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Greetings from Oregon,
 There is snow in the mountains and we've been playing in it. Skiing and snowshoeing have been fun and we're looking forward to snow adventures and playtimes for the remainder of the winter.
Oregon has been in the news quite a bit lately with the ordeal of the Kim family in Southern Oregon and the ongoing saga of the three climbers stranded on Mt. Hood.
OPA Guides Marty Johnson and Chris LeDoux are team leaders for Portland Mountain Rescue and have been involved in the search. At this time, Thursday, 12/14, the conditions are incompatible with any useful search effort and they are waiting for the weather to improve, which may occur by Saturday. The forecast for tonight and Friday is for heavy snow and exceptionally high winds on the mountain. Chris described being blown down by wind gusts as she led her group up the Cooper Spur route.
This is being written under high wind conditions and the power has momentarily gone out at least three times so far, oops make that five! I do have an uninterruptible power supply, and it's a good thing.
Please read on about our upcoming trips. In the Tips section, I'll offer some observations about the backcountry situations and some gift ideas.
We hope you can join us for your next adventure as we close out 2006 and begin 2007.
As always, our intent is to send this newsletter only to people who wish to receive it. If you don't want it, please click the Unsubscribe link at the bottom of this email. There you will also find a link which allows you to send this eNews to a friend or colleague. We invite you to take a trip with Oregon Peak Adventures. You may sign-up by e-mailing us at
info@oregonpeakadventures.com, calling us at (877) 965-5100, or using our secure form.
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MT. ST. HELENS
Mt. St. Helens is visible from many locations in Portland and occasionally emerges as a snow covered ghost to the northeast. Dome building activity continues with little change in the low level of activity. Daily USGS updates are available at http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Volcanoes/MSH/CurrentActivity/. We have successive photos of the dome on the OPA Website .
Our next scheduled St. Helens climb is March 17-18, 2007 via the Butte Camp Route. This includes an overnight snowcamp and an optional
orientation through Portland Community College on March 14.
Please check the website for 2007 scheduled St. Helens climbs. If you want to climb on other dates, please let us know and we'll arrange a climb for you (weekdays only April 1 - October 31).
You can observe St. Helens at the VolcanoCam and check the weather forecast at the National Weather Service.
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GIFTYBOX
Oregon Peak Adventures is a provider for the Giftybox Outdoor Adventure book. We offer Cross Country Skiing, Snowshoeing and Hiking, although we would apply the gift certificate to any of our activities.
"So what, pray tell," you're asking, "is a Giftybox?" It is actually very cool. The recipient of a Giftybox receives an impressive boxed 124 page guide which describes the 80+ trips, a gift certificate good for the trip of their choice, plus five additional two-for-one certificates. My understanding is that these are very popular employee incentive and customer loyalty gifts used by corporations, but provide a unique, high-class gift option for anyone at a price of $89.00. There are several other themed Giftyboxes besides the Outdoor Adventures offering as well.
We're looking forward to taking the Giftybox folks outside to play.
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TIPS
BACKCOUNTRY EPICS
I've discussed being prepared for emergencies in past newsletters and we teach classes in Winter and Wilderness Survival. My personal observation is that we primarily need to take personal responsibility for our activities. I believe that we get away with more than we deserve most of the time.
In the Kim Family case, continuing to drive on a backcounty road in adverse conditions, without emergency supplies, and not knowing exactly where you are is either an act of blind faith, or total inability to foresee the possible consequences. It also reaffirms that staying with a stranded car is almost always the best thing to do, especially if you do not know specifically where to go to get help.
I truly hope for a good outcome for the three climbers lost on Mt. Hood. Their decision to not take a Mountain Locator Unit (MLUs are tracking beacons that are offered for a $5.00 rental to Mt. Hood climbers) with them has endangered them and the people who are out trying to find them.
Anytime we climb, or get out of bed, for that matter; we assume some level of risk. However, we need to proactively take actions to minimize those risk factors that are within our control. Many people underestimate Mt. Hood since it's only 11,200 feet in elevation and easily accessible, but people die up there almost every year.
Doing sufficient research is essential (I just did a Google search for climb Mt. Hood and the first few of 1,200,000 hits did mention MLUs and bad weather.) Our sense of responsibility must significantly extend beyond our personal selves to include family and those who will search for us if we get into trouble. There are sufficient objective risks that we can not effectively control, without taking those precautions that are within our control. Knowledge, training, pre-trip planning, having what we need, and exercising good judgment are essential elements in surviving all the times in our lives where things do not go as planned.
If you want to follow what is happening with the search, up-to-date news reports are available from the Oregonian. And conditions at Mt. Hood are available at the Timberline Lodge Website.
GIFT SUGGESTIONS
Here's a list of things I would like to find in my stocking if I didn't already have them:
1. An Oregon Peak Adventures Gift Certificate. What could be a better gift?
2. A Tivo Digital Video Recorder. If I didn't have my TIVO, I would get rid of the TV.
3. Tivoli Songbook Radio. Great sound, looks cool, and I just love the way it feels.
4. Jetboil Cooking System. Light, efficient, and fast stove for heating liquids.
5. Petzl
Tikka Plus (has a headband) or Zipka Plus (has a retractable string thingy) LED headlamp. Lightweight, compact and bright for everyday use.
6. Petzl e+Lite. Tiny and bright emergency light. Great stocking stuffer.
7. My favorite classic Jazz albums: Miles Davis "Kind of Blue" and "Sketches of Spain"; Dave Brubeck "Time Out" and "Time Further Out"; and John Coltrane "Blue Train".
8. MP3 Player. I'm partial to the ipod Nano. Get the 8 GB version if you're interested in listening to podcasts.
9. On the Ridge Between Life and Death: A Climbing Life Reexamined, by David Roberts. An excellent read about why we climb ...or don't.
10. Chilkat Snow Boots by The North Face. Men's or Women's. Warm and comfortable. My snowshoeing boots.
Best wishes to you and your family for a joyous holiday season, and a happy and adventurous New Year from all of us at Oregon Peak Adventures!
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INTERESTED IN SETTING UP AN OUTING?
Please give us a call if you are interested in setting up an outing for your work group or family. We handle all the arrangements including transportation and food at a reasonable price. If you are coming to Portland for a conference or convention, we would be delighted to set-up outings for your attendees. Just let us know when. |
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