, trudged over more
sandy scree to the next rock outcropping. I repeated this
SEVERAL times, almost giving up. I let out a cry of relief
when I spied a glass jar shoved into a crack. No one had
signed that register in A YEAR! Judging by all the
footprints however, I suspect that was due more to the
isolated location of the jar and the numerous false
summits, than to the difficulty or unpopularity of the peak.
Happy at last, I took another remote control hero shot, and
looked over to the east to identify the nearby lakes and
other features. A successful descent had me back in camp
by 2pm. Two gals passed by as I was packing up - the first
human beings I had seen in about 24 hours.
Ready to leave camp by 3pm I knew I had to make it out
to my car in time to get to the Tuolumne store by 7pm
closing time to return the rented canister. Boy, was I glad
I was coming out rather than going in because I
encountered several groups of backpackers and one
packtrain on their way in. Stopping to be so friendly and
all delayed me awhile, and I had to hustle to make sure I
made it out in good time. Exhausted along the last mile of
the trail, almost delirious, I kept hoarsely crying out
"parking lot, parking lot," in hopes of seeing my car soon
(I talk and mumble to myself a lot, actually).
It felt SO good to get my pack and boots off. Back at the
store, I fulfilled a fantasy I'd been having all the way
down the trail - I consumed a pint of Ben & Jerry's Coffee
Almond Fudge frozen yogurt. God, did that taste good!
One of the most gratifying parts of the trip was calling
some friends back in the Bay Area to let them know I had
made it out alive. Knowing that there are people back
home who love me and care about me makes it okay to
choose to be alone.
The B&J's held me all the way to Oakdale where I stopped
for late dinner at "Crap in the Box" (actually the Teriyaki
Chicken Bowl is quite decent). And guess what song
played over the loudspeaker in the restaurant, folks...
I had been worried that I wouldn't be able to make it all
the way home without stopping to nap, but I had no
problem. I don't know if it was the caffeine in the yogurt
or the adrenaline pumping through my body. All scrubbed
and snug, I lay in bed a long time that night before I could
get to sleep.
I hope to do this again next year - maybe I'll make it an
annual event. The weather was perfect all weekend, I
conquered some fears, and spent some quality time with
myself, with nature, and with God.
- Phyllis Olrich
FOOTNOTE:
In reporting my solo Sierra backback/peakclimbing trip
this summer, I wrote that I was "not...afraid of bad men
out to hurt me." It was inconceivable to me that a
dangerous weirdo would be in the backcountry.
The news that a recently-paroled rapist attacked a female
Yosemite Park ranger, then escaped into the wilderness
carrying a backpack and sleeping bag, has forced me to
examine my perhaps ridiculously naive notions about
people who backpack.
After all, isn't there a special camaraderie among
backpackers_we are a peace-loving, nature-loving,
spiritually aware band, aren't we? How could someone
hell-bent on sadistic violent acts at the same commune
with nature, be willing to put in the difficult physical
effort that backpacking requires, and appreciate God's
great outdoors?
Questions loom: Is this man an experienced backpacker or
just a homeless person? Did he go to Yosemite specifically
to prey on women there? Was he planning to head up the
trail looking for vulnerable women? What if he had found
me that night I was camped at Vogelsang Lake ALL
ALONE. I scoffed at friends who were concerned for my
safety. Must I now concede that they were right?
And what of the future? Should I abandon any plans of
ever soloing again? Should I get certified to carry mace
and bring that with me? Is this even legal in the parks and
forests? Better yet, conceal a knife or a...GUN. I picture
myself hiking along, checking my surroundings
constantly, looking and listening for strangers. And if I
spy a man coming down the trail, straightening my
posture, throwing him a steely gaze as if to say, "Don't
mess with me Mister," instead of the usual smile and
greeting "Hi, how's it going?" Then huddling in my
sleeping bag at night, clutching my weapon. Doesn't
sound like too much fun, does it?
Still, how can I complain, you say. I can still venture out
relatively safely with other people. But it seems so unfair,
so horrible. Of course I'm not free_not one of us is really
free from the dangers that exist in this crazy world.
- Phyllis Olrich
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
An Avalanche of Info
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. AVALANCHE VIDEO I have the video "Avalanche
Awareness," which I am willing to loan out to interested
people. This is a good primer on avalanche safety for
backcountry travelers. I can bring it to the Christmas
Party. Contact me if you'd like to see it: Butch Suits,
bsuits@lmsc.lockheed.com 415-325-4116
2. AVALANCHE LECTURE REPORT I attended the
avalanche lecture at Pacific Mountaineer. It was by a man
who trains the ski patrollers at Alpine Meadows. It was a
good presentation, including a screening of the video
mentioned above.
3. STATISTICS from the winter of 94-95 covering the
mountains of the Western U.S.:
- People caught in avalanches: 162 (mostly ski patrollers)
- Buried: 88
- Injured: 28
- Killed: 22 (mostly backcountry travelers)
The lecturer said the killed number is mostly backcountry
because most backcountry folks are far removed from
rescue by others and are not trained or equipped
adequately to rescue themselves.
Ski resorts recorded over 14,000 avalanches last year,
1717 was the highest, at Squaw Valley. (Many of these
were set off by explosives).
4. AVALANCHE SAFETY This is a smattering of tips
that I've recorded as reminders and to stimulate interest in
this topic. This is not an exhaustive prescription for
avalanche safety. There's a lot more you need to learn to
be safe. Contact me if you have further questions.
- Most (80%) avalanches occur during or immediately
after storms.
- Essential touring equipment for steep terrain:
avalanche transceivers, shovels, probe poles.
- Buried victims usually survive if located and dug out in
under 15 minutes (90% according to some European
stats); at 30 minutes, survival drops to 30%
(asphyxiation)
Assessing avalanche hazards: Three factors to consider:
- terrain
- weather
- stability and structure of the existing snowpack.
Some destabilizing factors:
- Heavy loading of snowpack (due to heavy snowfall or wind deposition of snow)
- Rain (lubricates sliding surfaces)
- Thawing of snowpack (lubricates), especially when snow does not refreeze at night.
- Poorly bonded layers. Some causes are surface hoar, depth hoar, ice layers from rain or thawing.
Some signs of instability:
- Debris from other recent avalanches
- Hollow sounds in the snow, especially a "whoompf" sound
- Cracks propagating out from skis
Route selection:
- Choose broad valleys
- Choose ridgetops, especially on windward side; stay
away from skiinf on top of or under cornices.
- Prime slab avalanche angle is 30-45%
- Tracks already crossing the slope do not mean it's safe
If you suspect a slope is unsafe:
- Ask "What's the worst thing that can happen to me?"
- Ask "Is there a safer route?"
- If you decide to cross the slope, go one at a time and try
to plot an escape route/strategy.
- Butch Suits
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1996 PCS Roster
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Last, First Name City Home Phone Work Phone Email Address
Adler, David Santa Cruz 408-464-1172 408-259-0760
Aldrich, Gary Half Moon Bay 415-726-3480
Alger, Sharon salger@slip.net
Allen, Mary Ann Campbell 408-866-1053
Anderson, Bart Palo Alto 415-321-9769
Anderson, Victor Portola Valley 408/563-5042 anderson_victor@amat.com
Baenen, Patt Cupertino 415-494-3022 pattb27@aol.com
Baltierra, John Stanford 415-494-0517 415-725-2597 cn.jab@forsythe.stanford.edu
Barlow, Nancy Anne Redwood City 415-365-1090
Barnes, George Palo Alto 415-494-8895 barnes@prusik.com
Baugher, Larry Sunnyvale 408-746-0719 415-852-5393 cbaugher@fuhsd.org
Bedell, David Salinas 408-769-0415 nunatak@aol.com
Benham, Deborah Mountain View 415-964-0558 dmbenham@aol.com
Berenjfoorosh, Hossein Santa Clara 408-988-5043
Bergero, Richard San Carlos 415-782-1500
Bergero, Yvonne San Carlos 415-782-1500
Bergmann, Jules bergmann@cydrome.stanford.edu
Billings, Lucy Menlo Park 415-358-9600
Blockus, Dave Cupertino 408-973-9347
Booth, Dee Los Gatos 408-354-7291
Booth, Richard Los Gatos 408-354-7291
Boyle, Brian Cupertino 408-973-0640
Brown, Shirley San Jose
Bulger, Debbie Santa Cruz 408-457-1036
Burrows, Philip Stanford 415-497-0177
Bynum, Bob RFBynum@aol.com
Caldwell, David Sunnyvale 408-945-8030 408-746-0526 davcal@aol.com
Calliger, Rich Fremont 510-651-1876 510-659-7546 calliger@infolane.infolane.com
Cernac, Joseph San Jose 408-292-5465
Clarence, Craig San Francisco 415-695-1741
Cline, Terry Palo Alto terry@clarity.com
Clow, Gary Mountain View 415-964-7752
Cobb, Dan Los Altos 415-949-0838
Cobb, Jo Ann Los Altos 415-949-0838
Coha, Joseph San Jose 408-252-7053 408-447-5760 coha@cup.hp.com
Crawley, Roger Menlo Park 415-321-8602 415-324-2721
Crumley, Carrie San Jose
Curl, Jim San Jose 408-371-4741 408-452-6557 jim_curl@bannet.ptltd.com
Dale, Steve Sdale@ix.netcom.com
Daskal, Neal Oakland 510-268-4007
Davis, Karen Redwood City 415-365-9462 karen@genome.stanford.edu
Davison, Pete San Francisco 408-765-5205
Deidrick, Craig A. San Jose 408-255-2303
DeNike, Bob Sunnyvale 408-749-9135
Desai, Dinesh Los Altos 415-969-2695
Desai, Joy Los Altos 415-969-2695
Deshpande, Prasad Mountain View 415/964-0470 415/926-1103 prasadd@informix.com
Dietrich, Ute San Francisco
Dikken, Frank FrankD@micom.com
Domish, Dody San Francisco 415-554-9763 415-333-5664
Donner, Bill Berkeley 510-644-1253
Dorer, Dave Brookline 617-232-9133
DuMond, Dewey DDuMond1@aol.com
Duvall, Steve Palo Alto 415-325-0520
Dyal, Palmer Los Altos Hills 415-941-5321
Eckert, Steven R. Belmont 415-508-0500 415-508-0500 eckert@netcom.com
Elliott, Raymond Menlo Park
Erskine, David Mountain View 415-964-4227
Esterl, John El Cerrito 510-526-2216 707-646-4155
Estey, Sue El Cerrito 510/526-2216 SEstey@aol.com
Faden, Mike San Francisco
Farber, Gennady Palo Alto 415-852-9617
Federoff, Galen San Francisco 415-363-8010
Fehrle, Jim Mountain View
Feldman, Carlos Menlo Park 415-325-8116
Fineberg, Samuel A. Sunnyvale 408-737-8848 415-604-4319 fineberg@scruznet.com
Fisher, Jeff Redwood City 415-364-5065 415-462-9204
Fisher, Kevin Palo Alto
Fitzpatrick, Bill San Jose 408-286-9700
Fitzsimmons, Nancy Milpitas
Flavin, John 408/253-1165 John_Flavin@3mail.3Com.COM
Flinn, Jeri Mountain View 415-968-2050 415-777-8705 jnflinn@aol.com
Flinn, John Mountain View 415-968-2050 415-777-8705 jnflinn@aol.com
Ford, Noreen Palo Alto
Fort, Marian Menlo Park
Gaillard, Anouchka 408-737-9770 408-229-3802 anouchka@sgi.com
Gardner, Jim Cupertino 408-996-7793
Gleeson, Fiona San Jose
Glynn, Sally Page 602-645-1480
Goehring, Dwight Marina 408-384-1248 goehring@ix.netcom.com
Gray, Michael Sunnyvale 408-746-2960
Greenstreet, Carol Los Gatos
Gross, Bob Santa Clara 408-142-6149 75013.1420@compuserve.com
Gross, Rich richgro@aol.com
Haight, Patricia San Francisco 415-956-0745
Hanh, Mark mark_hahn@pa.xerox.com
Hansen, Holger Santa Clara 408-296-5914
Harris, David Santa Clara harrisd@leland.stanford.edu
Harris, Michael E. Phoenix 602-877-1468
Harris, Timothy La honda tim@nas.nasa.gov
Harvey, Liz Concord 510-671-9950 800-447-5335
Hassell, Andrew Palo Alto 415-493-3342 415-723-7850 hassella@math.stanford.edu
Hastings, Al Palo Alto 415-493-6084 408-756-0105 hastings@lmsc.lockheed.com
Hauke, Jerome Douglas City
Hauser, Bill San Jose 408-243-4566
Haxo, Bob Palo Alto rshaxo@netcom.com
Hayden, Mike Saratoga Ave. 408-253-4975 415-969-9112
Healy, Brian Mountain View 415-968-6234
Heckbert, Al San Jose 408-293-8549
Hempstead, Marjorie Mountain View 415-961-9860
Henzel, Bill San Mateo 415-349-3062
Henzel, Bonnie San Mateo 415-349-3062
Hester, Larry Saratoga 408-867-3669 lhester@fmi.fujitsu.com
Hiipakka, Dennis Hilmar 209-667-1723
Hinshaw, Michael Sonora 209-532-4066
Hite, Clorinda P. Santa Clara 408-246-0628
Holland, Elaine Mill Valley 415-383-7557
Hough, David San Jose dgh@validgh.com
Howell, Gelston Saratoga 408-867-3544
Hult, Tim Santa Clara 408-970-0760 408-742-9141 tdhult@lmsc.lockheed.com
Hurst, Will Castro Valley
Ingvoldstad, John Volcano 209-296-8483
Ingvoldstad, Kate Volcano 209-296-8483
Isherwood, Bill Orinda 510-254-0739 510-423-5058
Isherwood, Dana Orinda 510-254-0739 510-423-5058
Jablonski, Marc Cupertino
Jacob, Mammen San Jose 408-266-3756
Jakubouski, Diane C. San Francisco
Johnson, David San Jose
Johnson, Fred Menlo Park 415-329-4383
Johnson, Mike Mammoth Lakes 619-934-8516
Johnston, Dave Saratoga 408-867-2280
Jones, Anthony Mountain View 415-969-3208
Kang, Jan jan.kang@lamrc.com
Keith, Alexander 415/496-5714 keith@crc.ricoh.com
King, Kelly kelly.king@wfnia.com
King, Steven Clovis 209-298-5580 209-278-2132
Kleissner, Charly Los Gatos 408-358-2182
Kleissner, Lisa Los Gatos 408-358-2182
Klemperer, Simon Palo Alto 415-494-8778
Kramar, Christopher Fremont 415-967-3446 415-926-6861
Kreider, Scott Sunnyvale 408-737-0983
Kuhns, Cindy Palo Alto
Kuty, Dave Felton 408-335-4211 kuty1@apple.com
La Plant, David San Mateo 415-375-8486
Lambertson, Roy roy@actel.com
Lancaster, Deac Fremont 510-790-3697 deac@remedy.com
Lawrence, David Los Gatos 408-866-4265 408-764-2640
Lear, Ray Mountain View 415-964-8806
Leiker, Richard Fremont 510-792-4816
Leipper, Kenneth Oakland
Lester, Teresa San Jose 408-370-7055
Lingelbach, Ron lingel@convex.convex.com
Lou, David Milpitas 408-263-5630 dlou@svpal.org
Maas, Kelly A. San Jose 408-279-2054 408-944-2078 maas@idtinc.com
Machnick, J. Santa Clara 408-248-6750
Machnick, A Santa Clara 408-248-6750
Macintosh, Chris Menlo Park 415-325-7841 chrism@clbooks.com
Magliocco, Cecil Los Gatos 408-358-1168 pmag@ix.netcom.com
Magliocco, Paul Los Gatos 408-358-1168 pmag@ix.netcom.com
Mahajan, Arun Santa Clara
Malloy, Betty Santa Cruz 408-476-4053
Martin, Don Los Altos maycap@ix.netcom.com
Marvel, Chris Palo Alto 415-325-2649 marvelcc@ccmail.pldbio.com
Maxwell, Peter Sunnyvale 408-737-9770 408-857-7639 peterm@aoraki.dtc.hp.com
Mcdonell, Greg Los Gatos 408-559-8321
McMartin, Betty San Jose 408-739-2471 408-943-5684
Mewara, Siddharth Coral Springs 305/753-8722 mwwwk93a@prodigy.com
Miller, Ron Mountain View 415/694-4273 rmiller@synopsys.com
Miya, Eugene Mountain View 415-961-6772 eugene@wilbur.nas.nasa.com
Monteith, Alison alison.monteith@syntex.com
Moore, Sheila Sunnyvale
Morrow, Tom Redwood Shores 415-637-1620
Mountaineer, Pacific Palo Alto 415-324-9009 415-324-9009
Mountaineering, Western San Jose 408-984-7611 408-984-7611
Nakata, Leighton San Francisco 415-824-0973
Narkhede, Atul Mountain View 415-967-5778 415-390-3303 atul@asd.sgi.com
Navid-Haghighi, Siamak Redwood City 415-361-8548
Nelson, Peter Palo Alto 415-321-0929 415-323-5751 jpnels@aol.com
Netzky, Ralph Redwood City
Neumann, Erik Woodside 415-851-1514 415-966-0453
Nielsen, Annette A. Santa Clara 408-296-3295
Nielsen, James San Jose 408-295-4801
Nielsen, Odila San Jose 408-295-4801
Novalis, Susann Pacifica 415-359-1821 415-338-1571
O'Grady, Bob Mountain View
O'Mahoney, Frank Palo Alto frank@liffey.com
Olrich, Phyllis Palo Alto 415-322-0323 415-725-1541 phylliso@forsythe.stanford.edu
Oskoui, Parva 415/933-4124 parva@tenaday.corp.sgi.com
Oskoui, Peyma 415/857-7754 peyma@hplms26.hpl.hp.com
Oswald, Chris joswala@aol.com
Oswalt, Ed oswalt@netcom.com
Ott, Dana Half Moon Bay 415-726-3456
Ottenberg, Marj Saratoga 408-867-4576
Pace, John San Jose 408-998-1942
Pappone, Dan San Jose
Pearson, Carl Soquel 408-479-8529 carlp@mail.santacruz.k12.ca.us
Pease, Caroline Stanford 415-857-1472
Penn, Jonathan Los Altos 415-949-4035 408-862-7673
Pilch, Nick Pacifica 415-355-5883 nicky@apple.com
Pinson, Gary San Jose 408-448-6692
Raczek, Ted San Jose 408-224-1119 408-363-5379
Ramaker, James H. San Jose 408-224-8553 408-463-4873
Rau, Greg Castro Valley 510-582-5578 greg_rau@lccmail.ocf.llnl.com
Rau, Vreni Castro Valley 510-582-5578
Rawlings, John cn.jwr@forsythe.stanford.edu
Reid, Bob Carson City 702-267-1035
Reilly, Dorothea E. San Francisco 415-585-1380
Remien, Suzanne Portola Valley 415-851-3456
Ress, David ress@llnl.gov
Reyne, Ed Palo Alto
Riley, Robert San Jose 408-286-6856
Rinaldi, Michael San Francisco 415-566-6805 rinaldi@hermes.space.lockheed.com
Rock, Judy Palo Alto
Rock, Stephen Palo Alto
Rogers, Tom Los Altos 415-948-5159
Roper, Steve 510-547-3407
Rosmarin, Peter El Cerrito 415-233-5132
Ross, Robin Los Gatos
Rountree, Tom San Jose 408-371-5303
Rubinstein, Seth San Mateo 415-345-2491
Ruesch, Bonnita San Jose 408-997-8323
Sanders, Sean Portola Valley 415-851-5810
Savadelis, Jewel chucksav@aol.com
Schafer, Charles Los Gatos 408-354-1545 408-324-6003 charles.schafer@octel.com
Schafer, Helen Los Gatos 408-354-1545 408-324-6003 charles.schafer@octel.com
Schollard, James Scotts Valley 408-439-0708
Schuman, Aaron Mountain View 415-968-9184 415-390-1901 schuman@sgi.com
Sefchik, Laura Yosemite West
Sharp, Jonathan Saratoga 408-379-5178 jjsharp@ix.netcom.com
Sharp, Julia Saratoga 408-379-5178 jjsharp@ix.netcom.com
Shields, Steve Mountain View 415-691-1128 415-968-6200
Sierra Club, Loma Prieta Palo Alto 415-390-8411
Simpson, Dick Palo Alto 415-494-9272
Sinclair, George Mt. View 415-941-2160 geosinc@aol.com
Smith, Linda Palo Alto 415-327-2099 415-327-6608
Sogard, Michael Atherton 415-368-2775 415-508-4674
Staby, Brian 408-425-7029 408-984-7611
Stafford, Ray San Carlos 415-591-9348 415-852-6310
Steidtmann, Howard Hayward 510-538-5699
Steidtmann, Tobi Hayward 510-538-5699
Steidtmann, Tyler Hayward 510-538-5699
Stephens, Joe Fremont 510-623-9150 510-505-5410 joe_stephens@sj.hp.com
Stickles, Carol Mariposa 209-742-6840
Stigall, Georgia Sunnyvale 408-253-4076 geobaer@aol.com
Storkman, Dixie Palo Alto 415-493-8959
Storkman, Warren Palo Alto 415-493-8959
Stover, Richard Santa Cruz 408-457-1036
Straub, Kenneth Cupertino 408-255-6123
Strite, Bob Cupertino 408-732-5195
Suits, Butch Menlo Park 415-325-4116 408-742-5642
Suzuki, Bob San Jose 408-259-0772 408-473-2402
Thompson, Nancy Portola Valley 415-851-8698
Tischler, Dan San Jose 408-224-4525 408-256-2983
Tsuchihashi, Zenta Menlo Park 415/363-8290 zenta@mercator.com
Upham, Gary ProRIZN@aol.com
Van Gorden, George Morgan Hill 408-779-2320
Vance, Linda El Cerrito 510/236-7599 STLLinda@aol.com
Vassar, Janet Los Altos 415-949-4485
Vassar, Richard Los Altos 415-949-4485 vassar_richard@mm.rdd.lmsc.lockheed.com
Vlasveld, Paul San Jose 408-247-6472 408-257-7910 vlasveld@siecomp.com
Volterra, Angelica Palo Alto 415-325-7170
Ward-Dolkas, Paul Palo Alto 415-324-2015
Waterman, Alan Stanford 415-326-7593
Waters, Jim waters@cs.stanford.edu
Weiss, Adrienne Palo Alto 415/813-9849 alw@sera.com
Wentz, Roland Sunnyvale 408-745-1085
Wessel, Alan Mountain View 408-964-7330 awessel@scuacc.scu.edu
West, Jeff Santa Cruz 408-476-4191
Wheaton, Wendy Oakland 510-655-2263 wendy.wheaton@ncal.kaiperm.org
Wiedman, Kai San Mateo 415-347-5234
Wilkinson, John San Jose 408-947-0858
Wilsey, Tawna San Jose 408-729-9650 408-894-2376
Wilson, Steve San Jose 408-268-2602
Wooden, Richard Jr. Cupertino
Woolbright, Mark San Jose 408-246-4209 408-749-5904 mark.woolbright@amd.com
Wright, David Fremont 510-498-1095
Yager, Chris Santa Clara 408-243-3026 408-243-3027
Yamagata, Pete Sacramento
Yarborough, Judith Menlo Park 415-854-9288 judith.yarborough@forsythe.stanford.edu
Young, Bette Mountain View 415-968-0795
Young, Ron Mountain View 415-968-0795
Zenger, Kipp San Jose 408-265-2011 408/463-2870 zenger@vnet.ibm.com
Zensius, David San Jose dzensius@netcom.com
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE BACK PAGE
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Elected Officials
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Chair:
Charles Schafer / charles.schafer@octel.com
408-354-1545 home, 408-324-6003 work
115 Spring Street, Los Gatos CA 95032-6229
Temporary Acting Scheduler:
Paul Magliocco / pmag@ix.netcom.com
408-358-1168 home
15944 Longwood Drive, Los Gatos CA 95032-3645
Treasurer and Membership Roster:
Jim Ramaker / ramaker@vnet.ibm.com
408-224-8553 home, 408-463-4873 work,
188 Sunwood Meadows Place, San Jose CA 95119-1350
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Appointed Positions
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Scree & EScree Editor, Email Broadcast Operator:
Steve Eckert / eckert@netcom.com
415-508-0500 home/work, 415-508-0501 fax
1814 Oak Knoll Drive, Belmont, CA 94002-1753
Mailing Labels and Change of Address:
Paul Vlasveld / vlasveld@siecomp.com
408-247-6472 home, 408-257-7910 x3613 work
789 Daffodil Way, San Jose CA 95117-2304
PCS World Wide Web Publisher:
Aaron Schuman / schuman@sgi.com
415-390-1901, http://reality.sgi.com/csp/pcs/index.html
223 Horizon Avenue, Mountain View CA 94043
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Scree is the monthly journal of the Peak Climbing Section of
the Sierra Club, Loma Prieta Chapter. Subscriptions are
$12/year. Checks payable to "PCS" should be mailed to the
Treasurer so they arrive before the last Tuesday of the expiration
month.
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If you are on the PCS email broadcast, you have an EScree
subscription. Send Email to for
additions/removals from the broadcast (the message is
"subscribe sc-pcs" or "unsubscribe sc-pcs"). The EScree is
FREE, but EScree-only subscribers must contact the Treasurer
to become voting PCS members at no charge.
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Rock Climbing Classifications
The following trip classifications are to assist you in choosing
trips for which you are qualified. No simple rating system can
anticipate all possible conditions.
Class 1: Walking on a trail.
Class 2: Walking cross-country, using hands for balance.
Class 3: Requires use of hands for climbing. A rope may be used.
Class 4: Requires rope belays.
Class 5: Technical rock climbing.
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In Upcoming Issues:
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Mt Pilatus trip report
North Peak trip report
Mt Muir trip report
Searching for Small Worlds to Conquer
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Deadline for submissions to the next Scree is 2/26/96.
Meetings are the second Tuesday of each month.
This publication may not be posted on any public news group.
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(End of February 1996 EScree)